Metallica 2014

[CaledonianGonzo]

Much of the same was said about Springsteen.

I think that's all you need to know.

The Employer has tunes that would have gone over big - Born in the USA, for example - that he either didn't play or buried towards the end of his set, by which point anyone ambivalent to him had decided it wasn't for them.

Metallica only have a few tunes that have crossed over - Enter Sandman being the obvious one.

Basically, it's difficult to see *how* they could mix it up to be more universally appealing.

[russycarps]

so it is fair to assume metalica will have a small crowd of die hard fans then. The casual listeners will be long gone.

[When Jokers Attack]

Metallica will do fine. All the usual classics. A few obscurer numbers for the die hards in the crowd and a few covers, Whiskey In The Jar and maybe even Loverman haha.

[eFestivals]

But didn't he play a lot of new material & miss out a lot of the 'classics'? I think that's an example of a big act getting it wrong & alienating the audience.

It was, if you like, self indulgent, rather than indulging the audience that was there to see him.

The audience that was there to see him wasn't a Bruce audience, just as Metallica's will not a Metallica audience.

Metallica are much more used to playing festivals, I can't imagine them coming out & playing a set filled with St Anger & Lulu material...they will play their standard greatest hits set, if that isn't suitable for the pyramid stage then that's the bookers fault, because they know full well what they're getting.

Them playing lots of festivals isn't of so much relevance to this. The festivals they play tend to have very much in the main an audience who are keen to specificallly see Metallica.

That's something very different to the audience they're likely to have at Glastonbury.

If they don't appreciate that difference and somehow work for that difference, there's a big likelihood that it won't be thought of as a big success. That's how it tends to go with any band that thinks everyone stood in front of them at a fest (and most particularly Glastonbury) is dead keen on that band.

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

so it is fair to assume metalica will have a small crowd of die hard fans then. The casual listeners will be long gone.

I wish I had a crystal ball like you Mystic Meg.

[russycarps]

and maybe even Loverman haha.

ugh I forgot they did that appalling effort

[CaledonianGonzo]

so it is fair to assume metalica will have a small crowd of die hard fans then. The casual listeners will be long gone.

Not necessarily - some people enjoy a good pummelling of angry heaviosity, regardless of whether they are familiar with the act in question.

The Bangface crowd will lap it up.

[jeffie]

Not true, not true at all.

You only have to see how many headliners change their show to better fit Glastonbury and get praised for it, and those who don't change and don't get praise for it, to see that something DOES work.

I take your point, when Bob played I was very disappointed as he took the decision to play almost all songs from his new album, i think at the time it had been out for two weeks.

The only time the crowd warmed was when he did a couple of old standards towards the end.

I just can't quite see how the Metallica boys could change their show so radically.

[russycarps]

I wish I had a crystal ball like you Mystic Meg.

just a couple of brain cells would suffice.

Or do you think heavy metal is a widely popular genre?

[eFestivals]

Wasn't really though was it? Because Glastonbury was one of his first festivals I think.

And Metallica at Glasto will be one of their first shows to a non-Metallica audience just as Bruce's was one of his first to a non-Bruce audience.

That factor is of far greater significance than anything about how many festies a band has played, i reckon. There's been plenty of other bands with lots of festies under their belt who've got it wrong at Glasto.

[russycarps]

Not necessarily - some people enjoy a good pummelling of angry heaviosity, regardless of whether they are familiar with the act in question.

The Bangface crowd will lap it up.

no doubt about it, but "some" wont be 70,000 I'd imagine.

[eFestivals]

Basically, it's difficult to see *how* they could mix it up to be more universally appealing.

I don't disagree. I'm not claiming I have the answer to that issue.

But all the same, unless they find some way to do it, I reckon it's unlikely to be hailed as a huge success. That tends to be how it goes.

[eFestivals]

Metallica will do fine.

I'm sure they'll do fine in the eyes of people who like them already.

It's how they do in the eyes of the rest that tends to define how successful it is.

[CaledonianGonzo]

no doubt about it, but "some" wont be 70,000 I'd imagine.

It's gonna be Marmite and definitely not for everyone.

I guess it's whether that's a big deal or not.

On paper it's way more appealing than something like Kasabian or Mumford & Sons - and I say that as someone who's not knowingly even heard a Metallica album all the way through.

