Headliners 2023

[The Nal]

23 minutes ago, Hugh Jass II said:

Yeah The Stones, Macca, even Adele we’re probably all bigger bookings than Prince would have been and there was never any attempt to “split the crowd” in terms of counter programming.

If anything they went the other way. Mostly absolute jabronis on the other stages. The jack off hour.

[maelzoid]

1 hour ago, gfa said:

At what year would everyone say they booked 'superstars' every year from?

Obviously acts change in size over time but I think stand outs of when there was a weak link might be Moby in 2003, Travis in 2000 (maybe chems too?), Manics and Skunk Anaise in 1999

Most of those performances were before i was even born but would be interested to hear what others think?

I've excluded Basement Jaxx as they were a replacement - i'm guessing they weren't pyramid headliner size in 2005 and quite a big bump up right

I went often in the 90s and the festival was definitely smaller then. The likes of Black Crowes and Lenny Kravitz headlined the first year I was there.

The first obvious shift came with acts like Oasis, Blur and Radiohead, who were definitely 'big' but I think more importantly had played the festival more than once on the way up, so by the time they headlined, it seemed a natural progression. They essentially opened the door for 'very big' headliners which they were becoming, by not deserting the festival when they got big.

The obvious one for me is Bowie in 2000 - he was huge and legendary and had a history of stadia behind him. But Glastonbury was not his first festival in that era - he had played Phoenix a few years before. So, after Bowie, we got Macca and in turn Springsteen and then U2 - all of which seemed like a bit of a coup. By then it was the expectation that all headliners would be stadium sized acts.

[balti-pie]

1 hour ago, Boilingtent said:

I'd argue GnR were very much an anti hair metal band.

They sell out stadiums now only because they went away for a long time whereas Metallica have sort of stayed around. 

GnR are of hair metal, rather than are/were hair metal. They were in that scene but came as a more aggressive, punkier counterpoint to all the nonsense before them. 

 

This is fantastically metal, arguing about specific sub genres 🤣 🤘 we could’ve been having these conversations in the mid nineties and beyond if Glastonbury had embraced heavier stuff just a little earlier than 2014 (and could have had those bands when they were relevant, instead of as a kind of tribute act to themselves) 

[Breeze]

Just now, Skip997 said:

Yea Rinky Dink still exists, they were around last year.

I know some of them and have helped them at protests in the past.

Great news! Yeah I knew they were at loads of protests and such - top folks - still associated with Baka Beyond?!

Been > 10 years since I was at Glasto. Interested to see how many of the old staples are still around and what has changed - hopefully Groovy Movie, they always had loads of subversive films on at 5am just when you are ready for them lol and I hear Manic Organic are coming back this year after skipping 2022.  

[Skip997]

5 minutes ago, The Nal said:

If anything they went the other way. Mostly absolute jabronis on the other stages. The jack off hour.

Public Enemy, who were on vs The Stones were brilliant, as opposed to The Stones who were poor.

Yes I did see both, about 15 minutes of The Stones and then escaped to Public Enemy.

[Gnomicide]

Just now, Skip997 said:

Public Enemy, who were on vs The Stones were brilliant, as opposed to The Stones who were poor.

Doesn't matter how many times you say this, you're still very wrong.

I'm sure Public Enemy were fun though, I'd have watched them if they weren't clashing.

[Skip997]

3 minutes ago, Breeze said:

Great news! Yeah I knew they were at loads of protests and such - top folks - still associated with Baka Beyond?!

Been > 10 years since I was at Glasto. Interested to see how many of the old staples are still around and what has changed - hopefully Groovy Movie, they always had loads of subversive films on at 5am just when you are ready for them lol and I hear Manic Organic are coming back this year after skipping 2022.  

Not sure about Baka Beyond.

Groovy Movie sold up a good few years ago, not sure what the new owners did, but they've not been at Glastonbury since.

[maelzoid]

7 minutes ago, balti-pie said:

GnR are of hair metal, rather than are/were hair metal. They were in that scene but came as a more aggressive, punkier counterpoint to all the nonsense before them. 

It's an argument I've been having for decades. I think GNR are very much Hair Metal, but I don't use the term at all pejoratively and have a wider definition of it than many and would also include Def Leppard and Bon Jovi. I do find it odd that anyone would think GNR aren't Hair Metal, when Motley Crue are more or les the definitive hair metal band - there's not a great deal to separate them.

