arcade fire before u2 on the friday

[Chazeboy]

Didn't it also guarantee two largely awful and incredibly static performances?

[dingbat2]

I don't really get this -

Why would keeping the audience relatively static create a crowd control problem? By far the biggest crowd "issues" I've seen at the festival have been when there's been a mass audience shift and the routes in and out of the Pyramid become absolutely rammed with people trying to go in all different directions. Surely 100,000 people all turning up in the 20 minutes before U2 start creates an even bigger problem?

To be honest I don't think that lineups are booked to ensure crowd movement to the extent you suggest. You mention Macca and the Black Eyed Peas - but the day before that Kings Of Leon supported Oasis which guaranteed a large, relatively static crowd in the field for 4 ish hours.

Edited February 10, 2011 by dingbat2

[Porcelina]

Arcade Fire are a very big band but they have a very diffused fan base; at Glastonbury they wouldn't get a bigger crowd than Kasabian, especially seeing as Kasabian had just released their biggest album and single.

[Wooderson]

I don't really get this -

Why would keeping the audience relatively static create a crowd control problem? By far the biggest crowd "issues" I've seen at the festival have been when there's been a mass audience shift and the routes in and out of the Pyramid become absolutely rammed with people trying to go in all different directions. Surely 100,000 people all turning up in the 20 minutes before U2 start creates an even bigger problem?

To be honest I don't think that lineups are booked to ensure crowd movement to the extent you suggest. You mention Macca and the Black Eyed Peas - but the day before that Kings Of Leon supported Oasis which guaranteed a large, relatively static crowd in the field for 4 ish hours.

[In transit]

Top logical bombing from Wooderson.

4th biggest act on Other Stage Friday is very logical. Is that Arcade Fire? Objectively yes but surely they share a large crossover with U2 fans and it's clear which way the majority will go.

Persumably the other option is to ensure there are enough top headliners elsewhere to majorly diffuse the crowd between more than just the two main stages.

[dirty_dog]

Arcade Fire are possibly my favourite band of all time and I've always wanted to see U2 live since I was kid. so this would be a horrific clash for me but as I've seen AF 3 times already it will have to be U2 but I might not enjoy their peformance as much knowing my beloved Arcade Fire are playing just behind them.

[In transit]

Arcade Fire are possibly my favourite band of all time and I've always wanted to see U2 live since I was kid. so this would be a horrific clash for me but as I've seen AF 3 times already it will have to be U2 but I might not enjoy their peformance as much knowing my beloved Arcade Fire are playing just behind them.

[Wooderson]

Top logical bombing from Wooderson.

[jimmyt]

I think Scottie says the biggest crowd he has seen (apart from Bowie clearly) post-fence is Stevie last year. U2 will more than likely blow that attendance away. GF HQ clearly know this. I would hazard a guess thats theres a rule of thumb used that for a band of U2's size & stature that the 4th biggest booking of the weekend are automatically put up against them on the Other Stage. This year thats probably the Arcade Fire.

[eoinca]

I'm going to preface this with being a statement of opinion before getting loads of flak, but I don't think AF are anywhere near as "big" as this forum seems convinced they are. They had the smallest headlining crowd at Reading last year (smaller than The Libertines underneath them by a considerable margin). I absolutely love AF but they're not going to draw me away from U2 because I've seen them a few times already and I don't think their latest album is their best. Surely the key is to have lots of acts with die-hard fans who are likely to be at Glasto against U2 on ALL of the stages. I'd have Screamadelica by Primal Scream against U2 - a bit of an event IMO, but I'd also have Portishead on West Holts, The Charlatans on JP, something like Paolo Nutini in the acoustic tent, Chase and Status on a dance stage, Tim Booth in the Glade, etc.

[Wooderson]

I'm going to preface this with being a statement of opinion before getting loads of flak, but I don't think AF are anywhere near as "big" as this forum seems convinced they are. They had the smallest headlining crowd at Reading last year (smaller than The Libertines underneath them by a considerable margin). I absolutely love AF but they're not going to draw me away from U2 because I've seen them a few times already and I don't think their latest album is their best. Surely the key is to have lots of acts with die-hard fans who are likely to be at Glasto against U2 on ALL of the stages. I'd have Screamadelica by Primal Scream against U2 - a bit of an event IMO, but I'd also have Portishead on West Holts, The Charlatans on JP, something like Paolo Nutini in the acoustic tent, Chase and Status on a dance stage, Tim Booth in the Glade, etc.

[In transit]

Yeh at Reading half the crowd left to go watch Pendulum

[Wooderson]

Yeh at Reading half the crowd left to go watch Pendulum

[jimmyt]

AF's crowd on the Other Stage was enormous. I'd say 60K easy.

Different festivals mate. AF + Glasto = guaranteed huge crowd.

Edited February 10, 2011 by jimmyt

[MEGABOWL]

I agree, they headlined Oxegen last year and had a tiny crowd. They're big, but tbh, I think putting them on before U2 wouldn't be that crazy.

If Screamadelica is on at the same time on the Other Stage, I could see a lot of people wanting to see AF before U2 and then leg it across for that.

[Memory Man]

screamadelica is big but lets be honest, its coming to an academy near you soon....

arcade fire are not coming to an academy near you soon. theyre coming to an arena or stadium.

AF would get a bigger crowd than primal scream at glasto.

[happinessisawarmgun]

It certainly didn't feel like they had a small crowd at Reading

[Toilet Duck]

At Oxegen the crowds for David Guetta & Fatboy Slim were gigantic. AF had around 5K on a main stage where 40K can comfortably be contained. The kids just wanted to get down. haha

[dingbat2]

I dont thinkArcade Fire can pull in a crowd like they did when they played the Other Stage last time. Then they were 'the big thing' and everybody wanted to see them. I am not sure they do so much now, personally I was not that fussed with Suburbs (although I take on board that most perople on these forums had it as there album of last year so I should probably go back to it!) Saying that I would still love to see them again, because Funerel is one of may favourite albums and them belting out Tunnels and Wake Up was one of the great Glasto moments for me.

[Homer]

The crowd in 2007 was one of the biggest I can remember ever seeing at the Other Stage. From memory I was standing further back than I have done for any of the 10 or so+ headliners I've seen on that stage.

[MEGABOWL]

AF would get a bigger crowd than primal scream at glasto.

[dirty_dog]

I dont thinkArcade Fire can pull in a crowd like they did when they played the Other Stage last time. Then they were 'the big thing' and everybody wanted to see them. I am not sure they do so much now, personally I was not that fussed with Suburbs (although I take on board that most perople on these forums had it as there album of last year so I should probably go back to it!) Saying that I would still love to see them again, because Funerel is one of may favourite albums and them belting out Tunnels and Wake Up was one of the great Glasto moments for me.

[ivan]

The crowd in 2007 was one of the biggest I can remember ever seeing at the Other Stage. From memory I was standing further back than I have done for any of the 10 or so+ headliners I've seen on that stage.

[dingbat2]

I got offered £150 for my ticket outside the manchester gig in december. which I turned down. so I think you might underestimating them a bit. also they are appearing on the brits next week which is a bit disturbing.

[Atterz123]

Their recent popularity came not long after reading and leeds, i feel their crowd would be much bigger now. With their music being used in Skins and other television the younger crowd will come to see them, i think they will attract a bigger crowd than primarl scream.