Saturday - worst headliners ever?

[Guest]

The great thing about Glastonbury is that if you don't like one headliner, there's always another to get excited about. For me that's been true...until this year's Saturday line-up. Oh dear, oh dear.

Metallica. Yup, lots of people love them. I stopped worshipping at the altar of "look at me move my fingers up the fretboard very fast" around the late '70s and, having checked them out, they aren't going to have me singing along to their super-catchy choruses anytime soon.

Jake Bugg. Known for a pretty decent first record and a dismal phoned-in performance on the Pyramid stage last time he played. Two records of decent Dylan copies do not make a headliner.

Bryan Ferry. Well, if he plays lots of Roxy stuff, possibly. But if, as is more than possible, we get lounge lizard versions of standards from the 1940's, I'll be snoozing somewhere else.

Still, the John Peel stage never lets me down. Oh. MGMT. A pretty good first record followed by two self-indulgent and virtually unlistenable career-suicides. I can't sit through the meanderings for an hour or more just to hear Kids again.

Dexys? Best of the bunch by a mile, but they don't seem inclined to play many songs that people actually know.

Mogwai. A sacred cow to many, I know. quiet, LOUD, quiet, LOUD, quiet, LOUD, LOUD. Proclaim yourselves geniuses. Repeat ad infinitum. Not for me, I'm afraid.

A fair amount of tongue shoved deep into cheek here, but for the first time ever I am utterly underwhelmed by the choice and, more importantly, the quality of headliners chosen to headline the main day of possible the world's most prestigious festival. They are all artists well past their peak, still developing or very very niche.

I wonder if Glastonbury is starting to lose its unique allure for the artists?

Just thought I'd throw that out there.

JonnyG

[dentalplan]

Oh - and I missed Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip on the poster. I now know where I'll be Saturday headliner time! Thanks.

[Guest]

Was with OP too, but Alabama 3 in The Glade does it for me.

As for Friday and Sunday, I shall be most wandering with a big smile on my face......

[TomfromStroud]

Good chance for an early trip to the south east corner though, surely?

[JonnyG]

Wow. After all that snobbery you pull that one out?

[Homer]

If MGMT are anything like they were last time they played the JP reckon it will good enough. It really went off last time (however, I like the second album).

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu6MfigcjyY

[sparkythetortoise]

what day are Alabama 3 down to play? I thought it was still up in the air?

[Trebor]

Sunday's headliner choice so far is dire for me.

[CHRLY]

Sunday's headliner choice so far is dire for me.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Sunday's headliner choice so far is dire for me.

[Acid_Haze]

Yeah in the grand scheme of things, the choice for headliners is a little bit disappointing, though overall the lineup is really good. It's strange.

The only real headliners I'd totally be up for are Arcade Fire and Massive Attack. Other than that many of the sub-headlining acts would do a better job of headlining stages like Wild Beasts, as opposed to Kaiser Chiefs, Pixies as opposed to Jake Bugg, Goldfrapp, Bonobo, The Black Keys, and then just any on the other stage as opposed to Skrillex. Overall though I'm probably going Arcade Fire/ MGMT/ Massive Attack

[brandycoke]

[Ted Dansons Wig]

Been waiting for a line up like this for years. Folk can enjoy what they want and if in the mood I'll follow on with whatever the group I'm with want to do. But also - ending up in SE corner before the queue sounds great to me.

[Acid_Haze]

I say all this but I don't give a shit really because this is glastonbury and of course I'm going to enjoy myself whatever happens

[FuzzyDunlop]

My sunday headliner issue means one thing...

Ill find something I never knew about before.

Bonus!

[rikkirascal]

I still really can't get my head around Jake Bugg headlining the Other Stage. Who on earth made that decision?

[Moon Monkey]

I don't get that bothered about headliners. I often hope they wont be what I'm after so I can go play elsewhere. Saying that I'll be at the park for mogwai

[Ted Dansons Wig]

I still really can't get my head around Jake Bugg headlining the Other Stage. Who on earth made that decision?

[russycarps]

it looks just the same as any other year to me. What are people expecting?

[Amy Lawn]

Probably the same person who thought clashing Pixies and Metallica wouldnt work. Pixies are the headliner - but go on earlier to give people the chance to see all/ most of both.

Do we defo know young Jake is "headlining"?

[cdm22]

I think Satuday is the only day there is a headliner I want to see! I would be quite happy to see Metallica, Bryan Ferry and Mogwai. Friday and Sunday are worse for me personally where I am struggling to find anything i want to see. Still as other have said it will mean more time in other areas for a change

[whisty]

Looks like SE corner is going to be rammed all weekend! Oh wait, 100 stages being mentioned, or do headliners only matter on 4 or 5 stages.

Edited May 11, 2014 by whisty

[WS_Jack_III]

I was considering Ferry but he didn't sound great at Coachella.

[GeoHall]

hahaha. Great opening post. Utterly and completely wrong, total cobblers, but a great post.

Dexys. The most recent album is the best thing they've ever done, by a country mile. It's a fantastic work nd great to see that they're not resting on past laurels and still making cracking music. However, if you are going to be one of those witless dullards who goes along just to bellow for 'Come on Eileen' at every opportunity, then don't worry, they will close with it.

MGMT. Couldn't disagree more. They're a band who take risks, experiment and come back with something gold. The second and third album absolutely piss on that firat one. Listen to 'Introspection' off the newest, or 'siberian brakes' off the one before. Beautiful things and worth a million 'Kids'. Unlistenable? get outta here.

Mogwai. Inspired booking. Great band, atmospheric, transcendental, stuff that hits you both in the gut and in the mind. Might not be your cup of tea, but the loud quiet loud thng is just way off.

Mind the rest of your post is pretty much spot on, I got to say

[Homer]

Checked their setlists - they play half the first album at least.