Never walked away before

[NeilVJ]

I walked away after 5 songs and luckily got to Groove Armada just as it started and they were brilliant. I think the Gorillaz set was wrong for a Pyramid headline slot. It's their right to play whatever they like but that set would have been much better suited to the park or West Holts where the crowd would have been more receptive of it.

Like it or not if your a pyramid headline act you have a to entertain 100,000 people some of whom will not have heard a lot of your music and I think their set appealed to about 10,000 tops. Thats a very very bad ratio and the booking must go down as a huge mistake. Their problem was starting slowly, if they'd started with Feel Good Inc then maybe the crowd would have got going a bit more and got into the other stuff. As it was there were just a lot of bored confused people

[Mardy]

to all the haterz; how do you feel about Dylan going electric and alientating people? They come along expecting 'Blowing in the Wind' on an acoustic guitar, they get the Band pumping out like a rolling stone.

Have you seen teh news clips? Lots of young angry mancunians decrying dylan for not playing what they know/want/expect?

Would you have been one of these people?

"Like it or not if your a pyramid headline act you have a to entertain 100,000 people some of whom will not have heard a lot of your music "

Really? so f**k artistic integrity? just keep the customer satisfied?

I didn't see Gorillaz, as I've said before, but some of the reasons for dissing it seem peculiar to say the least.

[Andy Von Pip]

I thought Gorillaz were awesome, it was a different kind of spectacle to other headliners and quite unique. I suppose these days people want entertainment without having to make an effort to engage . Their were a few grumblers in Queen T-shirts whineing. I also think some people had already made their mind up that the Gorrilaz werent gonna fill u2's shoes and were there purely to moan. If you don't like "Plastic Beach" then chances are you wouldn't enjoy their set so why not go and see something else. Personally I'd rather sit on spike than watch u2 wheezing through their greatest hits .. Best comment from someone behind me at the end was, without a trace of irony, "Disappointed they didn't play Parklife"

PS/The George Clinton set was a disappointment I agree. I was clean shaven before the introductory guitar solo , when it finally finished I was as hirsute as the count of Monte Christo

Edited June 29, 2010 by Andy Von Pip

[folkpunk]

In 1994 I was thrown out over the barrier after moshing down the front - I ran around to the back and made my way back in the crowd just passed the sound desk, remember tents went down to the second (now cut down) tree in those days.

Bowie is actually the only one I think could possibly compare - however I also remember vehicles coming up the hard standing beside the field where the cider bus toilets are during heroes. That whole area was full for Stevie, but I do agree that's a possible exception but as you say there was 250,000 on site that weekend not 188,000 and that would surely result in greater numbers at the Pyramid. So officially I guess Stevie had the biggest crowd.

[kokoku]

I was in two minds about seeing Gorillaz. We got tickets to see them later in the year so no real need to see them twice, but then the people I was with were going, and I figured it would be a good show, laden with guests - which is always good at Glastonbury.

We were a bit later getting there, so were pretty far back, off to the left by the merch / charity stalls. So it was an annoying spot, as people were constantly pushing past to get closer.

I was quite enjoying it - Plastic Beach is probably my favourite of the three albums - but good as they are, away from the singles, its difficult for them to do a set like the U2s, Springsteens and Blurs of the world where they have pretty much an entire set of stuff that everyone will know.

We made a retreat to the food stalls, where we had a better view, but the main thing that stood out was that Damon did nothing to engage with the crowd - not so much as a hello, nod of acknowledgement to U2 - nothing.

So I ended up making it up to the park for the xx, which was what I'd been veering to originally.

And to the poster above who was too busy having a great time to see many bands - whilst obviously everyone's Glastonbury will be different, what's with this idea that people can't possibly be having a great time seeing some great bands they like whilst generally chilling out at Glastonbury?

[guyfawkes]

Id imagine that turgid performance on friday and the reaction just 1 U2 song got at Muse on Saturday puts into context how stupid it was for people to be celebrating U2 dropping out to be replaced by Gorillaz (who on record i really like), Friday could of been a truly epic day with the brilliant energetic performances, Snoop, Vampire Weekend and Dizzee put in only to be soured by the snoozathon that followed.

Just to make it clear i like the Gorillaz and thought plastic beach was their best effort yet, my friends i was with liked them too but agreed it was an awful performance and was quite frankly boring. Its nothing to do with not being able to get involved in a headline act or what other pretencious bollocks people are making up to explain why they liked it and others didn't. If you enjoyed it good for you im glad you did, i really wish i would of done i was gutted as i was walking away as it was an act i was really excited about.

Edited June 29, 2010 by guyfawkes

[manateemike]

I wasn't too fussed about U2, i stopped enjoying their music years ago, and so was over the moon about Gorillaz playing. But boy was i so disappointed.

And to those in other posts who say we should have listen to the album first i have to disagree. I found many bands this year and past years who i have never listened to, some i will not listen to again, BUT really enjoyed those shows. Not Gorillaz though. Slow start with uninspiring visuals up to the half hour mark when we left.

Went around and watched Bootleg Beatles (not requiring any visuals) and left there happy on my way to Arcadia.

[Paadzer]

The Gorillaz had to use the current tour they were doing as they did not have time to prepare a new set as it involves months to prepare various singers, musicians, animation, other visuals, music as they are not your average band and don't have a massive back catalogue like U2.

[lee_fett1980]

I enjoyed Gorillaz when I was there but then after watching Muse on Saturday I realised they were a bit substandard for a headliner and you could tell they were late replacements. I still enjoyed their set more than I would have enjoyed U2 though. But looking back I'd rather they'd have put Orbital or Faithless on as headliners for the Friday, Faithless were fantastic and the coverage I've seen of Orbital makes me wish they hadn't been on the same time as Stevie Wonder (who finished things off brilliantly). I still enjoyed Gorrilaz set and thought it was good but it could have been a lot better had they been headliners from the start.

[PabloCoke]

I thought they were great and I have impeccable taste

[Benj]

As a telly viewer who owns none of the albums, I thought they were utterly brilliant but thoroughly dull.

[fatyeti24]

i enjoyed them on Friday and i enjoyed the highlights on the iplayer. it was delightful to me to see the Pyramid used to showcase all those artists and musical styles: it harked back to previous eras at Glastonbury where headliners weren't necesserily the biggest rock bands of the day. Contemporary performing art it certainly was.

BUT, i can also understand why some people didn't like it. one of our group left after 3 songs to watch the xx. no big deal, he had a great night in the Park and everyone was happy.

[windy_miller]

Interesting in parts, but ultimately boring. Even Dare sounded pretty weak.