2026 line-up speculation

[Yokel Again]

As always, loads on the line up I have no idea what or who it is... but will look forward to listening to lots of it before September, am scowling this thread for recommendations.

Not seen the Felice Bros for years and used to love them, so was pleased with that. 

[xxialac]

10 minutes ago, SweepingTheNation said:

I can't imagine seven months out that they know exactly what the setlist is going to be, and I can't imagine Jarvis thinks the way to commemorate a big anniversary bash booking to a festival crowd is playing songs only the hardcore fans know, especially as from what I've seen hardcore fans saw that it was £300 for an event that only three names were listed for and balked at it, hence why we've not even had a low tickets warning when it's the smallest capacity outdoor UK gig they've played on this run.

Yeah, you play B-sides to your hardcore fans, not to a large festival crowd.

A choir or an orchestra seems much more likely to me.  Or a classic album played in full.

[paulwa]

3 hours ago, xxialac said:

Yeah, you play B-sides to your hardcore fans, not to a large festival crowd.

A choir or an orchestra seems much more likely to me.  Or a classic album played in full.

They've also been playing quite a few cover versions recetly for various charity events and radio shows. I could see them playing a bunch of covers and then some of their own bangers.

Edited February 4 by paulwa

[xxialac]

As well as the quality of the lineup, EOTR deserves praise for getting pretty much the full lineup out in the first week of February for a festival taking place in September.

[PDAD]

8 minutes ago, xxialac said:

As well as the quality of the lineup, EOTR deserves praise for getting pretty much the full lineup out in the first week of February for a festival taking place in September.

Yeah, absolutely agree. Gives plenty of time to get stuck in to everyone playing. It's such a common thing at festivals in general for me to get into an act massively and then realise I could have seen them last month at a festival I was at. 

I will be well versed in who I want to see and who I will happily avoid by the time September rolls around!

[noisenoiseandmorenoise]

The Pulp 'unusual' comment was on their Instagram when they were first announced and I don't believe has been mentioned again. It is certainly not on the eotr band bio. Quite possible therefore that it was the person managing the account who come up with a nice bit of alliteration/hype and nothing more. 

[xxialac]

2 minutes ago, noisenoiseandmorenoise said:

The Pulp 'unusual' comment was on their Instagram when they were first announced and I don't believe has been mentioned again. It is certainly not on the eotr band bio. Quite possible therefore that it was the person managing the account who come up with a nice bit of alliteration/hype and nothing more. 

Nah, no way.

 

They really laboured the point:

"This will not be a typical Pulp show: it will be … unusual. Expect the unexpected. In a good way."

[incident]

6 hours ago, xxialac said:

Yeah, you play B-sides to your hardcore fans, not to a large festival crowd.

A choir or an orchestra seems much more likely to me.  Or a classic album played in full.

Yeah, don't think we're looking at a rarities set here.

 

The choir/orchestra theory is probably the most likely but I'm wondering if it could go in the exact opposite direction - a "raw" Pulp show as a more traditional six-piece instead of all the extra musicians/singers we've seen in recent years.

[noisenoiseandmorenoise]

17 minutes ago, xxialac said:

Nah, no way.

 

They really laboured the point:

"This will not be a typical Pulp show: it will be … unusual. Expect the unexpected. In a good way."

 

Yes unusual like the poster is unusual, the festival is unusual. The unusual bit being Pulp playing a small festival at this point.

Logistically, I don't see how they change their standard festival tour setup as a one-off. Especially assuming they are receiving a reduced fee. The exception I guess being a stripped down show.

[xxialac]

1 minute ago, noisenoiseandmorenoise said:

 

Yes unusual like the poster is unusual, the festival is unusual. The unusual bit being Pulp playing a small festival at this point.

Logistically, I don't see how they change their standard festival tour setup as a one-off. Especially assuming they are receiving a reduced fee. The exception I guess being a stripped down show.

Well perhaps you've answered your own scepticism with your last comment!!

 

No way is this a standard show, they've been explicit on that point.

[rwa]

Pulp playing only SFA songs, after SFA only play pulp songs.

[noisenoiseandmorenoise]

1 minute ago, xxialac said:

Well perhaps you've answered your own scepticism with your last comment!!

 

No way is this a standard show, they've been explicit on that point.

