The making of an headliner

[airwaves]

In threads ad nauseum on here there is speculation about whether 'A' or 'B' could headline on the Pyramid stage or not.

Has any thought been given to the ability of Glasto to turn someone into 'headline' material by the very act of giving them the slot.

For example:-

Skunk Ananstie - given Sunday headliner slot, but went to nothing

Muse - Given Sunday headliner slot when many thought it was too early, but look at them now

In particular there are several 'Faithless are not big enough for headliner' and 'Elbow are not big enough for headliner' [by which, incidently, my response would be 'WTF given all the awards they have won over the last few months'] and several others comments.

Discuss to your heart's content

[brettredmayne]

glastonbury give a few bands there first headlining spots I think

Guessing kings of leon, coldplay and radiohead

[russycarps]

In threads ad nauseum on here there is speculation about whether 'A' or 'B' could headline on the Pyramid stage or not.

Has any thought been given to the ability of Glasto to turn someone into 'headline' material by the very act of giving them the slot.

For example:-

Skunk Ananstie - given Sunday headliner slot, but went to nothing

Muse - Given Sunday headliner slot when many thought it was too early, but look at them now

In particular there are several 'Faithless are not big enough for headliner' and 'Elbow are not big enough for headliner' [by which, incidently, my response would be 'WTF given all the awards they have won over the last few months'] and several others comments.

Discuss to your heart's content

[Tugger2k]

faithless would bust that field wide open imo

cannot believe that people think that they could not carry it off.

in answer to the question i think that if ME thinks an act are worthy of worthy farm headliner spot, he'll give it to them, no matter their 'status' at the time, and good on him for it

[Kyelo]

In threads ad nauseum on here there is speculation about whether 'A' or 'B' could headline on the Pyramid stage or not.

Has any thought been given to the ability of Glasto to turn someone into 'headline' material by the very act of giving them the slot.

For example:-

Skunk Ananstie - given Sunday headliner slot, but went to nothing

Muse - Given Sunday headliner slot when many thought it was too early, but look at them now

In particular there are several 'Faithless are not big enough for headliner' and 'Elbow are not big enough for headliner' [by which, incidently, my response would be 'WTF given all the awards they have won over the last few months'] and several others comments.

Discuss to your heart's content

Edited March 6, 2009 by BenchBuddah

[Sam Crawley]

There does seem to be a lot of disagreement on these boards about what constitutes a headliner at Glasto, if there is indeed such a thing. I suppose to a certain extent it's a marketing concept, as the headline is the group that appears at the top of the bill for the event.

Now removing any preferences or snobbery, when we finally get the line-up, if you sort the bands into wow factor for the captive audience, i.e. the people potentially wanting to buy tickets, I suppose your headliner would be whoever comes out on top, regardless of whether he or she does anything for you personally.

So I would say that lesser known bands would not really be a headliner even if they had a big slot, and Girls Aloud could be headliner just because they're so hyped, all the news channels would have a field day (no pun intended!) and most red-blooded males would go along to watch (albeit with earplugs!)

[Petewasbristol]

faithless would bust that field wide open imo

cannot believe that people think that they could not carry it off.

[Tugger2k]

It might be something to do with people actually thinking they are not that great, eg me (Runs and hides).

But thats the thing with Headliners, people always have holes to pick in them, regardless of who they are. I remember it was the same for Macca in 2004, Frog song jokes, too old, groovy jokes etc etc...he blew the field away with one of the greatest perfomances ever seen at Pilton.

But hey, we can't all like the same things right...thats the beauty of Glasto and all its stages!

[russycarps]

It might be something to do with people actually thinking they are not that great, eg me (Runs and hides).

But thats the thing with Headliners, people always have holes to pick in them, regardless of who they are. I remember it was the same for Macca in 2004, Frog song jokes, too old, groovy jokes etc etc...he blew the field away with one of the greatest perfomances ever seen at Pilton.

But hey, we can't all like the same things right...thats the beauty of Glasto and all its stages!

[eFestivals]

Skunk Ananstie - given Sunday headliner slot, but went to nothing

They were not a "headliner" - they simply played the last slot. Last slot does not (necessarily) mean headliner.

[Wooderson]

They were not a "headliner" - they simply played the last slot. Last slot does not (necessarily) mean headliner.

[russycarps]

They were not a "headliner" - they simply played the last slot. Last slot does not (necessarily) mean headliner.

[Petewasbristol]

I wasnt blown away by macca at all, and nor were loads of people around me. I, and they, left before the end. Which I guess proves your point. Even a beatle cant please everybody.

[Wooderson]

Totally

You can't please everyone

Although you are the first person i know who didn't like the performance of Macca!!!

[Petewasbristol]

Yeah. When "Live & Let Die" started the place around me just emptied out. People were just gutted.

[Wooderson]

[eFestivals]

eh? shirley the last band on is the headliner. End of.

Non?

Nope. The official line from Glasto is that "we don't do headliners".

While that's of course plainly bollox, I've been led to believe that no act has "headliner" specified in their contract unless they have an ego that demands it (hello Rod ).

I believe it's the case that the acts are booked with a vague idea of where they'll be playing, but until all the acts are booked the slots are somewhat fluid.

[OneLittleFish]

I'd say that for headliners and what they reportedly pay, Glasto punches well above its weight for headliners. As a result, when you get a KOL or other band who haven't headlined a major festival before, you can't really complain.

[Sam Crawley]

I think "headliner" would also have more meaning if the action stopped and everyone went home after that last slot.. but for most of us it's the half time point.. chomp on a few orange slices then play on..

[pedmills]

Each year they say the headliners are...(insert bands) and this year there are 4 'headliners' so if no headliners is their policy then they aren't really following it.

BUT

I remember reading somewhere a list of all the attendance numbers from each year and it had a list of the main acts of that year and in not all of them did it include all the last acts on. At least one year I'm pretty sure had none of the last acts on the Pyramid stage. This shows that the festival doesn't always count the 'headliners' as the biggestacts. Does anyone know where I might find this?

Also on the t-shirts they don't always put the headliners in the biggest letters or at the top (e.g. 2008 had Jay-Z and Amy Winehouse at the top in biggest letters, then Kings of Leon and The Verve below them).