LAWKS! It’s the Next Announcement Thread 2022!

[balthazarstarbuck]

1 hour ago, Matt42 said:

Reckon the setlist from firefly would go down a treat.

I don’t agree with the misogyny points but I do think the barometer for her is being set absurdly high and there are a few people reading down all of her achievements. They are using her 2019 as a stick to beat her with, completely ruling out her improving or the fact she was literally 16 at the time.

That goes with being a pyramid headliner I’m afraid. There’s only 3 slots a year, and many great artists go their career without getting near it. Scrutiny is to be expected.

[balthazarstarbuck]

1 hour ago, Hugh Jass said:

I'd also argue that Stormzy had similar levels of concern raised in advance of his show too, and look how that turned out.

Stormzy did kill it on the Other Stage the previous time though, so it was clearer he could do it at Glastonbury.

A lot’s happened between Billie’s appearance and now, but it’s still fair to say she doesn’t have that check mark in her favour.

[Hugh Jass]

2 minutes ago, balthazarstarbuck said:

Stormzy did kill it on the Other Stage the previous time though, so it was clearer he could do it at Glastonbury.

A lot’s happened between Billie’s appearance and now, but it’s still fair to say she doesn’t have that check mark in her favour.

Stormzy went over and above for Glastonbury. I think one of the concerns with Billie is that the Pyramid is just another stop on an already massive arena jaunt. She needs to make it more than just another show.

[Leyrulion]

Well I don't like her, I'd be front and centre for Taylor and Dua but not her. Didn't realise expressing a preference for not liking the recent album made me a misogynist. 

I think you're reading too much into this. 

[kingbadger]

1 hour ago, Mattymooz said:

It's more the fact that every time Billie comes up, the same concerns of 'oh only children listen to her', 'her crowd will be tiny because none of her stans can get tickets', 'people will get bored because she will probably just be lipsyncing' etc. If we were talking about The Weeknd or another male act, I don't think people would be having the same concerns.

Regarding your other points, I think @Matt42has been spamming another videos of live shows to tell you that her Glasto performance was a bit of a fluke and usually she goes down pretty well. Her last album may not be full of massive hits like her previous, but that doesn't really get held against other acts in the same way. The album still did incredibly well commercially and critically. Most of the general public would recognise tracks like Therefore I Am & the title track. That's without even considering stuff like Everything I Wanted & No Time To Die which were released since she last played.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not convinced she is going to smash it. Stuff like the lack of a live band and the fact that it is just sandwiched in the middle of a tour give me doubts. I'm just bored of the same discourse every time a female popstar is bought up as a headliner. I thought we had all gotten over the 'pop music is for little girls' stereotype

Think you've answered your own point on people's trepidations. She still only has two albums behind her, and as you've said the second of those isn't exactly full of bangers. The same was said of Stormzy, but he always had a mainstream appeal and an ace Glastonbury set behind him. The lack of a back catalogue and big, crowd pleasing singles I think comes more to the fore with the down tempo or 'sulky' style. Even with the back catalogue and big hits behind them, Radiohead in 2017 struggled to engage anyone other than someone who was already a fan. Billie could well suffer from the same where she struggles to win over the neutral. The majority of most Pyramid audiences are floating voters rather than committed fans of the band. And that's why the likes of The Killers go down far better than bands like Radiohead.

Has everything to do with whether the music and performance will suit a Pyramid crowd rather than her gender. 

[Hugh Jass]

For the avoidance of doubt I genuinely and sincerely hope she smashes it. There's nothing to be gained from an act flopping hard on the biggest stage and 80,000 punters walking away unsatisfied.

I've said before that I'll be elsewhere, gave her stuff a listen and it's not for me, but I hope everyone who is excited for her loves it.*

*This is my position if Taylor is booked again too.

[jparx]

2 hours ago, Hugh Jass said:

Problem is for many people, especially on here, that show is their only frame of reference. 

Personally I think you put way too much stock in that show, and I think the average punter has probably forgotten it by now. Not to mention the booking isn’t for the average efests user - this forum clearly isn’t Billie’s key demo, and that demo has probably seen her other shows where she nailed it (R+L, Big Weekend) but hey, we’ll see in time!

@Matt42 that setlist is absolutely ace. I’ll try and catch clips of that show. Happier than Ever is an almighty show closer.

[jparx]

Just been watching the Life is Beautiful set from Vegas last week. Yeah, I'm not worried about her headline set. Setlist is spot on and it absolutely feels like a major headline show.

This is fucking ACE. 

 

[Slugy]

5 minutes ago, jparx said:

Just been watching the Life is Beautiful set from Vegas last week. Yeah, I'm not worried about her headline set. Setlist is spot on and it absolutely feels like a major headline show.

