June 25, 2010 - Glastonbury

[Jim]

I can't figure out if there is more negative sentiment now or whether it's more visible because of all these internet blogs etc. Twitter is having a field day today - and the vast majority of people on there seem to be preening oh-so-cool music fans who hate the fact U2 is playing. Just search #glasto or #u2 now.

I've been wanting to go to Glasto for years and actually have tickets for next year can't believe it! I think it's a real opportunity for the band to pull a great performance out of the bag and gain some renewed credibility with a broader audience.. Glasto is a huge TV event in the UK (not sure about other places) and with this being the 40th anniversary there will be alot of eyes on U2 next year.

I hope the crowd will be open minded at the event.. I met somebody on the weekend who was in Berlin the weekend U2 played at Brandenburg Gate and he said there were a few groups wearing "Bono is a C***" t-shirts around the place.. I'm pretty exhausted from that level of narrow-mindedness after this year's tour so hope that the anti-U2 brigade will be a small minority at Glastonbury.

 

[Jim]

And I'm kinda glad that it's going to be a Glastonbury music crowd not a U2 crowd..

 

[Irishteen]

U2 won't get booed off the stage, 99% of the audience will be so drunk they'll probably think Coldplay are on stage

 

[twilight720]

The atmosphere by the Pyramid Stage for the headliner at Glasto is beautifully, almost indescribably, electric. It's a genuinely magical experience, there really is something special in the air there. And it's just a few days after the summer solstice, and just a few miles down the road from Stonehenge.

U2 are going to feed off that vibe and cause ructions in that field. The atmosphere is going to be far and away better than the atmosphere at some regular U2 gigs.

My thoughts exactly..Glasto is an amazing place..and if people dont want to see a band there are plenty of other things going on. The ones that stay will be the ones who want to see them...they will go down a storm! I really can't wait to be there.

 

[gman]

Festival crowds in my experience are the most open minded bunch of concert goers. u2 will knock em dead, and win a lot of new fans
Also....hopefully the BBC will air air the full set....so al get the old sky+ on the go to record it. Cant say i have noticed much coverage of the Friday on the BBC previously tho
Im amazed they arent headlining the Saturday tho. That is traditionally THE main spot!

 

[Pop Artist]

Festival crowds in my experience are the most open minded bunch of concert goers. u2 will knock em dead, and win a lot of new fans
Also....hopefully the BBC will air air the full set....so al get the old sky+ on the go to record it. Cant say i have noticed much coverage of the Friday on the BBC previously tho
Im amazed they arent headlining the Saturday tho. That is traditionally THE main spot!

I'm sure that if they didn't have Minneapolis on Sunday they would but they'd REALLY be knackered if they didn't have that day in between.

 

[gman]

I'm sure that if they didn't have Minneapolis on Sunday they would but they'd REALLY be knackered if they didn't have that day in between.

Ah....i wasnt aware of that. I thought i read earlier they were taking a week off to do Glastonbury.

 

[dsmith2904]

This would be so damn cool! Too bad I have no money or vacation time to pull the trip off. If anyone wants to try to get tickets when more become available next year, you have to register here.

 

[gman]

This would be so damn cool! Too bad I have no money or vacation time to pull the trip off. If anyone wants to try to get tickets when more become available next year, you have to register here.

What a bloody polava just to register to get a ticket. The photo part is rediculous!

 

[U2girl]

And I'm kinda glad that it's going to be a Glastonbury music crowd not a U2 crowd..

...and without the usual BIG stage setup they use.

Should be interesting.

 

[coolian2]

 

[Popmartijn]

Ah....i wasnt aware of that. I thought i read earlier they were taking a week off to do Glastonbury.

Nope. Wednesday in Edmonton, Canada. Friday is Glasto day. Sunday in Minneapolis, USA. So crossing the Atlantic Ocean twice in less than 5 days.

 

[mama cass]

What a bloody polava just to register to get a ticket. The photo part is rediculous!

gone are the days when we could climb over the fence!

 

[ramblin rose]

So they'll fly their equipment (instruments/speakers) from Canada to the UK and then back to the US?

 

[coolian2]

So they'll fly their equipment (instruments/speakers) from Canada to the UK and then back to the US?

that, or they'll go with a horse and cart across to st john's and then kayak.

 

[gman]

I was just messing about (bored) so i was planning a pretend trip to Glasto, just to see how much it could cost. bit of a scoop really. Turns out....me and my mate could fly to Bristol, from here and back for £77 total. then its only 25 odd miles to Glasto. So al maybe keep an eye open for tickets

 

[Popmartijn]

So they'll fly their equipment (instruments/speakers) from Canada to the UK and then back to the US?

