Does a headliner have to play last?

[Harry49]

Reading some of the responses to the Adele headlining rumours, made me wonder why the headliner has to play last? Is it just custom? Should it not depend on Artist? As long as the artist gets billed/paid as the headliner then ego should be happy?

In the Adele example, as others have said she would be the headliner on any given day due to fame, sales performance, draw etc. But her performance may be better suited to earlier in the evening. I am thinking the Elbow sun setting spot (cant guarantee that of course). This would then leave the last spot on schedule to be filled with a band/artist on the way up/new and potentially getting the opportunity to play to a new large audience. It may also spread the crowd around other stages so congestion better in the midnight hour. Obviously if the headliner has a killerlight/video show etc then the last spot in the dark it is!

What are your thoughts, do other festivals alternate headliner timings?

[T-Mouse]

At glasto on the Pyramid in the modern age that we live in? No. I strongly doubt there will ever be a scenario which leads to the headliner not playing last. Its too iconic a slot and I cant imagine any potential headliner would actually not want to play last.

I cannot think of any music festival going that woud not have its headliner play last on its main outdoor stage.

Thats not to say it doesnt happen elsewhere. Bestival for exaple have a big top second stage where the perceived "headliners" of that stage will usually be follwed by an act or 2 after. Reading and Leeds Radio 1/NME tent can sometimes put djs on after the official headlining band has been on (see this years Friday.

It kind of happened on the Other stage in 2013. The XX were last on that day, playing in the dark (their preferred setting) after The Smashing Pumpkins. If i remember correctly, the pumpkins got a longer timesslot. While being billed below The XX and technically not the headliners, the kind of were seen by many as being the headliner.

Ultimately though, no. Adele woud be the headliner. If she was to not play last, she would be followed the co-headliner that day.

Edited October 15, 2015 by T-Mouse

[admscott]

I think Bonnaroo have acts on after the headliners.

[FuzzyDunlop]

Personally I would have no problem with it, but if Adele (for example) was to play 2nd down classed as a headliner, her set length would need to reflect it. She would need a 2 hour set, but the final act have the 1 hour 15 that the subbing acts would get.

Edited October 15, 2015 by FuzzyDunlop

[johnmcga]

I think Smashing Pumpkins played The Other Stage (unless they did both — not impossible).

The only situation I've seen headliners not play last is when you have a co-headlining slot. This has happened at Reading once or twice. Never seemed to quite work for me.

One year the headliners were Pulp and The Strokes. Pulp played first and were brilliant. Then The Strokes came on and it all went a bit flat.

Headliners need to play last. It just doesn't really work otherwise.

Edited October 15, 2015 by johnmcga

[dentalplan]

It's probably something to do with the dark naturally being a better setting to create an atmosphere for live music. There are festivals on the continent that have a dance act, not billed as a headliner, closing the stage but all of those go on into the early hours so the headliner still plays quite late on. Glastonbury has negated any requirement for that by (most of the time) having dance acts close the stage as the biggest alternative.

Also I don't agree with, or understand the notion that Adele would be better suited to the daylight.

[FuzzyDunlop]

Also I don't agree with, or understand the notion that Adele would be better suited to the daylight.

It is more the fact for me that I want something a bit more uplifting or energetic later on (due to the state of me) rather than her suiting the sunlight better.

[CaledonianGonzo]

For the last couple of years the Sunday headliners have been resolutely overshadowed by the Legends slot. 

The Kasabians might have played last, but Dolly was the star attraction.

[T-Mouse]

I can see what youre saying but its as much about the spectacle as anything else. Acts with slower music usually make up for the lack of upbeat songs by creating an atmosphere while performing.

Im not an adele fan bu any stretch of the imagination, but "Someone Like You" is an achingly beautiful song in my opinion. For many people it does tap in to feelings that theyve felt before. It would be robbing both adele and her audience the opportunity to see that performed under a spotlight in the greatest setting known to man.

[GlastoEls]

Get Roger Waters and Rod Stewart on a conference call and ask them!

[zero000]

A big dance act after the headliners could work. I saw Justice do a late night set after The Stone Roses in Portugal  and it was ace. Obviously there are issues around sound restrictions though...

[robalotalob]

Would another act be happy to play last on the Pyramid and not be billed as headliners? Doubt it.

