So why hold back on announcing the line-up?

[Sam Crawley]

So I buy all the "Glasto is not about the line-up stuff". I had my ticket as soon as I could buy it and it will be great. BUT I want to know the line-up as soon as possible. Now given all the good points made on this thread, about promoters not wanting their gigs undercut by Glasto etc. Fine. So how about rather than a all-or-nothing approach to line-up, why don't Glasto Festivals just trickle the info out. Picture a ticker thing on their website like the BBC breaking news thing. I'm sure the majority of bands won't mind, some have self-confirmed already. Also keeps people on these threads happy, gives people a chance to start researching lesser-know names.. everyone's happy.. I'm happy!

[llcoolphil]

Wouldn't you rather just turn up on the wednesday, grab a program and find out who's playing?

[llcoolphil]

Also keeps people on these threads happy, gives people a chance to start researching lesser-know names.. everyone's happy.. I'm happy!

[Sam.]

Because it's based on a massive assumption? I took artsy fartsy to be a reference to the non music related things, and didn't do the chap any favours in his point to be fair. But he was being rounded on just because he said he liked to try and listen to bands in advance. Fair play so do I. I just find it a bit off that everyone criticises him just because he wants to seek out music in advance. People like consuming and finding music in different ways.

I love you Neil (in a platanonic awesomeness kind of way!), and I love your site, but sometimes I find you get really harsh on people on presumptions that all seem to stem around some issue with the NME. I mean no one evens reads it any more! Give the boy a break!

[Boris]

One of the main points of this whole argument is a moan about not knowing the lineup yet. I am definately in the camp that would come to Glasto even if the main acts were Gary Barlow farting in a bath and a talk by the Philately club od Lemington Spa. I don't think I'm a snob either- I enjoyed a solid 5 1/2 hour stint at the front of the Pyramid crowd last year blissfully watching Neil Diamond, Goldfrapp & Leonard Cohen. Admittedly the first time I've spent so long there but I was on my own and very happy. Didn't even use my wee cup!

I have always liked the fact that the lineup is kept quiet because it means people come for the whole experience, not just the bands. This is good because it means we get a lot of open minded people generally disposed to be friendly and positive. I know what you mean about the problems in getting a group to go see this that or the other and I now know that the answer is not to try. It just doesn't work- the only thing to do it go off on your own or with 1 or 2 mates and do what you really want to do. It's no biggie- just arrange to meet up later on and you'll not miss out on too much fun with your gang.

Anyway the sentence I was starting to write at the top is that it's pretty silly to moan about not knowing the lineup on the forum of a site that makes it it's business to try and give as much advance warning about probable bands as it can! It is from the rumours list on this very site that you can start doing what others have mentioned- listening to lots of new stuff that you expect or hope you might see at Glasto this year.

The other point is that since the organisers are still booking, how can they release it anyway?!

I say find out about as many bands as you can from the rumour lists, but be glad that it's kept quiet since that means you and everyone else will hopefully be willing to discover stuff at Glasto this year!

Edited February 6, 2009 by Boris

[lofichic]

And I defy anyone to say that the possibility of a Specials, Madness, Blur finish on the Pyramid on the Sunday is irrelevant.

[eFestivals]

they should release the lineup as soon as they can,

so that's about mid-May then - cos they don't have it sorted until about then.

So on that basis, this discussion is over. They're not in the position to release the line-up.

[1mills]

I want to see the line up, partly because I wouldn't mind listening to a lot of the bands playing in the months building up, but mainly just so I can have the piece of mind that The Fratelli's aren't second from top on the Pyramid stage again (had to be sat through last year as I wanted good spec for Kings of Leon)

[elias]

I fall into the 'would like to know the line up now' camp.

It's not a big crusade to me, if details are not released until much nearer to the time - so be it. I committed to my ticket before any rumours were announced and would be going come what may as I agree that the festival is so much more than a handful of headliners.

As with a few other contributors to this thread, I would like to do a little research on some of the bands I don't know to see if I think I will like them or not. That doesn't mean I will not do a little meandering of my own and hopefully come across a few gems along the way.

We all enjoy a singalong and there's nothing worse than seeing a band play their biggest hit(s) and not knowing the chorus. Standing like a foolish older (ahem) man, mumbling and staring at your feet whilst the youngsters jump about is enough to make you slope off to the nearest beer purveying establishment to drown your sorrows.

Kev

[blue&white]

Hey, I love all the speculation and rumurs, helps build even more expectation, and afterall, it is the whole experience and not purely the music.

[Sam.]

so that's about mid-May then - cos they don't have it sorted until about then.

So on that basis, this discussion is over. They're not in the position to release the line-up.

[eFestivals]

So we'll have it in May. A month before. I'm fine with that.

Oh wait, you're not Michael Eavis and ME himself has said June.

And ME has said that because he has contractual arrangements with certain publications for them to have first shout on the release of the line-up in those publications - with the money gained from those contractual arrangements helping fund the bands he's able to book.

Basically, the line-up is about ready for releasing at about the time that he has to give it to one of those publications for it to go to press .... and so there's not really any delay with the announcement.

[tylerdurden]

on the whole rumour issue on this site, does anyone know what last years predictions were? just to sort of compare accuracy and stuff, all i could find was the prediction that the verve would headline friday kanye west would headline saturday and leonard cohen would headline sunday, i think thats what it was anyway.

[Funkfarley]

Well Doves have self confirmed, surely everything else is a bonus isnt it????

[Langdale Wolf]

My opinion to those of you who want the line up now?

GET LOST.

