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  2. I will not be there in person, but I will be firing up the iPlayer shortly to watch the Carly Rae Jepsen set. Other than that I will be trying to catch Gabriels, Joey Bada$$ & Young Fathers via BBC this evening.

  3. I’m looking forward to seeing Jacob Collier on the telly tomorrow evening. I don’t particularly like his music, but I find him very, very talented and clever and he puts on a good show with an original take on audience participation.

      • I think it was Quincy Jones who called him a musical genius. Might have been Stevie Wonder. Or both. I’ve seen him a couple of times and, as I say, I’m not that fond of his music – not my thing at all and his singing sounds very mannered and posh. But… his live show was very impressive, using technology that he himself helped develop which allowed his image on screen to keep playing a certain instrument while he moved on to the next. And he did a crowd singing thing that was very impressive (helped considerably, I suspect, by the fact that I didn’t join in). This was in a small venue. I’m interested to see what he does with a larger, festival crowd.

  9. Just watched the Foo Fighters.

    For some reason they have passed me by and I know nothing of their music. The set was heavy and what I expected. One song that stood out was, I assume, called ‘No Son Of Mine’.

    Anyone here want to recommend anything to fill this gap in may hard rock knowledge? I should I just walk on by.

  11. At all festivals, the camera always focuses on the young lady sitting on the shoulders of her boyfriend; I always feel sorry for the poor bugger standing behind them.

  12. There’s been some right old toffee on so far, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the psychedelic Korean folk girl group folk stylings of ADG7; Billy Nomates’ unique fusion of Stevie Nicks and Sleaford Mods; and the the Comet Is Coming’s east London prog skronking.

  13. I’m no expert in these matters but, for my tuppence worth, Royal Blood are way more interesting than the impotent sound and fury (signifying not very much at all) of those Churnup fellows.

      • I saw that RSC production of Macbeth directed by Trevor Nunn and starring Ian McKellan and Judi Dench in London in 1978. Just incredible. One of the greatest things I’ve ever seen on stage.

        • How did he know what to say? The words had been written down for him. How did he know where to sit? People told him.
          If you were to draw a graph of the process of his “method” it would go something like this:
          Sir Ian, Sir Ian, Sir Ian…”ACTION!” Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow creeps in this petty pace from day to day to the last syllable of recorded time. And all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. “CUT!”… Sir Ian, Sir Ian, Sir Ian…

  16. Have to admit I wasn’t jacked about this year’s lineup, but the full sets by Gabriels, Churches and wee Fred as well as the bits I’ve seen from The Comet Is Coming, Shygirl and, presently, The Mael Brothers (all on tv) have me buzzing and back in festival mode..

  19. My god the Arctic Monkeys are dull
    First few songs of the first album are great.

    Currently listening to song after mediocre song on stage. Alex Turner appears to have lost track from reality

    Pains me as they come from my home town

  20. Never got those Arctic boys so didn’t watch but, after all the negative vibes, I shall press the relevant buttons on iplayer and check it out. I can understand bands wanting to try new stuff and approaches but perhaps the famed pyramid stage at Glastonbury as headliners ain’t the right time. It’s almost like when Elton did the whole of Captain Fantastic at Wembley all those years ago only days after it was released to a baffled crowd who’d just enjoyed a barnstorming greatest hits set by the Beach Lads. Be brave of Elt to play it all again tomorrow.

      • I was a mere child but I remember reading and hearing about it. I’ve since acquired a recording of the performance (it was issued as a bonus disc on one of those huge re-issues of CF) and it does sound like a nervous and somewhat hesitant performance. It’s almost as if Elton realised halfway through ‘Someone Saved My Life Tonight’ that he’d made a rare misstep but that it was too late now to launch into a set-saving rendition of ‘Crocodile Rock.’ I’m not really an avid gig goer but I have seen him live three times and he has that rather magical ability to render massive stadiums into tiny, intimate clubs. He can be a nob sometimes but he and Bernie have a most stupendous catalogue of classics.

        • The only thing I really remember about EJ’s set was hearing him do Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me with the BBs doing sublime harmonies.

