Thoughts about the pyramid sub position.

[Matt42]

Something I’ve noticed over the years. The pyramid sub slot has become an increasingly difficult position to pull off successfully.

At recent festivals the position is often filled by a small festival sized headliner playing with a reduced stage set up and a shorter set time. Also since the set is usually around the 8pm region any light show that the artist brings gets washed out by a late sunset. Plus if you play before a pretty legendary headliner your set is often forgotten and sidestepped by TV coverage.

I’m struggling to think of many pyramid subs that have blown me away over the years. The XX and The Libertines are the only acts that come to mind. The Libertines arguably don’t count as the slot had a lot of hype around it as a tba.

Maybe it is just me but there seems to be a lot of factors stacked against any act that takes the slot. Crowd is usually tired and most chill out or take a break before the closing act. The Sunday sub especially seems to struggle to keep the crowd as most are looking for a break after the legend. Vampire Weekend (while looking brilliant) had a crowd which paled in comparison to Miley and Kylie. My first thought was that much of the crowd had actually packed up and gone home.

Its probably going to remain a problem and there’s nothing that really can be done about it. It is just a shame that most acts that take that slot seem to fall flat. Anyone agree?

[mcshed]

This is why Elbow are so good at that slot, no fancy set-up just Guy's charisma to win over the not fussed. Nick Cave has also gone down well in these parts whilst scaring the lurkers. 

[Acid Loafers]

It's also when most people get dinner I feel. 

[Matt42]

2 minutes ago, mcshed said:

This is why Elbow are so good at that slot, no fancy set-up just Guy's charisma to win over the not fussed. Nick Cave has also gone down well in these parts whilst scaring the lurkers. 

Dare I say it but Liam Gallagher nailed it for the exact same reasons listed for elbow 

[prestonmike]

Faithless in 2010 were amazing before Stevie Wonder, think the time of day really worked well with the sun setting as they were playing

[robillustrates]

Kasabian and Dizzee Rascal were both excellent in such a position.

[adequate8]

Tame Impala before Adele were class that year

Will that be Foals slot next year? ?

 

[robillustrates]

Something like the 1975 before Macca would work really well too.

[Rumblestripe]

Elbow playing "one day like this" as the sun set in '14 (was it?) was such a moment that when that song comes on the radio I'm back in the field at that moment. Amazing. And I'm not GG fan and couldn't recall another song they played!

Notable failures in that slot include Primal Scream subbing the Stones, they should have gone well for that crowd but that was mostly down to Bobbie chucking his toys out of the pram and losing the crowd.

[Matt42]

6 minutes ago, adequate8 said:

Tame Impala before Adele were class that year

Will that be Foals slot next year? ?

 

I enjoyed Tame Impala personally but it wasn’t considered a successful set by most.

[Matt42]

9 minutes ago, robillustrates said:

Kasabian and Dizzee Rascal were both excellent in such a position.

I disagree about Dizzie in 2013. Played way too many songs from an unannounced album. I remember the crowd really getting bored.

Edited July 1, 2019 by Matt42

[robillustrates]

Dizzee in 09 however was spot on in the same position, don't think i saw him in 2013 tbh.

[Huckleberry Finn]

The atmosphere for sub-headliners on the Pyramid is very odd at times. Almost feels like people are positioning themselves for the headliner rather than actually watching the act. And you can sense that the artists feed off that and it contributes to some lukewarm performances.

Friends of mine said George Ezra and Liam Gallagher was decent however. But seldom in my experience has it felt like people are watching and engaging with what is going on in front of them during that slot.

[Rumblestripe]

5 minutes ago, Huckleberry Finn said:

Almost feels like people are positioning themselves for the headliner rather than actually watching the act.

