Glastonbury 2010

A Review for http://www.4clubbers.net/

Early June 2010… Glastonbury Festival 2010 was impending and apprehension loomed as to whether it was going to chuck it down or not. We all know that UK weather is unreliable to say the least, (we’re probably one of the only countries in the Europe that consider wellies a festival fashion staple) and granted, most of us at some point have slipped and slid through mud and sludge clutching cups of warm booze, be it at Global Gathering, Glade, Bestival etc…

Glasto is great fun whatever the weather, but it was called into question just how willing punters were to have a good time when faced with the storms of 2005 and floods of 2007, and the sheer size of the place really made attendees prove their resilience against the elements.

The usual pre-Glastonbury ritual had begun some weeks prior to this year’s festival: many had Metcheck.com bookmarked on their computers and were worriedly inspecting the ‘changeable’ forecast every half an hour. The pessimists out there announced that following a few years of decent weather, a wet one would almost certainly be in store - law of averages and all that.

This year at Glastonbury however was gloriously far removed from these concerns. A heat-wave took over the country leaving dusty ground, dry, scorched grass and cloudless skies. Waterproofs and wellington boots were a distant memory and from the opening of the gates on Wednesday morning, the festival site was a parade of feathers, face-paint, giant sunglasses and smiling, ever so slightly smug faces.

The first ‘official’ day of Glastonbury was Friday, when the main stages opened and acts spanning the highest end of rock, dance, hip hop and everything in between were billed to play across the site. The heat and sunshine was intense even before midday, with artists on stage shouting to the crowd to make sure they “drink water! Cover up! Get some shade!”
Pink flesh and sunburn was on display from many, confirming the fact that we Brits really are rubbish at hot weather. A set from French outfit Phoenix in the afternoon provided musical relief and shade as they played tracks from their latest album ‘Wolfgang Amadeus’ , and of course earlier tracks such as ‘If I Ever Feel Better’, the perfect summer record.

It was then off to the Pyramid for a blinding hour from the excellent Snoop Dogg. Arriving on stage in a white vest and his trademark swagger, he hollered out classics such as ‘Gin and Juice’ and ‘What’s My Name’ whilst the crowd bounced under the sweltering 5pm heat.

Once again at the Pyramid, previous ‘virtual-band’ Gorillaz performed an epic Friday night slot, with the ‘characters’ merely background images and Damon Albarn gracing the stage as a front-man for the second time in two years, having appeared with Blur in 2009. Despite some unnecessarily sombre and lacklustre album tracks, Albarn’s stage presence and the ridiculous array of guests featuring on stage; from Shaun Ryder to Lou Reed and a finale cameo from Snoop, (gracing the Pyramid for the second time that day) made for some particularly special Glastonbury performances.

Saturday saw more blazing sunshine with little relief, but after food, rehydration and welcomed showers which dispelled the myth that being at a festival equates to being a dirt bag, it was time to get involved in Glastonbury day two. The highlights of Saturday’s shenanigans were the deliciously camp Scissor Sisters, looking fabulous and joined by the sublime Kylie for a rendition of their record “Any Which Way” from their new album ‘Night Work’.

It was a toss up between the epic Muse and the superb sounds of George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic later on that evening. The latter were chosen, and as the mass on stage belted out the unforgettable “We Want the Funk’ across the West Holts field, it was clear that the right choice had been made.

As things were in full swing, what better time to go and explore the weird wonderfulness of Arcadia, Shangri La and The Unfair Ground. Once the hundreds of party seekers had shuffled along at a snail’s pace down the winding paths and through the trees, an assault on the senses awaited that left people confused, amazed and wondering how the hell someone had thought of such lunacy.

The first place encountered was Arcadia, where an enormous and eerie arachnid style metal construction shot noisy flames high into the sky, whilst suspended contortionists and fire eaters spun around at speeds that made spectators dizzy. Moving onwards, more bizarre areas were waiting: from a rave in a caravan to a club to into which entrance would only be admitted to those with a tattoo. A construction was stumbled upon with a sinister gigantic baby’s head above the entrance. This was Bez’s Acid House. Here revellers were treated to loud techno, strobes, and Bez himself jumping about behind the decks slurring incoherencies.
Another small bar full of rickshaw bicycles saw a manic character ringing the bell and enticing passers by to come in and take a seat. Popping in for some cheap beer, to pedal furiously on the spot for a bit and listen to a bit of minimal techno is evidently a standard Saturday night at Glastonbury.

When Sunday came around there was almost an air of sadness that the best festival in the country was coming to an end. There was still, however, another 24 hours of fun to be had, and with the sun still beating down, many threw themselves into one last day of music, cider and partying. An afternoon was spent wandering around the smaller tents in the Green Fields, observing the craft stalls, eating tasty food and listening to diverse types of music; anything from growling rock and folk bands to an Irish Gospel Choir singing pop music covers, the perfect way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon.

The most exciting event of Sunday evening was a set from the legendary Stevie Wonder, who claimed the coveted spot of closing of the Pyramid Stage. Prior to his appearance, the field in front of the Pyramid became a sea of people craning their necks to see the man himself. He appeared on stage playing the intro to ‘My Eyes Don’t Cry’ on a keytar to deafening cheers, then his honeyed familiar tones ensured that the crowd were locked in for the next ninety minutes. He rolled out the classics - from 'Superstition' to 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered', and for the finale, invited Mr. Glastonbury, Michael Eavis himself, to join him in a rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’. It was truly a magical moment.

And so the final acts finished on the main stages and those who didn’t want to think about tents, packing or going home scurried off to Shangri La to squeeze every last bit of fun from the remaining few hours of the festival. The past five days had rendered people sunburned, exhausted, dehydrated and hoarse, but what an adventure it was. Until next year Glastonbury, it’s been a heap of fun.
Photos by Andrew Turner

http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/