[CaledonianGonzo]

37 minutes ago, Gnomicide said:

Doesn't matter how many times you say this, you're still very wrong.

Leave it. A man continually boasting about the size of the hole he's shot in his own foot.

[nikkic]

Back to Calgons ratings system, how many genuine Platinum acts are there out there right now who are yet to do it......

Madonna, Taylor, Reg of course

Who else?

[CaledonianGonzo]

48 minutes ago, maelzoid said:

I went often in the 90s and the festival was definitely smaller then. The likes of Black Crowes and Lenny Kravitz headlined the first year I was there.

The first obvious shift came with acts like Oasis, Blur and Radiohead, who were definitely 'big' but I think more importantly had played the festival more than once on the way up, so by the time they headlined, it seemed a natural progression. They essentially opened the door for 'very big' headliners which they were becoming, by not deserting the festival when they got big.

The obvious one for me is Bowie in 2000 - he was huge and legendary and had a history of stadia behind him. But Glastonbury was not his first festival in that era - he had played Phoenix a few years before. So, after Bowie, we got Macca and in turn Springsteen and then U2 - all of which seemed like a bit of a coup. By then it was the expectation that all headliners would be stadium sized acts.

Not sure I entirely agree. By the time Bowie played the G his stock was in the basement.  He was playing the Glasgow Barras on his tour a couple of years beforehand (and obviously I'm annoyed at myself for not going to that).  

Classic case of a Gold booking looking Platinum in retrospect due to a Platinum performance.

[Freddyflintstonree]

12 minutes ago, nikkic said:

Back to Calgons ratings system, how many genuine Platinum acts are there out there right now who are yet to do it......

Madonna, Taylor, Reg of course

Who else?

Fleetwood Mac

[CaledonianGonzo]

Madona, Taylor, Fleetwood Mac, The Weeknd, Lady Gaga, AC/DC, reformed Daft Punk....

[Freddyflintstonree]

Just now, CaledonianGonzo said:

Madona, Taylor, Fleetwood Mac, The Weeknd, Lady Gaga, AC/DC, reformed Daft Punk....

Risky business going down the reformed route, surely.. 

[Freddyflintstonree]

1 minute ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Madona, Taylor, Fleetwood Mac, The Weeknd, Lady Gaga, AC/DC, reformed Daft Punk....

Depeche Mode? 

[CaledonianGonzo]

Gold

[CaledonianGonzo]

Or maybe Silver actually 

[Freddyflintstonree]

Kate Bush? And if DM is silver, I quit. 

[Florian Saucer Attack]

a reformed pink floyd (should be just around the corner)

[nikkic]

9 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Madona, Taylor, Fleetwood Mac, The Weeknd, Lady Gaga, AC/DC, reformed Daft Punk....

Didn't include these for obvious reasons, but yeah can vibe with the others. 

 

[CaledonianGonzo]

Platinum is an exclusive club. 

[Gnomicide]

Fuck it. Poison for the Legends slot. Security synchronised dance moves to Look What The Cat Dragged In. Not a dry eye in the house for Every Rose Has Its Thorn.

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

1 hour ago, Skip997 said:

Public Enemy, who were on vs The Stones were brilliant, as opposed to The Stones who were poor.

Yes I did see both, about 15 minutes of The Stones and then escaped to Public Enemy.

In 15 minutes, you probably saw three Stones songs, Skippy. Not sure you can justifiably apply the "poor" tag to a set that contained twenty numbers. 

Terrible clash though. 

[CaledonianGonzo]

2 minutes ago, Gnomicide said:

Fuck it. Poison for the Legends slot. Security synchronised dance moves to Look What The Cat Dragged In. Not a dry eye in the house for Every Rose Has Its Thorn.

 

 

[CaledonianGonzo]

1 minute ago, Supernintendo Chalmers said:

In 15 minutes, you probably saw three Stones songs, Skippy. Not sure you can justifiably apply the "poor" tag to a set that contained twenty numbers. 

Terrible clash though. 

Not particularly. Public Enemy roll through the UK about twice a year. Choosing to see them over the Stones is like missing Haileys Comet because there's a funny shape burned onto your toast.