Friday opener?

[incident]

Isn't the point in the 'sercet' other stage opener to get people out of beds and campsites to enjoy more music.

The hives and blondie may well have had a smaller crowd if they didn't spark people's interest with the set before.

It's the same as the William Green opening party. Some people may never venture to them parts of the festival if it wasn't for them 'secret' sets. The food and bar places near WG certainly benefit from it on a Thursday.

I think them sets do more for the festival than people realise

I think you're analysing it too much.

Remember that the Other stage Friday morning thing has only happened twice. That's nowhere near enough to consider it a tradition or a regular slot. Apparently it happened the first time pretty much entirely because Liam Gallagher wanted to do it, and my guess is that it happened again the following year because the festival thought that it had worked well. I don't think it's realistic to assign a motive to it beyond "that would be pretty cool".

Regarding the rest of the site, these days at least major "out of place" slots on the smaller stages are considered a bad thing by the Festival. There's been some real H&S issues in the past with big acts on smaller stages. Madness in the Ballroom, Pulp + Radiohead at The Park come to mind. After that, someone from the Festival (I think Emily) went on record as saying that the crowds for big acts at smaller venues had become too much of a safety issue and they couldn't do anything like that again.

You mention the Williams Green launch party and presumably you mean 2009 when they booked Maximo Park for an early evening slot - but from what I remember that basically shut down large parts of the main markets for a couple hours so will have hurt as many traders as it helped - the fact that they've not put on anyone nearly as big (and yes, they were pretty big at that time) since then suggests that it wasn't a great idea. Aside from anything else, I don't think Williams Green could ever be seen as somewhere people need help to find given that it's located on one of the busiest parts of the Main Drag.

[kingcrawler]

You mention the Williams Green launch party and presumably you mean 2009 when they booked Maximo Park for an early evening slot - but from what I remember that basically shut down large parts of the main markets for a couple hours so will have hurt as many traders as it helped - the fact that they've not put on anyone nearly as big (and yes, they were pretty big at that time) since then suggests that it wasn't a great idea. Aside from anything else, I don't think Williams Green could ever be seen as somewhere people need help to find given that it's located on one of the busiest parts of the Main Drag.

I'd say Alt-J in 2013 and The 1975 last year were at least as big as Maximo Park in 2009, probably bigger, so I don't think they have a problem putting big acts on at Williams Green as secret sets.

[Djb.com]

Stereophonics? Certainly a big enough name but not too big to be a health and safety risk?

[Gucci Piggy]

Stereophonics? Certainly a shit enough name but not too big to be a health and safety risk?

[Hugh Jass]

Liked their first two albums but quality seemed to drop dramatically after that. Heard their latest on the radio last night, bloody awful.

[Djb.com]

Liked their first two albums but quality seemed to drop dramatically after that. Heard their latest on the radio last night, bloody awful.

I'd agree with you on that but somehow they still have a following to play arenas

[JBarbour]

I think you're analysing it too much.

Remember that the Other stage Friday morning thing has only happened twice. That's nowhere near enough to consider it a tradition or a regular slot. Apparently it happened the first time pretty much entirely because Liam Gallagher wanted to do it, and my guess is that it happened again the following year because the festival thought that it had worked well. I don't think it's realistic to assign a motive to it beyond "that would be pretty cool".

Regarding the rest of the site, these days at least major "out of place" slots on the smaller stages are considered a bad thing by the Festival. There's been some real H&S issues in the past with big acts on smaller stages. Madness in the Ballroom, Pulp + Radiohead at The Park come to mind. After that, someone from the Festival (I think Emily) went on record as saying that the crowds for big acts at smaller venues had become too much of a safety issue and they couldn't do anything like that again.

You mention the Williams Green launch party and presumably you mean 2009 when they booked Maximo Park for an early evening slot - but from what I remember that basically shut down large parts of the main markets for a couple hours so will have hurt as many traders as it helped - the fact that they've not put on anyone nearly as big (and yes, they were pretty big at that time) since then suggests that it wasn't a great idea. Aside from anything else, I don't think Williams Green could ever be seen as somewhere people need help to find given that it's located on one of the busiest parts of the Main Drag.

You've missed the point completely.

I'm not talking about the massive secret/surprise sets from the likes of Pulp, Radiohead and Biffy.

The other stage opening set has been a success over the past few years. Got people out of their tent and campsites earlier than they probably would bother.

