Arctic Monkeys Glastonbury: Star readers defend Alex Turner's 'American accent' on Pyramid Stage

The jury still seems out on Arctic Monkeys’ performance on Friday at Glastonbury – but Sheffield fans have got their back at least.

The boys from High Green took to the Pyramid Stage for the third time in their careers on June 23 – but some fans say it was more San Francisco than it was Hunter’s Bar.

Listeners have criticized Alex Turner’s performance in particular, saying he sang the band’s iconic songs ‘with an American accent’, and some didn’t vibe with his ‘leather jacket and quiff’ appearance, while pundits nationally have lampooned the show.

But in their home town at least, the four lads still got the thumbs up. Probably not least because only this month the city was treated to two sold out homecoming shows in Hillsborough Park which was lauded as their “best ever” show.

Some might also have been more sympathetic to Alex’s recent bout with acute laryngitis, which only this week forced them to cancel a gig in Dublin, leaving it touch-and-go if they would even play Glastonbury.

Giving their thoughts in The Star’s comment section, some fans wrote said they were “shown up” by fellow headliners The Foo Fighters, with one reader saying they “destroyed” classic tunes like ‘505’ by playing them ‘like a jazz song’.

But other fans, like Robert Lowdon, came to the defence, writing: “Alex Turner has always written about life experience. Growing up in High Green. Living in Sheffield. It’s no surprise his lyrics and musical style has changed. It’s been 20 years, and they now live a completely different lifestyle. It’s called musical maturity. And a massive tip of the hat to some of his musical heroes like Scott Walker.”

Others suggested the accent was itself a performance. Jilly Barker wrote: “Alex Turner is one of the best lyricists ever. He doesn't interact with the crowd the band have always performed in this style. And as for the accent, ever thought he's winding you all up?”

"Thing is if you want survive you have to move on try something different,” wrote David Ellis. “Just look at all the legends like Bob Dylan he got slaughtered when he went acoustic. Freddie [Mercury] and Queen went away from there norm so did Rod Stewart and the stones Robbie Williams from a teeny bopper boy band.”

When fans aped at the boys as the band who once wrote the famous lyrics “He talks of San Francisco, he's from Hunter's Bar”, fan Dean Morton wrote: “Difference is Alex Turner has been there done that and bought the tee shirt.”

Others just laughed off the night, saying: “It’s a stage persona.”

The outpouring of support and assertions some just didn’t ‘get it’ comes hot on the heels of the Arctic Monkeys critically-praised performance in Hillsborough Park earlier this month. There may have been some creased brows at Alex ‘slowing down’ certain lyrics and leaving fans unable to sing along in time, there was no hint of a put-on American accent for his home town.