So, this year was my third. You can always rely on Glastonbury, as a festival to have such a nice vibe about it. There are always quite a lot of families there, as well as teenagers, twenty-somethings+ And of course, the old school ravers. It's not just the people that come from all walks of life but the FOOD! I love food, good food.There was the burger van called 'Meat & Greet'; i must have gone there and had had a burger almost every day; they were so delicious. On the last day i went to this stand that is always there in the same place, called 'Manic Organic' and had a massive plate of Dhal curry, it was so yummy and the helping are so generous.
So, let's talk about Arcade Fire.
They were probably one of the top ten live performances that i have ever seen, in my life. they were so humble and all of the members seem to have this really endearing quality of performing like children. I mean that in a really good way, as in, they aren't trying to look cool/mysterious or take themselves really seriously. They just seem so uninhibited when they perform and so artistic, and that is what i really appreciated about them. The songs that i loved were 'Reflektor', 'We Exist', 'Haiti' and one of the Neighbourhood songs but i can't remember which.
Blondie was also a highlight for me, my new goal in life is to be Debbie Harry when i grow up. she looked fabulous and clearly has still got it. She had the crowd going crazy and obviously cracked out a load of classic tunes that so many different age groups could enjoy, a la 'Heart of Glass', 'Atomic', 'Rapture' and of course 'One Way or Another'.
Another massive highlight and probably the set that i was most looking forward too seeing, was that of Bombay Bicycle Club.
Firstly, i adore this band. It's actually very unusual in this day and age to find a band that creates great music, that sounds so distinctive and original.
For me, i think they create music that is really well suited to a festival environment, particularly from their latest album 'So Long, See You Tomorrow' (i don't know why, but i love that title!) They also looked so happy to be there and appreciative of the large turn out that they had. they performed on the other stage, which is in the open and the crowd was huge. It was so quite when they brought out Lucy Rose; their former backing vocalist and singer/songwriter/massively talented musician in her own right. She sang the female part that she recorded on their third album 'A Different Kind of Fix' for 'Lights Out, Words Gone' along with most, if not all of the other songs on the album.
Dry The River, another fantastic band. These boys have got folk/rock down to T. I love their songs and the religious imagery that they have in the lyrics. They also, often, have really gorgeous three part harmonies throughout their songs, sung by the front man, lead guitarist and bass guitarist, i believe. At one point, i think this may have been in their new single 'Gethsemane' (but i could be wrong) that the guitars played his guitar with a violin bow and it made the most beautiful sound. This is definitely a band that i cannot wait to see at their own gig.
A band i wasn't so impressed with were, sadly, The 1975. I saw them last year and thought they were quite good and suited the festival atmosphere, however i don't think their songs sound very original or lyrically...great, but their drummer and the all around sound of their music, i really enjoy.
However, imagine my disgust, when i leave my friends to go and see them, on my own, to find the front man with his head inflated to the size of a giant watermelon (it wasn't actually but he sure acted like it was). Clearly the success has hit this man far too hard.
He waltzed on the staged fooling around, a bottle of wine in one hand, cigarette in the other, looking as though he had just woken up and had forgotten to wash for a week. All throughout the set he kept holding the microphone out of the line of this vocals, so you couldn't really hear his voice and his dancing around, like he thought he was a cross between Morrisey and Pete Doherty didn't help matters. I decided that i had had enough when he mention that a girl at the front was celebrating her birthday and that we should sing happy birthday, so we did but after two bars 'Happy birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you' we got cut off by him saying 'That's enough now, let's get on with it'...i was not impressed.
Let's end on a good note by talking about a band that i didn't even know existed until i went to Glastonbury and now, I cannot wait to hear more of their music at one of their own shows. The band i am referring to is called Jungle, they have two songs that are available on iTunes now 'Busy Earnin' and 'Time'. I love them both and soon their album will also be available on iTunes.
Other highlights consisted of Disclosure's headline set at the West Holts stage and Arcadia. All in all it was a wonderful festival and i hope i get a ticket for a fourth year.
x
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