Line up dissapointment (but not a moan)

[streaky1]

Best yet ... I got excited reading it

[Mardy]

I think this is where we fundamentally disagree.

I can't remember which bands I saw at my first Glastonbury. I remember guzzling free cans of Virgin Energy, I remember the vibe, I remember the thumping dub coming out of many of the market stalls. I remember SFA sitting on a tank all day playing very loud techno.

Oh wait, I remember seeing Banco de Gaia at the Croissant Neuf that year - having fallen asleep there waiting for him to start.

Fondest band memories include Cornelius at the New Bands Tent (stunning), Gruff Rhys at the Avalon, some random improv rappers at the Poetry and Words tent.

I fondly remember the time the power died during Stewart Lee's standup set. He left the stage and stood in the middle of the audience, so more people could hear him shouting. Then someone gave him a loud hailer.

The main stages? They're just there to attract newcomers, who'll come back for the other stuff.

[glastoman417]

+1 like I keep saying the mainstage and headliners are the flagship for any festival, they should be BALANCED! The mainstage this year looks like the sorta stuff somebody would play at a 50th! If you can pull punters from other festivals by having just 1, relevant and current headline act you will place the Glastonbury seed within them and they will continue to come back.

People slag off the 'lack of talent' of todays big acts, well open your eyes I say. Who was slagged off when the teddy boys were around? How about the punks? Maybe the new romantics? Granted we have no movements like that but if Glastonbury chooses to be an 'oldie' festival its life span will not be long lived. If I decided on the line-up, I wouldn't go. I know several people like this but because we have been we will go back because it is special. To get future generations in and secure Glastonburys future they need to pull a younger audience in and Young, Springsteen and most of the Pyramid don't do this. The mainstream public need the Artic Monkeys, The Killers, Muse, Snow Patrol, The Strokes etc it may not be your taste, 'cool' or the rite thing but Glastonbury is only special to those who have been. To others it is just another festival, pull people in and they will see the difference!

[HurrahBrother]

the beauty of this festival is soo many stages, i'm bound to find something I like at any point in the day.

While there is a lot that I want to see, and many acts/artists that I would like to see (some to check out), there are just soo many clashes!

[coolethan]

The line up's fine. Sunday is proper annoying though - Madness, Roots Manuva & Bon Iver on at the same time! Evil!

There is nothing that jumps up and says Kapow!

but there is a lot of happy stuff! Prodigy will be excellent. I am really looking forward to Florence & The Machine too.

Was hoping for a bit of Asher Roth in John Peel and really really really really had hoped for Faithless. They were so so good and they dominated the what do you want thread on Facey B so I was praying that they would be asked.

Bloc Party & Animal Collective clashing too... tragic.

[mouth]

i for one think this is one of the strongest line ups in a while, check out the DV

[Macca87]

Very poor line up this year IMO, probably would have been better about a decade ago when most of these bands were in their prime

[beergut100]

is there an arena?

[ralph250]

+1 like I keep saying the mainstage and headliners are the flagship for any festival, they should be BALANCED! The mainstage this year looks like the sorta stuff somebody would play at a 50th! If you can pull punters from other festivals by having just 1, relevant and current headline act you will place the Glastonbury seed within them and they will continue to come back.

People slag off the 'lack of talent' of todays big acts, well open your eyes I say. Who was slagged off when the teddy boys were around? How about the punks? Maybe the new romantics? Granted we have no movements like that but if Glastonbury chooses to be an 'oldie' festival its life span will not be long lived. If I decided on the line-up, I wouldn't go. I know several people like this but because we have been we will go back because it is special. To get future generations in and secure Glastonburys future they need to pull a younger audience in and Young, Springsteen and most of the Pyramid don't do this. The mainstream public need the Artic Monkeys, The Killers, Muse, Snow Patrol, The Strokes etc it may not be your taste, 'cool' or the rite thing but Glastonbury is only special to those who have been. To others it is just another festival, pull people in and they will see the difference!

Edited May 26, 2009 by ralph250

[MJMilz14]

The only thing I found disappointing was realizing there is quite a list of bands I wanted to see that I Can't not because of clashes.

That's just a sign of a good lineup to me.

[Squall Moogle]

There's a few rock/punk bands playing - The King Blues, and Eagles of Death Metal jump to mind.

But really, you're asking for Glastonbury to be something it's not. Like going to Glyndebourne and asking "where's all the indie pop?".

Nobody goes to Download and asks where the afrobeat is. Why go to Glastonbury and ask where the metal is?

(stock answer "because Glastonbury's supposed to be diverse" -- true, but there are limits to that diversity, which if broken would change the festival.)

