2024 Headliners

[Guest]

1 minute ago, northernangel said:

 

Yes. I think Doja, Pulp, Olivia, The Chems, The National and The Prodigy could make up the subs and Other. I'd have The National against Coldplay myself as I have interest in one only.

Olivia won't be one of them but the rest seem like reasonable guesses, although I wouldn't be surprised if a couple were different.

[wro_lap]

8 hours ago, Nobody Interesting said:

The number of young people watching, and loving, Elton I think puts this argument to bed.

At discos/parties/pubs when Madonna is played it gets the whole room going, young and old.
 

Hard agree. McCartney too, I was surrounded by a variety of ages down the front. It was ace.

[Superscally]

20 hours ago, Wooderson said:

Trying to think who could have triumphed in those conditions... honestly I don't think any of the celebrated appearances would have been capable. It was a mess.

Definitely wasn't a mess. For everyone who was on a downer about it, there were loads who loved it. It wasn't an all timer, but rhis Guardian review is about right. 

I think if you were at the back getting pissed on you might have been more down, but at the front, where I didn't even feel the rain, it was bouncing. Only disappointment for me was the odd choice of last song. 

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/25/u2-glastonbury-2011-review

[Gnomicide]

30 minutes ago, Superscally said:

Definitely wasn't a mess. For everyone who was on a downer about it, there were loads who loved it. It wasn't an all timer, but rhis Guardian review is about right. 

I think if you were at the back getting pissed on you might have been more down, but at the front, where I didn't even feel the rain, it was bouncing. Only disappointment for me was the odd choice of last song. 

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/25/u2-glastonbury-2011-review

Didn't feel the rain? What are you, a dolphin?

[Wooderson]

1 hour ago, Superscally said:

Definitely wasn't a mess. For everyone who was on a downer about it, there were loads who loved it. It wasn't an all timer, but rhis Guardian review is about right. 

I think if you were at the back getting pissed on you might have been more down, but at the front, where I didn't even feel the rain, it was bouncing. Only disappointment for me was the odd choice of last song. 

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/25/u2-glastonbury-2011-review

Was twenty people back from pit barrier. During "One" two kids in front of me had a fight with two lit waxflares.

[incident]

3 hours ago, Glasto96 said:

I love Elton and was there myself so I understand completely. I just don’t think Madonna has that same appeal but maybe that is just me. 

Sure, but that's not a useful measuring stick.

I mean realistically, I don't think there's anyone at all who has the same near universal appeal as Elton. The Rolling Stones probably come closest, but they've been there, done that, and probably won't be back for a second go around.

Of the acts that are still around and have never played the Festival (yet), I think it's reasonable to say Madonna is one that comes closest. Even Taylor Swift selling out insane numbers of tickets with demand that she could sell far more would still be more divisive at the festival.

[incident]

1 hour ago, Superscally said:

Definitely wasn't a mess. For everyone who was on a downer about it, there were loads who loved it. It wasn't an all timer, but rhis Guardian review is about right. 

I think if you were at the back getting pissed on you might have been more down, but at the front, where I didn't even feel the rain, it was bouncing. Only disappointment for me was the odd choice of last song. 

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/25/u2-glastonbury-2011-review

Don't see the complaints about Moment of Surrender as the closer tbh. It only came across as a damb squib because everyone was wet.

Sure it's not their most well known, but it's (by a country mile) the best song on their then current album, and for my taste remains the last great song they've produced. I saw the show a couple times on the previous European leg (in Sheffield and Dublin), and it worked a treat to send people home happy - albeit those shows had perfect weather.

[charlierc]

2 minutes ago, incident said:

Don't see the complaints about Moment of Surrender as the closer tbh. It only came across as a damb squib because everyone was wet.

Sure it's not their most well known, but it's (by a country mile) the best song on their then current album, and for my taste remains the last great song they've produced. I saw the show a couple times on the previous European leg (in Sheffield and Dublin), and it worked a treat to send people home happy - albeit those shows had perfect weather.

They played early single Out of Control as the very last song after Moment of Surrender. Both odd choices tbf, mind - a super-long song from an album that people had moved on from, and then their first ever single that it's likely a fair few would've gone "... huh?" at.

