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crumbling_mice
Hell yes, I reckon the Glasto appearance might be a classic. No band turns up as headliners and then puts on an average show at Glasto.

I dunno - I think the consensus is that a few artists have managed to make a bit of a pig's ear of it - U2 and Springsteen in recent years.

It'll probably hinge on the setlist. Again, I think there's a consensus that their Isle of Wight appearance in 2007 was marred by some odd choices.

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CaledonianGonzo

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crumbling_mice
Hell yes, I reckon the Glasto appearance might be a classic. No band turns up as headliners and then puts on an average show at Glasto.

I dunno - I think the consensus is that a few artists have managed to make a bit of a pig's ear of it - U2 and Springsteen in recent years.

It'll probably hinge on the setlist. Again, I think there's a consensus that their Isle of Wight appearance in 2007 was marred by some odd choices.

Hmmm, not sure I'd agree about Springsteen, I though he did a good set - nothing near as good as Neil Young on the Friday though. Agreed on the set list, crucial they get that right. I'd bet a small fortune that they open with Start Me Up - everybody has heard it and it has the energy to kick off the show.

Yeah - Springsteen is debatable, but it was probably an example of a 'fan's setlist' than something to appeal to the unpartisan punter. And Outlaw Pete is beyond awful

Gorillaz would be another recent example of someone who definitely fluffed it.

Looking at the IOW setlist, there were definite mistakes. Playing more songs from Steel Wheels (1) than Let It Bleed (0) isn't going to convert any sceptics.

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crumbling_mice

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lmatth8461
Glastonbury 2010 pic...Oh yes, that's the kind of Glasto I like to remember. 1997 was a mudbath, and it was raining while I was there in 1998 (I actually left early, the only time ever)...but 1999 and 2000 were glorious, maybe my favourite years of the lot.
The weather can make or break a festival.

Lee

Agreed on that one Lee - 2011 nearly killed me, heavy rain for days, deep mud, queues for toilets like never before, we escaped on the Sunday afternoon, I've never been so glad to see a Motorway Service Station. THink this year will be my last whatever the weather.

The weather when queuing to get on site in 2011 nearly finished Glastonbury for me but I'm happy to say I managed to blank it from my mind long enough to buy a ticket last October for this years event. If this year turns out to be my last one then with the stones playing I should at least finish with a great one...

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CaledonianGonzo
Yeah - Springsteen is debatable, but it was probably an example of a 'fan's setlist' than something to appeal to the unpartisan punter. And Outlaw Pete is beyond awful

Gorillaz would be another recent example of someone who definitely fluffed it.

Looking at the IOW setlist, there were definite mistakes. Playing more songs from Steel Wheels (1) than Let It Bleed (0) isn't going to convert any sceptics.

Ha ha, Gorillaz was hilarious, there were more people trying to get out of the field than in. It was awful and definatly a fluff on a massive scale

Hi guys, it's my 1st time at glastonbury, so it's very interresting to read your reviews of prior festivals. To have the stones as a headliner is like a jackpot for me - i bought the tix in october,stay at windinglake farm and no tier discussions !!!! I'm so Happy !!!!! Josef

Glastonbury is incredible. Perpare for an experience like no other. The Rolling Stones are just one aspect of a whole cornucopia of exotic and sensory delights.

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josef
Hi guys, it's my 1st time at glastonbury, so it's very interresting to read your reviews of prior festivals. To have the stones as a headliner is like a jackpot for me - i bought the tix in october,stay at windinglake farm and no tier discussions !!!! I'm so Happy !!!!! Josef

Make sure you don't spend all your time on the bands. There is tons more to Glastonbury than the music. Go through the programme and select who you want to see, then spend the rest of the time checking out the rest of the site. I particularly remember seeing a bunch of coneheads walking around at the hottest Glasto ever (they must have been suffocating in those masks), and another year, a really wet one, coming across a WI tea party being held in what was basically a muddy swamp. The non-music side of the festival is at least as much fun as seeing the bands!

