Music, Mud & Marvelous Mayhem

Well all, it has taken me a while to get clean and have the ringing in my ears subside, but the recovery is going well. So, got back from Glastonbury at 22h00 on Monday Night after a 6 hours in the parking field waiting for each and every car in the two adjoining fields to be towed by tractor through the bogged down exit. Our little hire car didn't have a tow hitch so we the rather bizarre but hilarious experience of being PUSHED rather than pulled. A huge tractor with a tire as a bumper came up and shoved our little tin can of a car along from behind! So funny!Anyway, we did eventually get out of the field and drove away from a weekend of amazing music ankle breaking mud and crazy freaks.

Laura and I caught the bus down on Thursday afternoon and after trekking across the entire site we found our way to our posse's base camp among the Caravans and Camper Vans. For future reference if you ever go to Glastonbury, I highly recommend trying to camp in the caravan area. Its a bit of a walk from the site, but you're on high ground (so best defence against mudslides and floods) and have fewer people using your loos (a def bonus by Sunday morning). We were there as Laura's boyfriend and his mate had organised a weird Fold Out Caravan (yes they apparently do exist). So after the Aussie connection through a barbie together Lau, Simon, Jonny and I headed into the site for a bit of a pre show wander. [Weather at this point, chilly but dry]

Friday Morning woke to the gentle pitter patter of rain. Thrilled that my tent appeared to have remained dry I was in good spirits and keen to get into the chaos.
First up, The Earlies, who fittingly enough played early on the Pyramid Stage (the main stage). I'd never heard of them but they were great. Even when the torrential downpour began they kept the crowd going. That downpour however, forced me to invest in an incredibly unsexy army surplus rain poncho in an attempt to keep hypothermia at bay as my legs were soaked. The poncho worked. And despite three more tropical-like downpours, I remained dry-ish for the rest of the day.
Saw a bit of Modest Mouse at the Other Stage (appropriately names I feel)- they rocked and were so full of energy. Very cool.
Caught The Magic Numbers final tracks - big inflatable versions of the four of them and thousands of people singing along. The sun even came out to play too
Bloc Party were amazing but let down slightly by some shoddy sound. The weird sound issues were to be a recurring thing at the Pyramid stage.
Then possible my festival highlight.... Arcade Fire on the other stage with an incredible sunset! With so many of them on stage you never get bored. And they had organs, accordions, percussion that were just incredible.
Having not sat down all day I am afraid to say that I didn't make it through all of Bjork. I was knackered, overwhelmed and just wanted my sleeping bag. Think it takes a day or two to let go and get into a rhythm and Friday took a lot out of me :D

Saturday woke to clouds but no Rain (Yay!) Weather became such a pivotal thing so I am sorry if you are getting bored by the weather reports.
Headed down to the Chill n Charge tent - a whole tent with lots of stations for your to charge your phone over your morning coffee. So many stations and only two that fitted my phone!! So a long wait ahead of me, I settled in and read the festival Daily. a little mag published every day by Q magazine with interviews, weather reports, schedule changes etc. They had some great music and bands doing acoustic sets. Heard Peter and the Wolf - surprisingly cool and made the wait very bearable. Also heard Just Jack (not of Will and Grace fame) kind of poppy streets I guess? He was fun though.
Then phone boosted it was off to see the Bees with Jonny at the Jazz World Stage. Guess the Isle of Wight is considered far enough away to classify as world Music? They were amazing as always. Doing the Chicken payback dance in the mud with loads of people!!! all good.
Then a bit of wandering through the Circus fields (wicked trapeze stuff), Tipi Fields (mud wrestling), Avalon Fields (great folky acoustic stuff) until reaching the Klaxons on the Other Stage. I didn't know much about them but they were great. Seriously rocked out.
Took my little self off to Paul Weller and was not disappointed although I hear maximo Park were a highlight of the festival. That is the big problem with Glasto, you are constantly suffering from serious missing out syndrome. You are always having to chose between things you really want to see. Wish I could bend the space and time like Hiro, do the whole of Glastonbury. Would probably take months, but it would be incredible (for those going who the hell is Hiro... one word people... Heroes!! see it.)
Then the Kooks had us all singing Ooh La in a good practice for the upcoming Killers sing a long. I know lots of you have reservations about Brandon and his boys, but they were amazing! Real performance and rock, 50 000 people singing "I've got Soul but I'm not a Soldier" is pretty crazy. I was jumping around in my wellies and loving it!

Sunday started with rain and would rain most of the day. Had to make my way back to the Chill n Charge but got there early so only q-ed for a bit. had run out of credit as well so had to make all sorts of friends during the day to keep in touch with the posse. By Sunday morning i had found my mojo.
Saw the Waterboys and did Irish turns in the mud (no mean feat I tell you) and they set me up for a great day.
The Cold War Kids blew me and the clouds away (albeit briefly). They were a definite highlight too. Then it was on my mission to explore the park and the green and healing fields. The park is a new area that they started this year with small venues, lots of random installations and the Silent Disco. It is how they get around the 1h00 music turn down. You get handed headphones as you walk in and everyone gets to listen to the tunes nice and quietly. Also headed up to the Stone Circle to get a full view of the site. It is huge, really like a temporary town.
Headed back to Jazz World to see Beruit. Had never heard of them but was intrigued by their interview in the Daily. Think Balkanology but less hectic beats and more chilled. Very cool, but I was in the mood for something a but more energetic to keep warm as the clouds rolled in again. So took myself off to rejoin the gang at the Go Team! Jumping and dancing in the rain and mud with Lau. Gotta love Go Team.
Then a bit of kaiser Chiefs and more rocking out in the mud. This is so hard to do. the Mud at this point is like an ankle deep layer of glue. Foot say GO, boots say NO. So hard not to fall over :) and hysterical to people watch.
Then it was off on a bot of a Sunday goodbye glasto wander, dance tents, other stage, jazz stage just catching bits and pieces of anything going on. It was a really good way to wrap things up.

Ok this has gone on for far too long... Time to sign off. Suffice to say, it was an amazing weekend, if a little hard on the senses at times. The mud came out of my clothes, the tent has been packed away and its all just photos now. So here are some of the pics I took on my phone. Now I gotta get myself together for my interview with the films school tomorrow (gulp)
Lots of Love to you and miss you all!!
kxx

Glastonbury 2007