That's exactly what is happening and it can create a hole in the atmosphere right where the artists will feel it. So I think it mostly makes sense to pair acts from similar or complimentary genres. (So for me Primal Scream into Stones should have worked but for Mr. Gillespie)

[robillustrates]

It would be a great spot for them to get some dance music on the Pyramid Stage again, even if it's only the one day, think the XX worked because of Jamie XX popping in some of his solo tracks into the set like they do.

[jparx]

George Ezra nailed it.

I think you need to be fairly easy going with songs that are hard to not know. 

[Matt42]

6 minutes ago, Rumblestripe said:

That's exactly what is happening and it can create a hole in the atmosphere right where the artists will feel it. So I think it mostly makes sense to pair acts from similar or complimentary genres. (So for me Primal Scream into Stones should have worked but for Mr. Gillespie)

Yeah I’ve never really understood the argument of mixing up headliners and subs. Pairing up in terms of genre tends to work much better. If you put a rock band before a rap headliner all the fans for the rap headliner will camp through the rock sub and contribute little to the atmosphere.

The XX into Radiohead worked spectacularly for obvious reasons. Lots of crossover and Radiohead fans probably enjoy the XX.

Edited July 1, 2019 by Matt42

[Spindles]

People have already mentioned a lot of the best that I've seen and yeah, some bookings can be a bit flat in that slot.

 

However over the years the subheadline slot at Other stage has seen people smash it out of the park again and again for me.  Rarely disappointed with a sub there.

[pilton digger]

Nick Cave totally owning the field and showing those tweed banjo twats from Mumford's how its done in 2013. One of the best sets on that stage in my humble opinion. By the time he got to Stagger Lee there were posh mummy's dragging their children away from the sweary scary man.

[BL1ND T1G3R]

1 hour ago, Matt42 said:

Dare I say it but Liam Gallagher nailed it for the exact same reasons listed for elbow 

I think you're spot on - he played to his strengths with some Oasis crowd sing-along bangers that got me ready for The Killers 

[TKOCF]

When I told people Kylie brought out Nick Cave, the overwhelming response was ‘Who?’ I know this board absolutely loves him but he simply isn’t known in the younger groups, barring maybe knowing him for the Peaky Blinders theme.

He’d smash an Other Stage Headline slot though. 

[Jne___]

I think my favourite sub slot I’ve seen with the perfect sub slot atmosphere was biffy Clyro in 17. Gorgeous evening light, they put so much effort in, lots of confetti canons,  and felt like (maybe due to Ed sheeran following) a lot of the crowd were treating it as their headliner. 

 

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

The sub can be brilliant, the XX, Tame Impala and the libertines are all ones that spring to mind recently... but I’m big fans of those bands anyway.

It kind of is what it is, its different to any other slot because you’ll naturally have people there early for the headliner irrespective of who the headliner actually is who don’t care about the sub, as well as actual fans of the headliner that don’t care about the sub either. So the ideal sub probably does have to be somebody with well known catchy tunes that lots of people like.

The sub will never get crowds like the Kylie spot because everyone just turns up for the that slot for the novelty, and because it’s early on in the day so don’t have to worry about being elsewhere. 

Edited July 1, 2019 by Deaf Nobby Burton

[MilkyJoe]

Vampire Weekend were fantastic in the Sunday Sub slot this year. The other 2 that really stand out for me have already been mentioned. Nick Cave in 13 and Faithless in 10. Probably my all time favourite sub set.

Edited July 1, 2019 by MilkyJoe

[Losing my hair]

2 hours ago, Huckleberry Finn said:

The atmosphere for sub-headliners on the Pyramid is very odd at times. Almost feels like people are positioning themselves for the headliner rather than actually watching the act. And you can sense that the artists feed off that and it contributes to some lukewarm performances.

Friends of mine said George Ezra and Liam Gallagher was decent however. But seldom in my experience has it felt like people are watching and engaging with what is going on in front of them during that slot.

This was the case yesterday; I was down near the front for Vampire Weekend but most people around me were there for the Cure, hardly anybody moved when VW finished. It was the same in 2107 with The National into Foo Fighters.