[jeffie]

Due to the noise restrictions they won't even just be able to turn it up to 11!

[A Guy Called Matt]

I always thought part of a festival was watching and listening to bands that normally you would not.

If all festival goers only went to bands they knew and loved then Dolly would have a very very small crowds (probably) and none of the small stages would have anybody.

As the small stages have plenty and Dolly will have a big crowd, a lot of who, like me, don't really like country music at all, I see no problem with anyone on Pyramid Saturday night.

I still don't think it will be Metallica though....... I am still up for the surpise that few thought of.

[A Guy Called Matt]

On paper it's way more appealing than something like Kasabian or Mumford & Sons - and I say that as someone who's not knowingly even heard a Metallica album all the way through.

I like Kasabian and Mumford (sorry!!!!) but did think Mumford were quite average last year.

Metallica have some superb tracks and some awful tracks - and that is on their Best of "I wanna music"

[russycarps]

It's gonna be Marmite and definitely not for everyone.

I guess it's whether that's a big deal or not.

On paper it's way more appealing than something like Kasabian or Mumford & Sons - and I say that as someone who's not knowingly even heard a Metallica album all the way through.

Yep I agree with you, I definitely wont go to kasabian (or didnt for mumford) but definitely would for metallica.

But I am convinced after 10 mins there will be a mass exodus. The metallica fans here seem unwilling to believe that!

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

Them playing lots of festivals isn't of so much relevance to this. The festivals they play tend to have very much in the main an audience who are keen to specificallly see Metallica.

In the UK I agree, worldwide not so much. They play plenty of festivals, particularly in Europe & South America that aren't catered solely to 'heavy' music. They've also done things like Live Earth so they know how to adapt to different circumstances where it's appropriate.

I just don't see what they could do, beyond playing their usual greatest hits festival set to adapt to Glastonbury though. If ever there was a reliable band that you know exactly what you're going to get it's Metallica, so Eavis must think it will work (or be pretty desperate) if he's booked them to headline the pyramid.

Also before Russy starts I am no Metallica fan boy, not even close.

Edited March 6, 2014 by Frankly Mr Shankly

[russycarps]

I always thought part of a festival was watching and listening to bands that normally you would not.

If all festival goers only went to bands they knew and loved then Dolly would have a very very small crowds (probably) and none of the small stages would have anybody.

As the small stages have plenty and Dolly will have a big crowd, a lot of who, like me, don't really like country music at all, I see no problem with anyone on Pyramid Saturday night.

I still don't think it will be Metallica though....... I am still up for the surpise that few thought of.

I'd say dolly partons music is much more accessible to a casual music fan than metallica.

If dolly and metallica were headlining. I reckon her crowd would be much bigger 30mins into the set than metallicas

[swede]

If they dont start with "Creeping Death" and try to get the pyramid field to chant "die" over and over again during the breakdown i for one will be a tad disappointed.

[whisty]

SE Corner will be busy.

[CaledonianGonzo]

I just don't see what they could do, beyond playing their usual greatest hits festival set to adapt to Glastonbury though.

One idea springs to mind - page a call through to the Brian May Badger Hotline and bring him along for a run through of Stone Cold Crazy.

[eFestivals]

They play plenty of festivals, particularly in Europe & South America that aren't catered solely to 'heavy' music.

yep, but they're also festivals which has sold the majority of their tickets on the fact of Metallica headlining - and so a massive part of the audience is already warm to them.

That makes a big big difference.

At Glastonbury, they'd have proportionally more of their fans if they played the Other Stage than if they played the Pyramid, so it might not matter hugely in the end, dependent on which stage they play.

I just don't see what they could do, beyond playing their usual greatest hits festival set to adapt to Glastonbury though. If ever there was a reliable band that you know exactly what you're going to get it's Metallica, so Eavis must think it will work (or be pretty desperate) if he's booked them to headline the pyramid.

There's what works and then there's what's hugely successful.

I'm not saying they'll definitely be a failure at Glasto, but to be one of the better thought-of headliners Glasto has had I reckon they'd need to adapt to it somehow.

Edited March 6, 2014 by eFestivals

[monkey1989]

I think quite a lot of people would leave that's why I'm hoping they play other stage and so they can play what they like not have to Taylor so much , but spose if it's there one chance to play glasto they would want a shot at the pyramid