Glastonbury 2010 - the inthenews.co.uk preview
Glastonbury 2010 - the inthenews.co.uk preview
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Saturday, 26, Jun 2010 04:44
By Lewis Bazley.
Until Bono's dislocated ego, sorry, back surgery, the build-up to Glastonbury had been relatively free of headlines, with Noel Gallagher this time keeping his mouth firmly shut about the lineup rather than confirming the suspicion that his opinions were, like his band's output over the last decade, about 15 years off the pace.
And even the appointment of Gorillaz as U2's replacement raised little dissent, with the general consensus that it'd be nice to have Damon Albarn back after 2009's tearful farewell to Blur, rather than outrage that a formerly cartoon band were to headline the greatest festival in the world.
Not that the lack of controversy means it'll be a Glastonbury with nothing to prove and thus, no bar to raise. It's still the 40th anniversary of an event that confirms its diversity and unparalleled atmosphere year after year. It's still promising headline slots from the great Stevie Wonder and Muse, probably the best live band of their generation. And, if the fates align, it could be a festival buoyed by England marching on to the World Cup quarter-finals (pauses to frantically touch wood).
So before he makes a checklist of wet wipes, cereal bars and those other items that become staples of your daily life for three months a year, Lewis Bazley runs over the highlights of this year's Glastonbury lineup.
Click here to see the Glastonbury lineup in full.
Thursday June 24th
As a warm-up day, it's fairly dance-heaving, with DJ sets from Professor Green, DC Breaks, Joy Orbison and Dave Seaman (presumably not the ponytailed goalkeeper). The cinema field might be the best way to ease yourself into the festival, with Where the Wild Things Are, moon and the stunning Four Lions on show while the live highlight of the day comes from LA indie-rockers Local Natives, playing at 22:00 in the Queen's Head.
Friday June 25th
It's got everything, the first day proper of the festival. Rising female starlets in the shape of Ellie Goulding, La Roux and Florence and the Machine. A-grade indie from Phoenix, Vampire Weekend and the gloomy majesty of the xx. Bonkers beats from the likes of Snoop Dogg, Mos Def and Dizzee Rascal. And a taste of tumbleweed from Willie Nelson and Mumford and Sons. But while their clash with Flaming Lips offers a testing dilemma, Gorillaz seem a truly unmissable addition to the lineup, a former vanity project now dedicated to globally popular, genre-defying pop.
Saturday June 26th
There's a nostalgic air as events kick off on Saturday as reformed surf-rock veterans Reef ask a field of strangers to put their hands on each other before a presumed rendition of Three Lions get the festival feeling all jingoistic thanks to the Lightning Seeds. It all gets a bit more current later, though, with prog-metal outfit Coheed and Cambria, the bewitching Imogen Heap and lovely stuff from Beach House and Stornoway before spinetingling indie from the National. While the Scissor Sisters will bring New York camp to Somerset, Laura Marling and Editors will underline their growing stature before the pomp and circumstance of Muse adds an intergalactic air to proceedings. Expect lasers.
Sunday June 27th
The lineup for the final day could easily have been created by the staff of Pitchfork, with alt-indie cool the prevailing wind thanks to sets from the Joy Formidable, Scottish miserablists Frightened Rabbit, barroom lyricism from the Hold Steady and wild-eyed dreamfolk from Grizzly Bear. For those who like their guitar work to be slightly more showy, there's Slash, Ash or Rodrigo y Gabriela while Faithless are sure to nudge the crowd into one final mosh. The climax will of course belong to Stevie Wonder with the sugary dreck of I Just Called to Say I Love You hopefully given short shrift in favour of classic cuts like the below.