Best secret set of all time?

[Boilingtent]

Kae Tempest - West Holts 2017?

[elmalash]

The Hot Rats 2009 was a fun one 

[FloorFiller]

Thom and Jonny for me. First Glastonbury and at the height of my getting in to Radiohead phase so it was pretty special. 

The Killers I’m sure would’ve been up there too if I actually cared much about them, but I didn’t so despite the atmosphere being incredible in there, it was fine.

[gabe]

At Leeds, aged 18, I saw Them Crooked Vultures (Josh Homme, Dave Grohl, John Paul Jones supergroup). We had advance info of it and were at the front. They came on, said 'Hello, we're Michael Jackson' and launched straight into 'Elephants'. No one had heard anything by them at the time so seeing the three of them rock out was pretty thrilling at the time. Now think the album is fairly self indulgent and Josh Homme is a pr*ck but was definitely a special moment. 

Was also lucky enough to bunk into Arctic Monkeys at Morecambe Dome in advance of Favourite Worst Nightmare. One of the best gigs I've ever seen. 

 

Only seen Foals at Glasto, from a distance after Lizzo (I think?). Too far away to really get in the mood. Who do we think could be doing one this year? Harry Styles?! 

[Avalon_Fields]

Yeah, The Killers, we were close to the front having been in JP since King Gizzard, other than that it was seeing a headliner act - albeit only Mumford & Sons - in Strummerville with just a handful of people.

[FloorFiller]

Vampire Weekend at the last festival was pretty incredible as well tbf. Hit the White Russians early on so was in a pretty great mood and they’re the perfect type of band for an early doors Park set in the glorious sun, despite everybody else in my group foolishly not hitting the booze early on and so all feeling like absolute shit and hiding in any shade they could find.

[Neil]

2 minutes ago, gabe said:

 No one had heard anything by them at the time

 

thats not true, from what i can remember. the 'secret set' was no surprise because they'd been all over the radio for weeks.

 

2 minutes ago, gabe said:

 

so seeing the three of them rock out was pretty thrilling at the time. Now think the album is fairly self indulgent and Josh Homme is a pr*ck but was definitely a special moment. 

Was also lucky enough to bunk into Arctic Monkeys at Morecambe Dome in advance of Favourite Worst Nightmare. One of the best gigs I've ever seen. 

 

Only seen Foals at Glasto, from a distance after Lizzo (I think?). Too far away to really get in the mood. Who do we think could be doing one this year? Harry Styles?! 

 

[Matt42]

Libertines 2015 was a vibe

[sisco]

Killers in JP was unreal, the atmosphere was phenomenal

Vampire Weekend at The Park pushes it close, great songs, interaction and weather all played a massive park

Alt J in Williams Green Thursday night in I think 2013 makes my top 3 too (think it was secret)

 

 

[Somto Unigwe Raphael]

4 minutes ago, FloorFiller said:

Vampire Weekend at the last festival was pretty incredible as well tbf. Hit the White Russians early on so was in a pretty great mood and they’re the perfect type of band for an early doors Park set in the glorious sun, despite everybody else in my group foolishly not hitting the booze early on and so all feeling like absolute shit and hiding in any shade they could find.

Christ. Everyone I knew there was desperately trying to find water and dying in the crowd. Couldn’t think of owt worse than getting on the booze then.

Having said that, did have a good time at that set with my good mate @The Martini Police.

[gabe]

3 minutes ago, Neil said:

 

thats not true, from what i can remember. the 'secret set' was no surprise because they'd been all over the radio for weeks.

 

 

Yeah the tent was full so it was a pretty open secret! Quick Google shows it was their second ever UK gig after playing Brixton a couple of days previous and New Fang didn't come out until October that year but presumably that might have been the one song out in the ether. I certainly hadn't heard anything else by them though and at the time was a huge QOTSA fan...

[Tommy101]

Just been reminded of another highlight, Frank Turner at Strummerville in 2010 was pretty awesome, my first Glastonbury and definitely a bit part of me growing to love the festival

[incident]

42 minutes ago, Wanderlei said:

Definitely my favourite, although it wasn't very secret.

