Secret Sets. Best way to hear about them on site?

[sisco]

11 minutes ago, adequate8 said:

Yeh that’s the first time I’ve heard Glasto stepped in, good job too as it was busy enough an hour before (some there thought it’d be Harry Styles). 
 

i told those who DM’d me and hope they managed to get there/enjoy it!

I didn’t go in the end as I was seeing him at Victorious but I very much appreciated the tip off from you.  Top man

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

Most people don't even want to get rid of them completely, just have them on a decent relatively sized stage for their status.

 

[clarkete]

5 hours ago, MEGATRONICMEATWAGON said:

Most people don't even want to get rid of them completely, just have them on a decent relatively sized stage for their status.

 

True

[CaledonianGonzo]

That just makes them a 'set'.

 

[CaledonianGonzo]

12 hours ago, clarkete said:

Simple enough isn't it?

This place was inundated with some folks commenting on crowds in some places and times last year - including that some moving about didn't seem to have applied the sort of planning and consideration for others as some in this thread mentioned (I wasn't one BTW - my recollection is significantly worse before the fence) . 

Added to that - punters mobile comms are better than ever, crowding mentioned in council report and high profile crushing story in the news.  Their stewards in some places seemed less experienced last year and I wouldn't be confident they could manage a big act in JP or Park these days. 

Agree with the bit in bold.

It seemed the majority of the beef last year was about a contention point at the bottom of the Park after Calvin Harris on the Friday night - which was fixed by the time I was up there on the Saturday night and they'd installed a one way system.

That and people not having a great view of Wet Leg if they left it late to get there.

The actual secret sets - Jack White, George Ezra - seemed to go off peacefully enough.

 

[FloorFiller]

5 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

The actual secret sets - Jack White, George Ezra - seemed to go off peacefully enough.

 

I think both of those acts were just the right size of ‘too big for the stages they were playing but not so big that the entire festival was trying to go see them’, and the fact they were both confirmed before the sets started certainly helped too. I think there will still be these kinds of special (suppose ‘secret’ isn’t the right word now given the festival itself is announcing them) sets on both the Park and Woodsies going forward, but they’ll be similarly ‘big but not too big’ rather than actual huge headliners playing tiny tents.

IMO, as much as I like the Park, it’s a terrible stage for having secret sets or pre-announced acts clearly too big for it like Wet Leg last year. We all called it getting incredibly busy in the run up, especially when they were on early-ish with no real competition, and the whole layout of the field just isn’t made to accommodate humungous crowds what with you not even being able to see the stage from certain places or having the Stonebridge sound bleed when you’re up the hill. It all looks amazing when you see crowd shots, but the reality is it’s a bit crap if you don’t arrive mega early to claim your spot. 

[CaledonianGonzo]

Getting there in good time to grab your spot seems like a decent sacrifice to see a band you love playing a special set. If people aren't willing to do so and they wind up in a shit position then that's on them 

As an aside I saw Wet Leg on Friday night supporting Hazza and ooh boy they're not good.

Edited May 28, 2023 by CaledonianGonzo

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

40 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

That just makes them a 'set'.

 

Exactly. They're widely plastered on social media - sometimes days before. So, you're right, they're effectively just 'sets' anyway. Nothing secret about them. 

[CaledonianGonzo]

There's a clear difference between The Killers playing the JPT mid afternoon and them headlining El Pointo.

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

Aside from the size of the stage, and the feeling of exclusivity that some people desire, there's not much difference. The JPT obviously excluded tens of thousands of people who would've liked to have seen the Killers but couldn't because it became dangerous and they blocked the field. 

Edited May 28, 2023 by MEGATRONICMEATWAGON

[CaledonianGonzo]

People who couldn't be arsed to get there in decent time.

