So - Newsom. What was that all about?

[Phildo]

For the record, I think she's unbearable shite - but that's not the point of this post - obviously there are a lot of people who really like her, so fair do's.

What I really want to know is whether it was stipulated by her that there had to be nothing else playing while she was on or whether it was Simon's decision - I read in another post that the Cider Bus weren't allowed to have their music on while she was playing.

Whoever decided this, it's simply an insult to ALL of the other artists who played this year. It says, quite categorically, that "sorry, but you're not good/special enough" which, when we were dealing with artists of the calibre of Daniel Lefkowitz, for instance, is clearly ridiculous.

Maybe my bias is getting in the way (did anybody watching her on Sunday actually listen to what she was doing - off-key sub-Kate Bush quasi operatic wibbling?), but I'm genuinely shocked by this. It just seems so un-EOTR - at a festival where there often is so little distinction between artist and audience, it's shameful that a distinction has been made between the artists themselves.

Still, I'll be back next year for the fifth in a row. Maybe a "complete whining diva" stage could be set up next year and Morrisey booked for it...

[perfectpassion]

I agree, BUT you are several months too late. We debated this ad nauseam before the festival. There are a large number of her fans who enjoyed it immensely. There were also a lot of people who went to see her because there was nothing else on. Watching from the campsite, a small stream of people returning to their tents, grew and grew to a river during her set. John Grant did a brilliant set beforehand that was the headliner as far as I am concerned.

[Nonlondoner]

It wouldn't surprise me if that's true.

This often happens with headliners and, frankly, it stinks. I'd be happier to see an old man playing a washboard than know that some of my money went into the pocket of some precious little warbler who's nowhere near as good as she thinks she is.

[shoebox]

Personally, the decision that the organisers made to allow Joanna to have such an exclusive set, has little affect on me. I thought she was wonderful, and the hushed reverence from the assembled crowd, and across the rest of the site benefited her immaculate performance greatly. I think she's an amazing talent, and I was pleased that she was able to express that talent in the way that suited her.

However, I can understand the frustration and dismay of others. It was quite a selfish act and I hope it doesn't happen again.

[thespiral]

Watching from the campsite, a small stream of people returning to their tents, grew and grew to a river during her set. John Grant did a brilliant set beforehand that was the headliner as far as I am concerned.

[Yokel Again]

We left and drove home after John Grant.

[binaryRooster]

This thread reminds me, did anyone see Trollhunter in the cinema tent?

[Infinite Jest]

I'm not a Newsom fan, and I took the chance to hit my tent and get an early night's sleep (had to start before 6am Monday).

BUT: on balance, I think this was an OK decision. Why? A few weeks earlier I was at Field Day. The genius Mark Kozelak had his set absolutely ruined by a decision to put him in a tent next to two fairground rides and another tent playing someone called Disco Party 4000. All of us who had crammed in to see Mark K could barely hear him over the noise bleed from other stages.

It's an obvious fact that any sort of noise bleed would ruin JN's performance, and while she's not my cup of tea, a number of people clearly love her. With that in mind, I'm prepared to take one for the team and let her play in silence.

That said: maybe booking a quiet artist on the Garden Stage at the same time wouldn't have had too much impact on JN. And I'd have been happier if the organisers had said 'JN needs silence, we hope you understand' rather than 'everyone loves JN, it will be so magical for all of us to get together' - when she's clearly a Marmite artist who plenty of people really don't enjoy. [And maybe she's just not a good artist for an outdoor festival where extraneous noise is a fact of life]

[Yokel Again]

It's an obvious fact that any sort of noise bleed would ruin JN's performance

[thedailygrowl]

maybe it was a combination of the organisers knowing how Newsom polarises people and the fact that a lot of people leave EOTR on the Sunday anyway, and they just wanted to ensure that she had a decent crowd, given that she was their highest-profile headliner.

There's plenty other stuff to do at EOTR anyway, even on the Sunday night. I've spent several headline slots in the past ignoring the bands and wandering, drinking, socialising etc.

[bennyhana22]

For the record, I think she's unbearable shite - but that's not the point of this post - obviously there are a lot of people who really like her, so fair do's.

What I really want to know is whether it was stipulated by her that there had to be nothing else playing while she was on or whether it was Simon's decision - I read in another post that the Cider Bus weren't allowed to have their music on while she was playing.

Whoever decided this, it's simply an insult to ALL of the other artists who played this year. It says, quite categorically, that "sorry, but you're not good/special enough" which, when we were dealing with artists of the calibre of Daniel Lefkowitz, for instance, is clearly ridiculous.

Maybe my bias is getting in the way (did anybody watching her on Sunday actually listen to what she was doing - off-key sub-Kate Bush quasi operatic wibbling?), but I'm genuinely shocked by this. It just seems so un-EOTR - at a festival where there often is so little distinction between artist and audience, it's shameful that a distinction has been made between the artists themselves.

Still, I'll be back next year for the fifth in a row. Maybe a "complete whining diva" stage could be set up next year and Morrisey booked for it...

Edited September 7, 2011 by bennyhana22

[Phildo]

Fair points, and very well argued, Ben.