[ukslim]

Btw, I hear that Glasto features a fair bit of classical music, anyone have any recommendations in this area?

[Squall Moogle]

Are there any set areas for classical music? What kinda stuff is on offer?

[ukslim]

Are there any set areas for classical music? What kinda stuff is on offer?

[Hello... I'm Johnny Cash]

This happens every year and it will happen in every future year.

Glastonbury ALWAYS has the most diverse line up of any festival, it doesn't matter how eclectic your taste is, 99% of everyone going is going to look at the line up and see that the vast majority of acts on don't appeal to them. Most of my friends consider me a massive music geek with an encyclopaedic knowledge of artists and bands spanning every genre (they are wrong, I might be a bit of a music geek, but they over estimate my knowledge. Point remains however that I know more than most) and I haven't even heard of about 50% of the line up.

The diversity is what makes it great and the reason that Glastonbury attracts such a diverse audience (compared to other festivals).

My point is that the diversity creates the illusion of a line up that is very thin on the ground in terms of acts that you want to see because they are so heavily diluted with acts that you don't. But every act that you don't want to see will be someone else's festival highlight, it really doesn't matter to me that I'd rather stick a kebab skewer in my ears than see Lady Ga Ga's set because I'll be at one of the other 40 odd stages / cabaret tent / circus tent / stone circle / healing fields / dance village / Trash City etc… If you do like Lady Ga Ga, great, I'm pleased for you that she's playing and hope she puts on a great show.

In regard to the Pyramid headliners being old and Dad rock, meh. So what? By definition Pyramid headliners are mainly going to be long established acts with huge back catalogues. Look elsewhere if you want newer edgier music.

Also with the Pyramid and Other stages being quite mainstream, again, what do you expect? The more mainstream the music = more people that want to see it. It makes perfect sense that the 2 biggest stages are full of mainstream acts.

It's also worth noting for any newbies that unless you're prepared to spend your festival dashing around from stage to stage and getting stressed about what your missing (been there, done that, don't recommend it), the absolute maximum number of acts you can schedule to see in a day is 5, even doing that you'd still be missing the vast wealth of other things that there are to do that really set Glastonbury aside from any other festival that I've been to.

[pedmills]

This happens every year and it will happen in every future year.

Glastonbury ALWAYS has the most diverse line up of any festival, it doesn't matter how eclectic your taste is, 99% of everyone going is going to look at the line up and see that the vast majority of acts on don't appeal to them. Most of my friends consider me a massive music geek with an encyclopaedic knowledge of artists and bands spanning every genre (they are wrong, I might be a bit of a music geek, but they over estimate my knowledge. Point remains however that I know more than most) and I haven't even heard of about 50% of the line up.

The diversity is what makes it great and the reason that Glastonbury attracts such a diverse audience (compared to other festivals).

My point is that the diversity creates the illusion of a line up that is very thin on the ground in terms of acts that you want to see because they are so heavily diluted with acts that you don't. But every act that you don't want to see will be someone else's festival highlight, it really doesn't matter to me that I'd rather stick a kebab skewer in my ears than see Lady Ga Ga's set because I'll be at one of the other 40 odd stages / cabaret tent / circus tent / stone circle / healing fields / dance village / Trash City etc… If you do like Lady Ga Ga, great, I'm pleased for you that she's playing and hope she puts on a great show.

In regard to the Pyramid headliners being old and Dad rock, meh. So what? By definition Pyramid headliners are mainly going to be long established acts with huge back catalogues. Look elsewhere if you want newer edgier music.

Also with the Pyramid and Other stages being quite mainstream, again, what do you expect? The more mainstream the music = more people that want to see it. It makes perfect sense that the 2 biggest stages are full of mainstream acts.

It's also worth noting for any newbies that unless you're prepared to spend your festival dashing around from stage to stage and getting stressed about what your missing (been there, done that, don't recommend it), the absolute maximum number of acts you can schedule to see in a day is 5, even doing that you'd still be missing the vast wealth of other things that there are to do that really set Glastonbury aside from any other festival that I've been to.

[alframsey]

As far as I know, the Glastonbury economic model is based on bands playing for less than their normal fee in return for the publicity of playing Glasto. That means the only artists it appeals to are those on the way up, and those that have been away for a while and want to promote their new album / greatest hits / back catalogue.

A few years ago, there wa an explosion of new festival friendly bands on the XFM/6 Music/NME playlists. Coldplay, Killers, Artic Monkeys et all. And all those bands played Glasto.

