♫Glastonbury 2017♫

[Bold Seagull]

Not a vintage Glastonbury for me.

Nothing stood out as a truly "wow" moment that will mark the 2017 festival down as anything special. Probably no bad thing that it takes a break next year and hopefully will come back with some great performances in 2019.

I genuine thought it was quite special (from the comfort of my sofa). Royal Blood stormed it on Friday, Radiohead mesmeric but aptly contrasted with the Foos barnstorming set. Chic looked great fun yesterday, and there were many other fine performances.

 

[Bold Seagull]

The thing is, looping isn't particularly special or unique to Sheeran. It's been around for a couple of decades and many live performers use it from buskers on the street to A-listers. And to be fair to Sheeran I'm not sure he makes a big deal about it? It's just another instrument and the instrument he uses with his guitar. To say his looping is clever is like saying his guitar playing is clever. It may well be, but not because his guitar is a special and unique instrument.

He's not my cup of tea but he clearly has something which people like even if it is just his loop pedal.

Mike Kerr's bass playing - now that's clever!

 

[BN9 BHA]

Sheeran is so popular because commercial radio stations like Heart FM play his songs about 20 times a day.
In the same camp as Adele and Robbie Williams.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I genuine thought it was quite special (from the comfort of my sofa). Royal Blood stormed it on Friday, Radiohead mesmeric but aptly contrasted with the Foos barnstorming set. Chic looked great fun yesterday, and there were many other fine performances.

There was a great description of Glastonbury at the weekend which said there are many successful paths to a successful set; from the labyrinth route Radiohead took to the simple A to B of the Foo Fighters. Both worked. That's the magic of Glastonbury.

 

[BN9 BHA]

That rap stuff he does is truly awful. Turned it off.

Spot on.
I would have a bit more respect for him if he gave the rap a miss.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I genuine thought it was quite special (from the comfort of my sofa). Royal Blood stormed it on Friday, Radiohead mesmeric but aptly contrasted with the Foos barnstorming set. Chic looked great fun yesterday, and there were many other fine performances.

Great summation!

 

[Weststander]

Yes, I'm sure being so outside the mainstream can be quite a burden. Hang in there.

I managed to make it through to today! Taking each day as it comes.

 

[pearl]

I try to get by, taking each day as it comes. Always fearful of being outed in day to day life as the only UK resident not into Blunt and Sheeran. Everyone has their cross to bear I suppose.

You are not alone!

 

[Weststander]

Chic the best set all weekend.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

I'll definitely catch up with Chic on iplayer. I love their basslines, vocals and the generally uplifting feel to their music.

 

[CHAPPERS]

I rather enjoyed Father John Misty, which I wasn't expecting.

 

[HH Brighton]

I rather enjoyed Father John Misty, which I wasn't expecting.

I'm a fan but thought his performance was outstanding. The band with the full strings and brass sections made unbelievable sound and his voice was spot on.

 

[Pinkie Brown]

Sheeran is so popular because commercial radio stations like Heart FM play his songs about 20 times a day.
In the same camp as Adele and Robbie Williams.

Sums it up the state of modern commercial radio - A tsunami of bland. I struggle with Sheeran. I can't get past the theory, he's a talented busker who is smart on the loop pedal. His songs sound all so whiny samey to me. Sooooooo repetitive. I get it - he has thousands/millions of adorers out there, however the idea of sitting through one of his concerts is mind numbing for me.

As with Adele, he comes across as half human & down to earth offstage. Both quite likable. Williams has alway come over as a knob, mind.

 

[The Clamp]

I have heard the odd Sheeran song, usually the same one over and over but never seen a full set. My goodness he is dull. Every song uses the same chord strum, literally every song. It even kept playing from a backing track when his hands were off the guitar!
Each dull song merging into the next. I'm surprised they allowed one man with a backing track to headline the Glastonbury festival. Poor effort.
How the F has he got so popular? It was absolutely dire.

In contrast, Metronomy were as per, absolutely top notch. What a band.

 

[Randsta]

I have heard the odd Sheeran song, usually the same one over and over but never seen a full set. My goodness he is dull. Every song uses the same chord strum, literally every song. It even kept playing from a backing track when his hands were off the guitar!
Each dull song merging into the next. I'm surprised they allowed one man with a backing track to headline the Glastonbury festival. Poor effort.
How the F has he got so popular? It was absolutely dire.

In contrast, Metronomy were as per, absolutely top notch. What a band.

I don't think it was a backing track I think he played it ...and then looped it.

Yeah I thought it was dull as well ...but the crowd seem to love it!

 

[Bozza]

It even kept playing from a backing track when his hands were off the guitar!

Each dull song merging into the next. I'm surprised they allowed one man with a backing track to headline the Glastonbury festival. Poor effort.

I can take or leave him, but it wasn't a backing track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH6wP9s8EBc

 

[The Clamp]

I can take or leave him, but it wasn't a backing track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH6wP9s8EBc

Oh right, so it's a recording of something he played, played back, not live, behind him. So the same result as a backing track except he's recording it live on stage then playing it back? Genuine question, apart from that how is looping different?

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

I It even kept playing from a backing track when his hands were off the guitar! .

I'm not a huge "fan" of his actual music but his talent is undeniable. It's all him. No backing tracks. The way he builds the songs and then uses the peddles through a performance is brilliant.

 

[CHAPPERS]

I'm no Ed Sheeran fan at all and personally wouldn't have him anywhere near the Pyramid but what I did like about this year was watching a lot of main stage acts that the kids (the 8/9 year olds) were well into, all dancing away in the crowd. That was nice.

 

[The Clamp]

I'm not a huge "fan" of his actual music but his talent is undeniable. It's all him. No backing tracks. The way he builds the songs and then uses the peddles through a performance is brilliant.

I see. I suppose that is marginally more skilful than a backing track. I'm certainly not his demographic but it seemed to result in the same thing being played over and over for an hour.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I'm no Ed Sheeran fan at all and personally wouldn't have him anywhere near the Pyramid but what I did like about this year was watching a lot of main stage acts that the kids (the 8/9 year olds) were well into, all dancing away in the crowd. That was nice.

I suppose this is the crux of it. Over the weekend you can have Royal Blood, Barry Gibb, Foo Fighters, Chic, Radiohead, Katy Perry, Ed Sheeran, Run the Jewels etc. all gracing the main stage. You can't get much more eclectic than that, or that there wasn't something for everyone.