2024 Headliners

[addicted2noise]

1 hour ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

I would imagine the biggest attraction from the festival's point of view is that they'll play for free

(potentially giving them additional wedge to throw at Madge or Rihanna)

I actually wouldn't mind that if it made the rest of the lineup better.

[CaledonianGonzo]

In terms of them taking gambles on up and coming acts, I just judge on a case by case basis - Dave good, Dua good, Sam Fender fine, Wet Leg bad, Fontaines DC bad.

But I'm plenty glad to have seen most of the heritage acts that have played at the farm over the years.  I'd rather have been offered Stevie Wonder than them taking a risk on someone like The Zutons instead.

[addicted2noise]

Also if Coldplay weren't massive it would mean all the dweebs would be showing up at the cool gigs instead which would be a nightmare.

[balti-pie]

If its Coldplay, then fair enough i guess. Keeps a lot of people happy and occupied on the pyramid stage. 

and I'll get to bust out my Coldplay-avoiding skills, as displayed so masterfully in 2005, 2011 and 2016 😄 

[MEGABOWL]

4 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

In terms of them taking gambles on up and coming acts, I just judge on a case by case basis - Dave good, Dua good, Sam Fender fine, Wet Leg bad, Fontaines DC bad.

But I'm plenty glad to have seen most of the heritage acts that have played at the farm over the years.  I'd rather have been offered Stevie Wonder than them taking a risk on someone like The Zutons instead.

I suspect a lot of people feel the same way. Someone going to their first Glastonbury or their first one in years would probably be delighted with a Coldplay or a Foos, someone that’s a difficult and expensive ticket. Most people would, nobody’s going to get any real world sympathy for going ‘oh GOD it’s just so awful, my twelvetieth Glastonbury and it’s Coldplay AGAIN, it’s so boooooooring, I’m so uninspired’

[FuzzyDunlop]

6 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

In terms of them taking gambles on up and coming acts, I just judge on a case by case basis - Dave good, Dua good, Sam Fender fine, Wet Leg bad, Fontaines DC bad.

But I'm plenty glad to have seen most of the heritage acts that have played at the farm over the years.  I'd rather have been offered Stevie Wonder than them taking a risk on someone like The Zutons instead.

I agree. 

If Coldplay hadn't done it for 15 years, I wouldnt be against them doing it again. Even if they are not for me.

[MEGABOWL]

18 minutes ago, gigpusher said:

Not just that factor but I've been going since 2010 and I think at least one of them has appeared every year. They also do lots of their own gigs. I'd personally just like to see something a little braver.

This year I had more issues with AM than GnR just because it feels a bit unoriginal.

I appreciate there are budget issues/availability issues etc and we don't know the full extent of talks that do go on but I'd imagine taking a chance on someone on the rise would also always be a budget option and some will work out and some won't and that's the gamble. That's what would be more exciting to watch.

That juggling act is a huge part of the decision for Emily and co. We don’t know but it may be that AM did it cheap which facilitated paying the other two stadium monsters.

Likewise next year I can’t see, say, Dua being top end of the fee scale. But I reckon Madonna or Rihanna would. If Coldplay are willing to help out-and lest we forget they are literally one of the biggest bands and biggest ticket shifters in the world-and be the third headliner for mates rates that’s an incredible option for the festival to have.

Edited July 20, 2023 by MEGABOWL

[Madyaker]

I’ll take it, but only if they put LCD Soundsystem up against them on other stage again. 

[sisco]

I love Coldplays early stuff, saw them in 2016 and ticket permitting would see them in 2024 too.  People moan about the repeat bookings but do try and remember the vast majority aren’t lucky and go year after year.  They’re a massive band and the vast majority or attendees would love them being there.

They’d also get a bigger crowd than the new imaginative headliner in Dua Lipa

[balti-pie]

9 minutes ago, Madyaker said:

I’ll take it, but only if they put LCD Soundsystem up against them on other stage again. 

