Kanye West

[russycarps]

Just starting to watch it back on the telly. A few songs in so will probably add more reflections later.

Firstly, I really loved the staging. Unique and so different to the video screen that seems standard these days.

Performance does lose something though when you can't feel the bass as much - makes the track sound a bit too flat. It's definitely a "be there" performance.

On the point of sound in general, I found the sound quality on the Pyramid superb, better than all other festivals I've been to, but was slightly confused at the delay between the screens and the speakers. When I was nearer the front, there was no problem, but further back they were a second or so out of sync. Is this standard at Glasto? Is it simply the principle of light travelling faster than sound? Surely the sound should be coming out of the back speakers at the same time as the front ones? Didn't experience this at any other stages, or at any other festivals! If anyone could explain it I'd be very appreciative

I noticed that sound delay this year more than any other year. I'm too thick to be able to explain why it happens though!

[Woffy]

So is there now a consensus between Kanye fans who adore his possibly annoying unpredictability, tabloid headline grabbing antics and shambolic musicianship...and Libs fans?

[Mash011]

Wow. I didn't expect that. So, should they ever have another hip hop act headlining? What about Eminem?

 

Kendrick Lamar could do it some day I reckon if he keeps on his current track.

[The Placid Casual]

I dunno much about eminem really, but his time has passed hasn't it? May as well have someone more youthful I reckon. But yeah why not have more hip hop. This seemed much less shouty than jay z

He was absolute dogshite. He's got nothing on Kanye.

I'm enjoying Kanye more on telly than I did there. The sound was too quiet where I was standing and there were loads of nobheads nearby.

Also, Lee Nelson is a first class c**t. Would people have been calling him a 'legend' if he'd have crashed Flo's show?

[Woffy]

I noticed that sound delay this year more than any other year. I'm too thick to be able to explain why it happens though!

Not twatted enough, Russy?! ;-)

Surely not! ;-)

[ryan.smith]

The sound "delay" is due to the fact that light travels faster than sound. So if the screens aren't on a delay but you're well away from the stage, the image will be slightly off from what you're hearing

[paulmuchmore]

The sound "delay" is due to the fact that light travels faster than sound. So if the screens aren't on a delay but you're well away from the stage, the image will be slightly off from what you're hearing

 

 

I get that, completely. But surely the speakers at the back should be outputting at pretty much the same time as the ones at the front? Electric signals typically don't move that slowly, they should move fast enough that you shouldn't be able to tell that the signal has reached the front speakers before the back ones (I think it depends on the type/quality of wire just how fast, right?) If you were miles away from the speakers, I'd understand the sensation completely, but Pyramid field has a lot of speakers and you aren't very far from one at most points, and it's a sensation I've never experienced as much at other festivals despite being further from speakers. It was just a minor gripe, just felt a little peculiar. 

[Festiboi69]

Brilliant set I thought, seems a bit flat in the middle around hold my liqour from watching it back but its the beginning and end that you remember most and he nailed them.

[frostypaw]

Our mate with backstage connections said the blackouts were him stropping off to his dressing room over how it was going...

But I dunno how reliable that is. I was veh happy on the other side.

[august1]

surely not enough time for that, unless it was once or twice towards the end

[august1]

I'd love a camera from the other side of the stage

[mrsstocksey]

Loving the variety of reactions. We were stood right at the back and to begin with the crowd was packed and there was a huge cheer when he came on, loads of jumping and dancing but after about 20 minutes the crowd started to thin out and the vibe just went.

The lights were great but we did wonder if they'd stopped in the wrong place, then when he had to tell them to move them up it made a bit more sense.

The weirdest thing for me as a neutral who didn't really know his music was the stop/starting. The restarts were a problem but there were also breaks in songs....I didn't know if they were supposed to be there or the crowd were supposed to shout something. It just felt a bit odd, and the people round me didn't seem to know either.

I!expected to be blown away or to really hate it (a strong emotion either way)but It was just a bit meh.

[sedra]

I couldn't decide what to see Sat night so thought I'd try Kanye for a bit and then go to west holts or PSB or Suede. I'm not a big fan and haven't got any of his albums but know some of his stuff from radio etc. ( me being 55yr old female who has a fairly eclectic taste in music). Unfortunately I managed to find myself a bit too far in on the left hand side between the mixing desk and speakers. It was packed and all the crowd were singing along and enjoying it, and I couldn't be arsed to fight my way through the crowd - I was the wrong side for John Peel and I figured that it was too late to make it anywhere else so stayed for the whole thing. My verdict- was it the best headliner I'd ever seen - no; was it the worst? No. Did I enjoy it? Not sure. It was a bit odd in places, he didn't really interact or seem pleased to be there. I don't think he was enjoying himself much- but maybe that's a rap thing. The staging was different but I can see why people up the back would have not been impressed with the lights.

He sort of pulled it off but could have been a lot better. I give it a B. Flo was an A. The Who was an U ( I saw Ryan Adams - A+ !!) definitely Marmite as far as Kanye is concerned. But then I do like a bit of marmite on my toast occasionally- no puns or euphemisms intended!!!!

