Never walked away before

[LMD]

I don't think that listening to albums makes a performance better. I don't listen to muse but their performance was amazing.

[dottycat2205]

Yes they were very poor, I like them and think the latest album is good but the atmosphere was very flat, I've never seen so many people leave a headline set at a festival to go elsewhere, it took me about 30 mins to get out of the crowd because that many people were trying to leave after just 6/7 songs.

No point in moaning about it though, you can just go and watch someone else, I went to see Fatboy Slim who was fantstic and I've never had the chance of seeing.

Edited June 28, 2010 by dottycat2205

[al_coholic]

Gorillaz were abysmal, worst set I saw all weekend. We were quite near the front, and there were people leaving after 14 mins, we stuck it out for about 45 mins but once that very strange band came on and Damon started smacking his legs I turned to the wife and said we are going. I do not know what Damon was thinking with this set, it looked like an amazing piece of arrogance and just some vehicle for Damon but it backfired horribly

[5co77ie]

I really enjoyed Gorillaz. It was noticeable the amount of people leaving which was a shame but ultimately their loss. I can understand why as they arent a hit after hit sort of band, but the performance itself was great, perhaps just not mainstream enough for the Pyramid.

[where be that blackbird]

in my opinion this was the most boring headline i have ever witnessed.

we were on the slope to the right of the pyramid and after 30mins in so many people had walked off that there was more space there than i have ever seen for a headline act.

big mistake for a headline booking IMO.

The rest of the weekend was fantastic however...

[strummer77]

I enjoyed it a lot but I'm a massive Gorillaz fan. They aren't a band with a lot of anthems, they're one with three good albums. I enjoyed seeing Paul Siminon, Mick Jones, Mark E. Smith, Lou Reed, Womack, Snoop, Damon Albarn etc. on the same stage and thought it was an honour to see it.

However, I can see why people wouldn't have liked the set especially as it was so heavily Plastic Beach orientated. In reality it was a good performance but one that was to the wrong crowd and at the wrong time. Most people demand anthems and they don't have that many which is why some were so underwhelmed.

[LondonTom]

Have to agree was disapointed, they sounded great, the visuals or what I saw of them looked brilliant but you seemed to have in prime part.

The crowd was weird, I got in at the front for dizzie, and maybe cos it was my first time there but I felt really unsafe and left to go to the side, even there it was awful, people not giving a fudge where they were. (Stevie Wonder had a bigger crowd and I didn't feel like this). Ended up leaving after style never picked up the atmosphere. I dunno, i guess you had to be a real fan and be in with other proper fans!

[Sabcully]

I do like Gorillaz and I did listen to the latest album. Can't see anything being wrong with looking forward to hearing particular song(s), think that is rather normal. I am glad that a lot of peeps saw other stuff that was good, we walked away

and went to Shangri La, which was very good. No need to claim the moral high ground, just because some people did not like it.

[pie_and_a_pint]

There were plenty of alternatives. I was really disappointed when U2 had to pull out, but am very glad I went to see the Bootleg Beatles instead - had a super fantastic time in a great crowd of up for it people who were really appreciative of the great set the 'Fab Four' put on for us - rarely seen the Acoustic Stage so packed! Friends saw The XX and said they played a blinder too.

[she bangs the drums]

Agreed, I think it was (as someone told me) a fans show. You had to be aware of the music, it was less immeadiate and accessible.

Personally it was my favourite show of the headliners, topped off by the appearance of Mark E Smith, Lou Reed, Shaun Ryder, Snoop Dogg and others.

Having seen the other stages last night as Stevie Wonder drew in the hugest crowd I've ever seen in 20 years of Glastonbury, I think it's good that they had their detractors, at least it menat people went elsewhere.

Last night all the headliner acts on the other stages that I saw had much reduced crowds, and I felt the enjoyment of them suffered for that.

Gorillaz I felt were a perfect headliner, a set to listen and enjoy rather than rock out, and the large pauses between songs reflected this, it was about the music and visuals.

[Nex]

Stop bitching. Me and my group of mates watched it and absolutely loved it probably one of the best acts for us this year.

[Sabcully]

Stop bitching. Me and my group of mates watched it and absolutely loved it probably one of the best acts for us this year.

