It takes a big man to admit he was wrong (JAY Z) Options

[pedmills]

I was in the crowd near the front for Jay-Z's performance and I can honestly say it was amazing.
The opening video must be regarded as one of the most exciting moments in Glastonbury's history. It was just so ridiculously epic (in a good way). I would go as far as to say it was genius.
The cover of Wonderwall was a bit of a gimic, but it made everyone laugh and really set the tone for the night. The next song was the 'true' opener of 99 Problems in which everyone around me went mental and literally sang every word of the lyrics.
In between his hits he rapped a capella which really showcased his talents as a rapper. This also made the whole performance flow, which included lots of mini-covers of popular songs.
The early political themes showed that he does rhyme about things other than being rich. And he evened added some powerful emotion into it with Song Cry.
While I'd say it was probably my third favourite act of the weekend, this was because I am a rock fan and not particularly a hip-hop fan. I cannot think of any way he could have improved the performance. I'm very glad he didn't include guests as this would have taken the attention away from him. He managed to triumph and he didn't need his wife to do it.
Anyone who says it was bland or nothing special clearly wasn't there.

[Mackem]

Tim "The Big Dog" Westwood does a Glasto reveiw for the Guardian......

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/06/...m_westwood.html

But Jay stormed it. At 11pm on Friday night, we climbed on top of our truck and it looked like 140,000 people out there. Cats was actually losing their mind, man! It was like their life and festival had made sense.

They must have really been out of it - JayZ didn't play until Saturday night

W*nker

[5co77ie]

In all my years of attending Glasto I have never seen that field so full - other and jazzworld were both greatly reduced in numbers - the best retort I've ever seen - the queen! brilliant

[argentia]

I thought he was sh*te and left by the 3rd number. Wished I had seen Biffi now. The best bit I watched was the video intro and the AC/DC riff to back in black....now there is a proper headliner...

[BeddyDriver]

I thought he was sh*te and left by the 3rd number. Wished I had seen Biffi now. The best bit I watched was the video intro and the AC/DC riff to back in black....now there is a proper headliner...

Snap !

And i was in a fast flowing torrent of people away from the field........

I think a lot went to have a look and didnt like it.....

Horses for courses i guess, but i didnt speak to a single person on Sunday that actually stayed for the whole set, and the general feeling i got from our crowd was that no enjoyed it. Then again we are all too old for Glasto anyway , and dont own 1 hoodie between us

[newguy(paranoid)]

Well I was there for the whole thing about level with the sound desk, towards the bar (where the trees are) and that certainly stayed completely rammed for the whole set, so I'm not sure where all of this 'everyone left' talk comes from

Personally I thought it was a really good set, not the best ever or anything, but certainly more than enough to warant the booking. Yes, no special guests, but maybe he was out to prove he could do it on his own. I thought the song before the encore (U2 sample) was fantastic

[Glastonbury_2011]

I was literally on the barrier for Jay-Z's set. I had been there since Manu Chao to gain a good spot and the way the anticipating crowd slowly bubbled up with excitement as Amy Winehouse played and then waiting for Jay-Z himself was fantastic.

The one thing I didn't expect was his entrance. How wild did the crowd go when that introductory film was being played and then the start of Wonderwall blasted out?

I think to have really enjoyed Jay Z you had to be right within the crowd because everyone around me seemed to knwo every single word and were going crazy!

Jay-Z at Glastonbury? No f**king chance! Haha.

[Mackem]

Well I was there for the whole thing about level with the sound desk, towards the bar (where the trees are)

Sssshhhhhhh!!!!!! Don't tell everyone about that. Best place on the hill for us old timers. High up and banked enough to get a good view of the stage and screens, far enough back not to be too crowded. And the trees act as a signpost for directing friends.

