Strength of line up

[stanh]

15 minutes ago, bennyhana22 said:

If it's your first time, your concern about the strength of the line-up is about to evaporate into nothingness.

It. Will. Blow. Your. Mind.

Ben

Couldn't agree more.

Pleasantly pleased with the lineup, nightlife this year (Silver Hayes in particular) is very strong across the board, despite the lack of some larger commercial names in a good chunk of what's been announced so far, really recommend getting to know some of the names on the lineup, some real gems in there. Already expecting a clash nightmare, Friday in particular. 

[Pipine]

I think it’s a pretty standard year from my perspective - a few must sees, a decent amount of other acts I’d go see and some I need to research.  It just suffers from being compared to last years insanely good line up. 

Everyone was on tour post covid, so many of my favourite artists played, the best line up for as long as I can remember .. that was never going to happen two years in a row.

I didn’t see as much of the non music stuff last year as I was so intent on catching acts I was wanted to see.. this year is back to business as usual.. more wandering, more randomness, more fun 🤩 

[BambooShanks]

Overall I'm happy with the line up. It's looking like there'll be something I want to watch each day and if there isn't anyone that immediately jumps out at me, that just leaves me free to discover an act that I'll (hopefully) enjoy.

That said, it does feel a little weaker than previous years.  The Cost of Living has had an effect, last years was pretty damn solid and we are running out of big/massive names who are yet to play so are repeating a few headliners.

I think a lot of it (for me anyway), is that I don't consume and keep up with  new music with the same level of enthusiasm as  I did when I was younger.  Whereas before I'd be more familiar with the lesser known / newer artists on the line up so when see their names on the line up, there's even more excitement, while these days I find them through the spotify playlists after the fact.

That and I'm getting older, I've had the immense privilege to go to Glastonbury so many times that I've become a little jaded to it.

 

Sometimes a weaker looking line up looks amazing in retrospect, sometimes the opposite is true. Either way, as long as you have a whale of a time, it doesn't matter too much, doesn't it?

 

[p.pete]

Lots to unpack - sounds like they are definitely spending less money, they are cutting areas and trying to move crowds about to different parts of the site on different days.  Loads I want to see, but some of that includes bands that others have seen loads already and I've not gotten round to yet - e.g. AltJ & Hot Chip - and still a great chance I won't see them again.  So I definitely get that some of the lineup probably looks underwhelming.

Avalon - initial reaction was, that's a very Avalon lineup, but the more you looked at it the more there were some gems in there

WH - weak headliners maybe, but loads of great stuff mid to lower

SH & Shangri La - Apologies for lumping these together, my knowledge of both is zero and my perception of response to lineup is that they are above average

Park - I'm looking at it thinking I'm going to End of the Road festival in a few months and Park has one of it's headliners just in the middle of the day - maybe not vintage or stacked overall but not terrible

Woodsies - maybe above average?

Pyramid headliners - been discussed to death, but definitely been worse years

Given the assumed budget cuts I think they've probably done an amazing job

[glimmers_of_hope]

I think it is another fantastic year whatever way you cut it. 

You aren't going to please all the people all the time. 

If the festival had pulp, blur, the strokes,  yeah yeah yeahs it would not make it any better, they are all very indie-centric acts.  You'll please some people, it'll turn a others off... plus It isn't really that type of festival. There is a place for those acts on the farm but you really need the Lizzo's, Wiz Kids, Lil Nas x's to keep it fresh and relevant. 

Wrote loads and then deleted it to keep positive. I think most festival organisers would give their right arm for a lineup as packed with quality as this. 

[JA_Watts]

7 minutes ago, BambooShanks said:

Sometimes a weaker looking line up looks amazing in retrospect, sometimes the opposite is true. Either way, as long as you have a whale of a time, it doesn't matter too much, doesn't it?

 

This is so true.

Personally, if I see one truly 10/10 (or as close to) set at Glastonbury I'm content for the rest of the weekend. The good thing about GF is the odds are always in your favour. 

Edited May 18, 2023 by JA_Watts

[Peter_Quaife]

For me the lineup is very very good, not great, and that's more than enough. Will definitely be trying to catch all 3 headliners. TBH, catching anything at all Sat / Sun will be seen as a bonus. A serious smattering of bands across all stages that I'm really looking forward to seeing. Viagra Boys from the Park is another added to a growing list, they are right up there, hard to beat, one band that will really get the blood flowing. Add in a couple of my favourite bands, The War on Drugs and the Manics, the likes of Phil Hartnoll hidden in the small print. Acoustic Stage lineup to be announced too....cannot wait ! 

 

[Skip997]

1 minute ago, glimmers_of_hope said:

If the festival had pulp, blur, the strokes,  yeah yeah yeahs it would not make it any better, they are all very indie-centric acts.  You'll please some people, it'll turn a others off... plus It isn't really that type of festival. There is a place for those acts on the farm but you really need the Lizzo's, Wiz Kids, Lil Nas x's to keep it fresh and relevant. 
 

This is spot on.

Esp the bit I've bolded,

It seems a lot of folks may want to consider which festival they really want to be at.

[BambooShanks]

2 minutes ago, JA_Watts said:

Personally, if I see one truly 10/10 (or as close to) set at Glastonbury I'm content for the rest of the weekend. The odds are always good when there's so many acts. 