          A few years later, I saw EJ at Manchester Apollo on the tour where it was just him and Ray Cooper. He was about a million times better. Eventually nought my first EJ record when the Live album of the Russian leg of that tour came out a few years back.

  21. I was amused and surprised at how sweary Sharleen Spitteri was.

    Just as surprised to see Texas on the bill in the first place. In their 90s heyday I wrote them off as bland mid tempo poppers but was, and here’s that word again, surprised at how many songs they played I recognised. Bland and mid tempo but recognisable nonetheless.

    My wife was a fan and had an enjoyable hour or so in front of the tv watching them while I sat beside in what was obviously a constant state of surprise.

    Which was surprising.

    • Yes, I enjoyed their set too even though I’ve never really been ‘into’ them previously. Probably still won’t go out and buy any of their records but a good set, tight and beautifully judged. In terms of swearing, I think a lot of bands do it because they’re understandably nervous. Even a big and experienced band like Texas. After all, it’s not necessarily their audience they’re playing to and perhaps they feel the need to portray an ‘edginess’ which they think may cut through with the crowd. Only a theory. But I’m copyrighting it just in case.

    • Texas were excellent. As were the Lightning Seeds.

      Looking forward to the Manics and Pretenders today…and then whatever G’n’R turns up.

      Will also look up Rick Astley/Blossoms set at 6pm covering The Smiths.

    • Not trying to criticise anyone’s taste (you like what you like etc.) but I actually think Texas are the worst band ever.

      Sharleen would eat herself I’m sure. Never such a big gap between someone’s opinion of themselves and their reality. Vacuous insipid music.

      • ‘Worst band ever’ is probably a bit wide of the mark. They can write a good tune. They can play. They can hold a crowd. As I say (up there somewhere^), I’ve never been a particular fan myself but they handled their set well and were entertaining. True, in the course of their career it could be argued that they never broke new ground or did anything remotely experimental. But a vast majority of bands and artists don’t either. They play pop/rock well and that’s ok. They’ve had hits. A vast majority of bands and artists don’t have those either…

        • To be clear, I’m not a fan and never was. My point was that despite having thought I’d ignored their output from all those years ago I recognised virtually everything they played.

          Which (thinks of another word) startled (yes, that’s good) me rather.

      • I liked them in the 1990s when they were popular and bought their debut album in 1989 on the basis of the first single which at the time was different to the prevailing chart.

        Own that basis I watched them and they gave me back my memories.

        • Yeah that’s pretty much where I was when watching Texas…their first single was good back in 89 and then Mrs L liked a lot of their tunes which meant I also knew a lot of their set.

  23. Twitter is in one of its regular uprisings over a woman called Billy No Mates, who performed to a backing track and was so pulverised by negative feedback when her set was played on 6 Music that she has said she will quit music. I confess I’m not aware of her work, but the comments look vile (and misogynistic to boot). I try not to make negative comments on artistic endeavours which just aren’t for me, but this made me think about how I express myself when I’m not successful.

  25. Awful buffering problems trying to watch this via VPN in Ireland. Think I’ll
    wait a few days for iplayer catch ups of the non tentpole act live broadcasts

  26. Generation Sex are on. Billy Idol singing pretty vacant with half the Sex Pistols is a strange experience

    Cook and Jones still sounding great though

  27. A word for the unfussy presenting of Huw Stephens. If I may be forgiven for a moment of blatant namedropping, he stopped me in Llandaff Fields last week and asked me about my dog and my new novel. Dog doing fine. Novel…so so….

  34. Just seen the footage of Rick Ashley doing Highway to Hell – while skilfully playing drums. We forget that how good a singer he is so this is way beyond birrova larf territory. He does Smiths songs too, apparently.

  35. Been curious about seeing GnR but I might skim through the iplayer set tomorrow. Flipped over to watch Generation Sex on the catch up whatsit. Much more fun…Jonesey is still a powerhouse on guitar isn’t he?