[Lady Stardust]

Well Ireally enjoyed Jay-Z. I'm not into hip-hop/rap in any way, and I'll probably never see Jay-Z or a similar act again, but I'm really glad I left my prejudices behind and gave him a chance. He put on a really good performance, he showed a great sense of humour with the intro film/Wonderwall start to the show, and had the crowd (from where I was standing, anyway) lapping it up. Yes, there were a few people walking away after a few songs, but nothing like the mass exodus I was expecting.

[padders]

saw bits and pieces on telly and he seemed to nail it from where I was sitting

comparing it to classic glstonbury performances is just hyperbole - these are the same people who say Amy Winehouse " stormed " glastonbury - nonsense

[bornfreetaxedtod...]

I'm well gutted he clashed with Massive Attack. Had he clashed with anyone else that weekend I'd probably have chosen him, but wanted to see Massive attack for f**king years.

Having said that just watched the whole thing on iplayer and he was f**king epic, nailed it with no support at all. Good on him.

[5co77ie]

can't believe the most glorious response I've ever witnessed wasn't televised

[Glastonbury_2011]

can't believe the most glorious response I've ever witnessed wasn't televised

I can't find the intro film for Jay-Z anywhere. It was removed from YouTube!

Edit: Found it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y1AtpgTujk

This post has been edited by Glastonbury_2011: Jun 30 2008, 04:16 PM

[gemstarrr]

^i agree with you on that
as a person who has never listened to him at all and am not really a fan of hiphop i just went out of curiousity. i was at the front and everyone was so up for it and i really enjoyed myself!
i was surprised by how many seemingly big fans there were aswell. lots of people knew the words to all the songs which i wasn't expecting.
wish there was a special guest though - what happened to that?

[pedmills]

I can't find the intro film for Jay-Z anywhere. It was removed from YouTube!

Edit: Found it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y1AtpgTujk

[Ryu]

I can't find the intro film for Jay-Z anywhere. It was removed from YouTube!

Edit: Found it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y1AtpgTujk

Awesome. Two big fat fingers up to the monobrowed one....

[5co77ie]

Actually the f**k Bush song was real good too - i think he would have kept more in the crowd if that had come sooner

[elbongo]

Love hip-hop, not so keen on rap and never liked JZ. Got talked into going and I suppose curiosity took over and went along. Really rammed before and at the start and was a blinding intro to his show. But after that it was disappointing. After about 20 minutes I had had enough and walked away. Along with thousands of others. So many people were leaving. And getting out through the crowd, which was bloody hard to get into was easy as half of them were already gone. I knew I would not like it if it was JZ playing his stuff and no extras and thats how it turned out. Its all matter of opinion its just to me and the thousands of other walking away were not impressed.

[5co77ie]

God the best moment was when the U2 sample was laid down with new Bono backing samples - I thought woah Bono is on Jay-Z's side - U2 will play here! That was amazing - as jay-Zed said where is the love? Singing 'Sunday Bloody Sunday" in front of the pyramid was awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwesome!!!!

This post has been edited by 5co77ie: Jun 30 2008, 05:56 PM

[BeddyDriver]

Love hip-hop, not so keen on rap and never liked JZ. Got talked into going and I suppose curiosity took over and went along. Really rammed before and at the start and was a blinding intro to his show. But after that it was disappointing. After about 20 minutes I had had enough and walked away. Along with thousands of others. So many people were leaving. And getting out through the crowd, which was bloody hard to get into was easy as half of them were already gone. I knew I would not like it if it was JZ playing his stuff and no extras and thats how it turned out. Its all matter of opinion its just to me and the thousands of other walking away were not impressed.

thousands walking away was exactly what i saw. I appreciate some people liked his set, and maybe you had to be in the mix with his fans to get it......

I have never seen so many people leaving a performance mid set, but i know myself from being down at the front it often looks much busier behind than it really is. It appearred to me, and i was standing in exactly the same place that the field was rammed an awful lot fuller for the Verve !

Cant say i enjoyed the f**k bush song. Maybe he was trying to make some decent points in there but very very very childish , and that was what nailed the coffin lid down on that performance for me !

This post has been edited by BeddyDriver: Jun 30 2008, 06:02 PM