The XX

[sisco]

2 hours ago, Justcalledtosay said:

I think the XX can play any slot they want with the exception of Headliner and in my opinion, that's only because there's a queue of other artists ahead of them. 

Agreed, I don’t think they’ll get headline because of other names doing the rounds however they’d certainly do a good job if the got a shot.  
 

Personally I expect them topping the other vs a Styles/Dean etc…

[Johndenis]

On 19/04/2026 at 09:50, northernangel said:

 

 

They were very lucky to get Other top in 2013 and they had less time than TSP who played before then albeit not by long, they only did Eden Sessions the same year which likely helped a lot. 2012 they did an academy tour and brighton center. Brixton was the biggest date and there was a load of smaller academies like Shepherds Bush. I think it's fair to say it was acknowledged at the time they played last due to lighting for their set and TSP was regarded as the actual headliner....that was very much mentioned on here back then. Been a couple of cases of it. Otherwise, they would have been 3rd down based on what they were playing and probably not headlining JP due to chances of losing a crowd. 

I didnt realise TSP meant The Smashing Pumpkins 🙂 ..thought you maybe meant "the soft parade" and was very confused...

 

Can see XX headline Other if their agent keeps getting em top billing at other fests (job made easier by their extended absence) 

 

The Coachella set looked very similar to the set they've now been doing for a decade!  With the exception of the 2020s solo songs crow barred in.  Romy's hi-nrg stuff must be a bit jarring in that context (I know it's supposed to be cooler than that, but come on, it veers less cool imo).  I liked what they did on tour a decade ago when the black and white lighting would change into colour and Jamie XX would do a few tunes...

[Justcalledtosay]

A set of The XX interspersed with Jamie XX solo stuff would be superb.

[northernangel]

3 hours ago, Johndenis said:

I didnt realise TSP meant The Smashing Pumpkins 🙂 ..thought you maybe meant "the soft parade" and was very confused...

 

Can see XX headline Other if their agent keeps getting em top billing at other fests (job made easier by their extended absence) 

 

The Coachella set looked very similar to the set they've now been doing for a decade!  With the exception of the 2020s solo songs crow barred in.  Romy's hi-nrg stuff must be a bit jarring in that context (I know it's supposed to be cooler than that, but come on, it veers less cool imo).  I liked what they did on tour a decade ago when the black and white lighting would change into colour and Jamie XX would do a few tunes...

 

Yeah they would just get Other head or Pyramid sub, other festivals wouldn't change that. They are getting top billing at some but not everyone. They aren't universally countrywide huge and they haven't sold out their Werchter despite the amount of hype for them.

[northernangel]

21 hours ago, Justcalledtosay said:

I think the XX can play any slot they want with the exception of Headliner and in my opinion, that's only because there's a queue of other artists ahead of them. 

They aren't big enough in the UK too and on the angle of other artists ahead of them, there is always going to be bigger artists ahead of them.

[Justcalledtosay]

2 minutes ago, northernangel said:

They aren't big enough in the UK too and on the angle of other artists ahead of them, there is always going to be bigger artists ahead of them.

I disagree.

[henry bear]

One of those acts (see also, Nick Cave etc) that could headline, but wouldn't necessarily pack the field out.

[northernangel]

18 minutes ago, Justcalledtosay said:

I disagree.

And you are entitled to do so. 

[Johndenis]

20 hours ago, henry bear said:

One of those acts (see also, Nick Cave etc) that could headline, but wouldn't necessarily pack the field out.

The XX are miles off headlining the Pyramid.  I think they only got to sub in 2017 cos it was Radiohead on after them.  Saw Nick Cave at his sold out APE day in 2018 and thought at that point he had an outside chance of headlining Glastonbury.  Definitely gone now in my opinion.  The accessibility of Push The Sky Away looks like an outlier at this point.

[northernangel]

On 22/04/2026 at 13:18, henry bear said:

One of those acts (see also, Nick Cave etc) that could headline, but wouldn't necessarily pack the field out.

 

Wouldn't ever get chosen to headline, just not big enough here. He has his fans but there is no middle ground, he need to have a bit more broad appeal or a massive following. You APE headliners are headlining Glastonbury. The crowd before Mumford for him on the Pyramid was very telling. Yes not every headliner needs to have a massive crowd but you want one that will at least try and bring a crowd in.

[stuartbert two hats]

On 23/04/2026 at 14:00, northernangel said:

 

Wouldn't ever get chosen to headline, just not big enough here. He has his fans but there is no middle ground, he need to have a bit more broad appeal or a massive following. You APE headliners are headlining Glastonbury. The crowd before Mumford for him on the Pyramid was very telling. Yes not every headliner needs to have a massive crowd but you want one that will at least try and bring a crowd in.

Yeah, agreed.  Both xx and Cave are acts that have never been quite big enough to headline the festival.  Yes, the xx were really good last time they subbed, but ten years is a very long time for an act that only has three albums and only two good ones.

