Secret Sets 2025

[CaledonianGonzo]

Just now, nikkic said:

Secret sets is a huge part of what makes the festival special. 

Headliner sized bands playing mid afternoon slots is just ace. 

 

Genuine Ebenezer Scrooge behaviour to not like it.

 

"Other people enjoy it so it must stop"

[Suprefan]

1 minute ago, nikkic said:

Secret sets are a huge part of what makes the festival special. 

Headliner sized bands playing mid afternoon slots is just ace. 

 

Over here its now becoming an issue in the wrong way I feel. Like it has to happen or the festival did something wrong. Ed Sheeran at 3pm in a packed tent with huge overflow was an experience. So you get people begging for these additions so they can tick a box cause I also feel that for Glasto the casuals want the tba's to be somebody they would never pay money for on the outside.  Thus the constant Green Day shite.

 

If its a combo of Lewis, Haim and Mumford then I wont be at any of them and hopefully whatever else is on just has a smaller crowd. Like Jack White worked out really well for me cause it followed Diana Ross and it was in The Park. So getting close and being comfortable was easy. Getting out of Woodsies before George Ezra was terrible and I just wanted to watch some early acts in there. 

[nikkic]

8 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

 

Genuine Ebenezer Scrooge behaviour to not like it.

 

"Other people enjoy it so it must stop"

Just bizarre.

 

I’m no Kasabian fan, but my friend went and had the time of his life.
 

Some of the clips are just unreal, whole tent going bananas. 

[CaledonianGonzo]

"The festival should provide worse choices"

[fraybentos1]

9 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

 

Genuine Ebenezer Scrooge behaviour to not like it.

 

"Other people enjoy it so it must stop"

That’s @Skip997’s MO tbf. Guy went from wanting to see kneecap then not wanting to cause they were also playing Eden sessions to now wanting to see them cause they’re edgy enough again. Bit of a poser imo. 
 

Agreed with the sentiment of secret sets being part of glasto. I’ve no interest in foo fighters but that churnups set seemed iconic, even tho I wasn’t there  im happy for those that get to see a huge band in a smaller slot.

 

i wouldn’t see Capaldi but im hoping for HAIM

[CaledonianGonzo]

Churnups the Platonic Ideal of a secret set.  Not a fan of the band, never seen them them before, certainly not going to dedicate an entire evening to watching them.

 

But a crafty hour on a sunny afternoon between Carly Rae Jepsen and Fred Again and they mostly stick to the hits and folk are genuinely going bananas for it out of sheer joy?

 

Yes please.

[nikkic]

Just now, CaledonianGonzo said:

Churnups the Platonic Ideal of a secret set.  Not a fan of the band, never seen them them before, certainly not going to dedicate an entire evening to watching them.

 

But a crafty hour on a sunny afternoon between Carly Rae Jepsen and Fred Again and they mostly stick to the hits and folk are genuinely going bananas for it out of sheer joy?

 

Yes please.

This. 

[efcfanwirral]

28 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Churnups the Platonic Ideal of a secret set.  Not a fan of the band, never seen them them before, certainly not going to dedicate an entire evening to watching them.

 

But a crafty hour on a sunny afternoon between Carly Rae Jepsen and Fred Again and they mostly stick to the hits and folk are genuinely going bananas for it out of sheer joy?

 

Yes please.

I agree, and I'd add that it being on a stage anyone can go to instead of crushing into a small venue is better. Somewhere along the line "surprise band that's not on the lineup" became "surprise band in a tiny venue"

[CaledonianGonzo]

3 minutes ago, efcfanwirral said:

I agree, and I'd add that it being on a stage anyone can go to instead of crushing into a small venue is better. Somewhere along the line "surprise band that's not on the lineup" became "surprise band in a tiny venue"

 

Nah - Churnups was literally 2 years ago.

 

See my earlier post about Portishead in the Acoustic.

[CaledonianGonzo]

3 minutes ago, efcfanwirral said:

I agree, and I'd add that it being on a stage anyone can go to instead of crushing into a small venue is better. Somewhere along the line "surprise band that's not on the lineup" became "surprise band in a tiny venue"

 

Nah - Churnups was literally 2 years ago.

 

See my earlier post about Portishead in the Acoustic.

[clarkete]

5 minutes ago, efcfanwirral said:

I agree, and I'd add that it being on a stage anyone can go to instead of crushing into a small venue is better. Somewhere along the line "surprise band that's not on the lineup" became "surprise band in a tiny venue"

 

Yes, in my case it's simply that I don't want the farm to have people hurt in a crush. 

 

It happened to a worse degree pre fence and plenty in here expressed crowd discomfort in 22 (which we carefully avoided), but bands need to be on the right size stage. 

[Skip997]

1 hour ago, fraybentos1 said:

That’s @Skip997’s MO tbf. Guy went from wanting to see kneecap then not wanting to cause they were also playing Eden sessions to now wanting to see them cause they’re edgy enough again.

Yet another misunderstanding of one of my posts.

