The War on Drugs

[dentalplan]

I did note that some of the other songs Adam played back on that livestream sounded very Phil Collins so I think this will be a vibe running through the album.

[kingcrawler]

Really like that new one, this sort of sound did seem like the natural evolution for them and I'm not surprised they're managing to pull it off. Looking forward to heartland rock October with new War on Drugs and Sam Fender albums. 

[Matt42]

Oh this is cracking

[CaledonianGonzo]

Name checking Bob as well as a cheeky wee lyrical lift from Shelter From The Storm is a bit on the nose.

[Woffy]

9/10. One mark docked for smiling in the video.

[1986]

Been obsessed with this new track for a while now. Where would we place them on a Glasto line up? Sub or headlining something would be perfecto for me.

[Clarence Clemons]

7 minutes ago, 1986 said:

Been obsessed with this new track for a while now. Where would we place them on a Glasto line up? Sub or headlining something would be perfecto for me.

I'm glad this thread is up and running!

Big and good enough to headline Other, maybe only big enough to sub Pyramid?

New track is excellent, hope to be singing along to it on the farm soon!

[Clarence Clemons]

What do others think?

[dentalplan]

7 minutes ago, Clarence Clemons said:

What do others think?

I think they’d sub Pyramid or sub Other. I’d probably, given the other options, lean towards the latter. I’m not convinced they suit an Other headline slot just yet.

Will 100% be there wherever they play though.

[jannybruck]

I can't really see them working under any of the mooted headliners so far, but high up on the Other would be pretty perfect for them. I think if the album's well received and does the job then they could headline Other maybe – they're certainly being pushed as an arena-sized act now.

[1986]

I wouldnt want to see them on the Pyramid and they are presumably big enough to sub or headline any other stage they end up on. So will be a good evening whenever they play. if they play at all.

[dentalplan]

17 minutes ago, Ddiamondd said:

I think they'd also do a fantastic job headlining the JP, and I think it's roughly as likely as an Other sub.

They’re not gonna be playing the third stage at festivals now that they’re doing arenas and large halls everywhere.

[TiZuff]

the new song is superb!

[FloorFiller]

They’re quite a tough one to place at this stage in their career, but yeah I think dental’s probably got it with Other sub. I’d be inclined to say I could see the festival giving them the bump up to Pyramid sub but I think there’s probably a few other acts who make more sense in those slots next year - think they’ll probably go for three guaranteed crowd pleasers rather than a nu-dad rock band.

[Matt42]

As much as I love them I think Pyramid sub is extremely inflated for them and the sort of thing an efestivals echo chamber would put together. They aren’t subbing the main stage at any other festival they are doing so why would they at glasto?

Third down Other stage I reckon. But I don’t think they fit into 2022 from who else is around… open to them being there but for some reason I don’t think the right slot exists for them.

[dentalplan]

43 minutes ago, Ddiamondd said:

Of course you were gonna say that, to which I'd point to Annie Mac, Phoenix, Metronomy, The Streets, Sigur Rós, Kaiser Chiefs etc who were all playing Printworks/Ally Pally-sized venues at a minimum when they topped the JP, and often headlining mid-tier festivals outright.

O2 Academy Birmingham and Corn Exchange Edinburgh are not venues that scream 'too large for the JP', and I reckon you'd be quick to body anyone making that argument if it wasn't one of your favourite bands.

It's a comeback year for Glasto where plum slots may be at a premium, nothing's off the table and TWOD are not feasting at the top of the seating arrangement yet. See what happens.

You don't half make shit personal, do you?

They're playing O2 Arena for their second tour in a row and are a band in the ascendancy. No 'favourite bands' stuff, no 'eFestivals echo chamber' here. It's there for all to see.

Cherrypicking the venues that don't say 'arena' on the end to say they're level with all those bands who aren't playing arena venues is pretty weak, come on.

[dentalplan]

1 hour ago, FloorFiller said:

nu-dad rock band

Fucking NewDad. FUCK NEWDAD!