I agree that my bias obviously influences my viewpoint massively but there are, notwithstanding, issues I'd still take exception to in your post (which is the fun of the internet!). I know I mentioned Dan Lefkowitz as an example, mainly due to the fact I really like his material and that he's, like Newsom, a solo performer who was regarded with virtual silence by his audience, but I'd disagree vehemently about the differences in ability between him (or say, Josh T Pearson, Matt Houck et al) and her. She's an average harpist at best (oddly, I know a couple of genuinely world-class harpists operating in both the folk and classical genres) and her lyrics (the ones I could stand to continue reading - just because there are lots of words doesn't mean it's literature, as I wish someone would've told Ezra Pound, although that's a rant for another day...) are the worst form of sixth form doggerel, on a par with Neil Peart's "Rivendell"-era horrors for Rush or, God forbid, some of Jon Anderson's stuff. I'd argue that she seems better than she is as a musician because her weapon of choice is so unusual in mainstream rock.

Obviously, someone like Bjork would be a fairer comparison - unusual instrumentation, highly individual voice operating in areas between the mainstream and the avant-garde and massively polarising as an artist, but she wasn't (unfortunately) playing EOTR - although one can harbour unrealistic dreams for next year...

As for her performance being off-key, I'd lay claim to being a musician myself (although in truth I'm a bassist) and, with ears and judgement untroubled by alcomahol (Sunday was a Frank water day, due to Monday's impending and unbeknownst to me, lengthening) drive, I'd still argue that there were several times when her vocal seemed painfully off, although not being a fan, I wouldn't know whether she ever uses deliberate discordance.

Anyhoo, it's rather wonderfully typical of EOTR, I feel, that we can have a discussion on something as this without it turning into standard internet warfare although, just in case we do go down that route, I'd like to take this opportunity to compare everyone who disagrees with me to Hitler...

Phil.

[bennyhana22]

And THAT is the way to respond to someone having a bit of a pop!

I bow to your greater harp experience as mine is, essentially, limited to Miss Newsom, in terms of any discernible body of material. I also share your hopes for Miss Gudmundsdottir making an only-too-belated journey to Larmer Tree. And yes, like you, I'm more than happy to have a good ol' ding dong with anyone, providing everyone plays nicely!

love

Ben

AKA Adolph

PS - on the basis of your joining date, welcome to the Forum!

Edited September 7, 2011 by bennyhana22

[Phildo]

Cheers! Fourth year of EOTR, first week on the Forum...

Utterly impractical I know, but just imagine Ms G on the Garden stage...

[Joe_the_Great]

What I really want to know is whether it was stipulated by her that there had to be nothing else playing while she was on or whether it was Simon's decision - I read in another post that the Cider Bus weren't allowed to have their music on while she was playing.

[Joe_the_Great]

More to the point, this thread name should be changed to "So - Holy Crutches. What was that all about?"

[Phildo]

...yet you are still not a happy man...

[Better Late...]

There's plenty other stuff to do at EOTR anyway, even on the Sunday night. I've spent several headline slots in the past ignoring the bands and wandering, drinking, socialising etc.

[binaryRooster]

it's interesting to talk about the merits of not having a reasonable debat that doesn't descend into an internet war, when your post includes "unbearable shite", "off-key sub-Kate Bush quasi operatic wibbling", "complete whining diva" and the other similar comments you put about JN in other threads!

You kinda undermined your point with those little gems.

Personally I loved set and the total silence from the audience that went with followed by the huge applause after every song. i've suffered similar gigs to the Mark Kozelek one mentioned above and it's painful. It was one of those moments of that magic that a lot of people said was missing this year. Ultimately if this was JN's request, the organisers could have said "no" but they didn't. Saying this was an insult to every band on the bill who got to play an entire set in front of people who wanted to see them is ludicrous.

It seems you spent a lot of time listening to something you utterly hated. Why? It's not like the Woods stage was piped throughout the entire site. I went and heard a few songs of Allo Darlin' - i really didn't like it and went and did something else instead. Everyone who stayed seemed to love it - job done. Sorry to go on about this, but i recently got to see my dad actually shouting at the TV while watching Jonie Mitchell. Just turn it off!!

[baroquepop]

Much as I love her, I wasn't comfortable with my personal taste overriding others. However, the fact is that there is a huge amount of sound leakage at times, particularly from the big top hosting the noisier type of bands, and the thought that their big name draw should have a set impacted by noises elsewhere would have been immensely annoying for the listeners and embarrassing for the organiser. Sadly, I think the arrangement made was only marginally better. A late night set on a dark, damp and cold evening. Not great for performer or listener.

I think a Newsom Sunday lunchtime set with nobody playing in the big top would have been ideal, Garden and Tipi could easily proceed as normal. The other downside for me is why the headliner couldn't have her band with her. Cost?

[binaryRooster]

i like Lattitude's sunday lunchtime guest slot. That seems to work pretty well.

[Neville Street]

More to the point, this thread name should be changed to "So - Holy Crutches. What was that all about?"

[Phildo]

It seems you spent a lot of time listening to something you utterly hated. Why? It's not like the Woods stage was piped throughout the entire site. I went and heard a few songs of Allo Darlin' - i really didn't like it and went and did something else instead. Everyone who stayed seemed to love it - job done. Sorry to go on about this, but i recently got to see my dad actually shouting at the TV while watching Jonie Mitchell. Just turn it off!!

[killyourtv]

I would have liked to see JN, whose records seem great in patches, but had to get back for work on Monday so was disappointed at the very late start (by my standards). She may have got quiet but I'm guessing she didn't get the largest crowd of the weekend ?

Also agree that the magificent Rambling Man was spoilt by the Big Top; we can't all get to the front to compensate !

[binaryRooster]

She was the only thing on and was clearly audible around the site. And I've got to say that I'm probably on the same side as your dad!

Oh, and Nazi. Or something. this is the internet, y'know!

Phil.