goonerben

I did, a fortnight ago. I walked into a Coral branch and tried to put a bet on Stevie Wonder. They couldn’t/wouldn’t give me odds on any Glastonbury headliners. In fact, these days the staff in the shop aren’t able to do much - they direct you to a terminal that I assume has the same markets and odds as their website. If it isn’t on there, “they don’t offer it”.

It is pretty much a fact that bookies have stopped taking bets on this year’s headliners. A month ago, most of them had a market for Glastonbury headliners on their sites. Around the time that the Stevie Wonder rumours started, the markets started disappearing - Ladbrokes and Coral were the last to pull them, a couple of weeks ago.

It pretty much is - he's got solo "Definitely Maybe" gigs on both Thursday and Friday evenings in Manchester. Hard to see him nipping down to Somerset in between those, for a Friday opener slot...

They never do 2 nights in a row these days, and have shows elsewhere on the Thursday and Saturday.

Have heard from multiple people separately, that Dua Lipa is one of the nicest, most unassuming and least diva-ish people in the business. Agreed, I doubt her views on Greater Albania would be popular in Belgrade, but there we go...

A couple of weeks ago, that was exactly the understanding on this thread - Dua Friday, Coldplay Saturday, Madonna Sunday. Since then, multiple and fairly credible sources have said that Madonna is out (was supposed to be doing Glasto alongside BST, this does not seem forthcoming, she has nothing scheduled past April, and nothing to suggest that she's adapting her arena show for stadiums/festivals); and Stevie Wonder is in for both BST and Glastonbury. But, that Stevie is doing Glasto Friday and BST Sunday, which has caused a rejig of the days for everybody else. As for the "2 female headliners" thing - I agree with others who say that this was an aspiration more than a commitment; and also let's remember that the Sunday legend "counts" as a headliner in a lot of what Emily says publicly.

The more I think about this, the more I think it points towards a Stevie Wonder announcement, sooner rather than later. They clearly weren't intending to announce Dua Lipa with that sentence in an article - but allude to her instead. And I think we know that announcing Coldplay by themselves would be met with considerable groaning. That leaves Stevie - after several years away and with a BST show to sell, could it be that his "return" is announced to be headlining Glasto, which generates lots of publicity and a love-in from the BBC, after which they announce a BST show "due to public demand"?

Dua Lipa is performing at the Grammys (and possibly also winning a couple) on 4th February. I’d expect a tour announcement around then, lots of publicity from the Grammys to help sell tickets - all in time for the Glastonbury lineup drop in early March? That rogue sentence in today’s article, reads to me like the last sentence of a press release where they are NOT announcing Dua Lipa, but ARE giving some kind of (maybe lineup related) update - and that is part of a “notes to editors” footnote/tease.

Dua Lipa (show not ready in time and doesn't align with her album release schedule). Rolling Stones were rumoured - but are struggling to sell a stadium show in LA this summer. Talk of both T-Swift and O-Rod having convenient gaps in their tour schedules, but this was always wishful thinking IMO.

Just read a LOT of pages - is it a fair summary that we seem to be on for Dua Lipa, Coldplay, and whichever big US act gets announced for BST (either Stevie Wonder or Madonna)?

Stormzy, Florence & The Machine, and Gorillaz would also like a word...

Been listening to an album by Angie McMahon a lot over the last week. Australian singer-songwriter, looking at her tour, she seems to have a bit of a GSH too.

If Lana headlines Coachella, then headlines this festival a month later - that isn't a great look for Coachella, surely?

In 2019, BMTH played at 3:45pm on the Other Stage - how much bigger have they got since (genuine question, I'm not really into them so don't really know)? Felt like 2019 was (even then) a smaller slot than they would have had almost anywhere else, and a lot smaller than Reading or Download. So there is form here for massively underplaying at Glasto.

It happened last year - on the day that Blackpink "headlined", they played around 9-10pm. After that, Calvin Harris did a DJ set. Wasn't clear until a couple of days before when set times dropped, that Blackpink were not really headlining at all. All done to avoid criticism for lack of diversity IMO - very cynical. Plus of course, by weekend 2 of last year's Coachella (by the time they'd dropped Frank Ocean), 2 of the 3 days were closed by DJ sets - Fred/FourTet/Skrillex closed the final day.

He was DCMS Secretary before, from 2008-2009. Did a decent job then, but would be a whole lot better now - with the benefit of a decade and a half's extra experience, plenty of hindsight, and a much longer list of things that are broken and would benefit from some attention.

I am more confident that something like this will happen here. Either the arena owners and big promoters agree a way to contribute to a fund to support grassroots venues, or the Government (either this one or the next one) will make them do it. I think it will happen - just a case of how long it takes, and how many venues like Moles are lost in the process. Music Venue Trust are doing incredible work to make the case for this, and the Scottish Government are already in early stages of planning to do it.

Well, Lana has done it again with this year's Reading & Leeds. She is headlining Main Stage West - so playing second last, before Fred Again headlines Main Stage East. I know Reading have 6 "headliners", so can call her one - but she is in the Gerry Cinnamon/Catfish slot, rather than the Liam/Blink 182/Fred slot.

Another vote for the Sprints album - for those who like Idles, Fontaines DC, Murder Capital etc. Fingers crossed they are on the farm in June.

A "really big American artist" - do we think this 100% rules out Drake (who I don't think she was talking about anyway) and Rihanna (who I still think is a possibility)? I know the eFests community is well aware that Drake is Canadian and Rihanna is Bajan - but when Emily goes on the radio and talks about a US artist, most people would see at least Rihanna as that, surely?

In rough order: Blur @ Eastbourne Winter Garden (second warmup show back, 1000 capacity) Soft Play @ Tunbridge Wells Forum (first show back after hiatus) Fred Again @ Glastonbury Hotwax @ Tunbridge Wells Forum Pulp @ Hammersmith Apollo Shame @ Glastonbury Suede @ De La Warr Pavilion Bexhill Arctic Monkeys @ Emirates Stadium Lottery Winners @ Glastonbury (Rabbit Hole Saturday set) Melin Melyn @ Tunbridge Wells

I don't disagree with much of this - but think the issue for this year is that (if rumours are true), they already have one "first time" headliner in Dua Lipa. That will attract a ton of comment about whether she is big enough etc (unjustified in my view - she is undoubtedly big enough). But to then have a second "borderline" headliner is a risk - it would invite lots of comment on whether Glastonbury can still pull the world's biggest acts, blah blah blah.

Foo Fighters were a European festival exclusive for Rock Am Ring/Rock Im Park last year. The Churnups however, were not!

Hot Fuss, which will be 20 years old in June next year?

Wasn't a lot of the scare because of the Japanese Breakfast experience last year? They played Saturday evening (I think in Luxembourg or similar), then struggled to get band and equipment by road to Glastonbury, for a midday Other Stage slot. Which would have been a bit of a stretch even before Brexit customs checks etc. I assume Idles (and the economics around the size of slots they play) would have one or both of (a) 2 sets of gear, and (b) ability to fly the band members around as needed. So I'd still put this as quite doable - albeit starting to look unlikely.