Day 1
 
Glastonbury is a funny old thing if you are a music fan. That might sound like a stupid thing to say, but it’s true. If you don’t really like music you can quite happily wander around the site and take in all it has to offer at your own pace, and in your own time. For those people that love their music though, the day is governed by the Guardian mini-guide that elegantly drapes from everyone’s necks.
 
With the festival expanding so much this year, it is virtually impossible to see everything even once in the three days, let alone watch all the bands you want to. Most of the time things always turn out for the best, but there’s always that nagging feeling that you might miss one of those once-in-a-lifetime Glastonbury moments if you aren’t at the right place at the right time.
 
Still onwards and upwards, and sometimes its best just to go with the flow. It is fair to say the rain is pretty heavy this morning. So much so that we watch opening band Mr Hudson and the Library (Other Stage, 10.30am) from the comfort of the Queen’s Head pub tent. The Londoners put in a good performance though, and to be honest there’s nothing like a guitar band with a steel drum to start the day.
 
Then begins the first of the dreaded walks. Anyone who is at Glastonbury this year will know what I mean; the walk where you don’t want to miss the start of a band, but that band happen to be a good ten minute stroll away through the mud and rain and walking faster in effect just makes it harder because of the conditions. Still it is something that you soon get used to, albeit with the guarantee of back-of-the-leg rash from your wellies at the end of the festival.
 
Whether it was of course worth it just to see The View (Pyramid Stage, 11.25am) is another question. The rumour is (there’s going to be a lot of that I expect) that they have had a heavy night last night and the early kick-off might be a bit much for them. Much like their album the set is disjointed and although a passable Squeeze cover and an excellent Face For the Radio lift the spirits, it’s not going to be the greatest set of the weekend.
 
Some bands just can’t help it can they. Trying to emulate Nicky Wire’s bypass comment from years ago, lead singer of The Cribs (Other Stage, 12.30pm) announces before their last song: “Global warming isn't the real problem - it's the attitude of modern indie bands." What a fucking clever thing to say to a festival that cares wholeheartedly about both. It mars what is essentially a very promising set from the band, although not best appreciated by the crowd especially after those comments.
 
After hot-footing it for some food we catch a mid-set Monster from The Automatic (Other Stage, 2.30pm), which at least goes down well with the emo kids, before heading over to see Amy Winehouse (Pyramid Stage, 3.10). It is packed. Ridiculously so considering the pouring rain. And she is drunk. Ridiculously so considering the pouring rain. Actually it is probably for the best, because there’s a fair chance she won’t remember just how disappointing her set is.
 
 
Like all my heroes in the entertainment industry, experience counts for everything. Ken Dodd, Des O’Connor, Engelbert Humpertdink, Jim Bowen – they’ve all got years under their belts but still know how to whip a crowd into a frenzy. Okay, so we’re getting a little silly now, but you get my drift. There is no better example of this at Glastonbury this year than Chas and Dave (Park Stage 4.30pm). The place is packed and the sing-a-long to Rabbit is on a par with anything so far this weekend. Back to reality, or not actually is the case may be, with Super Furry Animals (Other Stage, 4.50pm). There’s really no way to describe it, well there is. They are wearing Power Rangers masks. And the music is equally as diverse. From super-sweet ballad Juxtoposed With You to the outragous finale of Man Don’t Give a Fuck, the fun never relents. A festival must.
 
The Fratellis (Pyramid Stage, 7.45pm) kick start what is one of the best triple-headers ever to have graced Glastonbury. Non-indie fans might disagree, but alongside Kasabian and Arctic Monkeys, The Fratellis bring three bands that are at the very top of their game at the moment, and all incredible to see live. Every track from debut album Costello Music is played at some point, accompanied by a lively brass section and two massive Scottish flags onstage. Possibly one of the most sing-a-long live bands in the UK at the moment, The Fratellis thrive in this atmosphere and boy do the crowd love them. Opener Baby Fratelli is a big enough tune to fill any stadium and immediately has everyone on their feet and forgetting about the mud. Alongside the huge songs come touching acoustic moments including the word-perfectly crowd sung Whistle For the Choir and a rare stripped-down version of For The Girl. Of course it is the anthem of 2006, Chelsea Dagger that brings the curtain down on their set with glorious aplomb. If the second album is even half as good as the first, it is a certainty that they will be headlining in the next couple of years.
 
Set list: Baby Fratelli, Everybody Knows You Cried Last Night, Flathead, Vince The Lovable Stoner, Whistle For The Choir, Creepin’ Up the Backstairs (acoustic), Cuntry Boys and City Girls, Doginabag, Ole Black ‘n’ Blue Eyes, Henrietta, For The Girl (acoustic), Got Ma Nuts From A Hippy, Chelsea Dagger.
 
Kasabian (Pyramid Stage 9.15pm) have been waiting for this gig. Every show they’ve done for the past six months has ended with the words “See you at Glastonbury.” And here they are, and fuck me it’s exhilerating. You bearly have time to raise for breath in between tracks. It’s llike the ultimate club night, with 60,000 people shring the experience. As frontmen go Tom Meighan is one of the best of his generation. You can have all the talent in the world (let’s not mention Winehouse again) but without charisma you have nothing. Kasabian, led by their pumped-by soldier have it by the bucket load. “Let’s have it Glastonbury!!!” Tom screams as opener Shoot The Runner swings into full force. and the pace never drops from there on in. The big guns are out – Reason Is Treason, Cutt Off and Empire all come in the first half an hour. Serge takes over for the neccesary come down of Me Plus One before a second half of the set that includes a storming outing for debut single Processed Beats and an incredible version of The Doberman that draws ruptuous applause from all around. Usual finale LSF brings a truly triumphant set to a close and can still be heard sung amongst the crowd for hours later.
 
Set list: Shoot The Runner, Reason Is Treason, Cutt Off, Me Plus One, Empire, ID, Last Trip (In Flight), Processed Beats, The Doberman, Club Foot, Stuntman, LSF
 
Arctic Monkeys (Pyramid Stage 11.05pm) rise to fame has been unparalleled. Tonight is probably the pinacle, headlining the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury after two hugely successful albums. Read the full review of their set here. As Friday draws to a close, from a musical point of view its hard to see how the other two days will match up. But this is Glastonbury, there’s always something magical waiting around the corner.
 
Friday, 22 June 2007