This is fucking ACE. 

 

Was that Matt Helders on drums or am I going mad?

[Gingerfish79]

1 hour ago, Hugh Jass said:

For the avoidance of doubt I genuinely and sincerely hope she smashes it. There's nothing to be gained from an act flopping hard on the biggest stage and 80,000 punters walking away unsatisfied.

I've said before that I'll be elsewhere, gave her stuff a listen and it's not for me, but I hope everyone who is excited for her loves it.*

*This is my position if Taylor is booked again too.

That's exactly where I am - if one or both appear I hope they put on a great show for everyone watching, but I will be elsewhere. I will never understand why people need to be so 'down' on something that they have no intention of being a part of anyway. If its not for you, walk away and do something else!

[Mattymooz]

1 hour ago, Leyrulion said:

Well I don't like her, I'd be front and centre for Taylor and Dua but not her. Didn't realise expressing a preference for not liking the recent album made me a misogynist. 

I think you're reading too much into this. 

You just aren't listening to what I said. I'm not saying if you dont like Billie then you hate women, clearly that is an insane take.

However, the people in this thread saying that she will have a small crowd be cause only teen girls are into her are damaging with their comments. Realistically, she could quite easily fuck it up, but there is no reason to be any more cynical than any other act

1 hour ago, kingbadger said:

Think you've answered your own point on people's trepidations. She still only has two albums behind her, and as you've said the second of those isn't exactly full of bangers. The same was said of Stormzy, but he always had a mainstream appeal and an ace Glastonbury set behind him. The lack of a back catalogue and big, crowd pleasing singles I think comes more to the fore with the down tempo or 'sulky' style. Even with the back catalogue and big hits behind them, Radiohead in 2017 struggled to engage anyone other than someone who was already a fan. Billie could well suffer from the same where she struggles to win over the neutral. The majority of most Pyramid audiences are floating voters rather than committed fans of the band. And that's why the likes of The Killers go down far better than bands like Radiohead.

Has everything to do with whether the music and performance will suit a Pyramid crowd rather than her gender. 

But I think you've proven my point with what you have said too. No one was claiming Radiohead were a poor choice of headliner when they were announced even though they have similar headliner issues to Billie.

I think I disagree on Billie's backcatalogue - She has had a lot more mainstream radio success than Stormzy or Radiohead have had, think there is comfortably a setlist there full of stuff people would love. She has a comfortable mix of more lowkey numbers and ragers to keep the party going - lowkey numbers aren't always a problem, Adele went down well and people were clamouring for Taylor to come back after folklore.

And on your last comment, I agree. Every act that is booked has this issue - but for some reason people are seemingly a lot more negative to Billie's chances than to most other peoples.

3 hours ago, Hugh Jass said:

I don't think that's necessarily true. The reaction to Taylor's announcement was overwhelmingly positive.

I'd also argue that Stormzy had similar levels of concern raised in advance of his show too, and look how that turned out.

You're right tbh, maybe I am a bit misguided and people just really dont like newer acts without 10+ years of pedigree with live performances. But I do standby my point that stereotyping her fans are teen girls is pretty stinky.

[Mattymooz]

Just to reiterate my point, I'm not sure what else you would want Billie to be doing to prove that she has a shot at being a good headliner. She has critical and commercial success, won awards, plenty of decent live performances (bar one disappointing set at Glasto)....

[MaxPower]

13 minutes ago, Mattymooz said:

But I do standby my point that stereotyping her fans are teen girls is pretty stinky.

Ive not watched any of her non-Glasto live sets, but I was at that 2019 set, and there were more teenage girls there than I saw anywhere else that weekend. 
 

I pulled up a song (Iloilo) from that set just now to just make sure I wasn’t mistaken in whatever haze i was in at the time, and the only up close crowd shot shows literal children at the front.

that’s not to be disparaging of her fans, the atmosphere  or in any way misogynistic (???), it’s just perhaps relevant that that demographic is underrepresented at the festival.

unsure how that is “stinky”?

[Somto Unigwe Raphael]

People stereotype her crowd as teen girls because, more so than any other recent Glastonbury headliner, a lot of her crowd are just that. That’s part and parcel of being a very recent, young pop star. It’s not because she’s a woman.

Will she have a big crowd? Yes, she’s headlining Glastonbury; all headliners get big crowds. She’s also massively popular and will have enough interest at Glastonbury even if a fairly large proportion of her fan base aren’t there. Does that mean she’ll draw as big a proportion of attendees as she does at a festival like Firefly? Probably not, as that festival seems more aligned to her crowd. Glastonbury will always have a large amount of attendees there for bands like QOTSA who would draw a big crowd, too.

