THE WORST BEST KEPT SECRET
The KLAXONS’ surprise appearance on the Park Stage (Saturday). Superhero fancy dress and all.
SONG OF THE SUMMER
Florence & The Machine, ‘Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up’. The perfect Pagan anthem for the sunkissed Children Of Avalon (John Peel Stage, Saturday).
BEST GLASTO DEBUT
‘Saucy Jack’, SPINAL TAP’s theme to their legendary musical about Jack the Ripper received its world premier on the Main Stage (Saturday), eclipsing even the wee fellers jigging about to ‘Stonehenge’ and guest turns by Jarvis Cocker (bass on ‘Big Bottom’) and Jamie Cullum (keys on the jam).
It’s just gone 10.27pm, and the guy standing next to me turns to his friend with a big smile breaking across his face and says, “I can go home now.” Wild Beasts have just finished playing “Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants”, their debut single, and possibly the only song I can think of that contains the word “moribund”. In fact, “Clairvoyants” is anything but moribund – it’s a great, joyous conflation of high end Johnny Marr-style melodies (I’m thinking particularly of his playing on Talking Heads’ “Nothing But Flowers”) and the more life-affirming side of Arcade Fire, maybe something like “Wake Up”. It’s a high point, certainly, of what’s proved to be another excellent night at the Borderline.
As promised, the judges' prevarications over the Uncut Music Award shortlist continue today. Here's what they said about the Elbow record. Monday, I'll post the Drive-By Truckers discussions.
It is so quiet in the big field by Latitude’s main stage that you can hear the flags that surround the arena fluttering in the breeze. This is Joanna Newsom’s first solo show in an age, she’s palpably, gigglingly nervous, and she’s playing a bunch of new songs. Pretty brave.
Back here at Latitude, then. We’ve been burned today. We’ve been drenched today. We’ve accidentally seen a bit of Beth Rowley as well. But – and this is purely my personal opinion – I’ve also just seen the best band of the festival thus far.
PAUL Simon and Crowded House were the billed main headliners but if the phalanx of photographers snaking its way across the field during The Bangles’ Saturday set is anything to go by, the biggest star at this, the fifth Cornbury Festival, is an inconspicuously turned out gent and a lady we take to be his wife who are making their way, as casually as possible, down into the throng around the stage.