8 posts tagged “glastonbury festival”

I head over to The Roundhouse to see Passion Pit, joining them in their dressing room before the show.   Michael is on good form.  He had a bad stomach upset earlier but that is now over.   They were in Montreaux at the Jazz Festival yesterday, it sounds incredible, staying at a best Western over looking the lake, the whole country so tidy and beautiful.  The show is good, better than Glastonbury, he actually performs with his keyboard facing the stage and it works.  It really comes together when he gets out from behind it for the last number. 

I head in with Ken listening to Joe Strummer’s “Coma Girl” which has never sounded more appropriate.
We actually get to park a bit closer today to the site.  Head over through the backstage parking and head down to the busses parked up by the John Peel Stage.   We find Passion Pit by their bus.  Isaac Green is with them in an immaculate white shirt and wellingtons without a spot of mud on them.   I give Michael a big hug.   He and the band are in good spirits, the band have just come off a successful American tour and have sold a lot of records out there.
    We slip backstage to say hello to Crosby Stills and Nash.   On the way we pass Spinal Tap stepping down from the stage and climbing into an old people’s bus.   They manage to keep in character long enough to raise a clenched fist salute as they drive into the hospitality area.   We head into the dressing room compound and spot Buddha who manages CSN surrounded by lots of guys with silver beards.  We go over to say hi and he introduces us to Graham Nash and David Crosby.   Nash has a big shock of white hair and is a ball of energy, funny and dashing around.   He is hiding behind shades and a baseball hat, but looks amazing.   He is very chilled out, laughing about it all.   He is clearly a little nervous having played very few festivals which is a surprise to me.   He is happy to sit on the sofa strumming his acoustic guitar, learning the songs for the show.   I am pretty startruck by this all, talking to Graham Nash about recording their album with Rick Rubin whilst Crosby is sitting behind us playing away.  
We leave them to it and I cross the compound which all of Springsteen’s guys are shutting down like a military operation.   I poke my head round the door of Kasabian's dressing room to see Tom and Serge playing a football game on the TV.  They are very hospitable.
   I leave them to find Ken and Angie and we go out to watch Crosby Stills and Nash.  They come on and perform Marrakesh Express and I am blown away by the purity of their vocals.  Stephen Stills is a remarkable guitarist.  He still has all of the fire he played with in Buffalo Springfield.
We have to head across to see Passion Pit on the John Peel Stage.    There is a good crowd there to see them, and it is good to see so much enthusiasm.   Those moments when Michael steps away from the keys, such as when he plays “The Reeling” are fantastic and everyone goes bananas.  
   I head over to watch Kasabian.  We have left it too late to get backstage so we decide to see the impact of the band coming on from the field.   It is packed in front of the Pyramid Stage; we can barely get into the field.   We push our way in as far as we need to in order that we have a clear view of the screens.  A huge roar goes up as the band make their way onto the stage, the loudest being reserved for the moment when Tom appears.  He is standing there taking it all in, he looks a little overcome, not something I am accustomed to seeing in him usually.   He recovers himself to launch into Underdog and has wholly regained his composure as they head into “Shoot the Runner”  The set is pretty triumphant.   Everyone delighted.   “Fire” in particular is a real moment. 
   We head up onto the gantries overlooking the stage as the countdown for Bruce begins.   Michael Eavis is soon up next to us as is Nick Dewey and Emily.  The Glastonbury Royal Family.  This is Nick’s first year programming the Pyramid Stage and how appropriate it is that we have Bruce headlining.  He spoke to me about this the moment that I came to Columbia and finally we came good.   I can’t quite believe that he is starting the set with Joe Strummer’s “Coma Girl” the very song Ken and I listened to as we drove to the festival this morning.  Nick turn to me “This is one Emily and my favourite songs” he beams.  I am so impressed that Bruce even knows the tune let alone plays it to the masses.   Then it is blast off time with “Badlands”.   The crowd go mental.  Right down at the front a man naked to the waist supported on another’s shoulders sporting a full American Indian feathered Head dress is singing every word, his arm outstretched clutching a burning flare.  It continues on a breathless pace through “My Lucky Day”, Outlaw Pete” “Out in the Street and Working on a Dream” It is an amazing opening hour.
   Bruce steps into the crowd to gather up all of the cardboard with song titles written on and returns to play “Because the Night”.   My own personal favourite “No Surrender”  sees Brian from The Gaslight Anthem join Bruce at the microphone.   There are some great moments as they head into “Born to Run” which is just perfect.     They end with “Thunder Road” and “American Dreams” but Bruce is keeping it all going.   He is clearly on a roll and runs over his allotted time to play “Glory Days” and “Dancing in the Dark”.