Worst act you have seen at the festival

[OneLittleFish]

I also have to give a special "up yours" to the Kooks in 2014, trudged all the way from Avalon to JP after someone told me that it was defo Pet Shop Boys who were the special guests to be met by a chorus that consisted of "Down-de-diggity-down-de-down". I almost gave up on music in general at that moment.

[siblin]

52 minutes ago, Brock Landers said:

I totally forgot N.E.R.D who were absolutely woeful in 2009. Arrived on about 30 mins late, decided to piss away what precious running time they had left by letting Pharrell talk complete bollocks between tracks. Eventually the peeps in charge cut off sound to all of their instruments. Pharrell then made a passionate request for everybody to "rush the stage" which was responded with total apathy. 

Was massively surprised he was allowed back a couple of years ago.

I felt for them, they got their set massively cut due to technical issues (it wasn't them being diva-ish), and the tracks they did play sounded great (I love that kind of music when backed up with real instruments.  I remember some great guitar and bass playing).  He basically said "They've told me to cut our set by 25 minutes but we're just gonna play through", which if it was my debut at glastonbury i'd probably be inclined to do!  They wanted to close off with "Everybody nose" but was cut off, so they carried on with stage monitors, and when they were cut off encouraged the crowd to chant along (i dont remember a suggestion to rush the stage).  I'm more surprised he agreed to come back!

Wasn't as fond of Pharrels solo return,  though Freedom was a good track.

[alien]

NIN at Leeds'13. Quite like some of their stuff, but had never seen them live.The sound just wasn't right in a big way and therefore the atmosphere was very tense and very unpleasant. Left before the end.

http://www.nme.com/news/music/nine-inch-nails-45-1260643

The Strokes were also a massive let down at Leeds'11 from what I can remember, Julian f*cking about the whole set.

[stuartbert two hats]

7 minutes ago, siblin said:

I felt for them, they got their set massively cut due to technical issues (it wasn't them being diva-ish), and the tracks they did play sounded great (I love that kind of music when backed up with real instruments.  I remember some great guitar and bass playing).  He basically said "They've told me to cut our set by 25 minutes but we're just gonna play through", which if it was my debut at glastonbury i'd probably be inclined to do!  They wanted to close off with "Everybody nose" but was cut off, so they carried on with stage monitors, and when they were cut off encouraged the crowd to chant along (i dont remember a suggestion to rush the stage).  I'm more surprised he agreed to come back!

Wasn't as fond of Pharrels solo return,  though Freedom was a good track.

Well if he hadn't spent so long saying how he couldn't believe 250,000 people had to come see N.E.R.D. there might have been more time for songs.  I know the fault was partly mine, not doing my research, as I was hoping for some Neptunes level groove, but I remember being bitterly disappointed by some plodding mess.

[siblin]

1 minute ago, stuartbert two hats said:

Well if he hadn't spent so long saying how he couldn't believe 250,000 people had to come see N.E.R.D. there might have been more time for songs.  I know the fault was partly mine, not doing my research, as I was hoping for some Neptunes level groove, but I remember being bitterly disappointed by some plodding mess.

Haha yes i recall him saying that.  I think maybe he was misled a little.

[timbrass]

On ‎04‎/‎04‎/‎2017 at 9:27 PM, stuartbert two hats said:

Shakin' "this is off the new album, but I'm not playing Green Door" Stevens.

Twa.t.

Shaky is the obvious choice for worst ever act.  When people had made the effort to lug a physical Green door through the mud (yes a proper 6' x 3' door), the least he could have done was play the bloody song.

[CaledonianGonzo]

But then we'd have been denied the perpetual hilarity of this timeless anecdote.

Edit: Honestly not meant sarcastically.

Edited April 7, 2017 by CaledonianGonzo

[clarkete]

1 hour ago, siblin said:

Haha yes i recall him saying that.  I think maybe he was misled a little.

It was bloody funny though, how impassioned he was about getting everyone behind them and carrying on, but how we all knew he had no chance 

[timbrass]

On ‎05‎/‎04‎/‎2017 at 6:54 AM, Untz said:

Going to have to agree with the man with the hats and say Shakin Stevens.

Honourable mention to Bruce Forsyth who, in hindsight, was exactly how I expected him to be. The rest of the crowd lapped it up though. 

Brucie was a classic.  Everyone had decided to have a good time and he could have just stood there for an hour and the crowd would have entertained itself.  Loved the bit when (I think it was) Les the pianist was introduced and the crowd went wild chanting "Les" for 5 mins. 

[cornish hick]

New Order last year - I'd bigged them up to my gang of youngsters and europeans.  ended up appologising to them for it being sooo bad.

On the other hand me and a couple who came with me really enjoyed James

[Eyebrow]

3 minutes ago, cornish hick said:

New Order last year - I'd bigged them up to my gang of youngsters and europeans.  ended up appologising to them for it being sooo bad.

On the other hand me and a couple who came with me really enjoyed James

Is that a rarity or are they known to be a bit iffy?

saw them last year at EP and thought they were fantastic! I was in a particularly good mood though...

