It seems like only five minutes ago I was writing a similar piece for this blog reviewing Glastonbury 2007, and I'm happy to say that this year I can give you an equally glowing report on what remains the most engaging and vital arts festival in the world.
With 3/4 of punters now arriving on site on Wednesday, the festival is now a mammoth 6 days long, and pacing is the key. Anybody waking up with a severe hangover on Thursday or Friday probably needs to calm down or you wont make it through to Monday! Entertainments proper start at about 10am on Friday but there is plenty to do an see on the Thursday, not least finding your way round a site which just seems to grow and grow each year. Although for those of us who have been a number of times before it was nice to reaquaint ourselves with familiar landmarks such as the stone circle and the tipi field.
As usual, the run up the festival involved checking every concievable weather report to see if we are going to get rain, sun or a mixture and there were a few conflicting sources that suggested it could go either way. As it turned out, we were blessed with fine weather apart from Thursday night/Friday morning when it rained and the site turned to mud. Consequently, any photos you may see of us with mud underfoot would have been taken on Friday. Saturday and Sunday were both glorious, hot days and the mud soon dried up with the improved drainage working a treat.
I'm probably the only person bothered about the drainage, so lets cut to the chase and talk about the music. There's just so much to cram into three short days that you can't possibly see everything. Trying to see it all is a fools endeavour as you probably kill youself, let alone miss all the lovely distractions along the way. Friday started with a breif set from Kate Nash who was busy doing her usual "bitter/fitter/sucking on a lemon" routine with a nice skirt on that she kept twirling around. She sat playing the piano in a giant sea shell. Then it was on the dance village to catch some "lunchtime techno" from Manchester's finest electro DJ, Riton. That certainly got the dancing feet moving and my feet (wellies at this stage) moved me over the jazz world stage where Candi Stanton was demonstrating why she has had a remarkable 40 year career as a jazz soul singer. Anyone who doesn't know Candi need look no further than the recent hit with The Source ... "Sometimes I feel like throwing ma hands up in the air/I know I just can't count on you". I was a great set and one of the highlights of the weekend.
Friday night saw me back down the dance village, to see Rosin Murphy, of Moloko fame. We had briefly caught her "pre-festival" set at the Kings Head (opposite the Other Stage) on Thursday night, but this was the real deal and she played for a good hour and a bit, with material mostly taken from her recent solo albums. It was a hot, loud and in yer face disco/house set with about four costume changes and some great repartee with the other musicians on stage, especially the backing singers who strutted their stuff with the best of them. The reception from the crowd was massive and she certainly got us going. Fat Boy Slim was supposed to be DJing after but we didn't stay for the because having been dissappointed by his set a few years ago, I could really be arsed with it. Unfortuantely about 2000 people could be arsed and it took us half an hour to get out the tent with people arriving to catch his set.
Saturday dawned and of course, when one manages to catch some sleep it can only be a good like, so I was very happy to be up and about hangover free that morning and being looked after by some very nice people camped wth us who provided bacon, sausage and beans while I went to fetch the vodka. It was a stange, slightly drunken breakfast but one that will stick in the mind. The sun was out, the mud was drying up fast and it looked like it was going to be a lovely day. Who better than Crowded House on the Pyramid Stage to get the day started.
The House played a great set of classics with a few from the new album and it was probably my favourite set of the weekend, a proper singalong job with some comedy from Neil Finn as he attempted to take the piss out of the stoney faced security guards who stood immobile at the front of the stage but getting them to crack a smile. Great entertainment for a Saturday afternoon in the sun.
As I sit typing this, I'm watching Elbow live on the Other Stage on Saturday evening thanks to the BBC iplayer on the internet. Perkins and I managed to get right to the front, hanging over the barrier, in front of Guy Garvey himself. And as the sun set gently over the campsite, Elbow didn't dissappoint, playing a set taken from their new album, displaying great confidence in their new material. If you watch the BBC footage carefully and know where to look, we are visible dancing along, me in my wax hat.
Saturday night, we rocked out to a rather dark and off the wall Massive Attack who had a bit of chip on their shoulder with the world and with guitar bands. No, I didn't go and see JayZ, but not because I've got anything against him headlining. Why not? He's a massive talent and as I understand it, was given an impressive Glasto welcome. I didn't manage to catch Amy Winehouse either, as I could be bothered with her shambolic, druggy nonsense, but apparently she got the biggest crowd of the weekend. I hope people went to hear her music and not just to see what state she was in.
Sunday morning I spent drinking herbal tea in the Green Futures field, reading the paper, and being served by a little man with a west country accent who looked like a hobbit. Then I was presented with a piece of birthday cake. It was some kid's 9th birthday that day and they were having a little party to celebrate. There were alot of kids here this year.
Sunday afternoon, and I was happy to watch Neil Diamond on the main stage and I must say, the guy looked a bit old and his voice isn't what it used to be, so I was a bit dissappointed with that. Nevertheless, the lovely Goldfrapp came .. him, and I thought they were fantastic, and probably the best I'd seen them. The new songs worked really well for Sunday evening and again, I managed to get myself right to the front which proved remarkably easy.
The festival closed with a great, gloriously uptempo set from Groove Armada who showed us why they are the best dance act on the planet. Every tune was a hit. People went crazy. I went crazy, finding that last ounce of energy to carry me through to the end. A little nip of vodka helped!
So all in all, another brilliant weekend, and I will most certainly be there again next year. It can't come soon enough.
GLASTONBURY ROCKS!
Ben
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