[Amy Lawn]

So is there now a consensus between Kanye fans who adore his possibly annoying unpredictability, tabloid headline grabbing antics and shambolic musicianship...and Libs fans?

 

Kanye wants to please his fans above all, he's a narcissist, but if he is a God he needs disciples, he wants people to see a perfect show and hurry up with his damn croissants. Kanye's shambles are a product of him being an aggressive perfectionist, which is not only endearing, but also delivers brilliance most of the time. Libs are unpredictable because they're a bunch of tarts who can't pull their shit together, the best you can expect if they do come on stage is a by-the-motions outing of the same 15 songs they always play.

 

He was absolute dogshite. He's got nothing on Kanye.

I'm enjoying Kanye more on telly than I did there. The sound was too quiet where I was standing and there were loads of nobheads nearby.

Also, Lee Nelson is a first class c**t. Would people have been calling him a 'legend' if he'd have crashed Flo's show?

I think everybody knows Lee Nelson is a first class c**t anyway, posh kid making a living off an offensive hamfisted stereotype, I hope something horrible happens to him. Sorry to hear your crowd wasn't great, mine was packed in like nobody's business, and had a large number of pissed teenagers who were struggling to keep upright, but those teenagers were sweetly apologetic about the shit-faced state they'd got themselves into, they reminded me of a young me. And everybody around clearly loved Kanye and was there to see him put on a great show, got into the spirit and bellowed along every word, bounced up and down, picked up the pissed teenagers when they fell, I loved it.

[The Placid Casual]

Kanye wants to please his fans above all, he's a narcissist, but if he is a God he needs disciples, he wants people to see a perfect show and hurry up with his damn croissants. Kanye's shambles are a product of him being an aggressive perfectionist, which is not only endearing, but also delivers brilliance most of the time. Libs are unpredictable because they're a bunch of tarts who can't pull their shit together, the best you can expect if they do come on stage is a by-the-motions outing of the same 15 songs they always play.

 

His determination is second to none. I'm sure he's not oblivious to the backlash he receives for his antics but he goes ahead with them anyway. It's also the reason he's come out with some of the best music of my generation.

 

A bit unfair on Libs mind, I've seen them 4 times since they've reformed and they've been solid everytime. Far different than when I saw Babyshambles a couple of years ago, where Pete kept throwing his guitar at the drummer and his mic stand at the bassist. That gig was absolute carnage though, everyone trying to get on stage, Pete dancing with them when they got up. My mate had his shirt ripped trying to get up there, haha. He then took his trip to Thailand and if his gain in weight is something to go off, he's finally got his shit together when it comes to drugs (Pete, not my mate).

 

and had a large number of pissed teenagers who were struggling to keep upright, but those teenagers were sweetly apologetic about the shit-faced state they'd got themselves into, they reminded me of a young me.

A couple of our's were like that during the set. When one of them accidentally brushed someone in front of him, he got started on. We didn't have to say anything back to him mind, as he saw there were a lot more of us and swiftly apologised.

 

And everybody around clearly loved Kanye and was there to see him put on a great show, got into the spirit and bellowed along every word, bounced up and down, picked up the pissed teenagers when they fell, I loved it.

A lot around me didn't even know the words to the chorus of Jesus Walks. Shocking.

[Gregcharlie]

Was anyone right at the front and central? Standing there the bass seemed so overwhelmingly loud it made hearing the backing track sometimes difficult, which didn't prevent it from being mind blowing but as I have just watched the set back on TV I can't help but feel that the mix that went out with THAT MUCH bass stood in the field was to compensate how bass-light it could sound on the broadcast (and therefore a bit tinny)?

Any other thoughts on the sound from people standing in both the same and different places or was this just something exclusive to being so close?

In my personal opinion I think he absolutely nailed it (I am a massive Kanye fan though so y'know) and I know a lot of people have questioned how it fell down in the middle with the autotune noodling and such but I was just happy because we got the Kanye performance that you expect from the music he's been making for the past 5 years or so. Hold My Liquor, Blood on the Leaves, Lost in the World, were all brilliant. Combined with the minimalism of the light show and practically just him on stage it just felt so raw and that's part of why I loved it. Not a lot of artists nowadays I don't think can command that big a stage whilst standing alone.

 

Thought Bohemian Rhapsody was actually very good, not a massive Queen fan by any standards but thought it was good of him to mesh the 'only rock bands at Glasto' ridiculous thing with a song that allowed him to sing about his mother.

If it had been Graduation era Kanye and he had done something like that I think everyone would have a right to think 'what the fuck was that?' but that's just not what you come to expect of him any more. 

It was like someone said further up the messages, it could have been a total soulless performance like Pharell's beforehand just running through songs bringing out guest after guest and loads of generic 'English girls' crowd interaction. I get that people want headliners to do focused 'Glastonbury-friendly sets' but Kanye brought the hits, not much more you can really ask of him. 

Sorry if anyone has asked the same questions above whilst I've been typing this. Hope everyone had a fantastic Glastonbury!

