Jump to content

Glasto 2020: Passing the torch?


kalifire
 Share

Recommended Posts

Thankfully the number of older people who bleat on about Glastonbury not being as good as when only they were around to experience it are decreasing in number, but they're still an ugly little coldsore on the face of the festival. They pop up every now and then to lament the diminishing number of white men with guitars, and the increased number of acts they don't understand on any level. This has happened recently with that utter bellend who threw his toys out of his pram over Kanye West (before that there were similar reactions to Jay-Z) and sometimes even happens on eFests.

At some point the tide must change, and the future generations will take the mantel, in terms of the musical and cultural direction of the event. I have a feeling that Glastonbury 2020 might be such a turning point. At the moment there feels like such a disconnect between the daytime and night time. The day appeals to the array of musical talent, and the night bends towards people into a far more narrow band of musical appreciation, to the extent that if you're not into pounding, relentless dance music which is better to appreciate via substances, you might as well go to bed early.

That's not sustainable, in my opinion. It's not holistic and doesn't bring one culture into another in the way that the festival needs to in order to include everybody and live by its ethos.

Michael Eavis has already said 2020 will be the last festival in which he's actively involved. That's only as good as the change which follows.

So where does the Glastonbury Festival go from here? It's huge enough to take any direction it wants with only a change in demographic to worry about, not a decrease in ticket sales. With that luxury, the Festival holds all the cards. At the moment it feels like they're sometimes following trends rather than making them (when was the last time they properly surprised you with a headliner?).

If 2020 turns into a generational baton passing event, what's your relationship to that?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 100
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I reckon they should (provided that the acts are big enough yet/still), get 3 headliners that all made their name most-millennium, and all who have never headlined before. The two that immediately spring to my mind are Royal Blood and Stormzy. I'd say probably someone like The 1975 (despite the fact I hate them) should fill the 3rd spot. Not to say this should be the case EVERY year, but maybe 2020 or 2021 could be the time for it.
I also think they should ditch the legends slot, and have a "legend" on each day, headlining West Holts or The Park.
Spreading all the nightlife and stages around the site could be a shout too. You could put the dance areas together, rock areas, theatre and spoken word, etc... And on top of that, have 'attraction' acts, like you'd have throughout the day as it is, on all through the night, mixed with some more unknowns, etc. Imagine having to get up/stay up until 4am to watch Blossoms!

I dunno. Just some ideas that came out of me after reading your post, but I do thoroughly agree with the headliner thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

26 minutes ago, K2SO said:

I reckon they should (provided that the acts are big enough yet/still), get 3 headliners that all made their name most-millennium, and all who have never headlined before. The two that immediately spring to my mind are Royal Blood and Stormzy. I'd say probably someone like The 1975 (despite the fact I hate them) should fill the 3rd spot. Not to say this should be the case EVERY year, but maybe 2020 or 2021 could be the time for it.
I also think they should ditch the legends slot, and have a "legend" on each day, headlining West Holts or The Park.
Spreading all the nightlife and stages around the site could be a shout too. You could put the dance areas together, rock areas, theatre and spoken word, etc... And on top of that, have 'attraction' acts, like you'd have throughout the day as it is, on all through the night, mixed with some more unknowns, etc. Imagine having to get up/stay up until 4am to watch Blossoms!

I dunno. Just some ideas that came out of me after reading your post, but I do thoroughly agree with the headliner thing.

The obvious one for me that fits that description is The xx.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would like to see a wider availability of things at night too, after headliners. Theatre and Circus may be good? Some of the weirder acts on until 2/3am maybe? I would also like to see perhaps other acts who would play late on a thursday offered after headliners too (wheel of four tunes, omg its the church, ny brass band type ilk). I actually don't mind going for a little rave but its always such a mad mission to get into south east corner and silver hayes just doesnt really float my boat. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm 40 but will probably carry on going regardless. There are so many different festivals you can have at glastonbury. I may not go ballistic for a 6am finish any more but plenty of other ways to enjoy it. They really need to keep bringing in new things to attract the younger demographic but I also think that the diversity of age ranges can bring a lot the party. 

Plus I still like a bit of relentless banging stuff !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

I've been planning to hang up my wellies after 2020 for a while now. Will be close to 40 by then and time to step aside and let the kids enjoy it.

Fuck that. There were plenty of 40, 50, 60 and even 70 year olds having fun this time around. Age is but a number, if you wanna stop then stop, but do it because you can't be arsed or you don't enjoy it, not because your birth certificate tells you! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, nikkic said:

Fuck that. There were plenty of 40, 50, 60 and even 70 year olds having fun this time around. Age is but a number, if you wanna stop then stop, but do it because you can't be arsed or you don't enjoy it, not because your birth certificate tells you! 

More to do with how much my body creaks after each festival and the feeling that after doing 11 of the last 12 festivals I'm done.

One more then I'm out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, nikkic said:

Fuck that. There were plenty of 40, 50, 60 and even 70 year olds having fun this time around. Age is but a number, if you wanna stop then stop, but do it because you can't be arsed or you don't enjoy it, not because your birth certificate tells you! 

+1 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, WS_Jack_III said:

Going to be the last one anyway isn't it?:ph34r:

Think that's just them drumming up the numbers.

To me it actually feels like it's getting better year on year - more inclusive, huge variety of stuff to do, the food is a lot better...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, UEF said:

Think that's just them drumming up the numbers.

To me it actually feels like it's getting better year on year - more inclusive, huge variety of stuff to do, the food is a lot better...

I agree. The festival is going from strength to strength. Those that think otherwise are probably the people that the OP are referring to!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not to mention that the flooding/logistics problems seem to slowly get better each year (still think the opening of the car park on Tuesday was a watershed that shouldn't have happened, though)

Hell - even Seeticket's server gets a bit better each year. One year they'll crack it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, battleborn said:

Where's th indication 2020's last one?

Is it all the work on drainage and sit improvement?

Seriously, they need to do something with Silver Hayes and other remnants of the old 'dance village'. It's dreadful and under used cf the SE Corner. Why not something like the late lamented Bourbon Street, perhaps move Pilton Palau's to be near Cineramaggedon? Anything to alleviate the post headline rush\crush to the SE

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, UEF said:

Not to mention that the flooding/logistics problems seem to slowly get better each year (still think the opening of the car park on Tuesday was a watershed that shouldn't have happened, though)

Hell - even Seeticket's server gets a bit better each year. One year they'll crack it!

You're bonkers, that's the single best thing that they've ever done to aid the traffic issues.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

You're bonkers, that's the single best thing that they've ever done to aid the traffic issues.

True, I just used to like taking my chances and not having to be there at Silly O'Clock to get my usual spot

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Hugh Jass said:

More to do with how much my body creaks after each festival and the feeling that after doing 11 of the last 12 festivals I'm done.

One more then I'm out.

I'd struggled after 2016 so made a concerted effort to get much fitter and lost 2 stone for this years. Felt much better and still think I could do a bit more beforehand. Will be 45 at the next one, still think I have a few left in me! I did feel a bit wheezy after this one but reckon that was the dust on site

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.



×
×
  • Create New...