[CaledonianGonzo]

Dad and the lads

[dentalplan]

51 minutes ago, Matt42 said:

They aren’t subbing the main stage at any other festival they are doing so why would they at glasto?

Do we know they aren't? I think they'll be there or thereabouts for all that they play.

They were subheadlining/coheadlining Pukkelpop and Lowlands last time they did a route around festivals. Not as big festivals as Glastonbury but slots that the likes of New Order, Royal Blood and The National have had since.

Edited September 28, 2021 by dentalplan

[Clarence Clemons]

16 minutes ago, dentalplan said:

Do we know they aren't? I think they'll be there or thereabouts for all that they play.

They were subheadlining/coheadlining Pukkelpop and Lowlands last time they did a route around festivals. Not as big festivals as Glastonbury but slots that the likes of New Order, Royal Blood and The National have had since.

Yeh agree with you dentalplan here. I think they will fill bigger shoes than people might first expect. 

I do also agree that, as mentioned, next year will be special so top top slots will be more premium than ever

[Matt42]

I mean I got tickets for that O2 and it’s still on sale. I’ve even seen a few YouTube adds recently promoting it.

Let’s be honest.. they will get a slim crowd if they are booked somewhere very high. A pyramid sub crowd would be very thin.

[dentalplan]

3 minutes ago, Ddiamondd said:

I mean, I don't really? People give their opinions as to why they think maybe TWOD aren't a Pyramid sub and/or how there's a non-zero chance they could be a large headliner for a stage which routinely secures top-tier alternative rock talent, and within minutes it descends into:

What differs between this and, idk, rolling back-and-forths where Robyn or Haim might place is that you're invested in the success of TWOD, and make that firmly known.

This is a topic which ends in pass-agg sparring so maybe it's best we leave it for now and see where they land in time.

Did you mean to quote the NewDad thing? It's a recurring joke about a new band whose name I hate. It's completely separate to this discourse and I don't know how it's impacted you, or this discussion, at all.

I gave my opinion that the band are above the level you're suggesting and you immediately take an overly-defensive line; saying "of course you would say that" and suggest I can't be impartial because of something personal. I did actually say in my post that they are at a level where they could bag a premium slot but they would be overlooked for other acts, which very much suggests I am being rational and impartial, doesn't it?

[dentalplan]

3 minutes ago, Matt42 said:

I mean I got tickets for that O2 and it’s still on sale. I’ve even seen a few YouTube adds recently promoting it.

Let’s be honest.. they will get a slim crowd if they are booked somewhere very high. A pyramid sub crowd would be very thin.

Yeah I think if they're going to get a more 'indie' Pyramid sub then Haim are more appropriate and pretty much certain to play.

All that is being said is that, from the calibre of venues they are playing and festival gigs they are scooping, they are about Pyramid sub level - albeit with most people saying they will fail to get that slot.

[kingcrawler]

In a normal year I’d be predicting them as a Pyramid sub, they’re not really any smaller than The National, Beck or Tame Impala were when they subbed. They’ll have played more arena’s in the UK by next summer than The National or Tame Impala had when they subbed (maybe even still more including the years after?). Vampire Weekend also played similar venues to the non arena ones that The War on Drugs are playing on their last tour and still subbed. It’s pretty clear at this point that they don’t just book the three biggest subs available, they do like to book a big critically acclaimed indie act to sub fairly often and The War on Drugs very much fit the bill. 

I don’t think they’ll do it next year, Haim seem like a better shout for that sort of sub and we know Noel’s looking likely to be back which fills the dad rock slot. Maybe in 2023 if they’re still touring they could do it but I’m not really expecting them next year.

[Matt42]

37 minutes ago, kingcrawler said:

In a normal year I’d be predicting them as a Pyramid sub, they’re not really any smaller than The National, Beck or Tame Impala were when they subbed.

I would strongly strongly pushback on this statement but I feel like it would open a pretty big debate.

The National, Beck, and Tame Impala had a pretty solid track record of playing massive slots at various festivals across the world way before they subbed. I don’t know where this feeling comes from that TWOD on drugs are that big? For starters they’ve never had a hit the size of VW or Beck?