Missing Glastonbury

All this summer I've had moments where I wish I was at Glastonbury (that thought made worst knowing there is no festival this year). Usually its something simple, like the smell of cut grass on a sunny day, or the smell of weed or just good old fashioned smoke.

I watched some of the 02 Wireless Festival earlier and they had a performance by the Flaming Lips on there. This made me wish for Glasto more than ever as I have very fond memories of watching them a few years ago at Glasto.

At the time I wasn't a big fan of them. As there was such a big gap between The Soft Bulletin and Yoshima, when the press were raving about them I'd never heard of them. It baffled me that such a so-called well known band had passed me by. The Flight Test was being over-played on MTV2 and I just wasn't getting their music. The song Yoshima wasn't bad.. quite catchy but that was it. (note: Ice Cream Van (Mr Whippy in fact) has just pulled up outside my house.. love living here!)

So they were second on the bill to Radiohead (Other than Pink Floyd, Radiohead were THE band I had to see in my life time) (note: Icecream van has just pulled away.. talk about impatient.. if I was going for one I'd barely have time to slip my shoes on and head over all eager with my coins) and it felt like most people at the festival had never heard of them, or at best had simply heard of them.

Reading the Q magazine you get at the festival, they were raving about what a great live act they are. As it happens, we were always going to watch them as we wanted to be near the front for Radiohead but I think had we'd not gone to watch Radiohead, we'd still have checked them out I think just because of the reviews regarding there stage show.

So there we are, extremely excited about seeing Radiohead. I think I was with:

Dave Maynard
Simon Gee
James Robilliard
Brains

Sorry if I've missed anyone out - I'm sure you are extremely stressed now because of it. Me and Dave were massive Radiohead fans so were very keen to get the Lips out of the way.

And then it happened.. The Flaming Lips performed. It was superb! Everything Q Mag promised and so much more. They put on a real personal show. Wayne Coin (lead singer) had a screen just behind him and a camera on his mic.. so as he's talking out to the crowd, you can see him the whole time in great detail. Made it a real experience. Highlights include:

- The singing nun glove puppet
- Wayne Coin exploding fake bloody all over him
- Him blowing up a big baloon.. when was it going to burst?
- Him singing via a loud-speakerphone.. sounds great!
- 50,000 people singing Happy Birthday to someone in the crowd
- A cover of Pink Floyds 'Breathe'
- Dancing animals with really powerful torches.

There was loads more. It felt like one great party. It was as fun as watching Rolf Harris the year before, but with great music as well (sorry Rolf). All the above doesn't sound like much, but when you are at Glastonbury with the sun setting, its amazing.

Following the show me and Dave turned round to each other and both agreed that we get the feeling Radiohead can't even get close to topping that. Luckily, Radiohead were just as good (if not better).

Following Radiohead, with the addrenelin well and truly pumping we all agreed that we aren't ready to sleep - so we all headed up to the stone circle and sat there for a while. I was happy to stay there, but the others were ready to go, so they headed back to the tent. So there I sat, with 1000s of camp fires in the distance texting Becky (this is soon after we first met and before we had the guts to meet again) telling her all about how great Glastonbury is. Sad I know, but it really was very romantic.

That for sure is my favourite night at Glastonbury, if not the greatest night of my life. So perfect.

Sorry if the above is quite boring, but I enjoyed writing it. Makes me miss Glastonbury even more now. :-(