[Mash011]

Wasn't anything on between ELO and PJ we fancied so went back to tents then caught the Catfish set. Predictably, absolute dirge. But worth suffering through since being around for the almost total crowd swap between Catfish and PJ meant we got a brilliant slot for the PJ/LCD combo which was definitely one of the high points of the weekend.

[The Red Telephone]

Re: Kate Nash 2010. Having not witnessed the legendary set, I did some video research. Have to say it does take a special talent to make an audience basking in glorious sunshine look so utterly miserable.

 

 

Edited April 7, 2017 by The Red Telephone

[cornish hick]

31 minutes ago, Eyebrow said:

Is that a rarity or are they known to be a bit iffy?

saw them last year at EP and thought they were fantastic! I was in a particularly good mood though...

I think they can be iffy. I'd seen recent live vids on youtube and theysounded good. the band did sound good , lights were good but barney was sheite and mardy (never been the best singer) and the set list was poor for a festival imo.

[calamitymaud]

On 04/04/2017 at 9:00 PM, Calvin Klein said:

Probably Phosphorescent in 2014. They weren't really bad. Just super boring. I left mid set.

That was so bad. Months after i'd seen them play one of the best gigs i've ever seen.

He was fuming at the sound man throughout. Thought he was going to leave mid-set tbh.

[Calvin Klein]

2 minutes ago, calamitymaud said:

That was so bad. Months after i'd seen them play one of the best gigs i've ever seen.

He was fuming at the sound man throughout. Thought he was going to leave mid-set tbh.

Yes. I remember now. His mic was fucked up I think.

[Eyebrow]

22 minutes ago, cornish hick said:

I think they can be iffy. I'd seen recent live vids on youtube and theysounded good. the band did sound good , lights were good but barney was sheite and mardy (never been the best singer) and the set list was poor for a festival imo.

Yeah that's true about his singing. The visuals were brilliant as I recall. Ending on love will tear us apart was magical for me, although I've since heard others say they'd rather new order left it alone.

each to their own I guess.

 

[somecoolusername]

On 05/04/2017 at 10:55 AM, fatyeti24 said:

still is mate, still is..

as for things i can remember being awful, 2009.  i think they were called The Rakes, early doors on the Other on the Friday.  watched with friends of friends.  i fucking loathe that kind of music and wondered what the fuck i was doing wasting my time to it with people i didn't even know.

The first act I ever saw at Glastonbury I think. Terrible. The only time they got any response from the crowd was when the singer made a joke about Michael Jackson dying.

#itgetsbetter

I also slept in front of the Pyramid during Slash. I don't know if he was bad or not, but it was Sunday afternoon in 2010 and I needed a nap. And I was waiting for Ray Davies, who was glorious.

[verrymerry]

22 hours ago, stuartbert two hats said:

I turn 40 next year...........

There's also nothing wrong with being 40 

[whateverman]

Paul Simon.  Fucking hell.  Started off in the press by dismissing the festival - 'I've played more important gigs'.  Then the band was a bit wrong - too small and countrified, needed a bit of oomph to pull off the African and South American inspired numbers. Then the setlist was crap - I mean throw us a frigging bone man! (Dr Evil voice) - all we needed was one or two of the old Simon & Garfunkel numbers and you'd of had us in the palm of your hand.  Then his voice was a bit wanting, but to be fair he was a bit ill and looked very frail.  Add in Sunday ticket Daily Mail farmers cordoning off acres of space for themselves and their families; heat; dehydration; come-down; NOT the amazing climax to the festival I was expecting. 

[oneeye]

Paul Simon and Gorillaz were poor in recent years, as already heavily mentioned.

i thought that Madness were utter dog w*nk last year though; shite.

 

[crocodiles]

On Friday, April 07, 2017 at 6:37 PM, Eyebrow said:

Is that a rarity or are they known to be a bit iffy?

saw them last year at EP and thought they were fantastic! I was in a particularly good mood though...

I've seen new order several times always Been great . Didn't see them at glastonbury but the footage I've seen looks good to me 

[evilduck]

On 07/04/2017 at 6:37 PM, Eyebrow said:

Is that a rarity or are they known to be a bit iffy?

saw them last year at EP and thought they were fantastic! I was in a particularly good mood though...

I've seen them a few times recently and they've been a bit ropey so I was wary about Glasto. Thought it was really good though! And a new order newbie with me really enjoyed it too. Maybe I was a bit rum-happy. 

[maclauk]

14 hours ago, oneeye said:

i thought that Madness were utter dog w*nk last year though; shite

The sound during Madness was terrible where we were and the performance was flat.

[Mardy]

Paul Simon was alright, but no more. I was massively disappinted, but I think that's down to my expectations being too high and him having a bad day. It's the most I've felt let down by a performance, but that's not for me the same as it being the worst performance I've ever seen. 

 

Yeah, I agree about Madness, it just didn't ever take off last year did it?, a little bit odd really. That AC/DC cover version was, at best, misguided, and what should have been a joyous knees-up seemed a bit forced, tense and disjointed.