[FloorFiller]

Although it’s certainly a learning curve for a lot of first timers who think they can just waltz up to a TBA minutes before it begins and get a good view, anybody with any sense should know that you need to arrive at least during the act before if you have a chance of seeing a secret set, so yeah, hard to have too much sympathy for people who miss out because of this. I had to miss out on both Barry Gibb and Chic to see The Killers. It was a sucky decision to have to make, but that’s just how it goes.

[Crazyfool01]

i just wandered in to killers just as previous set ended …. Managed to get comfortably inside the tent , wasn’t inside the field before that set ended I don’t think 

[FloorFiller]

27 minutes ago, Crazyfool01 said:

i just wandered in to killers just as previous set ended …. Managed to get comfortably inside the tent , wasn’t inside the field before that set ended I don’t think 

You must’ve been lucky, or just a great crowd navigator. I got there during the previous set and only managed to get in to the tent because Frank Carter started that huge circle pit going from inside the tent to outside and I managed to latch on to that and work my way in from there. 

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

A lot of ppl can be arsed, they just don't like dealing with heaving crowds (last year bordering on dangerous according to several people) packed into fields that aren't designed to hold that many ppl, with soundsystems that aren't there for such big audiences.

The point of a secret set is that they're a secret. If they can't even get that part right, the rest is almost inconsequential tbh. They can retain their "secrecy" on a stage fit for their status. I honestly don't see why that can't happen, aside from my point earlier that ppl like the feeling of exclusivity.

Just like the big bands being available to everyone, instead of forcing ppl to sacrifice their afternoons, and creating this exclusive group within the festival as a whole.

Edited May 28, 2023 by MEGATRONICMEATWAGON

[FloorFiller]

13 minutes ago, MEGATRONICMEATWAGON said:

A lot of ppl can be arsed, they just don't like dealing with heaving crowds (last year bordering on dangerous according to several people) packed into fields that aren't designed to hold that many ppl, with soundsystems that aren't there for such big audiences.

The point of a secret set is that they're a secret. If they can't even get that part right, the rest is almost inconsequential tbh. They can retain their "secrecy" on a stage fit for their status. I honestly don't see why that can't happen, aside from my point earlier that ppl like the feeling of exclusivity.

Just like the big bands being available to everyone, instead of forcing ppl to sacrifice their afternoons, and creating this exclusive group within the festival as a whole.

I’m sure part of it is down to the bands themselves wanting to play much smaller venues than they’re accustomed to. A huge band playing to a small crowd like for what is probably the first time in years for a lot of them is a lot more appealing than ‘hey d’you want to play the Pyramid except instead of headlining it you’re gonna be like fifth down’ - where’s the fun in that for them?! 

I somewhat agree with you on the ‘secret’ element being pretty null and void these days, but alas that’s just due to the internet and social media meaning nothing can be secret anymore.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Yeah, I dont think there's anything wrong with a sense of exclusivity.  Or of something feeling special. If you get into NYC Downlow - because you made a fucking effort to get there - you feel lucky. If you get a ticket to see Blur do a warm up in a small venue it is exclusive - not everyone who wants to attend can also go.

Anyway, probably best not to conflate the traffic jams that occasionally happen at pinch points - where the Park and Arcadia exits converge for example - with large crowds attending secret sets. They're not the same thing.

[Crazyfool01]

57 minutes ago, FloorFiller said:

You must’ve been lucky, or just a great crowd navigator. I got there during the previous set and only managed to get in to the tent because Frank Carter started that huge circle pit going from inside the tent to outside and I managed to latch on to that and work my way in from there. 

Lucky plus being on my own makes things much easier 😀

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

11 minutes ago, FloorFiller said:

I’m sure part of it is down to the bands themselves wanting to play much smaller venues than they’re accustomed to. A huge band playing to a small crowd like for what is probably the first time in years for a lot of them is a lot more appealing than ‘hey d’you want to play the Pyramid except instead of headlining it you’re gonna be like fifth down’ - where’s the fun in that for them?! 

I somewhat agree with you on the ‘secret’ element being pretty null and void these days, but alas that’s just due to the internet and social media meaning nothing can be secret anymore.

