Worst Pyramid Headliners 1999-2008, A decade of headliners... who was the worst? Options

[mayer]

I'm getting awfully excited about Glastonbury this year... but heck, I might not get a ticket! So why not douse my expectations with a wave of negativity!

So, plenty of headliner whinging this year, much of it, in my opinion, unwarrented. But who are the worst headliners the festival has had on the main stage for the last decade? You can choose it based on a terrible performance on the night, the band being far too lacking in stature for such an occasion, or, just because you think they're rubbish.

Also vote in the poll for the worst year altogether, if you fancy!

I'll kick things off!

Now, without a doubt, the worst year from that list is 2002. Coldplay, Stereophics and Rod Stewart. Mr Eavis, the reason why your festival is being overrun by middle aged, middle classed thirty-somethings is pretty obvious if your headline acts are those three. Not the slightest snippet of innovation, ambition or even class.

But the worst headliner outright has to be Skunk Anansie. I still remember reading a review of the Pyramid that day, that quoted Skin as saying "I can't believe we're headlining the last Glastonbury of the millenium", and responding, as we were all thinking... "well, no, neither can we". Quite.

[Edited for neatness]

This post has been edited by mayer: Mar 19 2008, 01:41 PM

[sifimaster]

Now, without a doubt, the worst year from that list is 2002. Coldplay, Stereophics and Rod Stewart. Mr Eavis, the reason why your festival is being overrun by middle aged, middle classed thirty-somethings is pretty obvious if your headline acts are those three. Not the slightest snippet of innovation, ambition or even class.

Although to be fair Faithless who came on before Coldplay were awesome, as was Roger Waters who came on before Rod Stewart.

I watched Coldplay, but that was before their second album came out. I was still buzzing off Faithless I think.

The Saturday night we watched Robert Plant in the accoustic tent.

[Langdale Wolf]

I'm getting awfully excited about Glastonbury this year... but heck, I might not get a ticket! So why not douse my expectations with a wave of negativity!

..........bibble bibble..............

(Thought I'd save space by not quoting the whole thing!)

Prepare to be lynched by many efesters!!!!

I haven't watched all the headliners in any of my 4 Glastos. Every year, a real highlight (IMHO) plays top of the bill. (For example, I love REM, Bowie, Coldplay, Sir Paul, the Who and the Verve).

To be honest, I don't think any year looks particularly awful. This year is certainly bravest, especially with Jay-Z but I refuse to say that him playing is a bad thing. It's something different so bravo Michael.

I honestly couldn't pick one.

[mayer]

Although to be fair...

Well, there's always different (and often better) things to do than hang around on the Pyramid last thing at night, which is why in the past five years I've closed out various evenings watching Primal Scream, Orbital, The Go! Team, Bjork, Iggy, The Tears, the Glade etc.

[EDIT: Though, in that time, I've also enjoyed Radiohead, Paul McCartney and Oasis, so I'm not all anti the big triangle!]

This isn't a "wasn't x year rubbish" or "isn't Glastonbury rubbish" or even "isn't the Pyramid rubbish" rant, just a (hopefully) interesting glance back at ten years of Pyramid headliners and a fish for people's opinion on them, especially in the context of the massive outpouring of grief that afflicted some quarters with this year's announcement.

This post has been edited by mayer: Mar 19 2008, 01:49 PM

[sifimaster]

This isn't a "wasn't x year rubbish" or "isn't Glastonbury rubbish" or even "isn't the Pyramid rubbish" rant, just a (hopefully) interesting glance back at ten years of Pyramid headliners and a fish for people's opinion on them, especially in the context of the massive outpouring of grief that afflicted some quarters with this year's announcement.

Oh I see.

Well, I enjoyed Coldplay that night. Although that was before I became bored by them.

[Langdale Wolf]

Well, there's always different (and often better) things to do than hang around on the Pyramid last thing at night, which is why in the past five years I've closed out various evenings watching Primal Scream, Orbital, The Go! Team, Bjork, Iggy, the Glade etc.