 

I wasn’t complaining about Kneecap playing Eden, I was surprised that Eden booked them. Most bands esp up and coming acts with few exceptions will play anywhere, for the exposure and the pay 

[fraybentos1]

1 hour ago, Skip997 said:

Yet another misunderstanding of one of my posts.

 

I wasn’t complaining about Kneecap playing Eden, I was surprised that Eden booked them. Most bands esp up and coming acts with few exceptions will play anywhere, for the exposure and the pay 

Not a misunderstanding, I cba going to find it but it was more along the lines of your view on kneecap changing because they were playing Eden as opposed to you being shocked that Eden would book them.

 

its not just that anyway, a sizeable chunk of your posts are moaning about attendees of the fest or bookings 

[Skip997]

47 minutes ago, fraybentos1 said:

 

 

its not just that anyway, a sizeable chunk of your posts are moaning about attendees of the fest or bookings 

Yeah

[Toilet Duck]

4 hours ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Churnups the Platonic Ideal of a secret set.  Not a fan of the band, never seen them them before, certainly not going to dedicate an entire evening to watching them.

 

But a crafty hour on a sunny afternoon between Carly Rae Jepsen and Fred Again and they mostly stick to the hits and folk are genuinely going bananas for it out of sheer joy?

 

Yes please.

Yeah, ditto Killers in Woodsies. Didn’t watch either of their headline sets, but an hour of back to back hits was excellent (The Gizz-Frank Carter-Killers one of the best Sunday after lunch runs I’ve had at the festival)…add in Jenny was a friend of mine and it would have been perfect! 

[RichardWaller]

I've never been to a secret set somehow. I'd like to speculate Doves. Their 2002 set was one of my favourite ever, their new album is great and if Jimi is going to make a live return I don't think there'll be a better way to do it and what a story that'd be.

 

Saw them on their tour and it was brilliant anyway. A bit different without Jimi but still Doves, the brothers more than held their own, they don't need Jimi, but they've been mates most their lives and I find it quite beautiful how as a band they've accommodated Jimi's current role. 

[clasher]

42 minutes ago, RichardWaller said:

I've never been to a secret set somehow. I'd like to speculate Doves. Their 2002 set was one of my favourite ever, their new album is great and if Jimi is going to make a live return I don't think there'll be a better way to do it and what a story that'd be.

 

Saw them on their tour and it was brilliant anyway. A bit different without Jimi but still Doves, the brothers more than held their own, they don't need Jimi, but they've been mates most their lives and I find it quite beautiful how as a band they've accommodated Jimi's current role. 

 

Sadly I think they were pretty clear they're not doing Glasto this year.

[Euphoricape]

1 hour ago, RichardWaller said:

I've never been to a secret set somehow. I'd like to speculate Doves. Their 2002 set was one of my favourite ever, their new album is great and if Jimi is going to make a live return I don't think there'll be a better way to do it and what a story that'd be.

 

Saw them on their tour and it was brilliant anyway. A bit different without Jimi but still Doves, the brothers more than held their own, they don't need Jimi, but they've been mates most their lives and I find it quite beautiful how as a band they've accommodated Jimi's current role. 

They responded to a message I sent, saying they would love to do it but hadn't been asked..

[mufcok]

I hope something turns up on the full line-up that gets us asking questions.

 

The guessing game/buzz around it is great.

 

I've seen some corkers over the years - The Libertines 2015 and Killers 2017 (I think?) my two personal favourites. Cherished memories 

[Kempleton]

Are the ‘Red Alert’ playing on Kinetic likely to have anything to do with Basement Jaxx?

[briddj]

13 minutes ago, Kempleton said:

Are the ‘Red Alert’ playing on Kinetic likely to have anything to do with Basement Jaxx?

 

Kinetic is very small, 400 cap, so I wouldn't get your hopes up.

Edited May 11, 2025 by briddj

[Crazyfool01]

36 minutes ago, Kempleton said:

Are the ‘Red Alert’ playing on Kinetic likely to have anything to do with Basement Jaxx?

bit of a google and theres a hip hop dj called red alert ... no idea if its the same person mind .... my hopes got raised for a min although I dont think theyd do a random dj set midway through a live tour tbh 

[MEGABOWL]

23 hours ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Churnups the Platonic Ideal of a secret set.  Not a fan of the band, never seen them them before, certainly not going to dedicate an entire evening to watching them.

 

But a crafty hour on a sunny afternoon between Carly Rae Jepsen and Fred Again and they mostly stick to the hits and folk are genuinely going bananas for it out of sheer joy?

 

Yes please.

Same. The perfect Foos set. Saw them at Hampden last year and even allowing for Hampden being shite, it was nowhere near the same.

[Suprefan]

Just let Turnstile do an extra set with no barricade

 

 

[CantWaitForGlasto22]

I love a secret set! Always try to go along to one if it fits with other plans. Foos on Pyramid and Vampire Weekend on Park were two favourites. Part of the excitement is never quite being 100% sure that you aren’t waiting for the Foos only for Olly Murs to walk on….