Lee

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josef
Hi guys, it's my 1st time at glastonbury, so it's very interresting to read your reviews of prior festivals. To have the stones as a headliner is like a jackpot for me - i bought the tix in october,stay at windinglake farm and no tier discussions !!!! I'm so Happy !!!!! Josef

As CaledonianGonzo says, there is nothing like Glastonbury and i've been to many festivals. It's huge - the size of a small city and stretches down the whole valley. Hunfreds of stages and thousands of things going on 24 hours. The late night areas will blow your mind.

I haven't heard of winding lake farm but it sounds like you aren't roughing it like us peasants lol...well done! YOu will love the place, it's my 11th and although I always say each one is my last I end up going back!

Indeed. With the exception of when the Stones - and anyone else you may be fond of - are on the Pyramid Stage, avoid the place as much as possible.

Instead do something like make a beeline for West Holts, grab a pint of Brothers and a plate of Goan seafood curry and dance like a loon to whatever's on the stage at the time.

I'd second that - avoid the Pyramid stage at all costs unless it's something you really must see...along with the other reccommendations check out Bourbon St - it's a small bar they created with a tiny stage where you get some great blues bands on and you won't be crushed to death watching, really chilled out etc.

Ah - it seems that Bourbon Street isn't going to be there this year.

There is a new area called 'Blues' that may offer up something similar.

I'm most interested in the Gully:

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the Gully - a brand new installation combining an open air stage and a pulsating street of sound systems and stalls featuring the best new DJs, MCs and live music.

Says Festival Organiser Emily Eavis: "I've always thought that the closest parallel with Glastonbury is Notting Hill Carnival, and the buzz around this rebirth is exactly what we were looking for, both musically and visually. There's going to be a lot of incredible music from all around the world."

It does sound interesting and will definatly check that out, I wonder where they have positioned it?

It's in Silver Hayes, which is the re-jigged and remodelled Dance Village:

[www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk]

They've also repositioned Arcadia to be near the Other Stage and there's a whole new field for Latin music as well. Me gusta.

Whichever one I end up in, I'm going to be fairly full of rum.

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CaledonianGonzo
It's in Silver Hayes, which is the re-jigged and remodelled Dance Village:

[www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk]

They've also repositioned Arcadia to be near the Other Stage and there's a whole new field for Latin music as well. Me gusta.

Whichever one I end up in, I'm going to be fairly full of rum.

Brilliant...I'll be stoned the entire festival, if you seesomeone staggering about ina stones t-shirt, it could well be me, say hello!

well thanks guys for your insider tips, i think thats my taste . smaller stages,bars, drinks, blues,latin thats where i belong .for pyramid stage it's only the stones i'm interrested till now. haven't seen b.wyman & the rhythm kings live, portishead maybe, so many bands and so many i don't know. i'm very curious about the dimensions of the festival, can't imagine !!! i think there's another one with a stones t-shirt staggering around ....hello !!!

Sweet jesus. I think I'd be prepared to lose a ball to get to this. but tickets are like rocking horse shit and security is tighter than a nuns pussy there if memory serves.

I wonder If i can parachute in dressed as a gorilla

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josef
i think there's another one with a stones t-shirt staggering around ....hello !!!

Given the quantity of Stones t-shirts at the festival in a year when they're not playing, it should be something to behold.

Think I'll go off-road With a 'Who The F*ck' and a 'Keith Richards For President'

As to getting in without a ticket? Well - I wish you luck..

I cannot wait to see them again at Glasto.This will be my 4th time at the festival were I work as a medic. Have not seen them since 1990 at Cardiff Arms Park and cannot believe we have them. With Chic on the Friday night as well they will be the 2 stand out acts for me of the weekend. Here`s to a scorcher!!!

Chic are definitely looking like an advance highlight for the weekend. West Holts is my favourite stage anyway, so they should tear the roof off of it.

As for the Stones, let's hope they're not feeling complacent. They shouldn't be. A triumph isn't guaranteed, especially playing to a non-partisan crowd. It's probably the most important gig they've played in many a moon and if they blow it they'll have a not-inconsiderable amount of egg on their faces.

Selist is key, but the (small amount of) footage I've seen of the Nov / Dec gigs hasn't entirely convinced me that Keith's found his form again.

