2025 Headliners

[Gnomicide]

There was an interesting article in The Guardian the other day about how festivals are having to book acts further in advance, leading them to taking more of a gamble on where the acts will be in the pu lic consciousness by the time the festival roles round.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jan/12/uk-festivals-face-really-tough-year-due-to-fewer-headline-acts-and-rising-costs?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

 

[gfa]

13 hours ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

They seem to have been bandied around as a potential shout for Pyramid sub or Other headliner. Don't think they'd play anywhere else given they're headlining TRNSMT, even if that comes with home advantage.

 

Think if they do, they'll get the Pyramid sub, but not sure.

Secret set was suggested on the stage predictions thread. interesting idea

 

13 hours ago, Suprefan said:

He jumps when single days get announced.

Howcome? Seems weird

 

1 hour ago, Andy0808 v5 said:

Glastonbury is clearly becoming a victim of its own size.. so many people are booked in a slot above where they would’ve been 10 years ago, sometimes even two slots. 
A lot of it down to costs and the climate following COVID. 
 

But it’s only going to get worse, in the next 10-15 years everyone is going to get their 15 minutes of TikTok fame and that is how people will discover artists and decide who the next big act is. It’s also why we’re getting shite like Sophie Ellis Bexter on the pyramid, anything with nostalgia or a viral undertone is an easy win with the youth. In 2035 we’ll be looking back and longing for these days, enjoy them 😢

I agree to some extent.

 

Some of their favourites do seem to get a big old push up the lineup - like Little Simz subbing last year. She was great but isn't in that kind of slot anywhere else.

 

Sophie Ellis Bextor is just fine - it was fun and was hardly taking up a big slot. She brought a decent crowd to the pyramid at a time when it would usually be pretty empty.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Better SEB and Rick Astley than a lot of the landfill that clogged up the Pyramid during the noughties.

[Spindles]

That's the thing.  If they are delivering acts that are drawing crowds who walk away having enjoyed 45-60 minutes of cheese then that's clearly what the punters want and it's not like there isn't plenty of room for 'serious' acts alongside them.  I've never bothered with any of the retro revival pop acts, I didn't listen to them when they were releasing music and I'll not walk across the farm to watch them now.

 

Simz is a great example of an artist who got a bump up and stuck the landing.  I seem to recall reading on here that there was a suggestion that her slot was part of Coldplay's agreement.  She was great, really polished performance I thought.

 

For all the criticism of Avril's placement last year, it was much more well organised than some of the West Holts and Avalon decisions of the past that were just plain silly.  

[CaledonianGonzo]

Early Pyramid acts this year included things like Olivia Dean, Femi Kuti, Arya Starr and Squeeze.  All good bookings.  Less said about Seasick Steve and Paloma Faith the better, but as noted it wasn't the Pyramid's strongest year. 

[Spindles]

I actually enjoyed Seasick Steve, come at me.

 

[CaledonianGonzo]

Bit of 2007-esque booking though

[philipsteak]

40 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Better SEB and Rick Astley than a lot of the landfill that clogged up the Pyramid during the noughties.

 

An but they all looked like they hadn't had a shower or a decent meal for a while so, you know, Rock n Roll, Proper Music etc etc

[Spindles]

It was, but his set had a lot of heart.  I recall I saw him in 2008 and have literally zero memory of even a second of that set, but in the blazing sun and with a relatively small crowd it was a decent 45 minutes for me.

[wro_lap]

All things considered I don't think Paloma Faith 5th down on the Pyramid at like 3pm is a terrible booking. Decent bit of nostalgia for an act who used to be much bigger. Pulled a decent crowd even if I wasn't *that* into it.

 

Seasick Steve however... beyond bizarre booking

[gfa]

41 minutes ago, Spindles said:

That's the thing.  If they are delivering acts that are drawing crowds who walk away having enjoyed 45-60 minutes of cheese then that's clearly what the punters want and it's not like there isn't plenty of room for 'serious' acts alongside them.  I've never bothered with any of the retro revival pop acts, I didn't listen to them when they were releasing music and I'll not walk across the farm to watch them now.

 

Simz is a great example of an artist who got a bump up and stuck the landing.  I seem to recall reading on here that there was a suggestion that her slot was part of Coldplay's agreement.  She was great, really polished performance I thought.

 

For all the criticism of Avril's placement last year, it was much more well organised than some of the West Holts and Avalon decisions of the past that were just plain silly.  

I think your bang on here honestly.

 

First paragraph - there's 4 other stages (+ a hundred more) that can book interesting stuff if people who want cheese or whatever are happy

 

Second paragraph - yeah she definitely did. Was fairly well attended too (maybe helped by being pre coldplay). Some don't do as well but she did great

 

Third paragraph - Avril was insanely busy but your right in that it was better organised. I doubt anyone felt nearly as unsafe there as Sugababes on WH. The Other field handled it well, like sure it was completely packed but it wasn't anywhere near as dense as Sugababes (i was near sound tower for both in a broadly similar spot). There's room for improvement but it was safe.