Not really scepticism as I'm happy whatever they do. More that I wonder if people read too much into one, unrepeated Instagram post. I feel if it was so obvious, the festival would reference like they do other 'unique'performances. Anyway time will tell.

[xxialac]

4 minutes ago, rwa said:

Pulp playing only SFA songs, after SFA only play pulp songs.

that would def be unusual : )

[SweepingTheNation]

1 hour ago, incident said:

The choir/orchestra theory is probably the most likely but I'm wondering if it could go in the exact opposite direction - a "raw" Pulp show as a more traditional six-piece instead of all the extra musicians/singers we've seen in recent years.

Except Adam Betts, their live extra percussionist, is also playing with his own project Colossal Squid.

 

I get the feeling, like the secret headliner, we're going to be discussing what "unusual" means right up until Jarvis walks out on stage.

[accordionandvoice]

32 minutes ago, SweepingTheNation said:

Except Adam Betts, their live extra percussionist, is also playing with his own project Colossal Squid.

 

I get the feeling, like the secret headliner, we're going to be discussing what "unusual" means right up until Jarvis walks out on stage.

We know Geese is the 'secret' headliner though.. Pulp's unusual set is all to play for

[Punksnotdead]

As someone who likes Pulp but only has a couple of albums plus the greatest hits, I'll be furious if they only play b-sides & rarities!

[modefan]

I’d be delighted with b-sides and rarities. Or a 25th anniversary We Love Life in full. 
 

I have one theory which is probably very wrong, but is it any crazier than other ideas? Possibly Pulp are in the sub slot doing b-sides and covers with a couple of hits as an encore. Then SFA close the festival, given they’re in headline font. A comparison perhaps in GM last year with Beth Gibbons playing before TVOTR. 

[modefan]

Mac has a label showcase on Friday which suggests that’s the day he’s playing. Apologies if that’s been said already. 

[xxialac]

I'm sorry but can we put to bed the idea that Pulp who are the first name on the poster and by far the biggest name are going to play mostly B-sides/rare songs to a casual festival crowd.

 

It would be insanely self-indulgent and selfish.

 

 

Edited February 4 by xxialac

[Jimmy Dean]

@accordionandvoice Have I missed something ? How do we already know the secret act is Geese ? Has it been confirmed? 

Edited February 4 by Jimmy Dean

[SweepingTheNation]

1 hour ago, modefan said:

I have one theory which is probably very wrong, but is it any crazier than other ideas? Possibly Pulp are in the sub slot doing b-sides and covers with a couple of hits as an encore. Then SFA close the festival, given they’re in headline font. A comparison perhaps in GM last year with Beth Gibbons playing before TVOTR. 

Beth and TVOTR were advertised as co-headliners. Pulp are emphasised as headliners, SFA aren't no matter what font size they're in.

 

1 hour ago, Jimmy Dean said:

@accordionandvoice Have I missed something ? How do we already know the secret act is Geese ? Has it been confirmed? 

It hasn't been confirmed, or else their name would be listed where it says 'SECRET HEADLINER', but both insiders and the logic of their London dates on the Tuesday and Wednesday of EOTR week say so, plus the prior example of Wet Leg being kept secret in similar circumstances.

[xxialac]

8 minutes ago, SweepingTheNation said:

It hasn't been confirmed, or else their name would be listed where it says 'SECRET HEADLINER', but both insiders and the logic of their London dates on the Tuesday and Wednesday of EOTR week say so, plus the prior example of Wet Leg being kept secret in similar circumstances.

Seemed to remember there was something also about Simon having them as one of his albums of the year/following them/praising them etc...

 

I think they want us to know it's Geese, just that legally they can't print it.

[modefan]

28 minutes ago, SweepingTheNation said:

Beth and TVOTR were advertised as co-headliners. Pulp are emphasised as headliners, SFA aren't no matter what font size they're in.

This is true although I was at Latitude in 2019 when Stereophonics were official headliner but Underworld followed 

[xxialac]

14 minutes ago, modefan said:

This is true although I was at Latitude in 2019 when Stereophonics were official headliner but Underworld followed 

Think that's a special case. Dance music does lend itself best to closing the night...

[accordionandvoice]

1 hour ago, Jimmy Dean said:

@accordionandvoice Have I missed something ? How do we already know the secret act is Geese ? Has it been confirmed? 

I work in music and it's a bit of an open secret. And it makes perfect sense...