No one is being misogynistic in the thread. No one is hoping for her to fail like some people are saying. Why are people getting so defensive? It’s a random musician playing a random festival and we’re random people on an internet forum. It ain’t that deep guys.

Edited September 30, 2021 by Somto Unigwe Raphael

[Hugh Jass]

2 minutes ago, Mattymooz said:

Just to reiterate my point, I'm not sure what else you would want Billie to be doing to prove that she has a shot at being a good headliner. She has critical and commercial success, won awards, plenty of decent live performances (bar one disappointing set at Glasto)....

Oh I don't think there's any debate that she isn't big enough to headline is there? She's one of the most popular artists on the planet right now.

[Gnomicide]

Lawks.

Remember when this thread was about announcements?

[kingbadger]

25 minutes ago, Mattymooz said:

But I think you've proven my point with what you have said too. No one was claiming Radiohead were a poor choice of headliner when they were announced even though they have similar headliner issues to Billie.

I think I disagree on Billie's backcatalogue - She has had a lot more mainstream radio success than Stormzy or Radiohead have had, think there is comfortably a setlist there full of stuff people would love. She has a comfortable mix of more lowkey numbers and ragers to keep the party going - lowkey numbers aren't always a problem, Adele went down well and people were clamouring for Taylor to come back after folklore.

And on your last comment, I agree. Every act that is booked has this issue - but for some reason people are seemingly a lot more negative to Billie's chances than to most other peoples.

Thing is Radiohead are an established band with 25+ years history, and had two previously acclaimed Glastonbury sets behind them.

I'm in no way saying that Billie isn't Pyramid headline material by the way- I'm glad she's got the gig from a progressive point of view, even though her music isn't for me. I'm just purely speculating (pretty wildly) on how it'll be received, as after all that's what this forum is for. I'm just hoping she can make it a spectacle ala Adele as you mentioned, and can smash it out of the park. But I don't think it's misogynistic or overly negative to point out that Billie will probably have a more uphill battle than most to put on a GOAT set. The same way people thought Stormzy was a good pick but also had reservations due to a lack of material, whether people's mums know him etc.

[Gilgamesh69]

Mad how people would say Sad Bob and the Lads aren't pyramid headliner material, but will go out of their way to defend the possibility of Billie headlining

[jparx]

1 hour ago, Gilgamesh69 said:

Mad how people would say Sad Bob and the Lads aren't pyramid headliner material, but will go out of their way to defend the possibility of Billie headlining

I don't think any of that is happening here?

[Hotchilidog]

Billie will be a great headliner in my view, an exciting young artist who is constantly evolving and yet to reach her peak. Shame about the sound for her Other Stage set but I still enjoyed it. Not a nailed on must see for me, but I think there is a very good chance I will be there to see her if indeed she does get the Pyramid gig.

[stuartbert two hats]

It's worth remembering that Glastonbury last happened fucking years ago.

 

EDIT: What I mean is, Billie's demographic has probably shifted since then and will continue to shift until next summer.

Edited September 30, 2021 by stuartbert two hats

[Suprefan]

6 hours ago, Matt42 said:

Reckon the setlist from firefly would go down a treat.

I don’t agree with the misogyny points but I do think the barometer for her is being set absurdly high and there are a few people reading down all of her achievements. They are using her 2019 as a stick to beat her with, completely ruling out her improving or the fact she was literally 16 at the time.

Life is Beautiful and Governors Ball were the same. Next up is Austin City Limits this weekend. So she gets to headline one of the Big 4. There will likely be a livestream on youtube. And to top it all off, the weather is going to be unfavorable. Lots of rain forecast, so its gonna be muddy.

[Matt42]

4 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

It's worth remembering that Glastonbury last happened fucking years ago.

 

EDIT: What I mean is, Billie's demographic has probably shifted since then and will continue to shift until next summer.

If billies fans are so fickle why is she still selling out the same dates in 2021/2022 then she was in 2019?

[stuartbert two hats]

1 hour ago, Matt42 said:

If billies fans are so fickle why is she still selling out the same dates in 2021/2022 then she was in 2019?

I meant she's gained new fans.  For instance, I'd never stuck on of her albums one before 2019, but I have now.

Edited September 30, 2021 by stuartbert two hats

[ChemicalBrother]

Billie isn’t my cup of tea & frankly I don’t think she’s meant to be my cup of tea - but I’d rather have her headline than keep rolling out the same old Coldplay/Radiohead/Muse/ Cure etc, because if you keep rolling them out, you’ll keep getting the same attendees & the festival eventually stagnates.

it’s the young headliners like Billie that keep the festival fresh & opens it to a new wave of young audiences. Even if her demographic may not be there in numbers, at least it puts the idea of attending Glastonbury in the future somewhere on her demographic’s radar.