Glastonbury

[Scuba Diver]

It sounds like Elton gave a good performance- good on him, especially at his age. He has undeniably made a contribution to music over the years.

However for me, it's indicative of how far down the dumper music actually 'is', that an MOR troubadour from the 70s gets to headline this amid slavering obseqiousness.

It is like Bing Crosby headlining Woodstock.

[Rich Tea Wellin]

The cool kids under 21 all want to go to places like Wireless. They roll their eyes at Glastonbury as it's for old people.

Glastonbury will either need to adapt and reinvent itself, or acquire whatever the TikTok equivalent of a music festival is.

Will be interesting over the next few years. There's not many 'legends' of the Elton John, Paul McCartney level who are either still alive or haven't played. Feel like it might have to re-invent itself somewhat. However, it sells out within hours every year and no one knows who's playing at that point.

[CEB]

It sounds like Elton gave a good performance- good on him, especially at his age. He has undeniably made a contribution to music over the years.

However for me, it's indicative of how far down the dumper music actually 'is', that an MOR troubadour from the 70s gets to headline this amid slavering obseqiousness.

It is like Bing Crosby headlining Woodstock.

It’s not about how far down the dumper music is, but more about how risk averse the mainstream festivals are.
There are loads of really great acts who would be worthy headliners, from all genres, but they keep doing back to the same well.

Part of how bands have truly broken through in the past has been through taking a headline slot by storm

[Max Fowler]

The cool kids under 21 all want to go to places like Wireless. They roll their eyes at Glastonbury as it's for old people.

Glastonbury will either need to adapt and reinvent itself, or acquire whatever the TikTok equivalent of a music festival is.

Do they, though? I've just had a look at the Wireless line up and I'd argue that the kids going there would never have gone to Glastonbury in the past anyway.

[Max Fowler]

It sounds like Elton gave a good performance- good on him, especially at his age. He has undeniably made a contribution to music over the years.

However for me, it's indicative of how far down the dumper music actually 'is', that an MOR troubadour from the 70s gets to headline this amid slavering obseqiousness.

It is like Bing Crosby headlining Woodstock.

It’s not about how far down the dumper music is, but more about how risk averse the mainstream festivals are.
There are loads of really great acts who would be worthy headliners, from all genres, but they keep doing back to the same well.

Part of how bands have truly broken through in the past has been through taking a headline slot by storm

Did they, though?

Surely it's always been someone of Elton's ilk closing the Pyramid stage on a Sunday night?

[Dunners]

The cool kids under 21 all want to go to places like Wireless. They roll their eyes at Glastonbury as it's for old people.

Glastonbury will either need to adapt and reinvent itself, or acquire whatever the TikTok equivalent of a music festival is.

Do they, though? I've just had a look at the Wireless line up and I'd argue that the kids going there would never have gone to Glastonbury in the past anyway.

You thinking of going?

[Max Fowler]

The cool kids under 21 all want to go to places like Wireless. They roll their eyes at Glastonbury as it's for old people.

Glastonbury will either need to adapt and reinvent itself, or acquire whatever the TikTok equivalent of a music festival is.

Will be interesting over the next few years. There's not many 'legends' of the Elton John, Paul McCartney level who are either still alive or haven't played. Feel like it might have to re-invent itself somewhat. However, it sells out within hours every year and no one knows who's playing at that point.

There must be loads of 'big' acts from the 80s and 90s that fit this criteria???

I'd worry more about the decades after...

[Max Fowler]

The cool kids under 21 all want to go to places like Wireless. They roll their eyes at Glastonbury as it's for old people.

Glastonbury will either need to adapt and reinvent itself, or acquire whatever the TikTok equivalent of a music festival is.

Do they, though? I've just had a look at the Wireless line up and I'd argue that the kids going there would never have gone to Glastonbury in the past anyway.

You thinking of going?

Yes mate. Want me to get you a ticket?

[CEB]

It sounds like Elton gave a good performance- good on him, especially at his age. He has undeniably made a contribution to music over the years.

However for me, it's indicative of how far down the dumper music actually 'is', that an MOR troubadour from the 70s gets to headline this amid slavering obseqiousness.

It is like Bing Crosby headlining Woodstock.

It’s not about how far down the dumper music is, but more about how risk averse the mainstream festivals are.
There are loads of really great acts who would be worthy headliners, from all genres, but they keep doing back to the same well.

Part of how bands have truly broken through in the past has been through taking a headline slot by storm

Did they, though?

Surely it's always been someone of Elton's ilk closing the Pyramid stage on a Sunday night?

Increasingly over the last 15 years there’s been more & more legacy acts. I think the first that could be called a “legacy act” was Bowie in 2000

[Dunners]

Just browsed the headline acts throughout the 90s. They were generally big names for the times, even if their prime had been from the decade before. The headline acts nowadays all appear to have had their prime several decades prior.

Also, back when I used to go, although there were a few oldies in the crowd, it was definitely a much younger audience. I haven't been for a long time, and I completely appreciate that what you see via BBC coverage is not the full picture, but I'm struck by how many older people are there. Almost every crowd shot shows someone in their 50s. That's great for them, but it does seem to be a shift to a more middle-aged and middle-class audience.

Which makes sense, as they have all the spare cash.

[OyinbO]

Yes, and the demographics are about more than just music. We just don't have as many children any more, and the average age in this country (and many others) is rising, and higher than it was a generation ago. Unsurprising to see that reflected in both the artists, and the punters - and that's before you also layer the flattening of musical history that's happened since streaming became ubiquitous, and made "legacy" music much more easily available to younger people, while also making it much harder for newer artists to build up any kind of cultural hegemony.

