Mumfords - you doubters.

[Morse Code]

If you actually read my post i said 'the FIRST person', not the only.

I replied to the initial post, then read through the rest of the replies

[Ohinever]

Loved their Peel and Other sets but thought they weren't ballsy enough for the Pyramid headline slot. Too much apologising for being there, too much "how are you Glastonbury", too much false modesty. Why did they change tempo in some of the choruses? Lion Man was completely ruined as a sing along because of this. And I'm sorry but that ending was just cheating. You are closing the greatest festival on earth , you are not some cheesy cover band. Should have had the courage of their convictions and finished with one of the good songs from the first album.

I'm kinda at a crossroads with them now. Great first album, meh second, and pedestrian headliner act. Ace previous performances at Glasto though. Interesting to see where they go from here.

[mrtourette]

I had misconceptions about Mumford that were corrected by their headline set. I thought they were dull on record but managed to put on an exciting, thigh-slapping hoe-down of a live show that explained their massive popularity. Turns out they're dull live as well.

[HGavin]

But The XX are absolute toilet!

[frostypaw]

Lots of people like bad music to be fair

I did enjoy their first album but they don't have the back catalogue of a Glastonbury headliner

Edited July 1, 2013 by frostypaw

[Amii]

We left halfway through. In fairness, I was at the back of the crowd, but it seemed a bit mundane and slightly like they were just reciting their album... Nothing special.

[thewayiam]

They're massively popular because a bunch of dumb broads like their Twilight lyrics. Marcus Mumford is the older girls' Edward Cullen, he's crafted an image for himself that's a cliched romantic old timey stable boy from Mills & Boone, throw in a couple of "my dear"s and the ladies swoon for it. The boys that like it, well they are just stupid.

[jeffie]

Crap I

[Glasto fan]

Not a fan of them but even so, I don't think they deserved a hand-line slot at Glastonbury.

That said, the atmosphere was great and the police laughing and bopping along at the top was a great sight.

I can picture the Eavis conversation during booking something along the lines of "They're not really a headline act, but we can probably book them on the cheap and get away with it".

[Glasto fan]

Yes, probably because they had blown the budget on The Rolling Stones

[essex_jim]

I don't mind them but if I listen to one of their albums I have to switch off after I've listened to 4 or 5 songs as all their songs sound the same. It was the same with the gig where I just sick of them eventually. I've never seen a band stick to one formula for almost every song..fast banjo, slow banjo, my dear, your xxxx. It's hilarious, but it does sound good if you only hear a couple of songs.

[SonOfTroyMcClure]

This is total bollocks and very stuck up, sorry but get your head out of your arse

Go look at the old headliners - vast numbers on one or two albums, sometimes getting their big break there

Demanding every pyramid headliner has a massive back catalogue of greats is just uninformed snobbery

I have never seen so many people up on each other's shoulders either, fab show

[windy_miller]

Well I am unashamed to say that I enjoyed them. I was near the two bushes on the right hand side and everyone was going crazy for them round there so that definitely helped a little.

I will add that I am not much of a fan of their second album, but I think they managed to pull off a really good show, and I enjoyed the cheese-fest ending as well. There I said it.

[essex_jim]

Well I am unashamed to say that I enjoyed them. I was near the two bushes on the right hand side and everyone was going crazy for them round there so that definitely helped a little.

I will add that I am not much of a fan of their second album, but I think they managed to pull off a really good show, and I enjoyed the cheese-fest ending as well. There I said it.

[PDAD]

I don't like Mumfords for all the reasons that have been discussed in depth for the last several months. However the success they have encountered recently justifies the booking.

But now the festival is done, all that really can be assessed is whether or not they did a good job and do the booking justice.

Like i said, i am not a fan at all. But i think they did just about the best possible job they could have done and like or loathe their music, they did put on a show.

[frostypaw]

If someone doesn't like the same band as you (it's always a surprise when that happens, isn't it?) it's nothing personal nor should you take SO much offense to it. No one is 'demanding' a massive back catalogue, nor is it 'uninformed' - it is actual fact that they don't have a massive back catalogue. They have two albums.

You are right, bands in the past have headlined with little material to their name (not many, mind). Oasis (did it on one album and if you look at the setlist, most of it would still be there), Coldplay, Arctic Monkeys are the notable ones.

Oasis and Arctic Monkeys had two of the best/commercially successful/critically well-received debut albums of all time. Coldplay's first two albums received a tonne of acclaim and sold well.

Mumfords have the commercial element down and no one can deny their popularity, but the truth is the albums aren't as critically well-recieved as the others I listed, and given that a whole load of reviews of their set suggested that there was a noticeable stretch where they lost the plot a bit.

I get that you're a big Mumford fan (or I'm assuming so based on your impassioned response), but what you enjoy as a biased fan is different from what works. I'm a huge Queens of the Stone Age fan, but if they headlined the Pyramid and played a shedload of album tracks would it be received well by the majority? no. Would I like it? yes.

[Big Vern]

Bland bland bland. Music for the flower chain in the hair brigade. Obviously they are very big, but will they still be headlining in 50 years time, fck it, even 10 years time, i doubt it. They basically have 2 tunes with different words which make up all of their songs imo. Good on em though, but Bobby Womack was better.

[Matt42]

I thought they put on a fantastic show to be honest.

Might be down to the position I was in the crowd, I was surrounded by people who loved a sing along!

[carllucey]

I thought people would be surprised at how good they would be and many a hater would be put in there place.......i left after 1/2 an hour because it was shit.

[NiallP10]

Went into it thinking they'd be good and be great surprise, but were the worst band of the festival for me by some distance, was bored senseless.

[Sabcully]

I really enjoyed them at the Peel and glad I saw them there. Not a headliner for a Sunday night for me but was good in a way because I had to be at work Monday morning and leaving early wasn't a problem this year.

[SonOfTroyMcClure]

You missed my point - my post specifically didn't mention Mumfords by name because I'm not saying that as a fan of the band (i'm not a wild fan, I just like them, only know the second album casually) but as a fan of the festival.

The pyramid line up is now stagnant - it seems dictated to by folk who, like yourself to some extent, demand a certain sort of headliner - a certain sort of caliber of band to be on it.

Many of the best headliners have been those who defy everything you are demanding. There are only so many bands who do fit your requirement - what happens when you've worked your way through those?

So to paraphrase yourself - if someone does like the band that you think they all ought to hate it can be a surprise can't it? That crowd was mental with people roaring along and jumping on each other's shoulders - you didn't like it? Get over it. They had half the festival dancing and singing a joyous end to the main stages. Job done. If the crowd was dead and unexcited like U2's was then I'd be right alongside you, they were crap - but people loved that show

Edited July 2, 2013 by SonOfTroyMcClure

[Superscally]

They were absolutely amazing and one of my favourite ever performances at Glastonbury.

Much better than the Rolling Stones and Jagger's shameful touting for more people to buy tickets for their tour during the performance. He. should take a lesson in humility from the Mumford chaps who clearly played their hearts out.

Unfortunately people seem to love to hate them on here, not sure why.

[stokelad84]

The best thing is we'll never see them headline again.

[Superscally]

It won't though, they've been found out. If they release a good album, fair play to em, but thet won't.