2025 Headliners

[MEGABOWL]

15 hours ago, Spindles said:

Yeah, that's why I say the gigs around that time.  I didn't see them at Hyde park, but I've read an interview where Robert said that was the moment they realised that they really had it in them to still be a great live act in a new chapter of their time as a band and that the glastonbury set was the moment that that renewed confidence felt like it had come together.  

 

The sound that night was the best I've ever heard at the Pyramid, that bass was fierce.

Definitely agree on the sound. It was the same a few weeks later when I saw them at Bellahouston in Glasgow. Their sound guys are the best.

[fantomas]

Agreed on The Cure sound folk, even sounded excellent in arenas.

[NorthernSoul52]

The Cure are magnificent for offering texture to their material live.

[Karlos12345]

On 1/2/2025 at 4:30 PM, matrainertje said:

Nick Cave could do a one-off at Glastonbury next summer. He's played it many times but the last time was aaaaages ago. And considering next year is a fallow year... 

 

A german promoter dropped the ball Thursday and announced Nick Cave (solo) for Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg for the weekend before Glastonbury. Post has been deleted but you might be onto something…

[FKA SOSOTWS]

32 minutes ago, Karlos12345 said:

 

A german promoter dropped the ball Thursday and announced Nick Cave (solo) for Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg for the weekend before Glastonbury. Post has been deleted but you might be onto something…

 

Secret Saturday opening set on Park Stage could work, if it's just Cave on piano and Colin Greenwood on bass.

[charlierc]

10 hours ago, philipsteak said:

Same. 

Which is why my festival would be an utter disaster. I mean, there be a load of other reasons too but I couldn't deal with all those delicate egos 

I still think Arctic Monkeys refusing to do Mad Cool 2023 because MCF went a day too early in saying they had them for 2018 and the band being so annoyed they nearly didn't play in 2018 was a bit petty tbf.

[Beerqueen]

1 hour ago, Karlos12345 said:

 

A german promoter dropped the ball Thursday and announced Nick Cave (solo) for Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg for the weekend before Glastonbury. Post has been deleted but you might be onto something…

Please, please,  please,  please,  please,  please,  please,  please,  please,  please,  please,  please,  please,  please,.

[NorthernSoul52]

Nick Cave atop Other against Olivia Rodrigo, please. 

 

Warren Ellis can nip over to do his collaboration with The 1975 earlier on. 

[beau1]

14 hours ago, kerplunk said:

 

They were similarly good at Bestival 2011 to be honest. Similar setlist. same opening song. 32 songs against 27 at G.

 

The live CD is great

 

I agree Bestival 2011 had an impact for putting The Cure back on the UK Festival map, but for me it was the worst time I have seen the band. They were still comfortably the best act at Bestival but it was an odd performance with a one-off lineup. Maybe a personal preference but the band have sounded a million times better with Reeves Gabrels, and he was missing at Bestival 11. It took 2-3 years for him to bed-in but IMHO the band sounded much better at Reading 2012 and have only got better since then. I've always found the Bestival CD a little harsh and rough.

 

I think what it shows is that people had severely underrated The Cure as a live force. Prehaps this was justified 1995-2004, but it feels like their stock has been steadily increasing since 2005 with many shifts in momentum. I know Neil on here was particularly down on them a few years back. 

[Suprefan]

20 hours ago, Andy0808 v5 said:

Real ones will be at Kano on West Holts during Neil Young anyway 

 

Kano in 2017 on Park Stage  against Sheeran was a great way to end the weekend.

 

How about King Gizzard somewhere. They would def be a good one on The Park. Give em 90 mins and theyll tear up a storm, unless headlining John Peel would be the move. Bonnaroo booked em for a mini residency this year. Theyre playing all 3 main days. Def throwing in a Marathon set in there.

[StuwieG]

13 minutes ago, Suprefan said:

 

Kano in 2017 on Park Stage  against Sheeran was a great way to end the weekend.

 

How about King Gizzard somewhere. They would def be a good one on The Park. Give em 90 mins and theyll tear up a storm, unless headlining John Peel would be the move. Bonnaroo booked em for a mini residency this year. Theyre playing all 3 main days. Def throwing in a Marathon set in there.

Has there been any info about Kano? Would love that. Can’t even see anything on his social media about new music. Just seems to be promoting his rum all the time 

[Jamm]

Would love King Gizzard - selfishly wouldn’t want them headline for less risk of clashes.

 

What stage would they realistically headline? They’re a funny one to estimate.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Realistically The Park is about their ceiling.

[Spindles]

9 hours ago, beau1 said:

I think what it shows is that people had severely underrated The Cure as a live force. Prehaps this was justified 1995-2004, but it feels like their stock has been steadily increasing since 2005 with many shifts in momentum.

I had to give up my tickets to reading 2012 due to having surgery, but my son went and none of his friends were much interested the cure and he mentions it all felt a bit flat as a result of a setlist that the crowd didn't really take to and being surrounded by friends who clearly wanted a better time someone else.

 

It definitely feels like there was a turning point for them live (Hyde park, as mentioned) and now they have transcended to a higher level as a live act.