As long as they do paint it black, gimme shelter and sympathy it'll be fine.

I saw them at IOW but don't have Glastonbury tix. Gonna try in the resale as loads of my mates are going.

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sjs12
As long as they do paint it black, gimme shelter and sympathy it'll be fine.

I saw them at IOW but don't have Glastonbury tix. Gonna try in the resale as loads of my mates are going.

Though they didn't quite manage that at IOW. While the gig istelf was pretty good from a performance point of view (at least, for that stage on the Bigger Bang tour), a few more hits in the setlist might have been a good idea.

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CalGonz

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sjs12
As long as they do paint it black, gimme shelter and sympathy it'll be fine.

I saw them at IOW but don't have Glastonbury tix. Gonna try in the resale as loads of my mates are going.

Though they didn't quite manage that at IOW. While the gig istelf was pretty good from a performance point of view (at least, for that stage on the Bigger Bang tour), a few more hits in the setlist might have been a good idea.

Exactly. The younger audience want those songs. When it comes to warhorses, I don't think satisfaction is up there for these guys.

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sjs12

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CalGonz

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sjs12
As long as they do paint it black, gimme shelter and sympathy it'll be fine.

I saw them at IOW but don't have Glastonbury tix. Gonna try in the resale as loads of my mates are going.

Though they didn't quite manage that at IOW. While the gig istelf was pretty good from a performance point of view (at least, for that stage on the Bigger Bang tour), a few more hits in the setlist might have been a good idea.

Exactly. The younger audience want those songs. When it comes to warhorses, I don't think satisfaction is up there for these guys.

The only complaint I heard at the time was that they didn't play Paint It Black - one of the few shows where more, not less, warhorses might have been a good idea.

To an extent - and I'll concede that it wouldn't suit me particularly - they'd be better off dropping all fan-favourite tracks and album deep cuts and just painting the place wall-to-wall with hits.

Ditch the likes of Bitch and Live With Me and All Down the Line and Monkey Man and just render everyone awestruck with every warhorse under the sun and every 'big' sixties single in their repertoire - Paint It Black, Under My Thumb, Ruby Tuesday, The Last Time, Let's Spend The Night Together, Street Fighting Man. It's even the type of gig where they should be considering dusting the mothballs off of Angie.

Chic on friday is great, hope the don't clash with b.wyman .how far is west holts from the acoustic tent ???

Not too far a walk, actually (though that's all relative as the site is huge).

This is the map from 2011. A lot of the detail will change, but Acoustic and West Holts will be in the same places:

[www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk]

This is also a useful gizmo. Glasto Earth:

[www.glastoearth.com]

At IOW they did a short set which was disappointing. Hopefully they'll do a full set and pack it with crowd pleasers but also not dumb it down too much.

They could throw in stones songs that have been covered by newer bands too. I'm Free might get the entire audience singing along!

I think you are underestimating The Stones...they've played to every kind of audience in every kind of venue, from small nearly empty back rooms in Pubs to the Copacabana Beach, Jagger is the best at knowing how to work an audience and Glastonbury will be no exception. He knows full well the eyes of the world will be on him and the band and the expectation that they perform at the top of their game will never be higher. I am confident they will not let those of us there or those watching on TV down.

The set list has to include the Warhorses and maybe a few lesser known gems for the die hard fans in the crowd and at home. It will be the running order that makes it special. THey need to lkick off with a real high energy number like Start Me Up - everybody knows it and it's not one that they usually use towards the end. THroughout they will need to kep the hits coming and Jagger will get the crowd joining in. If the weather has been good, everybody will have had a day of alcohol, drugs and chilling and will be bang up for it. If, as with U2 it has pissed it down and cold, then they will have to work a bit harder. Either way they have the songs and characters to pull it off and have the Glastonbury crowd eating out of their hand.

The only time I've seen a headliner bomb at Glastonbury was Gorillaz and that was down to arrogance and a lack of well known hits. This won;t happen with The Stones.

Wild Horses should be bolted into the setlist.

Though that I'm Free cover was 23 years ago, so I dunno if 'newer' is the right word!