Arctic Monkeys

[4AssedMonkey]

Speaking as a big AM fan and someone who's seen them 4 times (unsigned/touring FWN/touring Humbug and touring AM) I have to say that they are probably the most underwhelming live act on the planet.  Great songwriters and musicians, but have no stage presence or audience interaction whatsoever.  Setlists have always been odd/poor, as if they haven't really given it any thought.  I actually don't mind some of the newer stuff - especially TBH+C which for me is a strong album - but I just know that I'll be disappointed with their Glasto set and for that reason I'll try and swerve it.  However, Mrs 4am and my mates are probably all going to see it so I might get dragged along.

If I were solo, think I'd be Team Kelis for the Friday night, then nip over to Croissant Neuf for Rhythm of the 90's.

[Jacko45]

1 minute ago, 4AssedMonkey said:

Speaking as a big AM fan and someone who's seen them 4 times (unsigned/touring FWN/touring Humbug and touring AM) I have to say that they are probably the most underwhelming live act on the planet.  Great songwriters and musicians, but have no stage presence or audience interaction whatsoever.  Setlists have always been odd/poor, as if they haven't really given it any thought.  I actually don't mind some of the newer stuff - especially TBH+C which for me is a strong album - but I just know that I'll be disappointed with their Glasto set and for that reason I'll try and swerve it.  However, Mrs 4am and my mates are probably all going to see it so I might get dragged along.

If I were solo, think I'd be Team Kelis for the Friday night, then nip over to Croissant Neuf for Rhythm of the 90's.

 

Setlists are at least show good promise.

 

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/arctic-monkeys/2023/accor-arena-paris-france-5bb99fd8.html

[4AssedMonkey]

4 minutes ago, Jacko45 said:

 

Setlists are at least show good promise.

 

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/arctic-monkeys/2023/accor-arena-paris-france-5bb99fd8.html

Hmmmm.  Not so sure.  Opening with Sculptures is weird.  They opened with Fire & The Thud when they toured Humbug and it just sapped the energy out of the excited crowd.  I think this will do the same.  The first 2 tracks off The Car would be a much better start.

The obvious songs to go with from The Car that would come across great live are Hello You and I Ain't Quite Where I Think I Am.  Both missing.

And any AM set without A Certain Romance is flawed.  I think they should close the encore with it.

[Slugy]

13 minutes ago, Jacko45 said:

 

Setlists are at least show good promise.

 

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/arctic-monkeys/2023/accor-arena-paris-france-5bb99fd8.html

Still it is mostly just the hit singles with a bit of new material. Other than the band growing a personality, I am not sure how much you could change to spark peoples enjoyment.

6 minutes ago, 4AssedMonkey said:

Hmmmm.  Not so sure.  Opening with Sculptures is weird.  They opened with Fire & The Thud when they toured Humbug and it just sapped the energy out of the excited crowd.  I think this will do the same.  The first 2 tracks off The Car would be a much better start.

The obvious songs to go with from The Car that would come across great live are Hello You and I Ain't Quite Where I Think I Am.  Both missing.

And any AM set without A Certain Romance is flawed.  I think they should close the encore with it.

It is a great atmospheric track IMO and they go straight into Brianstorm to lift the crowd, I like the choice personally.  

[RossTC]

They play Ashton Gate on Monday that im going to, will report back with how it goes! Im a mega fan, seen them countless times so i cant imagine it will disappoint me but i do get some of the views shared on this thread. I also love the last 2 'lift music' albums! 

[Jacko45]

I'd be astounded if they didn't do a more or less custom setlist for Glastonbury.

You're headlining Glastonbury, it's not all your crowd, you need to go big early. 

[FloorFiller]

Just now, Jacko45 said:

I'd be astounded if they didn't do a more or less custom setlist for Glastonbury.

You're headlining Glastonbury, it's not all your crowd, you need to go big early. 

I’d be surprised if they did do a custom Glastonbury set. They play Brianstorm second - how much more ‘big early’ do you want them to go? They’re not gonna completely change their current setlist for one festival. Maybe they’ll bring back one more old track for the encore or something, but they’re touring The Car and are gonna play a set representative of that, and let’s be honest, 4 songs from a new album is fuck all really. Anybody going to this set expecting loads of Whatever… material and then coming away disappointed has only got themselves to blame. 

[Xeph1995]

I've only seen them once but I thought they were pretty good live, I don't really understand the negative association for live acts they get tbh.