[dentalplan]

It is more the fact for me that I want something a bit more uplifting or energetic later on (due to the state of me) rather than her suiting the sunlight better.

That's fine, but that's what they offer with having a dance act close the Other Stage (if they continue that) and pretty much all the late night entertainment. Besides, if they did that across the board then they'd have a lot of the more downbeat acts falling flat in the daylight due to lack of atmosphere.

[5co77ie]

I wonder with that massive Other Stage they have now if they couldn't have 6 headlining acts next year.

[Badlands]

The Prodigy played after RATM at Reading in 96 yet didn't headline.

I'm sure there was also an incident at Phoenix in 95 where Dylan headlined but Suede were on last... or vice versa. (I read about that rather than witnessed it).

[T-Mouse]

I wonder with that massive Other Stage they have now if they couldn't have 6 headlining acts next year.

Adele on the Pyramid and Radiohead on the Other on the Saturday night. Jesus Mary and Joseph... That could actually work...

The road back to inevitable dissapointment is back on track! KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE!

[Hugh Jass]

When I went to Bennicassim the headliners were on about half way through the bill. Although due to the heat out there the music didn't start until 8-9 in the evening and went on till 6am. The headliners would come on around midnight IIRC.

[StLewi]

Boomtown always has a headliner opening the festival on the Friday. This year it was Stephen Marley at midday - I think it's a great idea.

[Angus 0106]

Get Roger Waters and Rod Stewart on a conference call and ask them!

Theres a thought for the Sunday ?! 

[stuartbert two hats]

I wonder with that massive Other Stage they have now if they couldn't have 6 headlining acts next year.

The field isn't any bigger though.  I think you're right in that they're trying to position the Other Stage as a bigger deal than it was in the past, but I they'll have to do more than some new scaffolding to make up for the capacity.

[gerardfenton18]

Reading some of the responses to the Adele headlining rumours, made me wonder why the headliner has to play last? Is it just custom? Should it not depend on Artist? As long as the artist gets billed/paid as the headliner then ego should be happy?

 

In the Adele example, as others have said she would be the headliner on any given day due to fame, sales performance, draw etc. But her performance may be better suited to earlier in the evening. I am thinking the Elbow sun setting spot (cant guarantee that of course). This would then leave the last spot on schedule to be filled with a band/artist on the way up/new and potentially getting the opportunity to play to a new large audience. It may also spread the crowd around other stages so congestion better in the midnight hour. Obviously if the headliner has a killerlight/video show etc then the last spot in the dark it is!

 

What are your thoughts, do other festivals alternate headliner timings?

the only year I went 2014 although maybe not the official headliner,

for me was Dolly Parton on the Legend Slot

Really for me their is more than 3 headliners per Glastonbury they pull at some of the biggest acts past and present who all pull similar crowds throughout the weekend it just depends on what tickles your fancy.

Edited October 15, 2015 by gerardfenton18

[russycarps]

Leonard cohen headlined in 2008 and wasnt last on the bill....

 

[stuartbert two hats]

Last year it looked like they'd 'landscaped' the field to have at least some type of slope to it. Don't know if it was to help the drainage, because when it rains, it goes nowhere there, or it gave better views of the stage...?

Did it look like the field was bigger?  I'd imagine they could create a bigger arena in that area, but it would involve quite a bit of rejigging, maybe moving the stage quite a bit so that the arena eats up some of Oxlyers.

I have terrible spacial skills, so this may be totally impractical - what does everyone think? 

[Tommy101]

When I went to Bennicassim the headliners were on about half way through the bill. Although due to the heat out there the music didn't start until 8-9 in the evening and went on till 6am. The headliners would come on around midnight IIRC.

Very similar to Exit in Sebia. When I went in 2012 there was a rock(ish) headliner at about midnight then dance acts would take the stage for another 6 hours or so. 

[Mezhyp1]

I see what's Scottie is saying, I could imagine 3 big time other stage headliners, especially if it were Foo Fighters, Adele and Coldplay, they could definitely stick some good alternatives up against them 

 

I've been to Werchter a few times and they have some acts playing after the headliners, it works there, it works particularly well there, but at Glastonbury I wouldn't be convinced, given there's already quite a high calibre of late night entertainment, and with the pyramid finishing at 12, I wouldn't see the attraction of an act after a headliner