  42. The only thing I’ve seen so far that was genuinely wonderful was Fred Again. GnR – and I’m very fond of them – suffered from a shocking TV mix, which made it more or less unlistenable. The Manics were workmanlike and uninspiring. They don’t really work in daylight, and You Love Us is a bit much when you’re 54 and look like a paunchy Andy Burnham in your Merrells. Arctic Monkeys were dull too. I do wish Christine would’ve put it away, but the set was nice enough.

    Also, is it just me, or has BBC News really no business treating its breathless write-ups of their own coverage as front-page stuff?

    Oh dear, that was grumpy, wasn’t it?

    • No, I think that’s a pretty fair summation, although I’ve never heard of Fred Again so will have to take a look. Mind you, it probably won’t surprise you to learn that I’ve never heard of most of the acts on the bill this year (or on many of the more recent ones).

      Peter Hammill has a wonderful line on his last album ‘In Translation’ which reads-

      “I don’t know anything
      In a world that knows everything.”

      I know how he feels whenever I see 80,000 people sing along word for word with things that are completely alien to me.

  43. I didn’t realise how much I liked the Lightning Seeds until I watched their set on the iPlayer – a terrific, melodic & warm set from a very affable Brodie & co.
    I enjoyed their tunes on the radio back in the day, but was never a ‘fan’ but was genuinely impressed with how they came across.
    They all obviously still love the music & the sound was excellent on headphones, particularly Brodie’s fat red Gibson & the young Brian Cox lookalike on Telecaster.
    All round, very nice indeed.

    • I met Broudie once, 25 years ago. He was an absolute twat. Admittedly he was playing a student event, and probably didn’t want to, but he didn’t have to take the money and he treated everyone with utter, high-handed, “don’t you know who I am” arrogant contempt. I’ve never forgotten that.

    • I am baffled there is still such interest in these insipid, humdrum acts who once had hits, a long, long time ago. That this interest endures. I guess they’ve got to fill up the bill with something and people will come anyway because it’s Glasters.

      • Glastonbury used to be perceived as underground and hip featuring cool and vaguely weird and other-worldly dope-fuelled mushroom-guzzling druidic type stuff but these days- for better or worse- it has morphed into something akin to Wimbledon where the crowds still cheer the old favourites even if they don’t make it past the quarter finals.

        I used to be a freelance cub pop reporter for BBC Radio Wales and I was sent to Glastonbury in 85. There was only one rather sad BBC truck manned by two middle aged technicians more concerned with their sandwiches than with any of the bands. This was when a ‘Glastonbury story’ would be a twenty second piece at the end of the national news telling us there had been ten drug arrests. I think a return to those days might give Glastonbury, as a ‘meaningful’ event as opposed to just another addition to ‘the season’ (like Ascot and Eton Founders’ Day), a much needed credibility boost.

        But it won’t happen of course. As L.P. Hartley famously observed- “The past is a foreign country. They do things differently there.”

        • I have thought this too. It’s about the size of a small town and all we’re seeing is Sainsburys/Tescos/Costa-Coffee on the out of town ring road! I’m sure there’s a lot of interesting stuff going on but we’re unlikely to see it unless we go(again). The BBC coverage is very safe. I haven’t been for many years but it seems to have lost all of it’s edge as far as the BBC coverage is concerned.
          Mind you I don’t suppose you’d want the BBC broadcasting you tripping off you head for your boss to see on the golf club tv!

          • Speaking as a current Co-respondent, I agree entirely about the largely lacklustre choices of acts chosen, a cosy nostalgia moment for old rockers or big telly favourite popstrels and rap urchins. Dreadful, yet still quite an experience, including near asphyxiation in any of the churning maelstrom of crowds. Glad I didn’t pay mind. Cambridge has a way better line up, next month, ever stretching the definition of folk.
            Glastonbury is a bit like NYE, in a decent pub, ruined by once a year attenders determined to have “good time”…. Plus, it’s full of young people!

            • To be fair to the Beeb their coverage goes a lot wider than Elton and The Pretenders. Just this afternoon I’ve seen a bit of Black Country New Road and now enjoying Weyes Blood who is sounding fantastic.