Maybe it's because I'm not a mega fan so I'm not expecting to be blown out of the water. 

https://youtu.be/c-wwK5QVv1Y

I've always heard people say they weren't good last time but this video looks alright. 

They aren't like 2004 Muse level energy but not I'm not sure what people expect really. 

Edited May 25, 2023 by Xeph1995

[4AssedMonkey]

10 minutes ago, Jacko45 said:

I'd be astounded if they didn't do a more or less custom setlist for Glastonbury.

You're headlining Glastonbury, it's not all your crowd, you need to go big early. 

You'd expect that, but IIRC they didn't last time.  It was more or less the same set they were touring for AM.

[Andeeroo]

Yeah, they played the exact same set as they had been playing at every other fest in 2013. The only difference I think was that they did a version of Mardy Bum with strings at Glastonbury whereas it was straight up acoustic elsewhere.

I would be a little surprised if they didn't bring back a couple of crowd pleasers though. From what I can see they're not even playing When The Sun Goes Down at the moment.

[Jacko45]

17 minutes ago, Xeph1995 said:

I've only seen them once but I thought they were pretty good live, I don't really understand the negative association for live acts they get tbh.

Maybe it's because I'm not a mega fan so I'm not expecting to be blown out of the water. 

https://youtu.be/c-wwK5QVv1Y

I've always heard people say they weren't good last time but this video looks alright. 

They aren't like 2004 Muse level energy but not I'm not sure what people expect really. 

 

I wasn't there but their 2013 headline slot footage always looked incredible, they seemed bang up for it that night. 

Have this on often with a few lager beers.

 

 

Edited May 25, 2023 by Jacko45

[Joshuwarr]

I'm surprised Perfect Sense hasn't popped up in setlists. Feels like it would make a lovely set closer (or at least before the encore). I saw them at Sziget last year so part of me is debating whether to skip them but I do have great memories of the last time they played Glastonbury.

[FloorFiller]

24 minutes ago, Andeeroo said:

I would be a little surprised if they didn't bring back a couple of crowd pleasers though. From what I can see they're not even playing When The Sun Goes Down at the moment.

Haven’t played WTSGD since they wrapped up the AM tour in 2014, and I think they dropped a lot of other big hitters around the same time as well. Fair enough on them for not feeling like they need to stick to a ‘greatest hits’ set, especially with such a drastic change in sound from AM to Tranquility, although I’m sure their fans wish they’d stick to their guns a little less and just roll out all the old singles instead. 

[Bike_Like_A_Mum]

5 hours ago, Ged Devereux said:

They were my first headliner too and they've been my favourite band for the past 15 years. Live they're more miss than hit for me but I'll still be there. The setlist for their European shows haven't been great, I'm hoping they change it up a little once they get under way over here. Who would you see instead of them? 

I'm considering Kelis to be honest....

[Bike_Like_A_Mum]

It's the performance levels which are the problem. The 2013 set had an incredible energy. 505 from the R&L set last year came on automatically in the playlist afterwards and was completely different. So the song was there, but ZERO energy. That's the problem. 

Love their song writing. Some of my favourites of all time!!! But they don't bring the party any more. 

 

Edited May 25, 2023 by Bike_Like_A_Mum

[4AssedMonkey]

5 minutes ago, Bike_Like_A_Mum said:

I'm considering Kelis to be honest....

Me too.

[Barneym]

I’m not sure I understand all the negativity of them live, I think I’ve seen them about 8 times although at least 4 of those were first 2 album Brixton times which were fantastic (especially the NME tour when they were not even headliners, that was Maximo Park) but times move on for me and them.

I gave up caring in the Humbug era as saw them live twice and they looked totally uninterested and had no real interest in going to the 2013 set but my mates wanted to and it was fantastic, I honestly think my favourite pyramid headline show and I was at the Stones the next night (which was obviously also fantastic but I didn’t know every word)

They definitely played a different set that night as they finished the main set with A Certain Romance which I don’t think they played regularly.

