"Secret" Slots

[phil h]

With the appearance of the Park stage in 2007 Glastonbury seems to be going down the "secret" act route. Lilly Allen, Africa Express, Pete Doherty, Franz Ferdinand & the last Shadow Puppets have all put in performances on this much smaller stage (than one would normally expect them to play).

I for one appreciate the chance to see a bigger band on a small stage, as do (I imagine) the bands enjoy playing smaller stages however therein lies my issue. If the slot is announced as a "special guest" it is inevitable people will make conclusions about who/in which slots. Meaning word gets around and several thousand people turn up at a stage designed for hundreds creating a health and safety (eurgh ) nightmare for the organisers. Will it take a death for them to take note?

ME won't book "heavy" acts after the Roskilde incident where several people lost their lives being crushed watching Pearl Jam play on the main stage, a stage designed for thousands! The sheer hypocrisy of allowing "special guest" slots is mindboggling!

I'm aware that this comes across as a whinge the type of which an office HR member would be proud. The difference is that I'm suggesting a solution.....

... keep the guest slots! Keep big acts on small stages, just for god sake keep them secret!

What is wrong with the idea of having one less act on a stage then some massive band just appearing to the fans who were already there? Alternatively cryptic band names are a good idea.

Some will suggest that people will always find out, I agree, but billing a band as "special guest" is an open advert for massive crowds at stages unable to cope.

I for one am not looking forward to the crush that goes on when whoever this "biggest band in the world" (according to Kerrang) play the Park/Queens head.

[scaryclaireyfairy]

not everone who's curious will make it to anywhere near the park at the correct time, if they remember they intended to go at all. the park is also easy to close off once it's at capacity - as happened in lost vagueness for madness' secret set in 07.

[phil h]

not everone who's curious will make it to anywhere near the park at the correct time, if they remember they intended to go at all. the park is also easy to close off once it's at capacity - as happened in lost vagueness for madness' secret set in 07.

[Zacko]

Whats the actual capacity of the Park? Seems it could be crammed for some of these suprise slots (then again maybe some people wont be arsed with the trouble)

Really is a shame about Eavis' thoughts after the Pearl Jam incident, I guess it means they'll never play which is sad becuase they're a top act.

[scaryclaireyfairy]

there are multiple entrances, but i don't see it being difficult to have a one in one out policy if it gets really busy.

these days there's no way of keeping stuff totally secret. look at how many albums are on the net months before release. so yes, surging crowds = bad but i'm pretty certain the festival management have it covered. secret gigs = good.

[Pilgrim S]

I don't think there is anything wrong with how they do it now. The band is normally announced in the free paper in the morning, so a lot of people on site know who will be playing. It's usually on at a time when there are lots of other big bands on. It's never usually anyone that big, I mean Franz Ferdinand, or The Last Shadow Puppets, are hardly Radiohead for instance.

I've been up there for Franz Ferdinand and Pete Doherty, and there wasn't any problem with the crowd size at all.

The organisors know what they are doing, and they're very good at it.

[phil h]

Whats the actual capacity of the Park? Seems it could be crammed for some of these suprise slots (then again maybe some people wont be arsed with the trouble)

Really is a shame about Eavis' thoughts after the Pearl Jam incident, I guess it means they'll never play which is sad becuase they're a top act.

[fantomas]

Really is a shame about Eavis' thoughts after the Pearl Jam incident, I guess it means they'll never play which is sad becuase they're a top act.

Edited May 28, 2009 by fantomas

[Zacko]

Think this is a fairly old thing dating back to the deaths at Roskilde '00.

I'm sure I read Eavis was in early discussions to book PJ for Glasto '07 as they were in Europe at the time (but the band just played their own gig at Wembley Arena in the end). Think this came from Neil at the time. Maybe someone can confirm though?

[Alcatraz]

There's not much of a secret about the set in the Park because we know someones going to be playing.

The genuine secret performances, the ones in the tiny tiny venues accross the site add a lot to the festival, and certainly enhance the experience for those in attendance

Of course I would love one day to find a proper secret show

[Chris12345]

In the days of mobile phones and whatnot, it's impossible to keep an act completely secret, as has been said... however, there is no way (especially in this day n age) that the organisers would do anything unsafe... the 'secret act' thing is merely a publicity stunt/hype type thing...

Also, it's a whole other topic, but with effective management, crowd deaths can be severely limited...

[fantomas]

There's not much of a secret about the set in the Park because we know someones going to be playing.

The genuine secret performances, the ones in the tiny tiny venues accross the site add a lot to the festival, and certainly enhance the experience for those in attendance

Of course I would love one day to find a proper secret show

[Mr Benn]

There's not much of a secret about the set in the Park because we know someones going to be playing.

The genuine secret performances, the ones in the tiny tiny venues accross the site add a lot to the festival, and certainly enhance the experience for those in attendance

Of course I would love one day to find a proper secret show

[Chris12345]

Luck, or knowing the band...

[Alcatraz]

Luck, or knowing the band...

[lovelessrapture]

Well looking at the slots this year I feel really bad for anybody that likes Emiliana Torrini as they're gonna have to put up with tons of libertines/coldplay/arctic monkeys/radiohead/keane/placebo whoever fans turning up and not even being remotely interested in her performance

Edited May 29, 2009 by lovelessrapture

[mike46]

Well looking at the slots this year I feel really bad for anybody that likes Emiliana Torrini as they're gonna have to put up with tons of libertines/coldplay/arctic monkeys/radiohead/keane/placebo whoever fans turning up and not even being remotely interested in her performance

[lovelessrapture]

That could make it even worse; if it's someone like keane then it'll piss off loads of people whom turned up to see someone good. Then people will stay around thinking "ah that was the shit slot so this next one's gotta be a good 1". And they watch her set while being pissed off that they had to watch someone they don't like, and then the 2nd secret slot will be someone like the kooks or whatever.

Lol saying that if that happened they better not tear the place down, I wanna see bon Ivor & M ward that night! lol

[paulhayhurst]

If you are lucky and the Secret Guest is someone you want to see then the guest slot works out well.

However, as the park is quite isolated and a long walk from the rest of the site (especially if you are at the smaller stages as I often am), its a hell of a long walk to get there and can be really disappointing if the act is someone you don't want to see.

The option is to not bother going up there but then if is is someone you love how gutting would that be!

[beamends]

Whist surprise acts in small venues might be neat, I can see it being a real nightmare if loads of people make their way to one stage and then leave as still more try to arrive. I'd much rather just know who's on where than get duffed up by 'Er Indoors 'coz I've just dragged across the site for an hour to see a band that wasn't playing.

[phil h]

There's not much of a secret about the set in the Park because we know someones going to be playing.

The genuine secret performances, the ones in the tiny tiny venues accross the site add a lot to the festival, and certainly enhance the experience for those in attendance

Of course I would love one day to find a proper secret show

[crashnburn]

I've been up there for Franz Ferdinand and Pete Doherty, and there wasn't any problem with the crowd size at all.

yep

[newagehippie]

I've been up there for Franz Ferdinand and Pete Doherty, and there wasn't any problem with the crowd size at all.

yep