Saturday 25/06/11 Glastonbury Festival, Day Two @ Worthy Farm, Somerset

June 28, 2011 by Andrew Almond and Holly Frith | Photo by Shirlaine Forrest

The Saturday of Glastonbury 2011 started slowly. Stornoway took the Pyramid Stage at 11 but failed to shake off the collective U2/Primal hangover which was currently plaguing many of those at Worthy Farm as their pleasant, but far from inspirational, folk influenced repertoire failed to really connect. Guitarist and lead vocalist Brian Briggs didn’t help as his awkward Maths teacher chic anecdotes (“we’d just like to thank U2 for supporting us”) appeared to fall on deaf ears.

Tame Impala followed Stornoway which also seemed like a relatively odd choice for a main stage slot as, although, their brand of psychedelic shoegaze was a joy to behold, it couldn’t be any further removed from anthemic choruses of say the Gaslight Anthem (who played a similar slot on the Sunday) which are more akin to the Pyramid. Nonetheless the Australian quartet’s extended instrumental jams, and the highlights of last year’s InnerSpeaker where vividly hypnotic as the hour long set seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.

The John Peel Stage was playing host to Yuck, one of 2011’s bands of the moments and one who provided a one of the performances of the weekend as their distorted, yet melodic, brand of pop-grunge more than justified the buzz currently surrounding them.

It was then up to the Park Stage for the young Swedish all-girl ensemble Those Dancing Days whose spirited take on 60s inspired soul and chamber pop was welcome diversion from the more conventional artists seen on the same stage over the weekend. Frontwoman Linnea Jonasson provided an eye-catching spectacle as, along with the rest of the group, her lively “everybody must dance performance” the perfect antidote of an overcast Saturday afternoon.
Let’s cut straight to the point- Noah and the Whale produced a performance on Saturday night that I doubt the band themselves, or anyone else on the John Peels Stage will ever better. Ok so perhaps that a slight exaggeration but Charlie Fink’s boys pulled out all the stops for a performance which magnificently mixed the old (an electric version of the ubiquitous Five Years Time) with the new (a sing along so epic it was of biblical proportions of L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.). Tracks of latest album Last Night On Earth have already commented themselves as festival anthems and musically the band has grown since their nu-folk of their early performances 3 years ago, an on this performance the future remains bright for this band.

Following Noah and the Whale Gigwise was subject to all out sonic assault on the senses courtesy of New York three piece Battles. A relentless 55 minute included an awe-inspiring rendition of Ice Cream. Throughout new tracks from latest record Gloss Drop provided the perfect vehicle for mercurial drummer John Stanier to showpiece his talents whilst multi-instrumentalists Ian Williams and Dave Konopka played as if possessed by some satanic Math-rock demon. Once the band left the stage all those at the John Peel Stage remained, motionless, agog, failing to believe what had just been witnessed.

It fell to Glasvegas to attempt to top the above performance. And attempt they did, even if they didn’t quite manage to surpass it. Enigmatic frontman James Allan, dressed in all white (the rest of the band donned all black), struck an imposing figure as grabbled with the illuminated microphone lead and frequently found himself lying crouched, as if in pain, or horizontally on stage, seemingly lost in the grandiose nature of the Glaswegan’s tunes. Allan remained guitar-less all night, deciding to prowl the stage assuming full time vocal responsibilities. The Glasvegas sound didn’t suffer for this but it became clear that tracks of latest album EUPHORIC /// HEARTBREAK \\\ were greeted with a more muted reception than those of their eponymous debut. However, by the time the band climaxed with epic Daddy’s Gone any qualms fans may have had with the new material were forgotten as they departing chanting the song’s chorus on into the Somerset night sky.

If you haven't heard of Jessie J over the past year where have you been? This rising London singer has taken the charts by storm but also proving on her live shows that she has the voice to match. Despite a broken foot, Jessie J ends up to being one of the surprise highlights of the weekend. Sat on her throne, the audience goes wild for 'Price Tag' and 'Do It Like A Dude' telling the audience: ''I had this mutual thing, my fans - I don't let them down. I'm sitting down with you all dancing around - there's a little bit of me that thinks this is all boring."

If sex could be music it would appear in the form of The Kills' Alison Mosshart. Taking to the Other Stage at 4pm, The Kills rock through a killer set. Despite their regular place in the UK tabloids for their personal lifestyles, Jamie Hince and Alison Mosshart are still one of the finest acts around. After nearly ten years together the pair know how to work an audience, with tracks from new album 'Blood Pressures'.

Back over to the Park Stage for the second secret slot of the weekend. Already confirmed earlier in the day Pulp are set to make their reunion return to Glastonbury 2011. Over 30,000 people overflowed the area (the biggest crowed ever for the parklife) to witness Jarvis Cocker and co back to their best. The band delighted fans with hits including ‘Disco 2000’, ‘Misshapes’ and ‘Common People’. Joking with the audience the Jarvis Cocker-fronted group took the audience back to their first ever Glastonbury performance with 'Sorted For E’s and Whizz’. Pulp back on form.

Coldplay draw a huge crowd over at the Pyramid stage. The rain has held off all day providing an equal sense of excitement throughout the audience including other headline act Beyonce and husband Jay-Z. Chris Martin fills a big stage, along with an impressive light set Coldplay provide a spectacular headline set. Introducing new tracks, Martin thanked the audience “Thank you for having us and thanks for coming to see us. Hope we exceed your expectations and sorry for playing some new songs - some day they will be your favourites. 'Violent Hill' had the whole audience in a frenzy, a song that seems to mean so much to so many. Rounding off their set with 'Fix You' and new single 'Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall' Coldplay fixed themselves as one of the performances of the festival weekend.