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Someone had to start it.
A glance at the main stage line ups is enough to make me feel old. I have hardly heard of anyone!
That is probably a good thing. I think the organisers might have been hurt by the criticism of a lack of diversity and the ageing demographic of the acts last year. It looks like they are trying to keep the event relevant to the young, which is understandable.
As an aside, I walked up Mathew Street in Liverpool earlier and overheard a young woman say to her friend “I don’t know any songs by The Beatles”. That was enough to make me feel old as well!
There are barely a dozen acts I’ve ever heard of and only a few whose music I listen to (LCD Soundsystem, PJ Harvey, Squeeze, London Grammar) over the entire weekend.
I had to google the headline act, SZA.
Paid it very little attention since Leonard Cohen played in 2008, and that wasn’t televised.
The music coverage in this country is terrible, in fact worse than terrible. You have Later which has been going down the pan for 20+ years, and is now at an all-time low. It’s tick-box fodder. I still record it, but end up fast forwarding nearly every programme. The french show, Taratata is far better. Then you have Glastonbury, and basically, a load of chart channels. That’s it.
I was pretty low after a terrible Ascot, but cheered myself up by unearthing 4 ‘new’ bits of music that I really liked. Unfortuntely, those songs and artists will remain hidden to 99.99% of people, and that’s the way it works. That said it does make it so much better when you do find something.
You almost need a miracle to find something that is melodic, and well written.
My current favourite folkie Johnnie Flynn is playing on the acoustic stage on Saturday night with Lankum playing earlier so I ‘m hoping they show the whole performance of both of them. I think the Mary Wallopers are playing too. I thought the Isle of Wight line up looked pretty uninspiring but thoroughly enjoyed Prodigy ( I hadn’t realised they’d reformed and I was never a fan back in the day but they were awesome).Green Day were great, too. I switched over to see what was happening football wise and nearly missed them playing Boulevard of Broken Dreams which would have been a disaster.The disgraced guy from Kasabian was on; whatever he’s done ( and it was pretty awful) it’s a great loss to live music not having the original Kasabian line up playing together. What did surprise me was how old the people in the crowd were. Not as old as me but still not very student like. Love PJ Harvey but she’ll never top the Let England Shake set she did a few years ago. An album that I still play on repeat quite often. There’s usually a band unknown to me prior to Glastonbury that I go out and buy their whole back catalogue eg Amadeus and Mariam, Sharon von Etten and GOAT who are playing Rock City later this year but I haven’t got the courage to go to, it’s way past my bedtime and I don’t want to develop tinnitus at my age along with everything else.I, too, don’t understand why there are no new bands coming along. I must start listening to Radio 6 again. I seem to have got out of the habit of having it on because I’m a bit obsessed with podcasts ( an obsession that started during lockdown which, along with WHill racing starting again, preserved my sanity!I think).
Well, Moehat it’s good to know that someone of my vintage is still getting on down with the kids as, with the exception of Kasabian, I haven’t heard of any of those you name
Doubt I’ll watch any of Glastonbury but never say never as you might have sparked my interest…possibly
I abandoned the zeitgeist circa 1990
As has been said will record and fast forward 95% of it. Never heard of virtually all the acts. Each to their own but as a 60 plus guy I’d rather go with my boys to download. At least I will have heard the music of all the headliners and a good few of those lower down the pecking order. Maybe not all to my taste but will target which bands to watch. Would be bored shitless at Glastonbury.
Only problem with download mind you is I’m a lightweight on the bevvy front so will need to work on that.🤣🤣
Johnnie Flynn collaborates with Robert Macfarlane the author of The Old Ways and wonderful books like that ( which is what sparked my interest). He did the music for Detectorists and Digging for Britain. Been around for ages so I had ten years worth of music to discover. Oh he also did the music for the wonderful BBC Sounds adaptation of The Dark is Rising ( a children’s book that I recently became quite obsessed with and then realised I wasn’t alone). I’ve been escaping into children’s fiction (The Box of Delights, Children of Green Knowe etc) to escape the horrors of the world as it currently is.
Mickey: you would not have wanted to be at download this year. It was a complete mud bath, Feel free to come and listen to it from my back garden if the wind is blowing in the right direction! My lot went on the Friday to see Queens of the Stone Age and Royal Blood. Not sure who else was on. Our local pub had a festival this weekend and I must say from what I heard the tribute bands were excellent. If only I could hear Glastonbury from my back garden. Mind you I’m more a Cropredy kinda gal and am looking forward to The Gate to Southwell although I only go on the Saturday to see the Morris dancers.
If it makes any of you feel any better, I’m in my mid 30s and have no idea who SZA is either, or even how you pronounce it.
As Cork says, it’s probably good that they’ve got some younger acts. Some of the older ones left it too late in their careers such as Guns n Roses last year, Axl Rose’s voice is far from what it used to be. Elton John did a reasonable job but there’s no denying he’s not what he was. I can’t imagine the organisers wanted it it to turn into a revolving door of older performers doing one last big gig.
Much better they get those at the peak of their powers to perform, with a few older ones thrown in as well.
There’s a fair amount of decent sport on this weekend but I’m sure I’ll catch some of it. The BBC does stream a lot of it live now and I think most of it goes on iPlayer afterwards too. Far more preferable than constantly cutting back to the presenters like they do in the main BBC2 broadcast.
I checked out SZA and gave up after a few seconds and switched to Planxty. Still don’t know how to pronounce it.
Thanks for the offer moehat. There’s always a 50 per cent chance of a mudbath. Fortunately both my sons were scout leaders and used to setting up tents to combat it. They have a varied taste in music but mostly metal. Been to see shinedown and sabbaton with them and ghost and volbeat next on the list hopefully. It will be brilliant to go with them and their pals and just enjoy the occasion and know I’ll really like some of the bands. The smell of the illegal substances I could do without but comes with the ticket I suppose. Need to go soon before I’m really passed it and the bladder unable to cope with the volume of beer consumed.🤣🤣
I remember coming home passively stoned after Levellers concerts back in the day! My daughter and SIL are having a great time going to concerts with their eldest boy. I am relegated to the role of staying home with the younger lad and the dog.
Just read about how some Glastonbury revellers have complained about the “criminal” drinks prices at the festival after discovering it is £6.75 for a pint.
That sounds cheap compared to Cheltenham and Aintree. The Glastonbury crowd should consider themselves lucky.
Absolutely Cork, £6.75 isn’t too bad for a major event, assuming you at least get a half decent pint and that’s not for rubbish lager. From what I’ve heard some of the music venues in particular are even worse than Cheltenham. There were many complaints about it when Manchester’s new Co-op Live venue opened recently for example.
You can at least bring your own to Glastonbury too and I’d imagine a fair proportion of the crowd is more interested in other substances anyway.
You don’t need to pay to get wasted at Glastonbury. Just wander around, breathing deeply.
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