No, I don't mean that to sound rude at all, and I'm not saying you should leave these pages and try and find a life, it's seriously some GOOD FRIENDLY advice for when you're there - get lost. You can do this with or even without friends. Fold the free map up, stick it in your back pocket. Don't look at it. Close your eyes, spin yourself around until you're dizzy (best not do this if up to your eyeballs in cider consumption). Then walk forwards and keep going.

You will find something you didn't expect, and you will find something you like. It will more than likely NOT be music orientated, but that doesn't mean it can't be great. What will your aimless wandering give you?

• A sense of fulfilment

• Exercise

• Bumping into totally random people - more often than not, these people will be ace.

• Experiencing totally new things

• Some things aren't in the programme. The site is huge, opportunities to find *the* moment of the festival are infinite, and could come in any form

• You might find the dragon

• Some of the bars might surprise you

• You might bump into Glastofreak and experience his shirts

• Great talking points. "What did you do today?" "I hung around at the pyramid stage. You?" "Well I wandered around, met a guy who is a part time Mrs Goggins from Postman Pat impersonator, before dancing my tits off in a club surrounded by 37 Blue Meanies. I then had lunch with Boris Yeltsin and had a marvellous chat about how Pizza Hutt USED to be with a guy who claimed to have designed the wheel. Then I saw a great band who covered The Ace Of Spades with a Christian Choir stood alongside Michael Eavis."

I'm not going this year, and threads like this really frustrate me. I'm desperately not trying to look at the efestivals rumours page, but knowing I'm missing some great bands really isn't the major gripe for me. My major gripe is those random wanderings, meeting and greeting great weirdos and clinking glasses (plastic - naturally ) with goblins that someone else could be doing in my place, instead of worrying when the Killer Kaiser Fratelli Enemy Party Ting Chiefs are on 4 months before they're even there.

Final thought - you're GOING. You're GOING TO BE THERE, milking the atmosphere and having the best long weekend of the year. I won't be.

So do me a favour, and get lost.

Edited February 10, 2009 by Langdale Wolf

[pedmills]

If you go to sleep at 4 and get up at 8 (for example) then you get enough sleep to function and have loads of time in the night and the morning to wander round aimlessly (plus the whole of wednesday and thursday). People are acting as if you either have to watch bands you know or wander around and see what you find. Why not do both? And its very unlikely that anyone will have a full day's worth of bands they want to see so that adds to the hours you can explore. Its only once a year, you may as well make the most of it and get your moneys worth.

[jollynolly]

Simple solution, go straight to the bands Internet page and click on upcoming gigs, most will start self confirming as the time gets nearer. It aint rocket science!

Edited February 10, 2009 by jollynolly

[staggerlee]

When were the headliners announced last year? I seem to remember knowing in advance of T-day as there was much controversy over Jay-Z.

[karlpowell]

My opinion to those of you who want the line up now?

GET LOST.

No, I don't mean that to sound rude at all, and I'm not saying you should leave these pages and try and find a life, it's seriously some GOOD FRIENDLY advice for when you're there - get lost. You can do this with or even without friends. Fold the free map up, stick it in your back pocket. Don't look at it. Close your eyes, spin yourself around until you're dizzy (best not do this if up to your eyeballs in cider consumption). Then walk forwards and keep going.

You will find something you didn't expect, and you will find something you like. It will more than likely NOT be music orientated, but that doesn't mean it can't be great. What will your aimless wandering give you?

• A sense of fulfilment

• Exercise

• Bumping into totally random people - more often than not, these people will be ace.

• Experiencing totally new things

• Some things aren't in the programme. The site is huge, opportunities to find *the* moment of the festival are infinite, and could come in any form

• You might find the dragon

• Some of the bars might surprise you

• You might bump into Glastofreak and experience his shirts

• Great talking points. "What did you do today?" "I hung around at the pyramid stage. You?" "Well I wandered around, met a guy who is a part time Mrs Goggins from Postman Pat impersonator, before dancing my tits off in a club surrounded by 37 Blue Meanies. I then had lunch with Boris Yeltsin and had a marvellous chat about how Pizza Hutt USED to be with a guy who claimed to have designed the wheel. Then I saw a great band who covered The Ace Of Spades with a Christian Choir stood alongside Michael Eavis."

I'm not going this year, and threads like this really frustrate me. I'm desperately not trying to look at the efestivals rumours page, but knowing I'm missing some great bands really isn't the major gripe for me. My major gripe is those random wanderings, meeting and greeting great weirdos and clinking glasses (plastic - naturally ) with goblins that someone else could be doing in my place, instead of worrying when the Killer Kaiser Fratelli Enemy Party Ting Chiefs are on 4 months before they're even there.

Final thought - you're GOING. You're GOING TO BE THERE, milking the atmosphere and having the best long weekend of the year. I won't be.

So do me a favour, and get lost.

Edited February 10, 2009 by karlpowell

[Langdale Wolf]

I do like you little yellow markers there L.W.

[karlpowell]

They're green...

But thanks - I like to think it adds aesthetic value to my otherwise mindless bollocks of a post.

[mr_bizarre]

I'd like to know the full listing of everyone playing........................As I walk off the coach at Glastonbury and not a minute sooner please!

Of course that will never happen so I'll just have to settle with waiting till May/June

[scudetto_boy]

I remember the good old days when we bill was announced in NME at the beginning of June but sadly those days are over & i never had to buy a ticket in October back then. The majority of me doesn't mind who even plays on the bill but i paid my money so long ago now, i kinda feel they should just confirm even the headliners.