The William Green opening party thing has been going for years. I'm not just talking about Maximo Park. I've seen the likes of Local Natives, Alt J, Django Django, The 1975 there on a Thursday. If it wasn't for them sets a lot of people would likely be elsewhere on site

[neil999]

Stereophonics? Certainly a big enough name but not too big to be a health and safety risk?

that would deffo be a health and safety risk, they'd get a massive crowd

i was at maximo park in 09 and it was horrible, could get nowhere near the tent but couldnt get back out again and it was really hot(i think)

[Filthy]

that would deffo be a health and safety risk, they'd get a massive crowd

i was at maximo park in 09 and it was horrible, could get nowhere near the tent but couldnt get back out again and it was really hot(i think)

I think they were talking about the Other stage although I agree Stereophonics anywhere on the bill are a health and safety risk for anyone within earshot

[ltfckimbo]

I'd say Alt-J in 2013 and The 1975 last year were at least as big as Maximo Park in 2009, probably bigger, so I don't think they have a problem putting big acts on at Williams Green as secret sets.

There was a lot less going on elsewhere on the site on the Thursday in 2009. That changed as a direct consequence.

[incident]

You've missed the point completely.

Probably. As best I can tell your basic theory boils down to the GFL wanting to get loads of people to the Other Stage at 11am Friday. I just really doubt that's even in the thought process.

[Untz]

Probably. As best I can tell your basic theory boils down to the GFL wanting to get loads of people to the Other Stage at 11am Friday. I just really doubt that's even in the thought process.

With their past choices it's probably more to get those camping in the surrounding fields awake and away from the Other Stage.

[evilduck]

Also I think that Maximo Park were properly announced for Williams Green, whereas the opening parties have been 'secret'. Obviously we end up knowing who the bands are, but the general public probably wouldn't put in the effort to find out.

[JBarbour]

Probably. As best I can tell your basic theory boils down to the GFL wanting to get loads of people to the Other Stage at 11am Friday. I just really doubt that's even in the thought process.

Of course that's the case. Why else would Glasto go out there way to book a band they don't announce on the line up?

If they just announced the band less people would show up. Therefore people would spend longer hanging about their tent with mates. It gets people out and about the festival enjoying more of the bands lower down the line up and spending more money

[Bisque]

I love you sometimes.

[Bobs]

that would deffo be a health and safety risk, they'd get a massive crowd

i was at maximo park in 09 and it was horrible, could get nowhere near the tent but couldnt get back out again and it was really hot(i think)

I think it could be them.

Especially seeing as they are doing special 10-year anniversary shows dedicated to their boss first album.

[incident]

Of course that's the case. Why else would Glasto go out there way to book a band they don't announce on the line up?

Because it's the kind of touch that contributes to making the festival what it is. Same reason they allocate so much resource to the Theatre & Circus areas, or have people spend months hand-painting bins and benches, or any of the other thousand things that set Glastonbury apart from V etc.

[Purple aki squat]

S Club 7?

[JBarbour]

Because it's the kind of touch that contributes to making the festival what it is. Same reason they allocate so much resource to the Theatre & Circus areas, or have people spend months hand-painting bins and benches, or any of the other thousand things that set Glastonbury apart from V etc.

Yes it contributes to what glastonbury is about. But in that case why not have a TBA on the other late evening. The slot has got more people to the stage earlier.

The other field has been rammed the last few years. Whereas previous years have seen the first few acts having a smaller crowd. People love the guessing games of who it's going to be and will make more of a effort.

Joe average who doesn't use eFests or doesn't check their mobile at the festival won't know who the act is until they step out on stage.

Glastonbury benefits more from people being out and about around the festival rather than sat at their campsite

[Bonehead> Clapton]

How stereophonics are getting slated on here and maximo park praised is beyond me!

[Tuna]

How stereophonics are getting slated on here and maximo park praised is beyond me!

http://www.efestivals.co.uk/forums/topic/190593-maximo-park-to-open-the-other-stage/?hl=%20maximo%20%20park

[Likearollingstone]

Not a massive fan of stereophonics (any more) as they've not reproduced the hits seen on their earlier albums in my opinion.

But they are still seen as a big band nonetheless and would surely produce a crowd too large for Williams Green.

[Gucci Piggy]

Not a massive fan of stereophonics (any more) as they've not reproduced the hits seen on their earlier albums in my opinion.

But they are still seen as a big band nonetheless and would surely produce a crowd too large for Williams Green.

We're talking about the Other Stage secret set, not Willams Green.

[Napoleon_Ultra]

I'm throwing Sydney Youngblood out there as a wild card.

[Purple aki squat]

I'm throwing Sydney Youngblood out there as a wild card.

Seems like a risky booking after what happened to Rolf.