28th
Xfm’s Glasto Review - Friday
Friday morning and still the campers pour in, their faces a mixture of excitement and fear as they survey the mud around the site and the chance of finding somewhere to camp. But fear is something to be expected when last night’s steady downpour churned up to create what now seems to be the obligatory mud. Despite the drizzle and occasional showers, festivities carry on with a steely - if not wide-eyed just yet - determination, especially when in the vacinity of a covered area.
So it is that the John Peel tent is full to bursting at at all times, a situation that ensures a rammed solid crowd for Glasvegas’ slot of cheesewire guitars and Spectoresque pounding. A quick wander around the site, by now a cornucopia of colour and sound offset by a grey, metallic clouds, reveals a situation comparable to conditions Aintree - the going is good to firm. Dare we even think or hope for dryness? We do. The Park is slowly starting to come into its own as it forges a unique identity within the festival. Mid-afternoon and Santogold whips up an early day party as “L.E.S. Artistes” pours forth but it’s not difficult to feel slightly underwhelmed. Recent rumours suggested an appearance with a full band but today we have the usual DJ/two dancers line-up thata conspires to keep things tasteful. A walk back to the John Peel tent finds Young Knives doing their do. Sharp and to the point, their set is followed by The Ting Tings’ storming performance.
Expectations are delivered and surpassed as the Salford duo pick up any stragglers still not sold on their infectious pop. With the evening fast approaching and the ground firming up, a gradual feeling of optimism rises to give way to the confidence that we’ll have a classic Glasto Friday night on our hands. The hope is justified; former Velvet Underground member John Cale delivers the first true magnificent performance of the festival as he mangles “Heartbreak Hotel” beyond all recognition before delving into his own back catalogue at the Park.
A true Glastonbury moment, it serves as an hors d’oeuvre for the main course - a unannounced (well, unannounced if you hadn’t been listening) performance from Franz Ferdinand hereb to roadtest material from their forthcoming third album. While the likes of “Michael” and “Matinee” kick us into touch, it’s the new material that really impresses. “Catherine Kiss Me” sees bassist Bob Hardy take pole position courtesy of an urging, driving bassline while “Ulysses” is set to become a firm favourite. The icing on the cake? A colossal reading of “Take Me Out” that sees the crowd on front of the stage erupt in joyous abandon. Why are our faces aching? Simple - because we can’t stop smiling, safe in the knowledge that we’ve been privy to something really special.
Afterhours Glastonbury lives up to expectations thanks to the numerous parties and soundsystems dotted around the site but it’s at this point that your correspondent’s memory starts to get a little fuzzy. One official day down, two to go…
