Festival season preview: the line-ups worth travelling for

From hidden boutique stages to the big three — where your summer weekends should go.

What's actually going on

Strip away the hot takes and the picture is simpler than the timeline suggests. The people involved have been working towards this for months; the only surprise is that it surfaced now. Three things stand out once you slow the story down.

• The timing was chosen, not accidental.
• The numbers behind it are stronger than the headline.
• Nobody involved is done yet — this is a first move.

The best stories are the ones everyone almost missed.

Why it matters

Stories like this one rarely stay in their own lane. Expect the ripples to reach adjacent industries within the quarter — and expect the follow-up to be louder than the announcement. We'll keep this article updated as sources come back to us.