[incident]

1 minute ago, charlierc said:

They played early single Out of Control as the very last song after Moment of Surrender. Both odd choices tbf, mind - a super-long song from an album that people had moved on from, and then their first ever single that it's likely a fair few would've gone "... huh?" at.

Ah, fair enough, totally forgot about OOC.

Yeah, that's a poor choice. Should have stuck with Moment.

[charlierc]

2 hours ago, MEGABOWL said:

Ah so they tried to integrate it a bit. But yeah, crazy. I’d have thought they’d have known better.

Indeed - first 4 songs were the same as other shows on that leg (which I would've been happy with as I love Achtung Baby, if not enough to spend stupid money to go to Vegas).

But yeah. If it was just between other places in Europe, it would've been fine, but Baltimore to Glastonbury is a f**king long commute.

[charlierc]

Just now, incident said:

Ah, fair enough, totally forgot about OOC.

Yeah, that's a poor choice. Should have stuck with Moment.

I think the "one more singalong" then play With or Without You would've been the better choice, as opposed to the actual use of it as the encore opener.

Saying that when I saw U2 at London O2 in 2015, they had that with One as a final song to say bye-bye but where Bono just left it for the crowd to sing and it kinda all nearly fell apart. So... doesn't always work.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Aye. They got the setlist wrong. The first half was far better than the finale. And that's on them, not the weather.

[FloopFiller]

20 minutes ago, incident said:

Don't see the complaints about Moment of Surrender as the closer tbh. It only came across as a damb squib because everyone was wet.

Sure it's not their most well known, but it's (by a country mile) the best song on their then current album, and for my taste remains the last great song they've produced. I saw the show a couple times on the previous European leg (in Sheffield and Dublin), and it worked a treat to send people home happy - albeit those shows had perfect weather.

Surely you understand that a festival crowd is completely different from a stadium full of diehard fans though? U2 have a tendency to finish their shows with a new song and that’s fine when playing to a crowd of people who’ve probably listened to your new album over and over, but at a festival (nearly) ending your show with a long atmospheric song from your latest album that bombed probably isn’t the best move. I mean, they can do whatever they want, but if trying to keep the crowds attention then they went about it the wrong way. That song’s fine, good even, but festival friendly crowd pleaser it ain’t. 

Edited December 10, 2023 by FloopFiller

[gigpusher]

4 hours ago, Glasto96 said:

I love Elton and was there myself so I understand completely. I just don’t think Madonna has that same appeal but maybe that is just me. 

It won’t be just you there are always a few anomalies but Madonna is a massive act. She might be a gap in your knowledge or just doesn’t float your boat but she is definitely one of the few great names left that’s yet to grace that stage. To get her will be a massive coup for the festival and once the Beeb have hyped the f**k out of it even people who don’t like her will want to be there for fear of missing out. 

[incident]

19 minutes ago, FloopFiller said:

Surely you understand that a festival crowd is completely different from a stadium full of diehard fans though? U2 have a tendency to finish their shows with a new song and that’s fine when playing to a crowd of people who’ve probably listened to your new album over and over, but at a festival (nearly) ending your show with a long atmospheric song from your latest album that bombed probably isn’t the best move. I mean, they can do whatever they want, but if trying to keep the crowds attention then they went about it the wrong way. That song’s fine, good even, but festival friendly crowd pleaser it ain’t. 

Honestly think it would have gone over just fine, on a dry day with a clear sky. Yes, the audience is different but the principle still stands - What came before would have brought the crowd up (far moreso than it did, in the circumstances), and then Moment would have been a gentle landing.

[Wooderson]

1 hour ago, incident said:

Don't see the complaints about Moment of Surrender as the closer tbh. It only came across as a damb squib because everyone was wet.

Sure it's not their most well known, but it's (by a country mile) the best song on their then current album, and for my taste remains the last great song they've produced. I saw the show a couple times on the previous European leg (in Sheffield and Dublin), and it worked a treat to send people home happy - albeit those shows had perfect weather.

MoS is a hymn. Gorgeous stuff absolutely adore it. You might be right that it's their last great song.