Saw them at the O2 for TBH tour and really enjoyed it despite hating that venue and then saw then at Reading last year which I thought was a bit meh.

in summary if they turn up it could be fantastic and Glastonbury does sometimes do special things to bands but I may well not go as it’s not going to be as good as 2013

[glimmers_of_hope]

Seeing them in a couple of weeks in Norwich so will probably pass at the farm. I thought they were fantastic in 13 though. Better than the rolling stones for me.  I love the last 2 albums but interested to see how they land with the festival crowd (and at Carrow Road). This will be my 6th time seeing them, but the that last time was 10 years ago at glasto so really want to hear the new stuff. My faves are Suck it and See, TBH+C and The Car would be very happy if they continue not to play earlier stuff but play more from the middle and later period, but maybe I should take that to the "unpopular opinions" thread 😀

[TorontoScot]

2 hours ago, Joshuwarr said:

I'm surprised Perfect Sense hasn't popped up in setlists. Feels like it would make a lovely set closer (or at least before the encore). I saw them at Sziget last year so part of me is debating whether to skip them but I do have great memories of the last time they played Glastonbury.

Perfect Sense would be a brilliant set closer coupled with a full live orchestra.

[Zig-A-Zig-Ah]

3 hours ago, FloorFiller said:

I’d be surprised if they did do a custom Glastonbury set. They play Brianstorm second - how much more ‘big early’ do you want them to go? They’re not gonna completely change their current setlist for one festival. Maybe they’ll bring back one more old track for the encore or something, but they’re touring The Car and are gonna play a set representative of that, and let’s be honest, 4 songs from a new album is fuck all really. Anybody going to this set expecting loads of Whatever… material and then coming away disappointed has only got themselves to blame. 

100% agree with this, they didn't do anything special for 2013, it just seems like they did because the setlist on that tour was imo huge.

Bands evolve and people need to remember that they aren't they same band as they were 10 years ago.

[George_92]

3 hours ago, Joshuwarr said:

I'm surprised Perfect Sense hasn't popped up in setlists. Feels like it would make a lovely set closer (or at least before the encore). I saw them at Sziget last year so part of me is debating whether to skip them but I do have great memories of the last time they played Glastonbury.

they did play it once or twice on the recent European leg. sounds great, but would be better with a string section. hopefully we'll get that 

 

[JayDiesel]

Worth noting too that there have been strong rumours of a full string orchestra (or at least a considerable string contingent) joining them for certain songs at specifically Glastonbury only. Heard it from someone on here via the AM forums, but seemed to be on good authority that it will happen. Pretty much the only thing guaranteeing I'm there, as I'm seeing them at least once on their tour next month

Edited May 25, 2023 by JayDiesel

[Littlechef87]

2 hours ago, glimmers_of_hope said:

Seeing them in a couple of weeks in Norwich so will probably pass at the farm. I thought they were fantastic in 13 though. Better than the rolling stones for me.  I love the last 2 albums but interested to see how they land with the festival crowd (and at Carrow Road). This will be my 6th time seeing them, but the that last time was 10 years ago at glasto so really want to hear the new stuff. My faves are Suck it and See, TBH+C and The Car would be very happy if they continue not to play earlier stuff but play more from the middle and later period, but maybe I should take that to the "unpopular opinions" thread 😀

I'll also be at Nozza 👋 so going to weigh up how good they are as to whether it's worth a Friday night Pyramid debacle or bypassing for Hot Chip (who admittedly I must've seen at least a dozen times so could also easily be skipped)

[sprocketrocket]

I'm taking my eldest (12) to watch them on Monday in Brizzle. we're mostly going because he's a massive hives fan 😄 but I'm sure it'll be ace. My concern is Mrs Sprocketrocket will want to see them at Glastonbury and I won't be arsed having seen them a few weeks earlier. 

 

 

[Mark Greensmith]

6 hours ago, 4AssedMonkey said:

Speaking as a big AM fan and someone who's seen them 4 times (unsigned/touring FWN/touring Humbug and touring AM) I have to say that they are probably the most underwhelming live act on the planet.  Great songwriters and musicians, but have no stage presence or audience interaction whatsoever.  Setlists have always been odd/poor, as if they haven't really given it any thought.  I actually don't mind some of the newer stuff - especially TBH+C which for me is a strong album - but I just know that I'll be disappointed with their Glasto set and for that reason I'll try and swerve it.  However, Mrs 4am and my mates are probably all going to see it so I might get dragged along.

If I were solo, think I'd be Team Kelis for the Friday night, then nip over to Croissant Neuf for Rhythm of the 90's.

I'm surprised you'll feel that way as a big AM fan. Last time I saw them was in 2018 at TRNSMT and whilst I do agree there's minimal audience interaction, their songs carry it through for me. Really excited to see them again myself.

Edited May 25, 2023 by Mark Greensmith