The Other and "Kind of Pyramid Level" Headliners

[SwedgeAntilles]

1 minute ago, northernringo said:

How so?

Unless there's a decent crossover between your fanbase and whoever's headlining you can end up playing to a lot of people who are only there to get a decent spot for the next act. 

[WestCountryGirl]

5 minutes ago, SwedgeAntilles said:

Unless there's a decent crossover between your fanbase and whoever's headlining you can end up playing to a lot of people who are only there to get a decent spot for the next act. 

Which is what tickled me about the few families around me being positively horrified by Nick Cave's lyrics while they were just pitched there to have a good spot for Mumford & Sons in 2013.

[Hugh Jass]

16 minutes ago, northernringo said:

How so?

As said above, it's a slot that's really hard to get right. You're often playing to a crowd more interested in getting a decent spot for the headliner than anything you've got to say. I've seen a few decent acts flounder there in recent years, Beck being the notable one. The National struggled too, although they weren't helped by some odd setlist decisions.

At least if you're headlining a stage people are there because they actually want to see you.

[northernringo]

16 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

As said above, it's a slot that's really hard to get right. You're often playing to a crowd more interested in getting a decent spot for the headliner than anything you've got to say. I've seen a few decent acts flounder there in recent years, Beck being the notable one. The National struggled too, although they weren't helped by some odd setlist decisions.

At least if you're headlining a stage people are there because they actually want to see you.

Makes sense!

I suppose a confident band may look at it as an opportunity to get people who wouldn't usually listen to them to become fans but it may not outweigh the risk

[PDAD]

1 minute ago, northernringo said:

Makes sense!

I suppose a confident band may look at it as an opportunity to get people who wouldn't usually listen to them to become fans but it may not outweigh the risk

Which is exactly why Lizzo should sub the Pyramid. 

[Zacko]

The XX smashed the shit out of that sub slot in 2017.  

[SwedgeAntilles]

17 minutes ago, Zacko said:

The XX smashed the shit out of that sub slot in 2017.  

They did, but it was also a good example of good crossover booking. 

 

48 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

The National struggled too, although they weren't helped by some odd setlist decisions.

Still annoys me, that. 

[jparx]

31 minutes ago, PDAD said:

Which is exactly why Lizzo should sub the Pyramid. 

[eFestivals]

51 minutes ago, PDAD said:

Which is exactly why Lizzo should sub the Pyramid. 

I don't reckon there'll be many headliners keen to have her on before them.  

[ghostdancer1]

12 hours ago, lukethekid said:

Friday Night

Pyramid - Kendrick Lamar

Other -  Faithless

West Holts - Thom Yorke

John Peel - Stereophonics

Park - Haim

 

Sunday Night

 Pyramid - Taylor Swift

Other - Rage Against The Machine 

West Holts - Anderson .Paak

John Peel - Dave & AJ Tracey

Park - Four Tet (Live) 

RATM aren't coming back from the dead to play the 2nd stage anywhere.

And HAIM are Pyramid or Other only these days. very little chance they'd be at The Park.

[FuzzyDunlop]

There was a long period between Liam Gallagher and the Killers this year, which ironically didn't help him. If he'd have finished 45 mins before them, people would have been more into him.

However it did give me time to get back to tent, a pick me up and then onto the Chemical Brothers.

[sisco]

1 minute ago, ghostdancer1 said:

RATM aren't coming back from the dead to play the 2nd stage anywhere.

And HAIM are Pyramid or Other only these days. very little chance they'd be at The Park.

Agree on HAIM getting a pyramid spot.  3rd/4th down?

[PDAD]

4 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

I don't reckon there'll be many headliners keen to have her on before them.  

Ha very true!

Do headliners tend to get much say though? I think I've heard before that Paul Weller and Primal Scream were picked by The Who and The Rolling Stones respectively but generally, would the headliner even be aware who is playing below them?

[eFestivals]

10 minutes ago, PDAD said:

Ha very true!

Do headliners tend to get much say though? I think I've heard before that Paul Weller and Primal Scream were picked by The Who and The Rolling Stones respectively but generally, would the headliner even be aware who is playing below them?

Not at Glasto, but i know of a well-known band who were headlining at a smaller fest and the contract gave them a say-so over who played before them, at the bands insistence.

The promoter tried to get the band's wanted support but couldn't for some reason. Promoter then suggested some other bands, each one the headliner veto'd. In the end the promoter told them he couldn't give them any more say-so over it as he had to get something booked - and the headliner accepted that.

I don't think that sort of thing is hugely normal, tho. That headline band had a rep back then for wanting a bit more control than the norm.

Edited November 20, 2019 by eFestivals

[rawrsomesauce]

20 minutes ago, sisco said:

Agree on HAIM getting a pyramid spot.  3rd/4th down?

I think they'd likely get a high other slot, think Two Door Cinema Club this year. Alternatively, I reckon they'd absolutely smash a JP headline set

[PDAD]

8 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

Not at Glasto, but i know of a well-known band who were headlining at a smaller fest and the contract gave them a say-so over who played before them, at the bands insistence.

The promoter tried to get the band's wanted support but couldn't for some reason. Promoter then suggested some other bands, each one the headliner veto'd. In the end the promoter told them he couldn't give them any more say-so over it as he had to get something booked - and the headliner accepted that.

I don't think that sort of thing is hugely normal, tho. That headline band had a rep back then for wanting a bit more control than the norm.

Wow yeah that doesn't sound like the sort of thing Michael / Emily could be arsed dealing with. If a band has that much ego and / or lack of faith in their ability to wow as a headliner themselves, they probably wouldn't be accepting the Glasto pay cut anyway and / or probably wouldn't deserve to headline in the first place. 

 

So....if the norm is the headliner has no say....Lizzo to sub the Pyramid....  

[stuie]

34 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

I don't reckon there'll be many headliners keen to have her on before them.  

Why do you think that?

[Guest]

1 minute ago, stuie said:

Why do you think that?

She'd upstage anyone who plays after her.

[PDAD]

2 minutes ago, stuie said:

Why do you think that?

The merits of the headline set would pale into insignificance. 

[stuie]

Just now, SomeoneListeningIn said:

She'd upstage anyone who plays after her.

Ah, OK.  I love Lizzo but wasn't sure if that's what Neil meant!

[eFestivals]

1 minute ago, SomeoneListeningIn said:

She'd upstage anyone who plays after her.

this.

[Hugh Jass]

45 minutes ago, FuzzyDunlop said:

There was a long period between Liam Gallagher and the Killers this year, which ironically didn't help him. If he'd have finished 45 mins before them, people would have been more into him.

Yeah that was an abnormally long gap. It's not like the Killers had any complicated or lengthy setup requirements.

Can only assume it was linked to the bizarrely short set the Courteeners played over on the Other in that gap to ensure people could get from LG and back again in time for them to start.

[jow95]

Anyone mentioned Royal Blood? 

They must have, what was the consensus?

[Miyn]

Is there a general consensus of to who they might put up against Paul McCartney?  

[whitehorses]

1 hour ago, Miyn said:

Is there a general consensus of to who they might put up against Paul McCartney?  

Someone young and hip perhaps, like 1975?

or some mega dance act? Faithless? 
 

Fuck knows, just wasting pixels thinking out loud... ?