[On The Blend]

1 hour ago, incident said:

Sure, but that's not a useful measuring stick.

I mean realistically, I don't think there's anyone at all who has the same near universal appeal as Elton. The Rolling Stones probably come closest, but they've been there, done that, and probably won't be back for a second go around.

Of the acts that are still around and have never played the Festival (yet), I think it's reasonable to say Madonna is one that comes closest. Even Taylor Swift selling out insane numbers of tickets with demand that she could sell far more would still be more divisive at the festival.

Honestly don’t think there’s a single non-reunion act possible that would be a bigger booking than Taylor. 
 

Right now Madonna has the most punch as a last chance for the fest but in terms of crowd size I’d put my money on Taylor. 

[incident]

1 minute ago, On The Blend said:

Honestly don’t think there’s a single non-reunion act possible that would be a bigger booking than Taylor. 
 

Right now Madonna has the most punch as a last chance for the fest but in terms of crowd size I’d put my money on Taylor. 

Obviously there'd be a huge number of people that'd want to see Taylor, and the crowd would be massive. But I think (and the distinction I was trying to make there) is that there's still also a large (albeit decreasing) number who still incorrectly see her as being for teenage girls and wouldn't consider being there.

Whereas Madonna is probably past that point, with even non-fans prepared to go along for curiosity value, and so she would get a larger but overall less excited crowd - if that makes sense.

[Superscally]

1 hour ago, incident said:

Don't see the complaints about Moment of Surrender as the closer tbh. It only came across as a damb squib because everyone was wet.

Sure it's not their most well known, but it's (by a country mile) the best song on their then current album, and for my taste remains the last great song they've produced. I saw the show a couple times on the previous European leg (in Sheffield and Dublin), and it worked a treat to send people home happy - albeit those shows had perfect weather.

They finished with Out of Control...

[Superscally]

2 hours ago, Gnomicide said:

Didn't feel the rain? What are you, a dolphin?

I had a hat on. Was packed in! Bouncy bouncy singy singy

[Hugh Jass II]

Madonna is one of, if not the, biggest female acts of all time. She's a global icon and I'm willing to bet you'd be hard pushed to find someone who couldn't at least name Vogue or Like A Virgin.

She'd do massive numbers of the Pyramid, not quite Reg level (I don't think anyone ever will) but same level as a Macca. You'll have fans who have known her stuff for years, casuals who know the big hits, people going along because she's massive, people anticipating a car crash...

Edited December 11, 2023 by Hugh Jass II

[stuie]

53 minutes ago, Hugh Jass II said:

She'd do massive numbers of the Pyramid, not quite Reg level (I don't think anyone ever will) but same level as a Macca. You'll have fans who have known her stuff for years, casuals who know the big hits, people going along because she's massive, people anticipating a car crash...

And all the gays!  She's been a true gay icon for longer than most people have even been gay! 

A proper one too, not just for the sales.

 

[Hugh Jass II]

2 minutes ago, stuie said:

And all the gays!  She's been a true gay icon for longer than most people have even been gay! 

A proper one too, not just for the sales.

 

Yeah the crowd at the O2 was very gay.

[Hugh Jass II]

Bumped into our CFO there who was in full "bear mode", which was pretty funny.

[Dark Star]

15 hours ago, charlierc said:

I think the "one more singalong" then play With or Without You would've been the better choice, as opposed to the actual use of it as the encore opener.

Saying that when I saw U2 at London O2 in 2015, they had that with One as a final song to say bye-bye but where Bono just left it for the crowd to sing and it kinda all nearly fell apart. So... doesn't always work.

Yeah, had the same experience with One at the o2 show I saw (30 Oct), in fact, the whole encore was pretty anti-climactic (City Of Blinding Lights, Beautiful Day and One). At Amsterdam, in 2017, One was the queue to start making my way back through the crowd to the top of the steps out, glad I waited as they finished on I Will Follow.  

Moment Of Surrender at Glasto could have been good, it worked well after Ultraviolet and With Or Without You during 360. I wonder if they skipped something that was planned? They clearly realised they had more time than was expected, hence Out Of Control, which was cool but nobody knew it. 

Edited December 11, 2023 by Dark Star