Exactly and this year will be no different

[dmedxb]

One thing I do think is that it seems well balanced. No obvious stage mistakes like Wet Leg last year. There will always be some super busy things going on but sort of feels like people will be well spread around the site this year. 

[FloorFiller]

Was it the lineup release Guardian interview where Emily literally said (in so many words) they wouldn’t be able to book a lineup  as strong as 2022 again? I think they made a real special effort to ensure 2020, and then 2022, had huge across the board what with it being the 50th and then first festival back post-COVID, and now they’ve been hit a little in the pocket and had to scale back a little bit. I think the lineup is still ace and I’m so fucking gutted to not be going, but I certainly get why people are disappointed at certain aspects or why people might think it’s a bit less special than past lineups - a lot of standard U.K./European festival fodder taking up prominent slots and maybe even some acts taking big slots who would usually be one or two places lower.

edit: but then I also must add that there are a couple of acts in Woodsies who are taking lower slots than I/we expected. They’re not to my liking, but Editors were supposed to headline it in 2020 and Courteeners could easily have a high Other slot, so I suppose for some those kinds of bookings are pretty special. 

Edited May 18, 2023 by FloorFiller

[jonnyisRFC]

Absolutely gutted I couldn’t get a ticket this year, first one I’ve missed since I started going in 2014. The only thing that is slightly softening the blow is that as it stands, there’s not a lot at all on the line up for me. I’m sure that will change when the full line up is out though! 
As most people know, Glastonbury is much more than the lineup anyway. 

[Wooderson]

I thought there'd be incredibly tough days watching these stage announcements given ive no ticket for this year, but there hasnt been.

[incident]

It's fine. Versus the last 10 or so - there's been stronger, there's been weaker.

It's bang average basically.

[Skip997]

Still struggling to see how it is, apparently, so much worse than last year. Admittedly the Pyramid headliners were better last year, but beyond that - "same, same, but different".

[Dan :D]

Fairly average across the board however it feels like it’s only a few names being added from changing all that for example if Queens of The Stone Age and Pulp being slotting in somewhere it changes the complexion 

[Sasperella2]

1 hour ago, bigbilly said:

Firstly this is not a complaint about the line up. 

Just seems to me some budget has been cut on the acts this year accross the board. Line ups dont seem that strong a few down from the headliners. 

However some areas may have improved in general. I.e woodsies silver hayes etc so not discounting that sone areas have been revamped. 

 

Anyone else agree / disagree

I think its subjective tbh. One of my mates is convinced this is the best lineup he's seen in years, and is gutted he didnt get a ticket. I think just one act you love appearing can change how you view the whole line up (2017 Radiohead for me - see @CaledonianGonzo's post above for point on subjectivity). 

Personally, its not blowing my mind currently, but I know there will be enough music I enjoy to fill almost four straight days. And an addition of either Pulp or QoTSA would push it into one for the ages (and with it, a clash nightmare) 

[hannahlmoore]

2017 was a very poor line up for me yet my favourite ever Glastonbury. Don't think I had to endure Pyramid once. So I'm mega excited regardless of the fact that the line up isn't exactly rocking my world! (Except Fred Again of course.....)

[Crazyfool01]

For me personally it’s one of the weaker ones …. That said I’ve got 3 headliners . And bloody Elton John … lower down I’m struggling a bit . My music taste is more mainstream . So yeah pyramid stuff so I’m hoping for a few more there . But I don’t give 2 shits I’m gonna be on the farm and exploring this year more than ever and I’m going to tick off a park headliner and a jp one too , which will both be firsts for me 

[MEGABOWL]

Seems pretty much indiscernible from previous years line ups to me. Looks weak lower down at first but the more I listen to acts I haven’t heard I find more and more. Of the 6 people In going with 3 think it’s brilliant and the other two are happy with it.

[fightoffyour]

49 minutes ago, Twiggy553 said:

Oh god but then LCD went and did that shockingly boring headline set in 2016. Absolure snoozecore, so much promise and such a let down

Well, if you didn't enjoy possibly the greatest set in the history of the festival then you will be hard to please.

[Essex_George]

It's a shit line-up, but I'm  not going this year so I would say that!

[mufcok]

I'd probably say not as strong as a lot of the other years I've been (so far), but that doesn't bother me tbh. One of my favourite bands headlining and a handful of others I'm excited about. I welcome the time to explore, and possibly even get in the South-East corner early one night; because the last time I did that, it was amazing.

A friend who is going for the first time this year messaged me earlier asking if I had any rumours because there isn't much he wants to see - I said trust me, that be the least of your worries when you get there. You're about to be amazed.

[Claire0406]

Joy of difference 

for me I thought last year was pretty poor, whereas this year I’m dreading the final poster and timings as I could already listed about 20-25 acts I want to see and still looking forward to glade and block 9 posters. 
 

You win some you lose some 

[goonerben]

38 minutes ago, Dan :D said:

Fairly average across the board however it feels like it’s only a few names being added from changing all that for example if Queens of The Stone Age and Pulp being slotting in somewhere it changes the complexion 

Completely agree with this - and at least some of it will happen.

Looking at the original poster, and taking off what's already been announced for elsewhere, there are 27 acts left that are presumably on the Pyramid or Other.  Which means there are about another 20 to be announced for those 2 stages.  Plenty of delights to come!