Nothing is ever secret - Pulp was as secret as anything else mentioned, and moreso than many mentioned in this thread which were in the programme and/or on the festival website ahead of time.

28 minutes ago, Simsy said:

Was there one year Franz Ferdinand did a secret set in the Park and they were handing out flyers cos they thought nobody would turn up? That must have been before everyone had smartphones and could check Twitter for secret sets 

Biffy Clyro did the same thing in I think 20110

[Neil]

8 minutes ago, gabe said:

Yeah the tent was full so it was a pretty open secret!

yeah it was, it was being talked about on here, days before the festival.

[discgoesmic]

Probably The 1975 at Williams Green for me, only because I've not managed to catch many secret sets.

I was always incredibly jealous that I missed the Mumford and Sons one when Gentleman of the Road had taken over a small stage for the day.

If we're going wider than Glastonbury, Green Day at Reading 2012 was absolutely legendary.

Edited March 25, 2022 by discgoesmic

[mazola]

Couldn't get anywhere near Thom & Jonny in the park which I'm gutted about.

I reckon Libertines was my favourite, was 95% sure whilst waiting for the reveal it was them through the posts on here during the day, but there was a 5% doubt after some random told me earlier in the day it was going to be The Blackeyed Peas.

It was like two celebrations in one when the banner dropped and it was the Libertines

[Sku]

I would have to be the third person in the thread to call out Green Day at Reading in 2012. Sorry, sorry, I know it isn't Glastonbury.

It was unbelievably good: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/green-day/2012/little-johns-farm-reading-england-53c8b7cd.html

Because it took place before the arena was even due to be open for the morning, it meant there was a constant flood of people streaming in late, which just created this crazy/buzzing atmosphere.

[kaytee...]

Think The Killers was the only one I've seen but I was front and centre for that and the crowd was incredible. Best set of the weekend that year I think

[Wanderlei]

44 minutes ago, incident said:

Nothing is ever secret - Pulp was as secret as anything else mentioned, and moreso than many mentioned in this thread which were in the programme and/or on the festival website ahead of time.

I suppose it depends what info is around your sphere at the time, but Pulp seemed particularly obvious. There are other secret sets that have surprised me, but Pulp definitely wasn't one of them. They were the best though.

[gigpusher]

1 hour ago, Boilingtent said:

Kae Tempest - West Holts 2017?

That wasn't a secret set. I'm pretty sure they were on the line up. It was an incredible set though. 

[BluePaul]

Was The Last Shadow Puppets set in The Park in 2008 a secret set or was it scheduled?  Either way it was pretty good - Jack White guesting.

Also another couple of votes for Pulp and Hot Rats.

[WestCountryGirl]

Of those that I've seen, The Killers. Just a phenomenal set of tunes, the atmosphere was great, and we actually were int he tent with a view of the band.

Even though I wasn't *at the festival, I got fully swept up in the Pulp at the Park excitement as I had friends there who were messaging back and forth and seeing it all over the web. Loved watching it when I got the chance.

Edited March 25, 2022 by WestCountryGirl

[oakdown]

Wish I could have enjoyed that Killers set more than I did - was supremely hungover and spent all my energy in the pit for Frank Carter. Between the stress of thinking I'd lost my Oxfam lanyard during Devil Inside Me, the heat, and the press of people towards the front of the tent, I spent the whole thing feeling a bit shit. 

Mr Brightside went off though. As others have said, the atmosphere was immense. 

[Boomtowner]

2 hours ago, Sawdusty surfer said:

Madness in Lost Vagueness Big Top. 

The band clearly loved it and the crowd went absolutely mental! 

This is definitely mine, capped off my best evening ever at Glastonbury, despite the awful sticky mud. Fantastic memories

[Fishman]

3 minutes ago, Boomtowner said:

This is definitely mine, capped off my best evening ever at Glastonbury, despite the awful sticky mud. Fantastic memories

Aye ... wasn't this then followed by Fat Boy Slim dressed as a Bumblebee?