Sunday 28 June 2009

Glastonbury 2009 - Sunday evening live blogging (Status Quo, Bat For Lashes, The Prodigy, Blur)

Back to the mighty Status Quo at the start of their afternoon set, they kick off with Caroline. Rossi is in great voice and the guitars are excellent. It's like Live Aid all over again. One of the biggest single crowds for the start of any day on a main stage. Great.

The Wanderer is delivered with as much fervour. Parfitt isn't a bad singer these days either!

The heavier Rain is next. Then Mean Girl. More excellent guitars on both. Everyone talks about Rossi and Parfitt but Edwards is a mean bassist and great keyboards and guitars from Brown. They may be a bit of joke in recent times but as a band, they certainly know how to deliver.





Softer Ride is one big guitar solo and a lot of fun.

Then a medley of classic hits starting with What You're Proposing and moving through about fifteen songs none of which I recognise.

It all goes a bit Spinal Tap for a minute. I keep expecting an inflatable Stonehenge to drop onto the stage and small people to run on. But trademark Quo quickly return - although it sounds more like early Queen now...

Leaving the medley behind, Creepin' Up On You more great rhythm and blues (you know the proper stuff that The Rolling Stones used to do).

It wouldn't be a Quo set without In The Army Now, so here it is...complete with audience participation. The song, seen by some as a joke these days, suddenly has a serious and relevant poignancy. Excellent delivery and the guitars are amazing once again.

Roll Over Lay Down is another mammoth song, trademark Quo but seriously good. And then back to the cheesy classics with Down Down. As the set comes to a close, Whatever You Want and Rockin' All Over The World (as seen earlier), finishes things off nicely.

Status Quo exceeded my expectations. And then some.

As BBC TV seem to be reshowing the Boss set from yesterday and not Nick Cave, and the 'red' button is broken, I will have to make do with Bat For Lashes on the Other stage courtesy of 6music. Daniel is sounding great, as we all would except it to - single of the year in my humble opinion.

First sounds of Blur at Glastonbury 2009 is the end of Girls And Boys then Tracy Jacks on BBC 6 music. Damon sounds like he's doing an impression of himself from 1992. Band are sounded great though...

Jo Whiley and Zane Lowe present the final BBC TV coverage of the weekend. Annoying that they didn't show Nick Cave in the last hour...

Back with Blur, it's a fast version of There's No Other Way.

And here they are on the TV. Strange then that the coverage is supposed to be highlights of Glasvegas, Bon Iver and Nick Cave. Ok I'll stop going on about that now. Girls And Boys starts the set and the banner declares that 'this is Blur live from Glastonbury'. So 6music can broadcast from the future now??? A little behind schedule...

Tracy Jacks, never one of my favourite Blur songs, sounds bloody brilliant with Coxon on backing vocals. Damon is steely and determined - proving that he can be the enigmatic front man. The band is like a machine, as if they are all performing separately but in perfect unison. No chemistry between them at all but they all know what they are doing. And they are doing it very very well. There's No Other Way is one of my favourite singles. Excellent Ride version too (if you can remember that far back to the birth of Brit-pop).







Jubilee is next followed by Badhead. In to obscure 'fans only' territory... Bit of a lacklustre ending. Beetlebum now. This is kind of when I stopped being a Blur fan, the (fourth I think) eponymous album is a challenge but worth sticking with. When did Damon get a gold front tooth? Excellent guitars from Coxon and some great posing from Alex James.









Out Of Time next - another great early single from when Coxon had officially left them. However, Blur are doing a good job of re-introducing people to the great band they once were. Some nice Spanish guitars from Albarn. James takes up the double bass for Tender, another great song. Albarn does an a cappella with help from the crowd in the middle before a rousing finale gospel style...

But the crowd has other ideas and keep going...Before Country House silences them...

A twenty minute break at the request of the band? Er...ok.

Whiley and Lowe introduce an acoustic Love Tattoo by Imelda May which is a nice surprise. I would probably be permanently camped at the Avalon stage for artists like May if I went this year. I can feel the lure of Glasto drawing me back....

Back on 6 music, everyone's family favourites The Prodigy (sorry it's late), are swearing - no surprise there then. They are well into Poison and keep stopping for crowd interaction. Meanwhile Black Eyed Peas are on the Jazz stage. Strange I thought they were R&B... Apparently they took to the stage and shouted "Wassupp London...". Excellent...

Still no signs of Nick Cave. I might just cry.

The Prodigy set seems to have turned into a huge expletive filled rave from 1990. Massive beats, lots of shouting and crowd dirrection. Just play The Fat Of The Land, that's what everyone wants!

Back with BLUR it's Sunday Sunday! Then it's Parklife. Always loved this tune. And it appears that Phil Daniels is on stage - either that or they have him on voice over. Bloody hell this is fast. Needs a slower tempo. They probably don't want a curfew fine, LOL.

Back to normal and End Of The Century next. Another great single. Would be nice to hear The Universal...

Cut from Blur...Firestarter by The Prodigy. Excellent. Looks and sounds like the band are gigging from the depths of hell. Insane performance. Then into Breathe - Fat Of The Land ftw!!!

Song 2 from Blur makes an appearance. A chance for a quick song seem to take a minute and a half to get going... I think this might be at the wrong speed too...If that's possible. How the hell can a reformed band from the 1990s show up the likes of Kasabian so badly. For Tomorrow is up next with a huge brass break.

Last song from Blur is The Universal. And it's another magnificent performance. Damon even manages a 'Glast-on-berry'. Irony? Moi? Huge emotions as Damon walks off stage followed by the others... Bloody marvellous stuff.

Acoustic Bulletproof from La Roux...doesn't sound very acoustic to me...

So no Nick Cave. I am writing to the BBC as we speak. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!

Gold Lion from Yeah Yeah Yeahs almost makes up for it. Not it doesn't.

Great sign off from Lamacq on 6 music.

Goodnight.

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