[Beaver89]

It think it was predominantly the pauses between the songs that hampered them. Also that sing-a-long was a bit cringe worthy as the lyrics didn't make any bloody sense.

I'm a big fan though and loved seeing them. Patience was a virtue well rewarded I think (if you knew the songs)

I got the same sense from the crowd that I got at Kings of Leon at Reading last year. Everyone had turned out for one song and weren't interested in the rest. I shall keep my opinion of these one song expectants to myself

[glastofun]

...but what were people expecting? They played all (or most) of their singles. It's a headline set, so they haven't got the option of doing a 45 minutes set with the singles and stand out album tracks. I thought that they are in essence, the perfect band to headline Glastonbury; eclectic, open-minded, contemporary and straddling the line between pop and experimentation perfectly.

Maybe there wasn't a sing-along, but is that all it takes to make a set good? If all you're searching for is a karaoke-esque set then maybe try other festivals. There are plenty of festivals catering for those kind of tastes.

[abu hamster]

I saw the lips and loved em

Do you realise made me cry!

[mudmonkey]

It just lacked any charisma or spark to get the crowd involved, until the end when it finally came to life. Gorrilaz seemed to me a self-indulgence of Damon & co, and it showed with the thousands streaming away.

The most annoying thing for me was the Edge's appearance with Muse, which just brought it home that we could have had a full set of U2 classics, instead of standing looking bemused.

[torquayjim]

I thought they were crap left after third song to go to Bootleg Beatles far better .

[jimjimma]

I too was another leaver. I gave it about an hour but it just seemed all a bit one paced for me and that they were just going through the motions.

The rest of the weekend was awesome though!

[LostRiot]

I left after about 40mins to watch the flaming lips, but most of the people I know who stayed agreed with me that it wasn't great until the last 30 minutes, when it apparently became awesome.

[st dan]

I enjoyed them, but throughout the set i couldnt help feeling sorry for Damon.

I mean after his incredible set with Blur last year, and the reception they recieved in contrast to their performance on Friday was miles apart. He did a favour of stepping up to replace one of the biggest bands the world has ever seen, and it was always going to be tough boots to fill.

They werent the best, but cut Damon some slack. He loves the festival and i'd hate his performance to get slated and him lose the admiration he has for Glasto.

[18Alex18]

Stop bitching. Me and my group of mates watched it and absolutely loved it probably one of the best acts for us this year.

[strummer77]

I enjoyed them, but throughout the set i couldnt help feeling sorry for Damon.

I mean after his incredible set with Blur last year, and the reception they recieved in contrast to their performance on Friday was miles apart. He did a favour of stepping up to replace one of the biggest bands the world has ever seen, and it was always going to be tough boots to fill.

They werent the best, but cut Damon some slack. He loves the festival and i'd hate his performance to get slated and him lose the admiration he has for Glasto.

[pesimax]

I was there and thought it was top, shaun dedicating dare to Frank Sidebottom, Mark E Smith and Lou Reed coming on stage. A few technical Faults, but It made me love the set more. I didn't know one song of the Gorillaz new album and loved it. Personally it was one of the best gigs i've ever seen.

I'm off to bed now...Os mutantes were top as well.

G x

[Weekend Cigarette Smoker]

I saw the whole thing as a bit of a play, with the Plastic Beach concept running like a story on stage. I totally lost myself in it and rate it as one the best things I saw all weekend.

I recieved a lot of texts from my mates watching at home saying that they thought Gorillaz looked crap and boring I can understand the reaction of those who have only heard their big hits. My mate who watched it with me hasn't got any of the albums and he thought it was average at best

It reminded me a little of my experience Animal Collective on The Park last year. I loved it but my mates who i'd dragged along to see them didn't like it at all due to the strangeness of it all.

Probably not a Pyramid headliner but if they had headlined The Other Stage,I doubt people wouldnt have been so critical. I think its only because they stepped into the shoes of one of the biggest bands of all time that people judged them so harshly.

Edited June 28, 2010 by Weekend Cigarette Smoker

[thesecretingredientiscrime]

Gorillaz were incredible. A triumph for the festival. Not a usual headline slot, but they really stepped up to the plate, and delivered a great performance.