catavento

I have to confess that I struggled to get into it and did leave about halfway through to do something else. That's on me rather than on him though - I hadn't given the new stuff a listen beforehand (was only familiar with the big two albums) and it turned out the set wasn't quite what I was after at that time. On another day and time, probably sober, I could have been bowled over by it.

I suppose it's a Glastonbury thing, isn't it? If Cat Stevens does Father and Son at some middling festival in my local park and the bloke in front starts singing the song to his lad, I'm fine. But if the same thing happens in the Pyramid field with the magic in the air and just everything about the place, the effort we go through to even be present let alone be awake by Sunday afternoon, I'm a wreck? So I figure, don't feel weird about those moments where you had something in your eye, because it's not you, it's those fields.

I figure that when there's a band on with three people watching and one of those is Big Jeff, that's a seal of quality right there! The thing that struck me last week was that they'd previously always been one of those bands that have the critical acclaim and the subsequent festival slots, but never really the audience to go with it. This time felt totally different for them, good sized crowd who were totally bought in from the start.

Carole King would be great for that "oh wait, this one was them as well?" factor, but I dunno if she tours much now? I think we'll get Robbie Williams sooner rather than later tbh. Still does festivals, loads of hits, history with Glastonbury - I'm surprised it hasn't already happened. I wonder if they'll take the same approach as this year and have a lower key legend slot followed by one a bit more casual-friendly?

Another vote for Helena Hauff, I would have stayed longer for Daniel Avery but I was suddenly out on my feet just as he was going through the gears. The sound on Lonely Hearts was great too, so crisp, that really helped.

I figure it's the first iteration of it too, I wouldn't be surprised if they did more with the area in future years now they've got the basic version up and running. Some benches and stalls, or perhaps a bit more going on with the stage and bar. The actual car thing was interesting to me for ten seconds but I liked relaxing there. Also I have to admit there was never a point where I went "I wish I could watch something on William's Green right now", and I did a lot of moaning back when I found out they'd scrapped it.

In hindsight Loyle Carner would have been a much better bet on the Saturday evening than Christine and the Queens. CATQ was more an impressive bit of theatre than a festival stage headline show, and it was difficult to feel engaged when the whole thing was based around the relatively challenging new stuff. (On me rather than on him obviously - artists can play what they want)

But lows around and not quite the roasting being predicted that we did get! On the other hand that rain on Wednesday wasn't predicted everywhere - more light sprinklings of rain? Didn't feel that way in the queue!

Unexpectedly, Badly Drawn Boy in the Acoustic. Not somebody I've really thought about for maybe a couple of decades but I was so keen for shade on Saturday afternoon. Turned out to be a really moving set in places (for him too) and when the guy did A Minor Incident I was in absolute bits, chin wobbling, the lot. Obviously a proper talented songwriter who's had his ups and downs over the years since he wrote those songs - hope he makes it back to form and we hear more of them. Don't know how he managed to get through it still wearing a woolly hat though... The other teary moment was when Cat/Yusuf did Father and Son and the guy in front of me was singing it to his little son, but that feels too obvious. Also Gabriels as above. Didn't know the songs other than one or two, but just his voice was enough, bloody hell.

Conversation during Elton: - who's that? - that's Brandon Flowers - who's Brandon Flowers!? - he's the singer in the Killers - ooh, yeah I *love* the Killers!

I have a lot of time for Greenpeace and the stuff they do, and their own area gets better every time imo, but it would have been good at certain areas/times to have been able to sit down on a bench for a few quiet moments or to eat the food you've just bought without having one of their reps come over for a 'conversation' (ie pretending to like the same thing I liked and then trying to get me to sign up).

I ended up accidentally watching a lot of Elton from the hill (I was originally heading to Phoenix) but from speaking to others after and watching iPlayer it seems as if the non-Elton acts all smashed it and appreciated the up for it crowds they did get, so hopefully no regrets from anybody? Certainly Phoenix looks like it was great, crowd totally on board and the band playing the tunes rather than the entirety of their new record or whatever.

Nah, I was going by the actual models and yr.no rather than the "we're doomed"! I knew it was going to be warm at times but it definitely felt warmer and there was less rain than predicted (ie basically none).

I'd have taken what happened over any mud year, but definitely could have done with a few more passing clouds. In hindsight I should have watched tented stuff between 12-3ish just to avoid the most intense sun, like usually I wouldn't go out in that stuff on a hot day. This thread (and the one on the 'other place') definitely made me too pessimistic about the weather too! Only one half tube of sunscreen, no after sun, didn't even pack lightweight trainers for if it was roasting... nearly packed waterproofing spray so I could give the tent a once over when it was up!

Friday night in Rum Shack looks like it'll be good for a bit of amapiano, and Jyoty somewhere in Silver Hayes on Thursday will probably dip into dancehall among a load of other things.

Although the rain from Sunday night into Monday looks interesting and possibly a bit problematic for us if it develops any earlier - might be one to keep an eye out for...

This UKMO one seems pretty good for forecasting rainfall and the types we're going to see - https://www.theweatheroutlook.com/twodata/ukv.aspx?run=03&charthour=120&chartname=rain_rate&chartregion=uk-region&charttag=Precip + cloud Very scattered spotty showers on Wednesday basically, probably a bit miserable for a while if you're unlucky enough to be standing straight under them. The worst of the Tuesday morning rain appears to be east of the site, although it's still getting hit.

Selecting the artists who didn't make it onto the highlight counts list and seeing their % is interesting. Being a bit of a statto it's fun for me seeing this stuff. Wizkid is on 3.5%!

Cans!? Really hope that isn't replicated across the site, that would be really disappointing. They kept it quiet if it is, unless you have a situation where certain bars have draught and others cans. NA beer on the other hand would be a good move if it was, I know it's not to everybody's taste but you've got an increasing number of people doing the festival sober.

It never closes when I ask it to either, it's just always there looming over the screen, nightmare

All looks pretty much in line with what the Norwegians are saying! Worth remembering that 2.5mm of rain isn't necessarily a constant light drizzle all Thursday afternoon. It might land on our heads all at once (UKMO have been talking about a showery and unsettled setup all month so no surprise if it did!)

Yeah, I figure I've got to keep in mind that the person who puts on the wristband Wednesday was probably setting up Tuesday. Like, I don't want that person to get a drenching before the thing's even started. Bitter experience from lots of wet steward shifts in the 00s!

12Z looking good so far apart from it still keeping the bit where we're queuing and putting up tents in Wednesday afternoon rain... if that's the price for the rest of it being dry then I'd happily pay it

That's good, it's always a bit awkward when somebody is down about their set because the crowd wasn't quite there. It's often just a case of timing anyway, like maybe their album hadn't been out yet or maybe they were up against something huge that drew away the people who might have watched them, etc. My record was actually being in a crowd of about five people watching something in Silver Hayes once. The band were sweet about it though (lesson there for the Royal Bloods of the world...)

ECM is still being more stable - some rainfall Tue-Thu but not forecasting huge amounts, and dry Friday. Shame that there seems to be agreement on Thursday afternoon/evening being wet to some degree though. I suppose the problem is that the rain could present as heavy showers rather than being the type you can easily ignore?