The Bands and Artists I watched:
With Love From Humans!
Lampliter
Ms Dynamite
Metronomy
Mona
Beardyman
The Naked and Famous
Catlin Rose
Jenny and Johnny
B.B. King
Bright Eyes
Biffy Clyro
Morrisey
Billy Bragg and Badly Drawn Boy
Chase and Status
Ceelo Green
Bare Naked Ladies
Tame Impala
Yuck
Dry the River
Pulled Apart by Horses
Jessie J
Patrick Wolf
Warpaint
Anna Calvi
Jimmy Eat World
Shlomo
Pulp
James Blake
Wild Beasts
Don Mclean
Air Castles
Foot Clan
Everything Everything
Gruff Rhys
Hercules and the Love Affair
Pretty Lights
Bellowhead
Kool and the Gang
City and Colour
Queens of the Stone Age
Beyonce
My Highlights
As with any festival there are countless highlights and memories. Here are just a few that instantly spring to mind.
James Blake:
In all truth and honesty I wasn't really pushed for seeing James Blake. My brother was really keen to go so I unenthusiastically followed. Before watching him I had already decided that James Blake was a mopey bloke who could only play a few chords, say a few words, who then felt compelled to repeat them as if he had Techno-y OCD. I thought there was a limit to James Blake. How wrong I was.
I'm not going to argue James Blake is limitless, that wouldn't make any sense. However his sound isn't nearly as limited as it might first seem. What I was completely obliviously to prior to watching him was that James Blake's genius is found in the subterranean. I still cannot believe how much bass he produced. The Park Stage and the surrounding hills felt alive. The kick drum gave the ground a heart beat, and the bass bestowed breath.
It is only after listening to James Blake both live and recorded you see his variety. His recorded works seem to emphasise the negative and empty spaces in music; pauses combine with an all engulfing bass to trick the listener into thinking that the gaps between melody are emptier than they are. He makes music you have to want to listen to. You have to vest yourself into it to reap the rewards. Live however Blake is a different animal; the bass compels you to move, where as his recorded material compels you to contemplate. When he keys a chord in front of you sound barrels and waves toward you, the swell pushed forward by every kick, crash and beat.
Blake's set at Glastonbury was one of those moments only nature could conspire to recreate. He got the 'sundown slot'. A setting sun combined with unearthly vibrations truly forged a timeless memory; one he most probably got the best view of.
Set (highlight) Highlights (it was all good):
The Whilhelm Scream - Ethereal and entrancing; I completely lost myself in this song.
Limit to Your Love - The bass might resonate and echo within me and those hills forever.
Barenaked Ladies:
I have a soft spot for BNL. Amazing musicians, intelligent lyrics, but most overwhelming they are funny, lovely people. Their set was over way too quickly. I can't recommend them enough. Pure light hearted, fair spirited fun.
Set Highlights:
Its all been done
Brian Wilson
If I had a million dollars
Two weeks
Morrisey:
One of the greatest voices I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. One of the greatest lyricists ever to live. The poet of our time.
I feel he is also a man ahead of his times. His views seem extreme now, but all great minds are misunderstood in the time they inhabit. I think history will be kind to him.
He was also in that famous band.
Set Highlights (again, every song was a highlight):
Everyday feels like sunday
There is a light that never goes out
Link to full set
Queens of the Stone Age:
For those who witnessed this performance I'm pretty sure Josh Homme proved himself to be the coolest and nicest guy in Rock 'n' Roll. He even made smoking look cool, a feat that hasn't been achieved in England since the 1st of July 2007.
Set Highlights:
Go with the flow
Make it wit chu
No one knows
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