GLASTO GIG HIGHLIGHTS IN SOUNDBYTES

There was simply too much going on at the Glastonbury Festival to cover in huge depth, so here we have an very edited account of the highs, mids and lows of the standout gigs:

N.E.R.D.: Pyramid Stage, Fri 26th June 2009

WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT : R&B, hip-hop and rap slickness from one of the world's most supertalented West Coast songwriter/singer/producers Pharell Williams and Chad Hugo. A bit of crotch grabbing, but with looks like that Pharell can be forgiven.
THE BAND WERE : Straight out of gangland Los Angeles, two drummers, with a funk/metal influence on the guitars and bass not dissimilar to Rage Against the Machine.
BEST BITS : Pharell's totally gold tinted Wayfarer Raybans and gold earphones.
COULD BE FORGIVEN FOR, MAYBE : Being 30 mins late and being so nervous!
BEST TUNE, DEFINITELY : "Everybody Nose".

-o-

FLEET FOXES : Pyramid Stage, Fri 26th June 2009

WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT: Lilting melodies and meandering basslines - proper hippy festival music!
THE BAND WERE : Sarcastic and self-effacing but very happy to be there, perhaps surprised even...
BEST BITS : Seeing the whole band in Wellies, just like the rest of us!
COULD BE FORGIVEN FOR, MAYBE : Basing their entire sound on the Crosby Stills & Nash / Beachboys back catalogue.
BEST TUNE, DEFINITELY : "The Strawberry Song" / "I love you older brother of mine...."

-o-

FRIENDLY FIRES : Other Stage, Fri 26th June 2009

WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT : The experimentation, danceability, and sex appeal of the Rolling Stones at their most creative - no strangers to a bit of disco-rawk.
THE BAND WERE: All brass, guitars drums and even a line up of Brazilian tom drums too. Madness.
BEST BITS Ed Macfarlane's beige capri pants and tight blue top coming together on shaking hips that Mick Jagger would have been proud of.
COULD BE FORGIVEN FOR, MAYBE : Sounding a bit like Curiosity Killed The Cat in "Skeleton Boy"
BEST TUNES, DEFINITELY : "Strobe" / "On Board" / "Paris". The Killers would die to be this band.

-o-

LADY GAGA : Other Stage, Fri 26th June 2009

WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT : Pantomime porn to a disco soundtrack from the heir to Madonna, New York's Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta.
THE BAND WERE: Practically non-existant - the only live playing seemed to come from her monstrous battleship grey shoulder keyboard encrusted with giant sci-fi crystals. Strewth!
BEST BITS : We are torn between the exploding brassier stunt, or the mirrored intro sequence of "Paparazzi".
COULD BE FORGIVEN FOR, MAYBE: Having the teeny-tiniest miniskirt, knowing that the cameras would be well below her knees. NOT taking acid like she said she usually does at festivals.
BEST TUNES, DEFINITELY : "Paparazzi" / "Poker Face"

-o-

THE SCRIPT : Other Stage, Sat 27th June 2009

WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT : Irish melancholy rock on the lines of Keane, Cold Play et al.
THE BAND WERE : A bit naff really.
BEST BITS: "This is relationship suiciiiiide!"
COULD BE FORGIVEN FOR, MAYBE: The dodgy backdrop.
BEST TUNE, DEFINITELY: "The Man Who Can't Be Moved"

-o-

PAULO NUTINI : Other Stage, Sat 27th June 2009

WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT: The voice of Bob Marley and James Brown being channelled through a short, lithe Scotsman who sings like he's on the crapper, oh, and sublimely clever songwriting.
THE BAND WERE: Versatile, energetic and essential to the sound.
BEST BITS: "Funky Cigarette"
COULD BE FORGIVEN FOR, MAYBE: Reducing people to tears with "These Streets".
BEST TUNE, DEFINITELY : "New Shoes" / "Candy"


-o-

CROSBY STILLS & NASH : Pyramid Stage, Sat 27th June 2009

WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT: The four-part harmony blueprint for doped-out "peace" maaaan.
THE BAND WERE: As shocked to be up there as we were to see them!
BEST BITS: "Marrakech Express"
COULD BE FORGIVEN FOR, MAYBE: Not dying their hair - it made photography quite difficult getting the exposures right.
BEST TUNE, DEFINITELY : "Wooden Ships".

-o-

DIZZY RASCAL : Pyramid Stage, Sat 27th 2009

WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT: England's best rapper ever - he's funny, he's down with the LA crew, and he can put a tune together.
THE BAND WERE: Not more than a dj really... a bit disappointing...
BEST BITS: "Bonkers!"
COULD BE FORGIVEN FOR, MAYBE: The dodgy "tribute" to Michael Jackson which consisted of the dj spinning three Jacko tracks, one of which Dizzy clearly did not recognise!
BEST TUNE, DEFINITELY : "Dance Wiv Me"

-o-

DEADMAU5 : Dance East, Sat 27th 2009

WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT : Toronto's minimal electro-house producer/dj Joel Zimmerman with a wacky mask.
THE BAND WERE: Ghosts in the machines.
BEST BITS: When the MAU5 put his mask back on as the photographers had arrived! The tart!
COULD BE FORGIVEN FOR, MAYBE: The uninspired visual projections.
BEST TUNE, DEFINITELY : "Faxing Berlin".

-o-

GOLDFISH : Dance West, Sun 28th 2009

WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT: A jazzier but less experimental version of the Chemical Brothers.
THE BAND WERE: Augmented by a new rapping frontman, Sakhile.
BEST BITS: Sweat dropping off the roof of the tent.
COULD BE FORGIVEN FOR, MAYBE: That nagging saxophone on "Soundtracks and Comebacks".
BEST TUNE, DEFINITELY: "Cruising Through".

-o-

BLUR : Pyramid Stage, Sun 28th 2009

WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT: Laddishness, lager, laughs and pop poses. Brit-pop's reunited champions.
THE BAND WERE: Surprisingly tight, if a bit bloated and tired looking.
BEST BITS: Damon Albarn crowd surfing in the second song.
COULD BE FORGIVEN FOR, MAYBE : Really crap stage design, dowdy stage wear.
BEST TUNE, DEFINITELY: "Girls and Boys" / "The Universal"

Erm, and that's all we covered really, besides Bon Iver and Prodigy featured elsewhere on PY-TV.

Photography by Don Albert.