Line Up Incredulity! - The Other Stage Conspiracy

[wrongturn]

I'm not the sort of guy to make a habit of this.....but I felt compelled to take to the internet to register my disgust/disbelief/misapprehension.

(Apologies if this topic has already been done to death in another thread).

Right.....for the love of god Jake Beenaround5minutes Bugg is not gonna be higher on the billing of the Other Stage than Pixes are they? I mean what the buggery bollocks is that about? I appreciate that the music industry has changed but Bugg barely shifted 1m copies of his debut album and not nearly as many for his, somewhat shabby, second.

Pixies on the other hand have punted out well over five times that, garnered widespread critical and public acclaim and influenced a myriad of artists to boot. Now I understand that many must be pleased that they can hotfoot it over to the Pyramid and catch Metallica afterwards but I have noticed a pattern emmerging and I want to signpost it.

They did the same last year by putting the xx above Smashing Pumpkins. The latter infact has sold more albums than ALL of the acts on the Other Stage who performed on that day put together. Am I missing something?

(Cue hipster hate for 'ancient, past-it bands' like Pixies and SPs)

*cough* ....... rant over, I'd better go to the pub.......

[FloorFiller]

the placings of those two acts is almost definitely so that Pixies and Metallica don't clash as Pixies were initially lined up to sub Metallica on the Other Stage so having them clash would make zero sense. it's as simple as that

Smashing Pumpkins being on before The xx was to seemingly accommodate The xx's light show (something that might've been repeated this year with Paolo Nutini / Skrillex and is becoming the norm at festivals - headliner on first, dance act / act with light show on after)

[Glastonlocal]

doubt there'll be much light show for Jake Bugg. Last year it was just him up there playing guitar like a 15 year old in his bedroom.

I gather he's popular with certain demographics though.

[FloorFiller]

doubt there'll be much light show for Jake Bugg. Last year it was just him up there playing guitar like a 15 year old in his bedroom.

I gather he's popular with certain demographics though.

[pedmills]

they needed a Radio Oneish headliner to counteract Metallica so Jake Bugg also ticks that box

[LondonTom]

I still think that there are at least a couple of more appropriate options even within the current Glastonbury lineup for that slot.

[FloorFiller]

they probably approached a few acts about doing it after Metallica got the bump up, but i suppose what with contracts being previously signed etc (Lily Allen posted that she was playing on the Sunday, and presumably Pyramid, months and months ago) they had to take the best they could (which was unfortunately Jake Bugg)

[Glastonlocal]

read the first part of my post: Pixies are below him so that they don't clash with Metallica (although they needed a Radio Oneish headliner to counteract Metallica so Jake Bugg also ticks that box)

[Alcatraz]

The Pixies are still playing right? So what's the problem?

Edited May 12, 2014 by Alcatraz

[dentalplan]

Jake Bugg is bigger than the Pixies where Glasto crowds are concerned. It's not even like they've taken a punt on a smaller act; he's getting similar slots at all festivals.

[Martin Ashford]

I think that the Other Stage headliners are indeed questionable.Although I wasn't there, on TV The XX and Portishead came across as downright dull. (This was confirmed by a friend who took shelter from The XX in her tent) Jake Bugg may be popular with the youngsters but it's hardly going to be a spectacular knees up is it? Only a few years ago we had Prodigy, Groove Armada, Queens Of The Stone Age, Pet Shop Boys -in other words stuff you can jump around to. - big lights, lasers, a proper show.

[Pink_Tequila]

I think that the Other Stage headliners are indeed questionable.Although I wasn't there, on TV The XX and Portishead came across as downright dull. (This was confirmed by a friend who took shelter from The XX in her tent) Jake Bugg may be popular with the youngsters but it's hardly going to be a spectacular knees up is it? Only a few years ago we had Prodigy, Groove Armada, Queens Of The Stone Age, Pet Shop Boys -in other words stuff you can jump around to. - big lights, lasers, a proper show.

[Guest]

and Portishead came across as downright dull.

[sime]

Really glad Pixies are not headlining as it means I can see both them and Metallica. That's one clash I don't have to worry about!

[kidsfears]

I like Jake Bugg, but at the same time would rather watch paint dry than watch him live... but there are so many options at Glastonbury it really shouldn't be that big a deal!

[Hello... I'm Johnny Cash]

Seems like a strange thing to feel disgust over.

Who cares about the running order of a stage? Unless it causes a clash which is mildly annoying but that doesn't appear to be the case here - if anything it seems to have solved a problem for a few people.

[mrtourette]

Awesome another 'this band I like are better than Jake Bugg why aren't they playing higher' thread.

They did the same last year by putting the xx above Smashing Pumpkins. The latter infact has sold more albums than ALL of the acts on the Other Stage who performed on that day put together. Am I missing something?

Edited May 12, 2014 by mrtourette

[Ruwise]

As long as the bands are happy to play where they are on the bill who cares. It could be that they want to explore the festival a bit themselves and are happy not to be headlining. To be honest I think sometimes people can assume an artist has a huge following because of how much they mean to them. Let's assume that Glastonbury have their reasons and roll with it. I personally think the Saturday headliners may not be that great by design to ensure that Metallica have a good crowd.

[dingbat2]

I think that the Other Stage headliners are indeed questionable.Although I wasn't there, on TV The XX and Portishead came across as downright dull.

Edited May 12, 2014 by dingbat2

[Joshuwarr]

The XX worked perfectly as headliner of the other stage last year. The atmosphere was incredible and they really pulled off an unforgettable performance. I think Bugg's headline spot seems a little more confused though. I think it would have made far more sense to have had him third from top on the Pyramid stage...

[giantkatestacks]

I have to agree that if the acts themselves dont care then why should we.

Every act has a rise and a decline within the industry no matter what we think of them. Manics are a good example of this, huge when I was young, then nowhere for a bit, mid afternoon in fact, now back to tent status etc. It really doesnt matter.

[Rose-Colored Boy]

Don't know that he'd have even fitted in third down on the Pyramid to be honest - in a directly comparable slot to his slot from last year, it'd be three slots higher, in which case have I missed something, because as far as I can tell he's done the square root of f*** all to merit such an upgrade?

Plus look at the company - a solo slot by the frontman of one of the most respected rock bands of all time, Lily Allen whose first two albums sold six million copies between them worldwide (from a quick Google it looks like Bugg's two have barely sold a million between them), or Ed Sheeran whose first album topped sales of 3 million worldwide and has an almost-sold-out UK arena tour coming up (where AFAIK Jake Bugg toured Academys last year).

[Amy Lawn]

I give this thread 2/10, two of those points are for that funny fucker who suggested Portishead were dull. I have to confess that I was at the Arctics and watched Portishead on the iplayer afterwards, but the very notion of Portishead being dull is such a crackers idea, good job I was sitting down when I read it.

[chestwig]

I give this thread 2/10, two of those points are for that funny fucker who suggested Portishead were dull. I have to confess that I was at the Arctics and watched Portishead on the iplayer afterwards, but the very notion of Portishead being dull is such a crackers idea, good job I was sitting down when I read it.

[pedmills]

I have to agree that if the acts themselves dont care then why should we.

Every act has a rise and a decline within the industry no matter what we think of them. Manics are a good example of this, huge when I was young, then nowhere for a bit, mid afternoon in fact, now back to tent status etc. It really doesnt matter.