This forum (tastes, expectations etc)

[LondonTom]

He's a dirty man.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

There's good fnaaaring to be had on this thread. This makes the Fibarr Saunders in me very happy. Thanks lads.

[Spindles]

Great post Ghandi, reminds us that Glastonbury is a temporary community of many different individuals with different wants and needs, most of whom change every year and some of whom keep coming back like pinhead and his horcrux.

It serves the needs of the audience well, each year providing enough entertainment that everyone from teens through to pensioners has something they can find from the moment they walk through the gate until they drag their tired arses out a few days later.

I know that this forum has a vocal minority at times, but the answer to that is let your voice be heard, post your opinion, enter the discussion. Even us old duffers have our opinions changed from time to time and often we are introduced to music that others talk about that suits our tastes through the conversations here. I've seen accusations that this forum is cliquey, which I don't think it is at all (there has been some of that in the past but those jokers are long gone). I think it is hard for any forum with a subject about which some are so passionate as this festival to not be a little biased at times towards those glastobating obsessives who can't stay away.

[ghandi]

Likewise Spindles! I guess i am one of those glastobaters that can't stay away, it's the only forum i have any interest in being a part of and that's what the festival and indeed music does to people, and long may it last.

[CaledonianGonzo]

In terms of both my tastes and my expectations, the key word is diversity as it pretty much sums up what's on my iPod and more often than not it broadly sums up the line-up. As long as they stick with the 'something for everyone' approraoch and don't boil it down just to stuff that's popular or mainstream or fits the target demographic then long may it flourish.

[russycarps]

I'm all for diversity, but lets not get carried away.

The festivals history and reputation is more important than some misguided "everyone is welcome!" policy

The reason I started going to the festival was to get away from "the real world" and the dickheads in it, and to mix with like minded people. To live in a nice debauched bubble for a weekend.

The more the "real world" is welcomed into the festival, the shitter it gets.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Was talking more about the acts than the audience - and surely the former plays a large part in steering the latter.

From that POV, a line up entirely made up of popular contemporary acts is less of a stellar proposition than one that throws the odd curveball like The Eagles into the mix.

Maybe.

[Spindles]

Frankly it doesn't bother me that the Pyramid has become more and more like the V festival over the years, on account of I've always found more at the Other stage for my taste, Why should it bother us if acts are playing somewhere who attract people not like us? I don't give 2 shits for dance music, there's a whole frickin village been there for years and it's not impinged on me enjoying all that tribal nose flute shit at jazzworld one bit

The audience changes every year, live with it, I say. Some years have been pretty poor for audience for me (2009, 2011), some bloody great (1999,2010) and that only adds to the feeling that every year is going to be something different for me.

The eagles are still shit though.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Frankly it doesn't bother me that the Pyramid has become more and more like the V festival over the years.

[russycarps]

the crowd at glastonbury is what makes it special no? a collection of like minded people who "get it".

What happens when those people are replaced by people who just want to see the big chart acts omn the pyramid and other stage and then take cocaine in the SE corner all night?

I think those people should be discouraged from going, not encouraged. More curveballs, smaller headliners, less glamping etc.

It's too late of course.

[tommyds]

I'm probably in the minority here in that I usually spend a fair bit of time at the Pyramid (and usually see at least one headliner), but I go to Glastonbury because I know that there will always be something to watch so I don't really care about the lineup. I don't think I would ever put my ticket back in just because of the lineup.

I spend tons of time at West Holts, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to see one of my long time idols on the Pyramid. Every year we start out with a dream lineup (before the rumours even really start) and that slowly gets whittled down, but at the end of it all everyone still goes and has a fucking good time.

[mrtourette]

OP is spot on, there's a lot of unrealistic expectation from the Pyramid stage. It's a main stage with high TV coverage at a major mainstream festival, and while there are nuggets of gold (Nick Cave subbing for example, and I suppose I have to begrudgingly admit that the fucking legends slot is something quite unique) there's very little that you won't find at one of the many other mainstream festival main stages. The rest of the festival is clearly where what most people seem to crave is.

Edited January 24, 2014 by mrtourette

[mrtourette]

From last year's Pyramid line up:

Two acts from Mali

One act from the Congo

Kenny Rogers

The Stones

Billy Bragg

Nick Cave

Elvis Costello

really doesn't sound much like V festival.

[eFestivals]

Glasto has always had a lot of 'pop' on the main stage.

[tommyds]

I guess his point was that it's more like V than it used to be, I don't think he meant every act.

Arctic Monkeys, Mumford, Dizzee Rascal, The Vaccines, Jake Bugg, Professor Green, etc. all sounds exactly like what V festival do. Whether it's more or the same as previous years I don't know (or care enough to look into).

[CaledonianGonzo]

Glasto has always had a lot of 'pop' on the main stage.

[mrtourette]

But there's more variety on the Glasto main stages than at V, and you couldn't really say that if there were no pop acts at all.

I used to go to Reading every year (and V a couple of times) but I stopped when it got to where I didn't know anyone on the lineup apart from the headliners and all that there was available was modern rock. I don't see that ever being a problem at Glastonbury.

Edited January 24, 2014 by mrtourette

[Gnomicide]

I'm probably in the minority here in that I usually spend a fair bit of time at the Pyramid (and usually see at least one headliner)...

[tommyds]

I'd say you're not in the minority, it's just that you're prepared to admit to it. Having said that, I'd have said I was the same but thinking back to last year, I think I only saw 6 acts on The Pyramid and two where while I was waiting for someone else.

[monkey1989]

In reality how many bands can you actually cram in without having to march about and it almost becomes a chore , I tend to pick about 3 must see bands a day spend the rest of the time pottering about catching the weird and wonderful sights.

I had never heard of Jagwar Ma until I wandered into JP at 2pm and now there one of my favorite bands

[stardustjunkie]

You can't really compare the line up with that of V too much. I mean, Glastonbury is definitely much more diverse and interesting, however the bands at V are also the current, top bands that people want to see. Which are also bands that Glastonbury will want to book for that same reason. Just because Glastonbury has.. I don't know, Professor Green in Silver Hayes, and V has him too, doesn't mean that Glastonbury's line up is turning in to V's line up.. It just means that Professor Green is popular enough to be booked by both and will draw a crowd.

I don't find the Pyramid line up too appealing, compared to how much time I spent there in 2010 (my first year). I quickly learnt that it wasn't the be all and end all of the festival.

Headliners however? I think it's silly to claim they're not important. Of course they are, they are such a huge deal and everyone has dream headliners that they want to see. It's natural for people to feel excited at a potential headliner or disappointed that another dull band that plays everywhere is headlining. Nothing wrong with that, doesn't mean they don't like Glastonbury anymore.