Glasto Round Up

After digesting some of the great performances from the weekend's festivities at Glastonbury I have to say it looked like a great festival.

Colplay's Saturday night headlining set was dazzling. An array of multicolour lighting and lazers illuminated an electrifying performance and Chris Martin's high octane energy was the stuff of a proper rock star.


Coldplay - Viva la Vida @ Glasto 2011

U2 were very good also. As they should be. A crowd that size is their forte and it showed. Just very comfortable and good.

Plan B put in a great shift, playing the whole Strickland Banks record. His voice and his band sounded great and the big man took it all in his stride.

Morrissey as I've already discussed was good. Kool and the Gang surprised me, really fun performance and their new, young singer handled the crowd extremely well.


Beyonce in all her glory

Finally, Beyonce, well... she was pretty good. I'm not her biggest fan anyway (Rihanna does it more for me in the solo female R&B category) and generally her songs get a little on my tits, but she did what she had to: entertained. At points I found the crowd-inclusive parts slightly nauseating, but nevertheless, she was good.

Coldplay were the big winners in my eyes, though. Well done boys.


Coldplay perform new song Every Teardrop is a Waterfall @ Glasto 2011

Some Thoughts...

First things first: It was a big shame to wake up on Sunday morning to the news of Clarence Clemons's death. Clemons was a mesmerising saxophonist and, whereas in many songs it can be an annoyance, he made the sax integral to the sound of Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band. Rest in Peace Big Man.


Clarence Clemons and Bruce Springsteen (from the Born to Run album sleeve)

Also: For some reason (probably monetary) Coldplay have collaborated with dance music giants Swedish House Mafia. The song Every Teardrop is a Waterfall is OK, but it does seem an odd pairing. Still, fair play I suppose, it's good to be multi-faceted.

Finally: I thought Damon Albarn's performance of his new track Apple Carts (from his new opera Doctor Dee)on The Andrew Marr Show (BBC) was beautiful. It was a really sombre little moment and his voice sounds as good as it ever has.


Damon Albarn - Apple Carts (Live on The Andrew Marr Show)