2025 Headliners

[Skip997]

The suggestions get more mad/desperate by the day. None of the Strokes, George Ezra or KOL should be anywhere near headlining 

[Superscally]

23 minutes ago, northernangel said:

Yeah I gotta agree with NorthernSoul here, The Strokes are far past being considered a Glastonbury headliner and I also think George Ezra is a struggle for one too. I like him and would be disappointed that they needed to stretch to him. The 1975 who I'm not that bothered about are a bigger deal now than all of KOL, George Ezra and The Strokes.

I'd hate George Ezra to headline, but he's one big album away from real danger. Strokes would have people way more excited than 1975, regardless of zeitgeist, as would KoL. They'd both pull bigger crowds, or at least as big. Certainly bigger than GnR.

[Superscally]

21 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

The suggestions get more mad/desperate by the day. None of the Strokes, George Ezra or KOL should be anywhere near headlining 

They weren't being suggested, it was me stating that Lytham gets big bands. If one of them was picked there wouldn't be any more uproar than the 1975 though and all three would equal or beat their crowd.

[Skip997]

1 minute ago, Superscally said:

They weren't being suggested, it was me stating that Lytham gets big bands. If one of them was picked there wouldn't be any more uproar than the 1975 though and all three would equal or beat their crowd.

Maybe, but the 1975 is also a dreadful choice. 

[northernangel]

4 minutes ago, Superscally said:

I'd hate George Ezra to headline, but he's one big album away from real danger. Strokes would have people way more excited than 1975, regardless of zeitgeist, as would KoL. They'd both pull bigger crowds, or at least as big. Certainly bigger than GnR.

I think you're wrong myself but that's me. When The Strokes did APE which I wish I went to and BST, tickets were so easy to get tickets for and BST was 10 years ago. If The Strokes were such a big deal here then they wouldn't have cut down to APE 3 years back, 7 years after the BST show. I think The 1975 would outsell all 3 mentioned at their own events easily and I don't even like them really while I'd watch all the other 3. I can't judge on Glastonbury as some acts can a strange reception so we'll see this year.

[TheFieryFurnace18]

I feel like KOL are similar to The Killers circa 2017..selling out arenas and headling festivals but no chance of headlining Glasto. But then came the 2017 secret set and before you know it, with a bit of luck, headlining 2019. 

[Superscally]

12 minutes ago, northernangel said:

I think you're wrong myself but that's me. When The Strokes did APE which I wish I went to and BST, tickets were so easy to get tickets for and BST was 10 years ago. If The Strokes were such a big deal here then they wouldn't have cut down to APE 3 years back, 7 years after the BST show. I think The 1975 would outsell all 3 mentioned at their own events easily and I don't even like them really while I'd watch all the other 3. I can't judge on Glastonbury as some acts can a strange reception so we'll see this year.

I get your point, but we all know that APE/lido/BST etc sales don't correlate and both the Strokes and KoL, plus, sadly gorgeous George will get loads of people on site and non-regular gig going people saying:

"They'll be decent. I'll prob do them" in more number than the 1975 will pull. Again, yeah opinion, but that's generally how the Glasto beast behaves. Avril being the classic example. People, at the end of the day at Glasto wanna Sex on Fire their little hearts out. 1975 don't have that. A wee boogie for the majority, mad fans singing every word in low number, probably outnumbered by people who are fairly nonplussed. I hope this doesn't happen by the way and am going to see em with positive intentions...

[northernangel]

1 hour ago, Superscally said:

I get your point, but we all know that APE/lido/BST etc sales don't correlate and both the Strokes and KoL, plus, sadly gorgeous George will get loads of people on site and non-regular gig going people saying:

"They'll be decent. I'll prob do them" in more number than the 1975 will pull. Again, yeah opinion, but that's generally how the Glasto beast behaves. Avril being the classic example. People, at the end of the day at Glasto wanna Sex on Fire their little hearts out. 1975 don't have that. A wee boogie for the majority, mad fans singing every word in low number, probably outnumbered by people who are fairly nonplussed. I hope this doesn't happen by the way and am going to see em with positive intentions...

 

Yes. The difference of Glastonbury and the gigs is that the other gigs is where where you see the dedicated fanbases. Based on size, The 1975 would outsell all of them with ease IMO. Based on Glastonbury, it's very hard to tell. I think Avril done better that anyone was ever expecting, but the crowd that Glastonbury attracts now compared to 4/5 years ago might not have been the same. The artist and booking shift is reflective so different parts are relative.

[mufcok]

The Strokes/Glastonbury thing kills me. Would love to see it. Then again, I'd love to see them play a handful of normal UK tour dates, rather than the smattering of random summer dates here and there. Lytham was good though.

Edited March 22, 2025 by mufcok

[Dg_vic]

22 hours ago, mufcok said:

The Strokes/Glastonbury thing kills me. Would love to see it. Then again, I'd love to see them play a handful of normal UK tour dates, rather than the smattering of random summer dates here and there. Lytham was good though.

There are three reasons that the strokes will likely never play Glastonbury

 

1. money 

2. the history with letting the festival down early 2000s by pulling out last minute from extravaganza performance 

3. money. 
 

 

[Superscally]

1 hour ago, Dg_vic said:

There are three reasons that the strokes will likely never play Glastonbury

 

1. money 

2. the history with letting the festival down early 2000s by pulling out last minute from extravaganza performance 

3. money. 
 