Now, all these bands have already played and probably are too established to be wooed by the promise of publicity, and if you listen to the XFM/6 Music/NME playlists, there are lots of bands such as Passion Pit and The Whip who are good bands, and are playing, but haven't really made it big yet.

Hence more retro bands. I really don't believe they set out to try and woo a particular age group or demographic, they just try to book the best/broad appeal lineup that is available with the resources they have.

Thing that makes me laugh, and I do have the benefit of being 41, young folks moan about "old" bands playing, and yet every young band at the moment is trying to sound like Joy Division / Kraftwerk / New Order / Blondie etc. Aside from dance music/hip hop, I don't think there have been any genuinely new music in the past 5-10 years!

Granted Status Quo and Madness are the kind of bands you'd have play at your 50th, but there is a lot of good stuff on the bill.

[alframsey]

The line up's fine. Sunday is proper annoying though - Madness, Roots Manuva & Bon Iver on at the same time! Evil!

There is nothing that jumps up and says Kapow!

but there is a lot of happy stuff! Prodigy will be excellent. I am really looking forward to Florence & The Machine too.

Was hoping for a bit of Asher Roth in John Peel and really really really really had hoped for Faithless. They were so so good and they dominated the what do you want thread on Facey B so I was praying that they would be asked.

Bloc Party & Animal Collective clashing too... tragic.

[lovelessrapture]

Not masses on the line-up I wanna see but whoever booked f**ked up needs a good pat on the back.

They'll probably get shut down though about two songs in I have a feeling.

[ukslim]

Aside from dance music/hip hop, I don't think there have been any genuinely new music in the past 5-10 years!

[lovelessrapture]

I'm not sure I can think of any revolutionary ideas in dance or hip hop on that timescale either.

The last time I heard something that made me think "wow I've never heard ANYTHING like that before", is mid-90s garage(*) (what later became known as drum & bass) - double-speed breakbeats. And that was, what, 14 years ago.

But that doesn't mean there's no advancement. You can write a ballad and accompany yourself on guitar, as people have done for centuries and to the careful listener it can be something novel and wonderous.

All genres, from rock to dance and beyond, are evolving and cross-fertilising, rather than there being revolutions.

(*) Always amazes me how overloaded Garage is as a name for a music genre - being used for punk, techno, drum & base, other things no doubt, at various points in history.

[dirk4danger]

i have quadruple clashes everywhere sat night for example

Bruce - Franz Ferdinand - Stereo MC's - The Wonderstuff - Jarvis

Friday night

The Specials vs The Streets

WOW!

[freehugs!]

I personally think Eavis has played it far too safe this year. The lineup is dull.

[staggerlee]

Are you one of those people who would answer the question 'What music do you like?' with 'I like a bit of everything'?

If so then I suggest you listen some more and develop an individual taste.

Without criticism the world would be the most pedestrian, boring place full of yes-men (and yes-women). The point about the higher bill parts of this lineup being better 15 years ago is very fair.

I personally think Eavis has played it far too safe this year. The lineup is dull.

Edited May 26, 2009 by staggerlee

[gruffcub]

Phew, alot of posts in such a short time! If people read my original post they would see i said i'm NOT MOANING about the line up, i hate people who whinge on because their fave band/genre of music isn't being represented at a festival. Even if there were only 2 bands i wanted to see at Glasto I WOULD HAVE AN AMAZING TIME.

However, i am critising (slightly) the unimaginative line up. I love ALL music and often spend equal time at all the stages, well most of 'em (Park, Jazz, Pyramid, John Peel, Dance stages) and that's why i feel a bit let down, as usually there is always alot for me to see even if i'm not into the headliners!

I'm glad alot of people have disagreed with me on this though, as i want everyone to have an amazing time!

Not read this whoe thread but the OP was moaning about the lack of new/alternative bands. WTF?

Fight Like Apes

Friendly Fires

Maccabees

Little Boots

Metronomy

F**ked Up

VV Brown

Rumble Strips

Animal Collective

The Virgins

Gaslight Anthem

Hockey

Big Pink

White Lies

Low Anthem

First Aid Kit (love these)

Enter Shikari (hate these)

Brand New

Twisted Wheel

Micachu

All these plus the "big" boys of Kasabian, Franz, Bloc Party, Doherty, Maximo Park, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Doves, Glasvegas and early pioneers such as Echo and the Bunnymen and Blur would suggest to me that this line-up is pretty f**king awesome. Seriously, I cannot think of any festivals with such a diverse selection of new music to watch but then again what "new" is the OP referring to? Shall we ask Edith Bowman, Jo Whiley or that insufferable tit Grimmy?