Quinta-feira 3 Jul 2008, 19h:28
So, here we go for my second attempt at a journal/blog type thing, I'm still getting to grips with the whole writing informally thing and I left school just over a month ago so forgive me if my grammar is appalling.
Anyway, onto the substance.. (in theory)
Right, so after an exhausting Prom the night before my friends and I got to Glastonbury on Friday morning, just in time to hear the lovely Kate Nash opening the Pyramid Stage. She wasn't that bad, a perfect start to the festival as it wasn't too heavy and allowed us to find our bearings so to speak, though she did look slightly terrified to be on the Pyramid Stage, however by the end of her set she summoned up enough courage to twirl her new skirt in front of the crowd-bless.
The next act we saw was The Subways, also playing the Pyramid Stage. They totally surprised me. Although I'd heard Rock and Roll Queen, I thought that their set wouldn't be as heavy as it was, judging from their newer single Alright. They were amazing, the balance between the two singers was just right so as to avoid the girl/guy harmony thing that is often quite nauseating. All of their songs, both old and new were fantastic, so much so that I'm contemplating seeing them play the Bristol Academy in November. Their set climaxed with Billy Lunn climbing on top of the speakers, the crazy fool! Although the constant barrage of expletives was a bit much for a lunchtime set, the crowd went crazy for them, and damn right too!
I think the next act we saw was Vampire Weekend, one that had been hyped to within an inch of it's life by various music publications. However, for me their set was one of the highlights of my very first Glastonbury. They opened with Mansard Roof and, after a bit of a slow start, got better and better, juxtaposed with the British weather that was deteriorating outside the Pyramid Stage. As soon as it started to rain, they played A-Punk, it was brilliant, I finally understood a bit of what the 'Glastonbury Spirit' is, thousands of random people going crazy in a field regardless of the weather-amazing. I could write so much more about their set but there's a lot of other stuff to get through. Needless to say, the hype was definitely lived up to.
Right, now it's after this point that the whole weekend merged into one, so I'll not bore you with days of who played. My other highlight was Black Kids, who was extraordinary. Every single song they played was, in my mind, brilliantly executed and done with a mixture of modesty and showmanship, again they seemed a bit taken aback by the volume of the crowd, and by the fact that most of the throng were going crazy to the sounds of Hurricane Jane, I'm Not Gonna Teach You and Hit the Heartbrakes . By that time the mud had dried up a bit and everyone was a bit inebriated by the looks of the Free Hugs sign being waved about jaggedly. Oh and I officially love Reggie Youngblood's afro, it's not that huge, but still quite damn cool I have to say.
I saw Kings of Leon on Friday night even though I wanted to see Pete Doherty play on the Park stage. To be honest, although the crowds were massive for KOL and I got to meet Dennis the plastic dinosaur in the crowd, I found their set to be a bit dull. Then again I'm not that crazy about their albums so I guess you'd have to listen to them a bit more to love them. They had some fireworks and that go off, but they hardly spoke to the crowd, when they did it was rather lacklustre. Even some of their songs I knew (On Call) didn't live up to my expectations, but maybe I was just a bit mardy as I was outvoted 2-1 in favour of seeing them instead of what was Pete's first festival slot (I think) since leaving jail, would have been brilliant.
Biffy Clyro headlined on some night or other, I think 'twas Saturday, and apparently they entred the John Peel Stage to the sounds of Jay-Z who was headlining the Pyramid at the time (you know, that set, the one with all the fuss with Noel Gallagher and that, the one that was the most anticipated set other than Neil Diamond in the whole festival.) I didn't see this at the time as I was at the Backstage bar thingy looking at the photo of John Peel wearing the 'John Peel is a C***' shirt. Now I would just like to state that I only went in there as my mum's friends work at the bar, I don't really see the point in wanting to be away from the crowd and the atmosphere to hobnob with a few D listers. Anyway, there wasn't that much of a crowd, as I suppose most were seeing Jay-z or Jimmy Page (again I may be wrong, wasn't really listening at the time). But the set was, I unashamedly state; immense. From opener Saturday Superhouse to their encore they were just pure brilliance (running out of adjectives, can you tell?). They performed each track as if it were their last on Earth and it was possibly one of the best live music performances I've seen in my little life thus far. Leaving the tent, everyone's faces were soaked, and there was a definite 'Jay-who?' in the air as most were still on a high from Biffy's set.
Mon the Biff indeed!
Amongst other acts I saw bits of, were Alphabeat, my ultimate guilty pleasure and The Wombats. On the Sunday, I think, I saw Mr Mark Ronson and his band, which were shockingly a lot better than I had expected. He didn't rely on special guests or any of that nonsense, apart from a few less notable faces singing Valerie, and someone, can't remember who now, doing a cover of Amy Winehouse's Back to Black, which was a thousand times better than the original, even though that's the one track of hers I outwardly like. The horn and string sections were breathtaking to see live, you really get the impression Mark Ronson knows what he's doing, and whatever it is he's doing it right. The only bad point about the performance was when Lily Allen made an appearance, slightly off of her face. Understandably so though, as her grand,other had passed away the previous day, but still, she forgot large segments of the words to her own song, and let's face it she's hardly got a huge back catalogue has she? Still, Oh My God was good so she wasn't too terrible really.
I also saw Mystery Jets at the Park Stage on Sunday. The crowd was outlandishly larger than I had anticipated, who knew Mystery Jets had such a big fanbase? We managed to get a seat right behind the soundhut, meaning although we couldn't see at least we could hear the band, which was more than I can say about the Ting Tings at the John Peel tent. The sun was just breaking through the clouds as Two Doors Down, the slightly Cure-esque track came on. It was so peaceful, relaxing in the sun eating licorice and listening to a thoroughly good band. They even managed to convince me that their older stuff isn't as annoying as I first thought. I have since changed my mind you may be happy to know.
A Glasto 'aaw' moment now; wandering back from shopping, we found Leonard Cohen was playing, singing none other than 'Hallelujah.' Literally, a hundred or so thousand people turned to random strangers, myself included, and just sang Hallelujah to each other, it was actually quite magical, makes you think that all the fuss in Iraq and that could be solved by sending in a 70 year old crooner to serenade them to peace.
Right so here I should probably tell you about The Verve on Sunday night, who were the climax of Glastonbury 2008. I watched them from our circle of tents adjacent to the stage for most of the set. Although I'm too young to remember a lot of their songs, The Drugs Don't Work in particular was flawless, and I don't think I've ever heard so many people sing along to a song before in my life, and I've been to other festivals both National and overseas. The penultimate song of their set, Bittersweet Symphony, was truly something. The strings riff echoing through the whole field, it seemed as though evryone on our field had been mesmerised by the song and just stood facing the stage, hearing the Richard Ashcroft singing the utterly true lyrics. A moment I will never forget it hearing that as someone let off a solitary floating lantern into the night sky, and just watching it float higher into the sky as this truly blissful melody was being played. I know it's sad to say it, but it did really make me appreciate music and the power it has on us all, weird isn't it?
Other than the music, a whole lot of other things happened, but it's late and I doubt anyone will have read this far, so maybe I'll save it for next time.
To sum it up-Glastonbury is an AMAZING festival, so different to any others, I cannot WAIT to go again next year!!