 

Sadly this. Certainly at the moment. Plus 4 - Julian's odd relationship with the band. 

[CaledonianGonzo]

Frankly, they're not a good enough live act to justify their asking price.  Even if Emily could afford their fee she's probably long realised its a pretty poor return on the investment.

[northernangel]

On 22/03/2025 at 07:52, mufcok said:

The Strokes/Glastonbury thing kills me. Would love to see it. Then again, I'd love to see them play a handful of normal UK tour dates, rather than the smattering of random summer dates here and there. Lytham was good though.

 

42 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Frankly, they're not a good enough live act to justify their asking price.  Even if Emily could afford their fee she's probably long realised its a pretty poor return on the investment.

I last saw them in 2011 and it wasn't great. I reckon I'll probably go if they play again but I'll certainly wait for cheaper tickets which I think will be achievable. Without looking back, I think there was a reason I couldn't make the APE date.

Edited March 23, 2025 by northernangel

[AlanFish23]

2 hours ago, Dg_vic said:

There are three reasons that the strokes will likely never play Glastonbury

 

1. money 

2. the history with letting the festival down early 2000s by pulling out last minute from extravaganza performance 

3. money. 
 

 

Surely The Stroke aren't that expensive. Hardly like they are a big group these days. 20 years ago they were sure but not in 2025?

[NorthernSoul52]

The Strokes do charge a chunk. Lytham has been able to nab some big names in part because LN foots the bill there as a boutique offering - though it usually correlates to a few smaller names also in the mix as a result.

 

Kings of Leon are possibly in that bracket with The Killers, I will concur. Victorious too, as a festival, is arguably approaching the level of draw that means you might consider it among the bigger pulls on the circuit too.

 

But yes, a KOL secret set this year - if as successful as it could be - might pave the way for them to be conversational options for 2027. I won't deny that.

 

Ezra is in a weird bracket. Plenty of big singalong tunes, and he seems a nice enough bloke, but his material has just never quite screamed "headliner", and that is possibly his hindrance.

[Stokesy10]

34 minutes ago, AlanFish23 said:

Surely The Stroke aren't that expensive. Hardly like they are a big group these days. 20 years ago they were sure but not in 2025?

I'd say if they did a few stadiums in the UK they'd fill them with absolute ease.

 

 

[Stokesy10]

On 22/03/2025 at 07:52, mufcok said:

The Strokes/Glastonbury thing kills me. Would love to see it. Then again, I'd love to see them play a handful of normal UK tour dates, rather than the smattering of random summer dates here and there. Lytham was good though.

Same. It's criminal how they (and Green Day) haven't headlined the festival. It'd be incredible.

[northernangel]

1 hour ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

The Strokes do charge a chunk. Lytham has been able to nab some big names in part because LN foots the bill there as a boutique offering - though it usually correlates to a few smaller names also in the mix as a result.

 

Kings of Leon are possibly in that bracket with The Killers, I will concur. Victorious too, as a festival, is arguably approaching the level of draw that means you might consider it among the bigger pulls on the circuit too.

 

But yes, a KOL secret set this year - if as successful as it could be - might pave the way for them to be conversational options for 2027. I won't deny that.

 

Ezra is in a weird bracket. Plenty of big singalong tunes, and he seems a nice enough bloke, but his material has just never quite screamed "headliner", and that is possibly his hindrance.

If Victorious ever found a way to do onside camping they would sell out most years with some of the names they are pulling now. But it doesn't have the Cornwall holiday value in it that Boardmasters does.

[AlanFish23]

1 hour ago, Stokesy10 said:

I'd say if they did a few stadiums in the UK they'd fill them with absolute ease.

 

 

Wow. Cheers. I never knew they were actually that big.

[CaledonianGonzo]

I think that's debatable.  I may have misremembered, but weren't they giving away the tickets for a fiver last time they played Hyde Park?

[fraybentos1]

54 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

I think that's debatable.  I may have misremembered, but weren't they giving away the tickets for a fiver last time they played Hyde Park?

Possibly, but BST did that all the time back then. They sold out APE in quick time in 2019 I think.

[Superscally]

4 hours ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Frankly, they're not a good enough live act to justify their asking price.  Even if Emily could afford their fee she's probably long realised its a pretty poor return on the investment.

They were absolutely boss at APE a couple of years back. Disagree. 

[charlierc]

4 hours ago, fraybentos1 said:

Possibly, but BST did that all the time back then. They sold out APE in quick time in 2019 I think.

I think having Interpol and one of Jack White's projects as support helped, given this was just after the Meet Me In The Bathroom book had been released.

[charlierc]

6 hours ago, Stokesy10 said:

Same. It's criminal how they (and Green Day) haven't headlined the festival. It'd be incredible.

Two birds one stone for 2028 and have Green Day with Strokes subbing?

 

I'd say 2027 but I think Green Day tend to work in 4 year cycles now so expect '26 off and then '27 recording.

[charlierc]

6 hours ago, Stokesy10 said:

I'd say if they did a few stadiums in the UK they'd fill them with absolute ease.

 

 

Hmmmm I'm not sure about that. I think they'd be more an arena level than outdoor stadiums act at this point.