This isn't a "wasn't x year rubbish" or "isn't Glastonbury rubbish" or even "isn't the Pyramid rubbish" rant, just a (hopefully) interesting glance back at ten years of Pyramid headliners and a fish for people's opinion on them, especially in the context of the massive outpouring of grief that afflicted some quarters with this year's announcement.

I think it's a pretty good thread to be honest!!

Now, if you mixed up some of those headliners, it could be amazing. Ideally? REM, Sir Paul and Bowie. Now THAT'S a line-up!

Alternatively, Rod Stewart, Basement Jaxx and The Killers can fudge right off.

[kly]

Hmmm. Hard to say - there's at least one act I really like in each year. I'm with Langdale that this year's the bravest and it's certainly not the worst for me as I like KoL and Jay-Z. So yeah, really couldn't pick one!

[Hazey Jamie]

each year has good and bad

i really don't understand this obsession with the pyramid headliners

glasto would be a much better place if all the people that complained about the headliners, year after year after year, just went to a festie like V instead, where the main stage headliners are more important

[The Nal]

Rod Stewart is a stain

[sifimaster]

Rod Stewart is a stain

Some of the Faces stuff was good.

[mayer]

i really don't understand this obsession with the pyramid headliners

Not an obsession, Jamester, just more a way to while away a few minutes and put off my shorthand practice for another half hour...

I assure you that (tickets and any outbreak of cholera permitting), come end of June, I'll be enjoying Glastonbury as much as ever. Due to having to pick and choose due to being consistently broke, I've not been to V since 1999. That's because, despite the occasional nifty lineup, as good as a big gig in a field can be, it's not really a festival in the same way that Glastonbury, Glade or anywhere-else-without-boundaries-between-camping-and-music are.

[fur_q]

2002 gets my vote..

before i went there where only about 3 bands i wanted to see

but, probably because of this, it was one of my favourite years

This post has been edited by fur_q: Mar 19 2008, 02:02 PM

[Chocky]

Headliners, schmedliners - there's always something more interesting going on elsewhere.
While I usually plan to see at least one of the headliners on the main stages (Pyramid & Other), something usually comes up or I get distracted.

Last year for example - The Who
I was raving away to Pendulum and at the end of the set I'm all ready to head to the Pyramid but I ended up taking a wrong turn and stumbled on The Chems on t'other stage.
Not the first time either, Macca - nope, Arctics - nope, Moby - nope.

[meesh]

not remotely interested in headliners!

as I've said before - I went 04, 05 & 07 and am still to see a headliner at the Pyramid stage. Pleanty other things going on

although I might have a sneaky look at The Verve this year

[ralph250]

were skunk anansie that bad on their headlining performance? or is it just some people didn't like the music.

I saw em in exeter years ago (with muse as support), and I thought they were great at the time. they've definitely got some good songs, and skin's got a cracking voice imo. just wondering....

as for rod, some of the faces stuff is excellent, as is some of the stuff with jeff beck.

as for vote, probs gotta be this year for me, although it's brave, i like kings of leon but seen em twice already, jay-z not really my cuppa, and the verve I'm not too keen on....plus verve and kings of leon are playing werchter which i'm going to,
rem, radiohead and neil young, gotta take some beating for headliners this year.

[eFestivals]

were skunk anansie that bad on their headlining performance?

they might have played last but they were not "headliners".

[The Nal]

Some of the Faces stuff was good.

Agreed, but Rod Stewart is still a stain

[kaanypooch]

they might have played last but they were not "headliners".

Uhh, oh, here we go!

On topic: first time i went was 2002 and I voted for that year. In fairness, I thought coldplay were very good that year and as someone else said, roger waters on before rod was excellent. However, i didnt watch rod or the phonics - though with the latter its becuase i saw them twice the previous summer.

[The Nal]

However, i didnt watch rod or the phonics - though with the latter its becuase i saw them twice the previous summer.

You poor bastard.

[remote]

The worst set is 2005 for me.

I knew that 2002 would run away with it in most people's view before I even opened the topic. I didn't want Coldplay, think Garbage were on at the same time. Stereophonics were pretty good and Rod Stewart was mildly entertaining for about 10 minutes, then I went to Stone Circle for a bit and got trashed.