Yes. Plenty of space in the airplane I think.

 

[ramblin rose]

Yes. Plenty of space in the airplane I think.

Well, they don't normally fly their instruments etc. while on tour, it just goes on the trucks. So in this case, I guess they'd have to pack all of the instruments/speakers/electronics and that kind of rules out a runner for the band as they would have to wait another few hours to have all of that stuff packed up and ready to fly there and then again back in time to have it all setup for Minneapolis.

Wow, that's a lot of trouble they're going through to play this gig.

 

[ntalwar]

I suspect they'll use backup instruments and amps, which I assume they did for Live 8.

 

[poopman]

Maybe because U2 fans don't want to see the other rubbish they dredge up at Glastonbury?

ugh, please. i like U2's music, but there are some amazing, hugely underrated or close to unknown acts that show up at Glastonbury. like a fool I missed Glaston's onsale date but I will be the first in line in the new year when more tickets get released. and I'll be flying out from the colonies (Canada) to see the festival. it's that amazing an event.


it's really creepy how some people follow U2 to an almost messianic degree.

 

[poopman]

why do brits hate u2?

 

[Karlonthe2nd]

Because we in the UK are a bunch of miserable cynical bastards and Bono was initially an easy target, particularly in the media, with the sunglasses and speeches etc. Since then it's just festered into general public hatred for the poor bloke and many people see it as an easy way to be 'cool' by tearing into U2 and Bono in particular.

 

[KEVIN051269]

why do brits hate u2?

Brits hate everyone

Unless you are a z list celeb on Strictly, IACGMOH or Jedward

 

[poopman]

I was going to say that maybe it's analogous to the way canadians despise celine dion, but madame dion actually does make terrible music so we have good reason for hating her.

Bono can be a douche, but you can't deny U2 has made some pretty defining music for the rock genre over the years.

 

[ramblin rose]

I suspect they'll use backup instruments and amps, which I assume they did for Live 8.

That's exactly what I was wondering, if they actually have backups for this stuff.

 

[Mr_Dave_Evans]

Well im devastated that they will not play the uk again other than glastonbury. You thought they would of tied it in with a uk date or 2 to keep the real fans happy. I managed to win 2 tickets for brussels £75 each for GA. So off to europe we go... Need 2 more for paris though!!!

ALSO BEWARE YOU CANNOT BUY TRADE OR USE ANYONE ELSES TICKET FOR GLASTONBURY THEY ARE FOR THE TICKET HOLDER ONLY AND THEY HAVE YOUR PHOTO ON THEM!!!

 

[vaz02]

How would you disagree? i wouldnt say NLOTH has been given any more negative reviews than HTDAAB got, i also think the rooftop gig (from the people who where there) was more positive than negative, so what is it you disagree with?

The rooftop gig got so much stick because the BBC was giving them too much air time that week, also those who went to the rooftop gig wanted to be there. The Live 8 performance was a total meh reaction from the crowd. Public Reaction to NLOTH was almost non existent regardless of the brit performance and the BBC week.

 

[Popmartijn]

I suspect they'll use backup instruments and amps, which I assume they did for Live 8.

I don't think there's a backup for Edge's "wall of effects". It's a one of a kind.

 

[discothequeLP]

I don't think there's a backup for Edge's "wall of effects". It's a one of a kind.

actually...

that's about half i'd say. still got all the sound he always gets though, and i know they would be taking any chances headlining glasto. i think they are under more pressure than any other band, seeing as they're not a usual on the festival circuit, not that much love from the 'nme' crowd, lukewarm NLOTH reception, all that. they gotta do something great.






also: my dream lineup is something like

Friday: U2, The Killers, Phoenix

Saturday: Muse, Arctic Monkeys

Sunday: OASIS REUNION BABY

 

[Jim]

I agree with Neil McCormick's tweets today (below).. they have a chance here to seduce the audience....

in response to a tweet asking "why now": Timing. Dates worked with US tour. Its a Glasto anniversary. &, I suppose, a chance to reach out to a growing army of sceptics

But it will be great, whatever the sceptics think. U2 are seducers. Give them an audience & they will work their magic.

Why did U2 take 26 years to play Glasto? Ask the drummer. "It's not our fans, right? Not our sound rig? Not our lights? And the point is?"

Just done a U2 at Glastonbury radio interview. Rock group play rock festival. Who says the news agenda is dumbing down?