Yes. This. in 2016  was stuck between earth wind and fire, or LCD soundsystem - and wanted to decide on the night which one i fancied more.

i went with EW&F, no regrets, but will always have the faint tinge of yearning for LCD, until i do finally get to see them. This would sort me right out

[gigpusher]

9 minutes ago, MEGABOWL said:

That juggling act is a huge part of the decision for Emily and co. We don’t know but it may be that AM did it cheap which facilitated paying the other two stadium monsters.

Likewise next year I can’t see, say, Dua being top end of the fee scale. But I reckon Madonna or Rihanna would. If Coldplay are willing to help out-and lest we forget they are literally one of the biggest bands and biggest ticket shifters in the world-and be the third headliner for mates rates that’s an incredible option for the festival to have.

Yep I understand that but when it comes to budget I personally would rather give a younger/fresher act a leg up to that level than keep relying on the same bands over and over. Younger artists who are not as proven will inevitably be more budget in the first place.

It's not a problem for me personally in that if I have a year where I don't go to the Pyramid stage at headline time it doesn't bother me at all but whether we like it or not the who plays the Pyramid stage is how the rest of the world views Glastonbury. I'd like them to use their influence to introduce some of those younger artists to the middle aged whose main exposure to music could be watching the Glastonbury coverage on the telly.

It's why I was thrilled with some of Elton's guests even people around me were asking who Jacob and Rina were. They might get some new fans from that.

[churlie100]

My main lesson from going to Glasto my first year is that the Pyramid Stage crowds give me panic attacks and I can see literally nothing because of the flags so now I'm in the weird situation of really wanting the headliners to be sh*t so I don't feel bad about chilling out at the Park stage every night. Come on Coldplay, Foo Fighters and Sam Fender, gimme that white boy guitar triple combo!

[northernangel]

7 minutes ago, churlie100 said:

My main lesson from going to Glasto my first year is that the Pyramid Stage crowds give me panic attacks and I can see literally nothing because of the flags so now I'm in the weird situation of really wanting the headliners to be sh*t so I don't feel bad about chilling out at the Park stage every night. Come on Coldplay, Foo Fighters and Sam Fender, gimme that white boy guitar triple combo!

The tip for that is to go to the top right side as if you're looking at the stage dude. It's the higher up part, you'll have less crowds and it's still a decent view.

[Gnomicide]

"We've saved loads of money by booking Coldplay so we can bring you Rhianna!"

[Suprefan]

1 hour ago, gigpusher said:

Yep I understand that but when it comes to budget I personally would rather give a younger/fresher act a leg up to that level than keep relying on the same bands over and over. Younger artists who are not as proven will inevitably be more budget in the first place.

It's not a problem for me personally in that if I have a year where I don't go to the Pyramid stage at headline time it doesn't bother me at all but whether we like it or not the who plays the Pyramid stage is how the rest of the world views Glastonbury. I'd like them to use their influence to introduce some of those younger artists to the middle aged whose main exposure to music could be watching the Glastonbury coverage on the telly.

It's why I was thrilled with some of Elton's guests even people around me were asking who Jacob and Rina were. They might get some new fans from that.

Glasto isnt as much of a kingmaker fest as it could be. That happens over here. Its just crazy that they have to rely on artists being "nice" and accepting a lower fee and the trade off is "exposure" for some or just the band doing a favor cause they have history. 

[Suprefan]

3 hours ago, balti-pie said:

Normally i'd say bleh, Friday at Hellfest and sunday at Glastonbury is easy enough, but AC/DC are absolutely bloody ancient and would ideally give themselves a nice old rest between massive headline slots! 

Hellfest has a Thursday ya know.  2 days off in between is decent if they got slotted for Sunday night.

[CaledonianGonzo]

11 minutes ago, Suprefan said:

Glasto isnt as much of a kingmaker fest as it could be. That happens over here. Its just crazy that they have to rely on artists being "nice" and accepting a lower fee and the trade off is "exposure" for some or just the band doing a favor cause they have history. 

The upside of the Coachella organisers having to spend more money booking bands is that they have less money to donate to the worst politicians on the planet.