              • Actually, is it full of young people? When I go out now, even down to the pub, I’m struck by how everyone just keeps getting younger (can’t be me getting older surely) and the discomfort all these young limbs bring. In contrast, watching Glastonbury – and I’ve seen a wide range of acts – I’ve been struck by how grown up the crowd is.
                Whither ver kidz?

            • I’m sure it’s just great to be there. I hope you can still walk around the corner and come across a stunning set by a nobody who probably doesn’t want to be a somebody either! Enjoy @retropath and I’ll have a look at The Cambridge line up. I’ve never been to The Cambridge festival. Strawberry Fayre back in the day a few times. Enjoy the rest of the day.

            • “it’s full of young people”

              It’s full of white people! Hard to spot any black or Asian faces in the crowd. Why that? Is that normal for Glastonbury?

    • Yes I saw the Lightning Seeds at a smaller festival last year and enjoyed them in a sitting on a picnic rug with a nice pint of cold cider on a hot afternoon sort of way. I do like quite a few of their singles. The young Brian Cox lookalike on the Telecaster is, I believe, Broudie’s son Riley, (as in “Life Of”…) who is also the band’s manager nowadays.

  44. Haven’t caught up with everything, but so far I’ve really enjoyed Fred Again, Lana, Warpaint, Carly Rae, Los Bitchos, Fatboy Slim, Wizkid and Central Cee.

    Fred and Lana should really have been headlining (particularly given the crowds they drew). One legacy headliner is enough – this festival appears to have three.

    • I was going to disagree with you, Bingster, about the headlining thing, but then I remembered that Glasto sells out before the bill toppers are announced, so my Dad and his dog could headline and it wouldn’t make much difference to the tickets and Jo Whiley would still gush just as much.
      The Fred and Tony buzz would be a good way to finish the night I’ll grant you. It’s notable that LDR wasn’t even on the b side on telly – it would have been fun watching them, rainy-day-at-Wimbledon style, filling in while waiting for Lana’s barnet (TMFTL) to be ready.
      My idea of a headliner would be Lizzo. The only negative thing I can think of to say about her set was that she already did one just as good four years ago..

    • When I was a kid I wanted a huge Gibson SG like the one Jimmy McCullough played in Wings. Not one of those diddly ones everyone else used. Then I realised that McCullough was only three feet tall. My guess is that Slash is, shall we say, somewhat challenged in the girth department these days.

  46. For Glastonbury and other large festivals that will be attended by the masses I think bands who have a decent back catalogue of ‘hits’ will always do well. I think it works rather well, with a decent sprinkling of newer acts to choose from too. I’ve actually been enjoying this years event more than I thought I would.

  48. Have watched a little on the iPlayer, always find it extremely uninvolving, the sound never seems great to me, too much endless changing of camera angles and the f*cking flags. Just looked for LDR and couldn’t find her set

    • Interesting that Lana hasn’t gone onto iPlayer yet. Wonder if she’s causing difficulties over it because of the show being cut short. That said, I remember Macca last year taking a couple of days before it was out on there so hopefully will be soon.

        • There was a point before she came on that I thought she was doing a Lauryn Hill.
          If she’s not happy about the truncated show does her contract allow her to pull it?
          Billy Nomates was still up last time I looked despite asking to be taken down.
          I gather there’s a pretty big financial penalty for coming on so late…?

          • Yeah. Festivals don’t work unless bands stick to the set show times, and particularly so when there are broadcasts taking place. Promoters lose licenses if they breach the curfews agreed with local authorities, or so I was told by a friend of a friend of a friend that works for Live Nation. Times and penalties are set out clearly in the contracts. And rarely breached these days apparently.

            I doubt she has any grounds to pull her performance. There’s speculation that some of the headliners have the right to review performances before they are posted given they go global the minute they are posted. Maybe she’s refusing to OK her slot? If anyone should be kicking off it would be GnR given how much the vocal and guitar mix was for all their set.

  49. I was looking forward to Cat Stevens but, so far, it’s all a bit underwhelming. And he’s throwing away all the potential great festival singalongs in a medley too early in the set. Perhaps he never got the memo that this Legends slot was about doing the hits. He might improve. But his version of First Cut Is the Deepest is lumpen and soulless. His band sounds under-rehearsed too.