[NorthernSoul52]

The Cure's Hammersmith Apollo shows about a decade ago were legendary stuff. Did the second night, if I remember correctly, and it remains an all-time top ten gig. Probably the only other show that stays in the mix there - the list changes every time I make it - is Springsteen at First Direct Arena.

[mouserat]

1 hour ago, Spindles said:

I had to give up my tickets to reading 2012 due to having surgery, but my son went and none of his friends were much interested the cure and he mentions it all felt a bit flat as a result of a setlist that the crowd didn't really take to and being surrounded by friends who clearly wanted a better time someone else.

 

It definitely feels like there was a turning point for them live (Hyde park, as mentioned) and now they have transcended to a higher level as a live act.

I was there with friends, for me if was an intentional last visit to Reading having gone a few times as a teenager but that group of mates have never really moved past that and Download being their scene.

 

One friend said he thought The Cure were really disappointing on the basis that headliners should have an exciting light show and pyrotechnics and The Cure just seemed to think they could show up and their music would be enough. Which is mad .

[Spindles]

Funnily enough it had been planned as my last Reading as well as a glastonbury alternative in the fallow year (although I only ever went to the festival once, in 08 when rage played) but my poorly put together body decided to scupper that plan and I was having a lung removed that weekend, ending up having to watch on iplayer.

 

I'm too old for Reading now, 54 this year.  I enjoyed the festival when I went, but it's a young person's game in a way that Glastonbury isn't.

[northernangel]

22 minutes ago, Spindles said:

Funnily enough it had been planned as my last Reading as well as a glastonbury alternative in the fallow year (although I only ever went to the festival once, in 08 when rage played) but my poorly put together body decided to scupper that plan and I was having a lung removed that weekend, ending up having to watch on iplayer.

 

I'm too old for Reading now, 54 this year.  I enjoyed the festival when I went, but it's a young person's game in a way that Glastonbury isn't.

It's becoming a young person's game though ever more year by year.

[wro_lap]

2 hours ago, northernangel said:

It's becoming a young person's game though ever more year by year.

Tbf its two acts announced are Rod Stewart and Neil Young.

 

I'd argue Glastonbury is just very good at moving with the times and covering various definitions of what's relevant. And naturally as time passes, more of that will feel relevant to young people than before.

 

Unless you mean something about the festival itself, in which case fair enough

[km9]

2 hours ago, northernangel said:

It's becoming a young person's game though ever more year by year.

Not in the way that Reading is. If you haven't been and you're over 30 then don't waste your time 

[NorthernSoul52]

If we get the three headliners we think we do, then it does feel like it is nominally skewing to a younger generation. But both Olivia Rodrigo and The 1975 have cross-generational appeal too, I'd argue.

 

Throw in names like Nick Cave as credible Pyramid subs or Other headliners, and it might not be feeling too young.

[charlierc]

1 hour ago, km9 said:

Not in the way that Reading is. If you haven't been and you're over 30 then don't waste your time 

Reading has always meant to be for the younger demographic though right? I went for a day trip there when I was 24 and felt old, which was a contrast to when I saw U2 at age 22 and felt like the youngest person in the entire O2 Arena.

[charlierc]

33 minutes ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

If we get the three headliners we think we do, then it does feel like it is nominally skewing to a younger generation. But both Olivia Rodrigo and The 1975 have cross-generational appeal too, I'd argue.

 

Throw in names like Nick Cave as credible Pyramid subs or Other headliners, and it might not be feeling too young.

It'll be a contrast tbf given that the so-far confirmed run of Neil Young, Rod Stewart and Chic gives it an older feeling. But it was always going to be the case that it wasn't just going to be a festival bill full of names that could've done this festival in the late 70s.

[northernangel]

4 hours ago, km9 said:

Not in the way that Reading is. If you haven't been and you're over 30 then don't waste your time 

 

I agree in a way. It's easier if you've been before and gradually got used to it. I stopped going at 24/25 for a whole weekend as that was enough. Some nutter trying to pull me out my tent was day only point.

3 hours ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

If we get the three headliners we think we do, then it does feel like it is nominally skewing to a younger generation. But both Olivia Rodrigo and The 1975 have cross-generational appeal too, I'd argue.

 

Throw in names like Nick Cave as credible Pyramid subs or Other headliners, and it might not be feeling too young.

 

I think it's more undercard as well as headliners. I don't think Nick Cave is playing Pyramid sub or Other. No reason to believe he's around is there.

Edited 21 hours ago by northernangel

[northernangel]

5 hours ago, wro_lap said:

Tbf its two acts announced are Rod Stewart and Neil Young.

 

I'd argue Glastonbury is just very good at moving with the times and covering various definitions of what's relevant. And naturally as time passes, more of that will feel relevant to young people than before.

 

Unless you mean something about the festival itself, in which case fair enough

 

It's more of a case of whole lineup generally and yes the festival itself. I think Glastonbury gets involved in a lot of fads about what it may need that it brings on itself despite the fact it always sells out.