Fans hugely divided after Arctic Monkeys Glastonbury headline show

‘It’s becoming clear the Arctic Monkeys we loved are gone’

People were left divided following the Arctic Monkeys’ headline set at Glastonbury, with some saying the band ‘butchered’ their set. The Sheffield group were headlining the iconic festival for the first time since 2013, and performed an hour-and-a-half set featuring songs from all seven of their albums, as they have done throughout their UK tour this year. But some fans were left annoyed at how the band, and frontman Alex Turner in particular, performed some of the hits from their early days in the mid-noughties. Songs like Mardy Bum and Fluorescent Adolescent seemed to go down a storm with the crowd at Worthy Farm, but some viewers at home hit out at Turner for singing them a bit slower than he did almost two decades ago.

the monkeys are back on the farm!#Glastonbury2023 @ArcticMonkeys pic.twitter.com/4rG7WbU9GR

— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) June 23, 2023

One person wrote: I don’t know why Alex Turner is singing like that but honestly kids – arctic monkeys used to be good.” Another said: “5 songs in and it’s becoming clear the Arctic Monkeys we loved are gone. Alex Turner has turned them into some kind of sh**e tribute jazz 70s vegas band. He’s literally butchering his own songs.”

I don't know why Alex turner is singing like that but honestly kids - arctic monkeys used to be good. #glastonbury2023 pic.twitter.com/tppdFVLFd7

— Craig (@CraigSumner_) June 23, 2023

And someone else echoed this, saying Turner was “butchering what could have been an icon Glasto performance.” Many others disagreed though, arguing that Turner is now 37-years-old, and it would be a bit cringe if he was still acting like he was in his early twenties. They also pointed out that the band have evolved in recent years, as demonstrated on their last two albums. One person said: “Arctic Monkeys are quality. Turner is obvs playing some stage character and people get wound up by it. “Folk have some strange obsession with nostalgia, so think they all should be singing about chippys and bouncers still.”

Arctic Monkeys are quality. Turner is obvs playing some stage character and people get wound up by it.

Folk have some strange obsession with nostalgia, so think they all should be singing about chippys and bouncers still. And they don’t, so assume it’s shit.#glastonbury2023 — Jack Brownbill (@JackBrownbill) June 23, 2023

Middle aged men when Arctic Monkeys play anything of the last 2 albums pic.twitter.com/HRifgFJulP

— dan (@whatdansaw) June 23, 2023

Another said: “People who think arctic monkeys playing their songs slightly slower makes them boring are genuinely children.” And a third wrote: “Am I the only one who thinks Alex Turner is sounding absolutely fucking incredible tonight???? So much shade for him on here, but he’s mesmerising to me.” The fact of the matter is this: the band have got older, and changed their style like most of the best bands and artists of all time end up doing. It would be bizarre and incredibly cringey if Turner – a man in his mid-thirties who has lived in Los Angeles for the last few years – was still singing about throwing up in taxis after a night out, trying to desperately cling onto some long-gone youth. Instead, they’ve evolved into a maturer, grander outfit. They’re still more than happy to play the old hits, but they’re going to do it in a slightly different way, keeping things interesting for themselves and offering fans slightly new versions of much-loved classics. If you want 2005 Arctic Monkeys, listen to their first album. Because times have changed and so have they. And that’s the best thing about them.

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