    • I’m a few songs in and was just thinking the opposite! I might get bored, but the first two songs (both from Teaser and the Fire cat) I thought were spine tingling. Maybe I just expected an old guy going through the motions, but he’s looking sharp and in fine voice.

      As I say, I’m only a few songs in though. We’ll see how it goes.

      • It’s genuinely wondrous how we can all come away with such differing opinions on these things. I really like Yusuf/Cat’s records (mainly the classics- I haven’t really followed his career with any great scrutiny) but this, for me anyway, was a shambles bordering on the embarrassing. Because he’s clearly a decent sort the audience seemed to will him on and indulge him but, to these ears anyway, the guy can’t sing anymore and he would have surely lost a less amiable crowd after the third song.

    • Hopefully you stuck with and enjoyed the remainder of his Legends Slot.
      I thought he was spot-on with the songs he played. He even had the grace to to clarify he going to sing one new song and warned the audience, (can’t remember exactly what he said though 🤔 )
      He is still in fine voice and worthy of all the (mostly) good reviews and comments he is getting.
      Tea for the Tillerman was ace!

  52. Debbie was a bit ropey to begin with but she’s getting there now.

    Glen Matlock looks very much like Colin Moulding these days. Nothing wrong with that of course.

  53. @eddie-g agree with both points. As Uncle Wheaty says, Debbie is getting on a bit these days so we should cut her some slack.

    Both guitarists look and sound like they should have been in Billy Idol’s band in the 80’s.

  55. Best thing I’ve seen so far (by miles) has been The Lathums. Joyous guitar pop with, ahem, ‘proper’ songs. They’re on iplayer under the ‘guitar’ section. But they had a shitty slot (opening the Park Stage).

    • They also played the Other stage, albeit at 12.30 daytime, after the Unthanks. They seemed standard landfill to me, I fear, with the now fashionable schtick of an unfashionably imaged front man.

        • Yes, I’ve just watched The Lathums’ set on iplayer. They aren’t breaking much in the way of new ground but that was really enjoyable. Infectious, tuneful and songs which linger after just one listen. Seemed genuinely pleased to be there too.

  56. Heard a lot about the War on Drugs. But, God, they’re tedious aren’t they? And they look like their roadies.

    Come on Elton. I’m willing you to be marvellous.

        • I’ll be the contrarian here, love them. Not trying to change anyone mind, we like what we like. I have no idea what he’s singing about most of the time it’s the sound. They can hit a groove go off on a guitar solo and it takes me…. love it.

          I saw then described on twitter a few minutes ago as “de-tuned, nuanced and mellowed-out Rush meets the best of Knopfler and Dire Straits.” Which was meant as a complement.

    • Teskeys are an Aussie band with Josh Teskey having an Otis Redding styled stax soul voice. They played at my 60 th in a life saving club hall and after that they took off. On a world tour incl supporting Broos in Milan I think.

  61. “May well be” his final performance.

    He’s pretty good though and the sound is spot on.

    Agree about RayC – he really ought to write his autobiog

    • Me having spent most of the day avoiding the sun watching in my den, Mrs F came to sit with me to watch Reg’s set. “Is that Vic Reeves’ pub singer in a ginger wig?” We switched it off and watched Alice Roberts in Egypt instead.

  66. Great to see Notorious WIG making a surprise appearance with Elton at Glastonbury this evening.

    Flicking between Elton and Candi Staton, I don’t think I’ll be sticking with either as their voices are so poor.

    • Macca can’t win, he gets slammed for playing too many Beatles songs by many of his fans then slammed for not playing enough by the Glastonbury “tourists”, he was in the middle of a tour and played his normal setlist pretty much. What he always does

  70. Twitter saying Elton got the remixer for Are You Ready For Love wrong during his intro…apparently it wasn’t Fatboy Slim it was Ashley Beedle. Anyone able to confirm this?

  71. He’s doing well. Better than I thought.

    Is Ray Cooper’s tambourine miked up? How many has he been through I wonder. He treats them rough. Does he have just the one that’s now the tambourine equivalent of Rory Gallagher’s knackered Strat?

