Sunday @ Glastonbury Review

After spending most of the week slushing about in mud, soaked to the bone, the sun finally decided to show up on Sunday. And it was bloody hot. So what better way to start the day than with the chilled R&B musings of Jamie Woon, whose debut album, Mirrorwriting, was one of the best albums from the BBC’s Sound of 2011 nominees.

The BRIT school graduate had a great crowd on the West Holts Stage, as he went through the best songs from Mirrorwriting such as ‘Night Air’, Lady Luck’ and ‘Spirals’. Woon was clearly enjoying himself and whilst his debut can be quite intense, he decided to lighten the mood a bit with a stonking cover of Charles & Eddie song ‘Would I Lie To You’.




After an impressive set by Jamie Woon, it was time to head over the Other Stage for a stellar final day line-up. After catching the end of Cold War Kids, it was left to the Noisettes to keep everyone entertained in the sweltering heat. It was an established set from the festival veterans, with lead singer Shingai Shoniwa performing her now classic up-side-down acrobatics from the stage surroundings during the beautiful ‘Atticus’. Noisettes also returned to their punk rock debut album, What’s The Time Mr. Wolf?, with the furious ‘Scratch My Name’ and infectious ‘Don’t Give Up’.

Noisettes were followed by one of the best live acts around at the moment, Bombay Bicycle Club. The four young boys from London have released two critically successful albums in a very short period of time, and with their new album (with the guitars plugged in), A Different Kind Of Fix, imminent, Glastonbury provided the perfect opportunity to air the new material. Bombay Bicycle Club mixed up the new material with songs such as ‘Always Like This’, ‘Magnet’ and ‘Dust On The Ground’ from their phenomenal debut album, I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose. The new songs didn’t sound half bad either. In fact, new songs ‘Shuffle’ and ‘Lights Out, Words Gone’ manage to capture both the beauty of the acoustic songs on Flaws and the frantic sound of their debut album. The boys really have a strong presence on stage, putting their all into the final few songs including an epic version of ‘What If’, one of the best Bombay Bicycle Club songs.



TV on the Radio followed Bombay on the Other Stage, putting on an incredible performance after the sad passing of Gerard Smith just months before. They played songs from across their extensive discography, including the distorted and ferocious ‘The Wrong Way’ and the stunning ‘Staring At The Sun’ from Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes. They also played brilliantly exuberant versions of ‘Caffeinated Consciousness’ and ‘Will Do’ from their excellent new album, Nine Types of Light. However, it did not finish there, as before they left the stage they had time for ‘Wolf Like Me’ and a hilarious version of the ‘Ghostbusters Theme’. Crowd loving it. Job done.



It was then time for a first listen of the Eels, a band who I had heard of before, but never actually listened to any of their music. The music was great, but the band were incredibly entertaining, with jokes flying around for the entire set. They provided the perfect sound for a beautiful sunset backdrop, with ‘Hot Fun In The Summertime’, ‘I Like Birds’ and ‘Fresh Feeling’ particular highlights. With the end nearing, it was time for the penultimate act, the love-them or hate-them, Kaiser Chiefs. The five piece from Leeds certainly divide opinion, with their brand of lad-rock putting many off them, but whilst I consider myself indifferent to the Kaiser Chiefs since their solid debut album, Employment, they proved themselves to be a great live band.

Kicking off with ‘Everyday I Love You Less and Less’, the Kaiser Chiefs proceeded to pump the crowd up with their irresistibly catchy hits, including ‘Modern Way’, ‘Ruby’ and ‘I Predict A Riot’. New songs from the bands experimental pick and mix album, The Future Is Medieval, were kept to a minimum, with only a few tracks debuted alongside first single, ‘Little Shocks’. Closing with an extended version of ‘Oh My God’, the Kaiser Chiefs put on a great show and provided the perfect warm-up for the closing act on the Other Stage. With Beyoncé busy brainwashing women with her marriage propaganda on the Pyramid Stage (“Cause if you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it” chaps), the Other Stage was home to the badass, all-American ginger king, Josh Homme.



Without a new album since 2007, Queens of the Stone Age were a bit perplexed when they were asked to headline the Other Stage, but rather than let their fans down they decided to let them choose the setlist by voting online. BEST. IDEA. EVER. Starting with ‘Feel Good Hit Of The Summer’ and ‘The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret’, QOTSA proceeded to play a thunderous set. Homme and Co. were in fine form, with classics such as ‘Tangled Up in Paid’ and the phenomenal ‘Better Living Through Chemistry’ - which sounded incredible live - providing the perfect soundtrack for a sweaty, raucous end to Glastonbury. With the set and Glastonbury nearing its conclusion, QOSTA decided to go out with a bang, with a stellar finish including ‘3&7’s’, ‘First It Giveth’, ‘Go With The Flow, ‘No One Knows’ and ‘Song For The Death’. It was the perfect finish to yet another fantastic Glastonbury festival, sending the crowd into one final sweaty frenzy.