Yeah, you're prob right, it's not that appealing for the act themselves. Unless it actually remained secret and they came out to a huge 'gasp' moment. Although probably one factor of it being well known is disappointment. If you're all expecting Bruce Springsteen to turn up and you get Guy Garvey and the lads instead, there could be a very negative vibe in the audience...

I wonder, have all SSs been in the JPT or Park these days? At least the big ones?

N.E.R.D did appear on the Pyramid in 2009, but I feel like that's over now.

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

The only "secret" set I've accidentally stumbled across without knowing about it was Gaga in 09. I don't recall the crowds being anything like the experiences from recent years, but I was actually inside the tent. But then, the means to communicate the event have drastically improved since then. I think because of that alone, they unfortunately need to be binned, in most cases. The only exceptions would be on the Pyramid, where the field could handle the influx of people. To be honest, if an act is going to play, just say they're playing! And maybe don't put them on too small a stage. The bookers will be well aware of the popularity, who they're up against, time of day, etc. The responsibility lies with the organisation to get it right.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Are you saying that the Gaga set you saw shouldnt have been allowed to happen? Cos it sounds like it was fine and you got to witness something special...?

[FloorFiller]

9 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Are you saying that the Gaga set you saw shouldnt have been allowed to happen? Cos it sounds like it was fine and you got to witness something special...?

More that it could never happen these days.

 

Tbh, I really don’t see the problem with them having massive acts in Woodsies. Sure, the secret will undoubtedly be out long before the act walks on stage, and a bunch of people are gonna miss out - boohoo - but those dedicated enough to get there early and possibly make sacrifices are rewarded, and the stage/surrounding area is easy to close off so no chance of any real overcrowding. Literally the ideal stage for it, and Glastonbury certainly isn’t the only festival to do that kind of thing - Reading have had acts like Green Day perform in similarly sized tents and go off without a hitch. 

[CaledonianGonzo]

Social media existed in 2009. My memory is getting a little shaky but I'm fairly sure the NME spilled on Gaga in Dada.

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

1 minute ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Are you saying that the Gaga set you saw shouldnt have been allowed to happen? Cos it sounds like it was fine and you got to witness something special...?

No, I'm saying that 2009 is very different to 2023 in that secret sets could arguably be kept secret a lot easier. This instance was fine because a relatively small number of people knew about it (fair enough Gaga was not the megastar she is now, but she was on the rise). Whether that particular set was a last minute decision and thus easier to keep under wraps, I don't know. But even at an hour's notice these days, with information almost immediately available to anyone with a phone, secret sets of this significance would be attended in much greater numbers, and with that comes potential safety issues. Particularly when they're held on small stages. 

It's a shame, because as you say, it was something special, but it's a consequence of improved communication. 

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

1 hour ago, Supernintendo Chalmers said:

No, I'm saying that 2009 is very different to 2023 in that secret sets could arguably be kept secret a lot easier. This instance was fine because a relatively small number of people knew about it (fair enough Gaga was not the megastar she is now, but she was on the rise). Whether that particular set was a last minute decision and thus easier to keep under wraps, I don't know. But even at an hour's notice these days, with information almost immediately available to anyone with a phone, secret sets of this significance would be attended in much greater numbers, and with that comes potential safety issues. Particularly when they're held on small stages. 

It's a shame, because as you say, it was something special, but it's a consequence of improved communication. 

Yeah, I see it the same. Social Media in 2009 was barely a thing. Today, it's people's first port of call, their main news and entertainment centre.

Jack White is a legend, there's no doubt about that, but he was going to be rammo beyond any doubt and he's not even headliner material.

Killers in JPT in 2017 was equally chocca and people don't care about turning up late and thinking they won't get in, they're just moths to the flame and they're gonna try regardless, which caused a lot of ppl being turned away, into more oncoming ppl.

Anyway, it seems it's a debate that will trundle on.