  77. I find it hard to appreciate old acts who have nothing new of value to bring, especially when the current performance is a bit ropey and lacking compared to their heyday. I know it’s the old hits we all love and that’s nice and all but isn’t a bit sad somehow? And they don’t do anything interesting with the material either. Creativity long gone.

    I played a Neil Young clip I like from recent years called Chevrolet. It’s on youtube, a live performance a bit like the Barn thing. Nils Lofgren is with Crazy Horse. It’s a moving, powerful piece. Something new from an old geezer. It can be done, after a lot of misfires to be fair.

    I’ve trawled through the youtube stuff. I found some fine things like The Grants by Lana Del Rey. Glorious. Welcome To My Island by Carolina Palocheck (spelling may be wrong). Appealing. Kisses by Slowdive. Lovely. Best though was Alison Goldfrapp with a dancey electronic groove. Just uplifting and marvellous. There is hope.

    • It probably just depends what you’re after.

      Sometimes old acts can put on a properly amazing show (Elton last night, Springsteen most nights), because they have decades of experience of playing big crowds and know exactly what they’re doing.

      Sometimes it’s lovely to just be with a bunch of mates bopping along to live versions of songs you all grew up with and which bond you together.

      Sometimes the audience know old material so well that they’ll just straight up sing it all back at the artist all night, and that can be magical.

      Sometimes the show itself isn’t world beating but you’re just jazzed to actually get to listen to this person play live (hello Dylan).

      All of the above is great and I’ve had some amazing times at heritage act gigs. But the best live shows I’ve seen have almost universally been delivered by artists at or around their peak, and that peak tends to arrive before the age of 40 (although not always).

      There are probably exceptions, but there’s something in the energy generated between an artist who has their finger right in the mains and their audience that’s just really hard to replicate, and you can sort of feel it when it’s in the air. That sense that anything might happen, and probably will.

      Actually, the exception that jumps most immediately to mind is Prince at the Superbowl in 2007. Well past his peak, utterly destroying a massive audience and making it look as easy as breathing. You can make a case for it being peak live Prince.

      But even then, I’d argue that it’s magic of a slightly different stripe to the kind I’m describing above. Because by that point he was long since Prince; the legend was already written, and those present were just there for a surprisingly good late chapter, rather than the actual foundations.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NN3gsSf-Ys

      • Yes some are past their peak as a recording artist but not as a live performer. Stages are getting a bit overcrowded with those who are passed both peaks some time ago. Audiences don’t seem to mind though.

  80. I was there, 13th time for me (did 2002, then every year from 2008 to present).

    Aside from the challenges made by the punishing heat, it was a great weekend. Sophie Ellis-Bexter was the musical highlight for me, but also The Magic Numbers, Dom Joly, Lana, Foos, a great new act called Cerian, and many others. The true highlights are just having fun, drinks with the wife and our mates in an amazing place.

    Day off today to rest and work through the laundry!

  81. I did about 8 years on the trot from 1984, I went again a few years later. It used to be my main holiday for many years. Started with Reading 77 then Stonehenge and ended up at Glastonbury. I’ve been to a few others Standon Calling. Played a few too. Great fun.

  82. I had a binge on iPlayer yesterday. Some great stuff..
    Pretenders – bloody awesome!
    Generation Sex – surprisingly Not Bad At All.
    Yusuf/Cat Stevens – strangely not mentioned so far…I thought his set was sublime, and very touching during Here Comes The Sun and especially Father And Son (Cat watching his younger self on screen singing the ‘Son’ sections).
    Lewis Capaldi – concerning but also incredibly moving; such grace under pressure.
    Alison Goldfrapp – so cool and groovetastic.
    Christine & The Queens – utterly EXTRAORDINARY.

    • I liked Cat Stevens! Didn’t I mention him up there? I can’t be bothered scrolling back up to check!😁 But yes he was very good and has sent me scurrying back to his old LPs this week.

      • Apologies, Arthur! Your good self and a few others did discuss Cat, and silly me I had actually read the comments, so I’ve absolutely no idea what I was on about 😕😉

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