This is all here to stay, I'm afraid - Glastonbury is not behind the times, it is ahead of them.

[Max B Gold]

If The Jam got back together I'd go but I wouldn't take any drugs that made us sleep back in the day.

Me and my mates used to go to the odd festival but something came along that changed our minds. I don't know what and I don't know why. But we seemed to grow up in a flash of time. While we watched our ideals helplessly unwind

[Dunners]

I was at this one. If you wanted to buy a ticket it would set you back £59. If you didn't want to buy a ticket, that was fine too (apparently). It was easily doable if you were from a poor background.

The cost today still is value for money, but it's enough of a barrier to ensure the crowd looks as white, middle class and middle-aged as your standard garden variety Just Stop Oil committee meeting.

[Max Fowler]

Bodger and Badger

[Max Fowler]

If The Jam got back together I'd go but I wouldn't take any drugs that made us sleep back in the day.

Will you be taking the ones that make you stay awake instead?

[JimbO]

It’s not about how far down the dumper music is, but more about how risk averse the mainstream festivals are.
There are loads of really great acts who would be worthy headliners, from all genres, but they keep doing back to the same well.

Part of how bands have truly broken through in the past has been through taking a headline slot by storm

Did they, though?

Surely it's always been someone of Elton's ilk closing the Pyramid stage on a Sunday night?

Increasingly over the last 15 years there’s been more & more legacy acts. I think the first that could be called a “legacy act” was Bowie in 2000

So what are the Arctic Monkeys hardly a legacy act. Also GNR are rumoured only to have been booked because Taylor Swift pulled out. Personally think the headliners should be a mixture of the new and the old. As Glasto is supposed to appeal to everyone across the musical spectrum.

[CEB]

I don’t think “more & more” means “all”.
Have you considered meeting up with tuffers? I think you’d get on

[tuffers#1]

I don’t think “more & more” means “all”.
Have you considered meeting up with tuffers? I think you’d get on

Im only going if you're theyre poppit

[Mistadobalina]

Just browsed the headline acts throughout the 90s. They were generally big names for the times, even if their prime had been from the decade before. The headline acts nowadays all appear to have had their prime several decades prior.

Also, back when I used to go, although there were a few oldies in the crowd, it was definitely a much younger audience. I haven't been for a long time, and I completely appreciate that what you see via BBC coverage is not the full picture, but I'm struck by how many older people are there. Almost every crowd shot shows someone in their 50s. That's great for them, but it does seem to be a shift to a more middle-aged and middle-class audience.

Which makes sense, as they have all the spare cash.

I mean this isn't true of a typical set of Glastonbury headliners. Last year the headlines included the youngest ever person to top the bill and a 35 year old at his creative peak.

Most music events are more sanitised and formalised these days, but I think as a festival it's done a pretty good job of adjusting in terms of line ups. Think about the stink your Glastonbury 'legacy fans' made about jay z headlining 15 years ago, and how little fuss is made about someone from a non-rock background headlining these days.

Went to my first one in 2009, what's changed the most is the quality of dance/late night options has gone up massively so the younger crowd just go to those stages. Which to me is a sign that the festival has changed what it does to appeal to a younger crowd well.

[CEB]

The biggest disparity in Glastonbury attendees is not age but wealth

[OyinbO]

The biggest disparity in Glastonbury attendees is not age but wealth

Difficult to separate the effects of these two factors though, innit, given growing generational wealth disparities.

[CEB]

True

[OyinbO]

Just browsed the headline acts throughout the 90s. They were generally big names for the times, even if their prime had been from the decade before. The headline acts nowadays all appear to have had their prime several decades prior.

Also, back when I used to go, although there were a few oldies in the crowd, it was definitely a much younger audience. I haven't been for a long time, and I completely appreciate that what you see via BBC coverage is not the full picture, but I'm struck by how many older people are there. Almost every crowd shot shows someone in their 50s. That's great for them, but it does seem to be a shift to a more middle-aged and middle-class audience.

Which makes sense, as they have all the spare cash.

I mean this isn't true of a typical set of Glastonbury headliners. Last year the headlines included the youngest ever person to top the bill and a 35 year old at his creative peak.

Most music events are more sanitised and formalised these days, but I think as a festival it's done a pretty good job of adjusting in terms of line ups. Think about the stink your Glastonbury 'legacy fans' made about jay z headlining 15 years ago, and how little fuss is made about someone from a non-rock background headlining these days.

Went to my first one in 2009, what's changed the most is the quality of dance/late night options has gone up massively so the younger crowd just go to those stages. Which to me is a sign that the festival has changed what it does to appeal to a younger crowd well.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/ ... l-23311016

I refer the Rt Hon gentleman to my previous answer. We're looking at this problem the wrong way round. It's not about Glastonbury per se, it's about the demographics of the country. Simply put, there are more older people than there used to be, and they are wealthier than they used to be. And there are fewer young people than there used to be, and they are relatively poorer.

Postwar popular culture itself is largely a product of the Baby Boom - it's youthful blooming in the 1960s right through until its current increasing decrepitude. Yes, younger people still have their stuff, it's just more fragmented and marginal.

[Rich Tea Wellin]

Aside from age, I'd recommend it to anyone who hasn't been. I've fully drunk the kool-aid on this so take it with a pinch of salt but its genuinely the only place I can go that feels relatively cut off from society and has it's own weird and interesting community that caters for whoever rocks up. It's not for everyone and I cringe a bit at how rammed down the throats of the public it is by the BBC and others but it's an experience i think everyone should experience regardless of age, race, etc...

[CEB]

I haven’t been since 2007 (I think) and I am tempted to go next year