[stuartbert two hats]

I get that, completely. But surely the speakers at the back should be outputting at pretty much the same time as the ones at the front? Electric signals typically don't move that slowly, they should move fast enough that you shouldn't be able to tell that the signal has reached the front speakers before the back ones (I think it depends on the type/quality of wire just how fast, right?) If you were miles away from the speakers, I'd understand the sensation completely, but Pyramid field has a lot of speakers and you aren't very far from one at most points, and it's a sensation I've never experienced as much at other festivals despite being further from speakers. It was just a minor gripe, just felt a little peculiar.

The delay on the rear speakers is deliberately introduced so that they match up with the front speakers. The purpose of the repeaters is to *reinforce* the sound coming from the speakers at the front. When you're stood by the repeaters, you can still hear the front speakers and if they didn't apply a delay then you'd hear both sets playing out of time from one another. It would be like the effect you get when your standing off-centre, but far worse.

[O'Doyle Rules]

My opinion on Kanye for what it's worth...

I thought he was great. From where I was in the middle of the crowd, it seemed that most of the words were being sung back at him - even during the middle part of that set. I take this as meaning it was quite well received.

Most of the major hits were a played yet there is a big criticism he didn't play enough. Shame people can't remember the Springsteen snorefest.

People criticised the queen part but I remember Jay Z looping prodigy. What's wrong with thousands of people singing bohemian rhapsody?

People needed to just enjoy it and leave if they didn't. I wonder who was more foolish - someone earning doing what they love on stage or those who hated it yet didn't leave.

Anyway the important lesson we should learn from the gig....Daft Punk would really go down a treat on the Pyramid!

[Matt42]

For reasons I still can't quite fathom I saw kanye west, by the sound stage in amongst the yoof, and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. Everyone around me was really going for it which helped a lot.

I thought the low lights and just him on stage was the best possible way for him to go about it. I thought it was a brilliant visual effect, it really appealed to me. No messing about with pointless live bands or any crap like that to appease the crowd.

I only knew one song, the very first one, and while I wont be going out and buying any of his records, I didn't mind what I was hearing.

Overall it was miles and miles better than the awful jay z gig from the other year and I'm glad I went.

I need to frame this...

But anyway, it's clearly going to be a very very dividing headliner response, I personally loved it as the field was much more active and alive than for Florence!

[wilson123]

It was the oddest Glastonbury crowd I've ever been involved in. People turned up with the mindset to see Kanye fail and seemed to relish everything negative about the performance.

 

The amount of cries of "Kanye you're sh*t" - or similar - or people walking off after ten minutes was incredible. I'm not even a fan of his but going to watch someone just to see if they mess up or not is just a little pathetic. 

 

I missed the first 15 minutes so we weren't aware he'd done "N*ggas in Paris" or "Stronger" etc. The sound wasn't great and the cherry picker pause killed a lot of the mood. 

 

I went along to see if this one going to be one "those" Glastonbury performances. In my opinion, it wasn't but it was worth a watch. 

[Ommadawn]

I watched the set on the television last night and didn't think it was the complete car crash some people have said it was. I'm still glad I didn't watch him live but he did appear have have the crowd with him for large parts of the set.

[The Nal]

Loads of people left apparently. I was at the other where the Chems put on a show

About 30 mins in I went down the very back and was there for another 2-3 songs and there was an endless stream of people leaving. It looked like the gig was over at the Oxfam/Wateraid stalls there were so many leaving. Steady flow of heads moving out of the field. And the cider bus got very busy.

Apart from Gorillaz, Ive never seen as many people leaving a gig.

I remember thinking at this rate the field will be empty by the end. There was a big crowd there at the start.

Spose it was always going to happen.

Edited June 30, 2015 by The Nal

[CaledonianGonzo]

I dunno if I'll ever be able to judge this objectively.

I was as Gillespied as all get out and had a whale of a time, to the extent of thinking it was one of the most amazing things I'd ever seen, but I suspect I could have enjoyed an empty stage almost as much.

I'm about to watch it again to see what I can actually remember of it. The setlist at least seems vaguely familiar to what I danced through, so maybe it actually was the tour de force I thought I was enjoying at the time.

This is all Todd Terje's fault.

[CaledonianGonzo]

But still, none of that matters if Roger Taylor's son didn't like it.....

[Festival Liam]

Absolutely massive Kanye fan here, who was right down in the pit and while I really enjoyed it but couldn't help feel like he should have got it spot on, with all the pressure. At the end of the day, the (utterly stunning I thought) staging aside, his live set up is simple. A not full live band set up doesn't allow for shoddy missed timings, so why was either him or the DJ missing the timings? 

 

I think without all the (relatively minor, but still energy sucking) technical problems, it could have been utterly amazing. Surely a few more rehearsals they could have got it? E.G not starting Touch the Sky when he was clearly nowhere near ready. 

 

Also I think a lot of the crowd just didn't know what to expect when he wasn't doing Jesus Walks or Golddigger the whole time. He was always going to go and do quite a few Yeezus tracks and I wish they had listened to his albums a bit more, rather than just shouting what is this shit at Blood on the Leaves or something.

Edited June 30, 2015 by Festival Liam