[northernangel]

14 hours ago, stuartbert two hats said:

Yeah, agreed.  Both xx and Cave are acts that have never been quite big enough to headline the festival.  Yes, the xx were really good last time they subbed, but ten years is a very long time for an act that only has three albums and only two good ones.

Fairplay. Fans but unbiased views of where they are. I dont think either of them would get chosen to headline many major festivals in the UK without needing to let tickets go cheaper later on. Massive Attack some years back did a big outdoor London show and I believe tickets were being given away to fill it, sure it was Hyde Park...again never getting the opportunity.

 

I don't actually think the 3 albums things is a big issue as such, it's the size and popularity of them. 

[stuartbert two hats]

On 09/05/2026 at 07:57, northernangel said:

Fairplay. Fans but unbiased views of where they are. I dont think either of them would get chosen to headline many major festivals in the UK without needing to let tickets go cheaper later on. Massive Attack some years back did a big outdoor London show and I believe tickets were being given away to fill it, sure it was Hyde Park...again never getting the opportunity.

 

I don't actually think the 3 albums things is a big issue as such, it's the size and popularity of them. 

Where I was coming from with the 3 albums thing is about them being able to disappear for a decade and then come back at the same size. You can headline with one or two albums, it's happened plenty of times, but I do think you need a reasonably sized back catalogue to be able to maintain your placement without any activity.

[northernangel]

18 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

Where I was coming from with the 3 albums thing is about them being able to disappear for a decade and then come back at the same size. You can headline with one or two albums, it's happened plenty of times, but I do think you need a reasonably sized back catalogue to be able to maintain your placement without any activity.

You do yes. I think they can do sub or other fine but that's it. It would look like the weakest booking at the Pyramid top they've ever made and they booked SZA. They will just always have an option that's bigger with broader interest instead. LCD being prime example.

[Skip997]

3 hours ago, northernangel said:

. It would look like the weakest booking at the Pyramid top they've ever made

That “accolade” falls to the Mumford’s and possibly always will 

[Porcelina]

Kasabian were far less deserving than Mumford at the time, and they were genuinely awful.

 

At least Mumford have/had international appeal and were headlining festivals in the US at the same time.

[DomDom1984]

Mumfords were huge at the time and deserved their slot. 

 

EDIT: Were lots of fun from what I seen of them at T, but I committed myself to see a live karaoke band that night and f**ked off. 

Edited May 11 by DomDom1984

[sisco]

I’ve actually enjoyed Mumfords each time I’ve seen them.  Inoffensive and were certainly and tbf probably still are big enough to headline.

 

 

[Skip997]

1 hour ago, sisco said:

I’ve actually enjoyed Mumfords each time I’ve seen them.  Inoffensive and were certainly and tbf probably still are big enough to headline.

 

 

In other words dull. IIRC even the Mumfords were shocked to be given a headline slot, they knew they weren’t big enough. Biggest slot they should ever have got is Acoustic headliner. 

[northernangel]

5 hours ago, Skip997 said:

That “accolade” falls to the Mumford’s and possibly always will 

 

If you actually believe that if comparison to if The XX were booked for it you're going by your own views over reality quite comfortably. 

5 hours ago, Porcelina said:

Kasabian were far less deserving than Mumford at the time, and they were genuinely awful.

 

At least Mumford have/had international appeal and were headlining festivals in the US at the same time.

 

Thought Kasabian were really good to be honest, probably only got it in the end so they did it as their one and done but Tom was class.

 

Mumford at TITP a couple of weeks later were better but the Pyramid stage was massive for them and it just didn't come across well.

[FrogLobster]

Anyone thinking XX are Pyramid headline are delulu. They will headline Other stage.

Edited May 12 by FrogLobster

[nikkic]

Only 3 spots they can do now

 

Other headline 

Pyramid sub

Secret set on Park/Woodsies à la Foals/Kasabian

[sisco]

3 hours ago, FrogLobster said:

Anyone thinking XX are Pyramid headline are delulu. They will headline Other stage.

I love them, and don’t think they will headline the pyramid (sadly, as they should because they’ll be more interesting that you usual merry go round), but the only possible way they could is if they had 2 massive headliners and needed a cheap one to balance it out financially. 

[Johndenis]

Mumford were huge when they headlined, don't think they'd be near a weakest booking list except from an artistic perspective (they're obviously crap and it was pretty baffling that the Lumineers esque hey-ho acoustic shtick got such big traction - shame on the public).  Self Esteem on the Adam Buxton podcast last week mentioned how Mumford were supporting Slow Club then zoomed past them and became massive.

 

The XX have 6m-ish monthly listeners on Spotify - they're possibly actually less popular than assumed hahaha.  Crystallised is on a recent Song Exploder episode.  It's a nice wee chat, would recommend.

[mufcok]

The XX strike me as a sub, with caveat of getting bumped up in the event of someone dropping out, for whatever reason.

 

Also known as 'The 1975'.

 

Guess they could headline Other as well. They're in the Tame Impala bracket, at least for now.