[Spindles]

Yeah.  I wandered down from the Park after Baxter Dury and would have been passing through around 20 minutes before Avril came on.  There was significant steward presence and traffic management on every route into the field, bins had been used to form barriers to control the crowd flow and there was clear planning in place to reduce or remove access to manage the expected massive crowd.

 

As it happened I was in 2 minds whether I'd be stopping for Avril or just passing by and the obvious huge crowd that was going to be filling the field wasn't for me, felt Janelle would be a better experience but ended up heading off to grab clothes, booze and some scran.

[henry bear]

You can’t always tell who’s going to pull an enormo-crowd. I left my tribe at the Other after Dropkick Murphy’s in 2017, and said I’d be back once Rag n Bone Man was finishing his set there (I just wanted to be anywhere else). It was beyond rammed, you couldn’t enter the field at all. For Rag n f**king Bone Man. 

[Crazyfool01]

1 minute ago, henry bear said:

You can’t always tell who’s going to pull an enormo-crowd. I left my tribe at the Other after Dropkick Murphy’s in 2017, and said I’d be back once Rag n Bone Man was finishing his set there (I just wanted to be anywhere else). It was beyond rammed, you couldn’t enter the field at all. For Rag n f**king Bone Man. 

probably between that an Avril for busiest ive ever seen that field .... a tractor was attempting to get along the path at the back of the field and getting nowhere ..and people were having to traverse the tents to attempt to get through 

[Blownimpression]

1 hour ago, wro_lap said:

All things considered I don't think Paloma Faith 5th down on the Pyramid at like 3pm is a terrible booking. Decent bit of nostalgia for an act who used to be much bigger. Pulled a decent crowd even if I wasn't *that* into it.

 

Seasick Steve however... beyond bizarre booking

What was wrong with Seasick Steve? I’m not a fan tbh, find him a bit boring, but it seemed to fit quite well: easy listening to start the day off. We happily sat through his set in the sun.

[Little Andy]

1 hour ago, gfa said:

Third paragraph - Avril was insanely busy but your right in that it was better organised. I doubt anyone felt nearly as unsafe there as Sugababes on WH. 

I took me, like, 20 minutes to leave the Avril crowd to the right, including being completely jam packed stuck for about 5 minutes near the food vans. I'd totally understand if some people felt unsafe over there.

[Spindles]

I've had reasonable success in predicting big crowds to be honest, which has both helped me with regards to arrival strategy or avoidance. 

 

Pop act in the afternoon not on a major stage, Up and coming artist booked lower than their current popularity, Legend slot that isn't ELO,  Meme acts,  Halfway decent act on Thursday when there's nothing much else on.  All of these are going to draw tens of thousands of people, often in areas that can't contain the capacity which leads to crappy situations getting in or out or just passing through and getting caught up in it.

[gfa]

1 hour ago, henry bear said:

You can’t always tell who’s going to pull an enormo-crowd. I left my tribe at the Other after Dropkick Murphy’s in 2017, and said I’d be back once Rag n Bone Man was finishing his set there (I just wanted to be anywhere else). It was beyond rammed, you couldn’t enter the field at all. For Rag n f**king Bone Man. 

I can't quite recall if the glasto act has it, but people favouriting acts surely gives a good idea?

 

Clashfinder definitely shows it - obviously not the festival's app but i'm sure they could cough up for a subscription if they wanted to analyse it

 

Rag n Bone one seems mad - but perhaps the data on clashfinder showed it was maybe obvious after all? I don't have premium to check

[Spindles]

1 hour ago, gfa said:

Rag n Bone one seems mad - but perhaps the data on clashfinder showed it was maybe obvious after all? I don't have premium to check

I'm fairly sure artists as diverse as George Ezra, Sam Fender and Madness have all drawn enormocrowds at the Pyramid of a sunny afternoon.  Sometimes it's just about the timing meaning they get way more attention than they otherwise would have, or in the case of Madness in 2009, half of glastonbury had nothing better on and used it as an excuse to hit the last of the supplies hard in the sun and see the last night off with a bang.

[Suprefan]

Another one for the Kids

[Ted89]

23 minutes ago, Spindles said:

I'm fairly sure artists as diverse as George Ezra, Sam Fender and Madness have all drawn enormocrowds at the Pyramid of a sunny afternoon.  Sometimes it's just about the timing meaning they get way more attention than they otherwise would have, or in the case of Madness in 2009, half of glastonbury had nothing better on and used it as an excuse to hit the last of the supplies hard in the sun and see the last night off with a bang.

Pyramid is a default stage for a lot of people when there’s nothing else they’re interested in I guess 

[Spindles]

Exactly, it has a greater chance of artist recognition among the casuals.

[Acid_Haze]

1 hour ago, Suprefan said:

Another one for the Kids

Car Seat Headrest?!?!?!

 

Also Tyla is popping up on a good few festival lineups this summer, starting to expect to see her at Glastonbury now.

[fullfathom5]

I’m shocked Hozier keeps getting these high billings (Reading & Leeds included). Remember watching him mid-afternoon in The John Peel Tent, I think just after Take Me To Church came out… not really aware of what he’s brought out since. Am I out of touch? No, it’s the kids that are wrong! 🤣

[CaledonianGonzo]

He had an absolutely enormous global hit last year.