Echo and the Bunnymen

Glastonbury Festival 2005

Friday 24th to Sunday 26th June 2005
Worthy Farm, Pilton, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 4AZ, England MAP
£125 - SOLD OUT

Daily capacity: 150,000

Last updated: Wed 7th Aug 2013

Echo and the Bunnymen, Other Stage, Saturday

It's been more years than I care to remember since the last time I saw Echo and the Bunnymen take the stage at Glastonbury. Then, they were a band at the height of their popularity, swagerring and arrogant (well Ian McCulloch anyway) with a set of killer indie songs that showed just how relevant and exciting a band they really were.

Fast forward 20 years, and the Bunnymen have an afternoon slot on the Other Stage which does feel a bit weird. What's not weird however is the set. Mixed in with some new material, we're treated to a whole host of Bunnymen classics including the Cutter, Never Stop and Killing Moon (the best song Mr McCulloch ever wrote apparently).

We maybe shouldn't be surprised that a band that's been around for so long is so keen to rely on it's back catalogue, but what IS surprising is just how fresh this stuff sounds. McCulloch is still a frontman able to hold a tune, and an audience, while Will Sargent and the rest of the band sound tight, hungry, and most surprisingly, like they still really mean it.

So A+ guys, nice to have you back.

review by: Simon Butler