There were brief moments over the weekend when T was generous enough to let us watch Glastonbury Festival on TV. We saw very little of the headline/evening acts on the basis that a toasty toddler does not just ‘go to bed’ and also insists on more age appropriate content. Think less Pulp, more Pepi Nana.
Two years ago we spent warm summer evenings in France watching Glastonbury on an iPad, sipping Chablis while T slept peacefully upstairs in a travel cot. Even with the volume lower than we’d have liked, we had the best evening watching Elton John, approximately 12 months on from seeing him live in the South West heat while Oneandmum was in the early and very sicky phase of pregnancy (which later turned out not to be a phase, but instead a theme for the entire 39 weeks). So there we were in France with our very own Tiny Dancer feeling very, very lucky indeed.
This year no such luck. So, in no particular order, here’s the Oneanddad snapshot review that no one asked for but I was at least able to write.
RAYE
Flashes of musical brilliance but more stop-start than a traffic jam. She has a fabulous voice… when she decides to use it. I simply couldn’t lock into her performance. I suspect it would be different if you were there and maybe it’s a me problem. Or rather, a me also having to dodge airborne coasters problem. Oneandmum loved her. Me not so much.
LEWIS CAPALDI
Ahhh! Now. This is what we came (as far as the sofa) for. He’s a semi-regular feature in my headphones and was definitely the artist whose set I managed to enjoy the most. Great to see him back on stage doing what he does best. Actually, you could see how much it meant to him to be there from the moment he walked on stage and, quite rightly, took a moment to take it all in before getting started. Love that.
PULP
Once I’d got past the hippy eighties geography teacher vibes he was giving off, I was ultimately put off by Jarvis Cocker waving a microphone around at other members of the band like was some sort of has-been Britpop wizard… oh, wait, never mind. Anyway, did at least enjoy Common People, although I personally think The Wurzels did it better.
CHARLIEXCX
Clearly very popular with the teeny boppers. I had heard of her, but not never knowingly heard any of her music. Brought the energy but brat is clearly not my thing. Feeling old.
ROD STEWART
I grew up in a home with a Rod Stewart album on CD and it was played frequently, so I didn’t mind that he was playing. It may be unfair to judge on the one song I heard amidst toddler-based chaos, and it clearly wasn’t one of his bigger hits. But unfortunately I found him more cringeworthy than Jarvis Cocker’s wand waving and not much more musically satisfying to listen to than a strangled cat. Harsh? Maybe I’m just not that old.
KAE TEMPEST
No, me neither. As a choral musician myself, you’d be forgiven for thinking he’s not my thing. You’d be right, but I could appreciate his skill. Eminem is a strong preference though.
OLIVIA RODRIGO
I actually watched most of her set as by this time T was actually asleep and Oneandmum had already gone to bed (to avoid book hurling), so the responsibility to observe the last night of Glasto fell to me. Much like staying up to hear Big Ben do its thing at midnight. Anyway, about the music. She was alright, I suppose. Couldn’t help noticing the crowd volume went up a notch when Robert Smith (whom I now know as being of The Cure) joined her on stage. Overall, enjoyable, but there have most definitely been better headliners.
In summary though, I’m feeling old, but not that old. It’s a fallow year next year, so hopefully four year old T lets us enjoy more of the action. I just hope to want to hear it.