[Hugh Jass II]

2 hours ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

In terms of them taking gambles on up and coming acts, I just judge on a case by case basis - Dave good, Dua good, Sam Fender fine, Wet Leg bad, Fontaines DC bad.

But I'm plenty glad to have seen most of the heritage acts that have played at the farm over the years.  I'd rather have been offered Stevie Wonder than them taking a risk on someone like The Zutons instead.

Who is calling for Wet Leg or Fontaines to headline though?

Edited July 20, 2023 by Hugh Jass II

[MEGABOWL]

2 hours ago, gigpusher said:

Yep I understand that but when it comes to budget I personally would rather give a younger/fresher act a leg up to that level than keep relying on the same bands over and over. Younger artists who are not as proven will inevitably be more budget in the first place.

It's not a problem for me personally in that if I have a year where I don't go to the Pyramid stage at headline time it doesn't bother me at all but whether we like it or not the who plays the Pyramid stage is how the rest of the world views Glastonbury. I'd like them to use their influence to introduce some of those younger artists to the middle aged whose main exposure to music could be watching the Glastonbury coverage on the telly.

It's why I was thrilled with some of Elton's guests even people around me were asking who Jacob and Rina were. They might get some new fans from that.

I agree on Elton’s guests, that was great. He cited the festivals effectiveness in breaking new acts as one of his reasons for doing it.
 

In an ideal world they’d probably like a mix each year of acts on the rise and big established headliners to balance it out. That three would ideally be ethnically diverse and  gender diverse.   But it doesn’t work like that and won’t until they drastically up what they pay headliners which means putting up ticket prices further than they already have.

It’s true that the Pyramid stage is how the rest of the world views Glastonbury. It’s also how they sell the tickets and part of that sales pitch is huge headliners, acts that are difficult/expensive to get tickets for. Maybe that’s not ideal or sustainable but that’s how it currently is, it’s part of the balancing act that GFL is doing.

Given how delicate that balancing act is at the minute with their own costs and the effect of the cost of living crisis on their punters it’s understandable if they aren’t willing to roll the dice and turn away acts like the Arctics and Coldplay, risking burning bridges with them in the process.

 

[CaledonianGonzo]

8 minutes ago, Hugh Jass II said:

Who is calling for Wet Leg or Fontaines to headline though?

I've seen Fontaines suggested on here. Wet Leg I haven't, but in terms of rapidly accelerating / fast rising bands they're on a trajectory that could see them enter the conversation.

[charlierc]

17 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

I've seen Fontaines suggested on here. Wet Leg I haven't, but in terms of rapidly accelerating / fast rising bands they're on a trajectory that could see them enter the conversation.

Maybe if they have a second album hit that is somehow even bigger than Wet Dream/Chaise Longue.

It's difficult to predict this stuff in advance imo, mind.

[Hugh Jass II]

17 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

I've seen Fontaines suggested on here. Wet Leg I haven't, but in terms of rapidly accelerating / fast rising bands they're on a trajectory that could see them enter the conversation.

I don't think any rational person would think  Fontaines are, or will ever be, anywhere near headlining. They're not even Other headline level.

Wet Leg are a lot of fun but I can't see them getting any bigger than they are now. They'll get a decent slot next year off the back of the next album then they'll start sliding down the lineups.

[Chef]

2 hours ago, Gnomicide said:

"We've saved loads of money by booking Coldplay so we can bring you Rhianna!"

Made me Lol. 

[Yokel Again]

3 hours ago, sisco said:

I love Coldplays early stuff, saw them in 2016 and ticket permitting would see them in 2024 too.  People moan about the repeat bookings but do try and remember the vast majority aren’t lucky and go year after year.  They’re a massive band and the vast majority or attendees would love them being there.

They’d also get a bigger crowd than the new imaginative headliner in Dua Lipa

Yep - You could have been going to Glastonbuy for 8 years and not seen them.... field would be rammed. 

[Hugh Jass II]

Just now, Yokel Again said:

Yep - You could have been going to Glastonbuy for 8 years and not seen them.... field would be rammed. 

True, but they've also done about 20 stadium dates in 22 and 23. It's not like opportunities to see them recently haven't been there.