It’s over for another year. As I did in 2022, I’m offering a few thoughts on performances - and shorter moments - that really stood out to me. The disclaimer is that I only observed from afar (BBC iPlayer 😁) and impressions on the ground may have been different…
On that point, I’m grateful that the coverage seems to improve year on year - in 2023 we had more streams to choose from than ever - but I really would like to see footage from some of the smaller stages (Acoustic and Leftfield would be a great start), and coverage of the earlier sets each day. And there sadly were some great acts missed off the player entirely this year - The Unthanks, Wunderhorse and CMAT in particular.
The Foo Fighters reveal, Friday, Pyramid Stage OK so it was the worst kept secret. But still, there was something almost magical about that moment when the “Churnups” logo morphed into Foo Fighters’, and the fans’ hopes were finally realised. You could see that expression close to disbelief on people’s faces - this is actually happening.
Talking of expressions, Dave Grohl's face was a picture, as he ran out, already playing his guitar with a slightly goofy, tongue-out grin - priceless. And the fact that this all happened on the Friday, quite early on, really set a great tone for this year's festival.
Chvrches, Friday, Other Stage This one deserves a mention for its solidity and the confidence with which Lauren Mayberry and the rest of the band worked the stage, and the crowd, from start to finish. Energy levels were high, despite Chvrches being in the middle of a tour - or a run of tours, really. A festival is obviously a different setting from a mid-tour concert, and so is the audience-base, but nevertheless they owned it. Lauren's voice may have been slightly shaky at times, but some of that could be blamed on adrenaline and the sound in that huge outdoor setting.
I loved 'California', but some of the later part of the set stood out a bit more: for example, the rendition of 'Asking For a Friend' worked very well, Lauren covered in 'blood', hands aloft, finding a second wind 45 minutes deep into the set. 'Clearest Blue' was awesome, the band making the most of the relentlessly building energy of the track to push everyone into euphoria, before striding off with broad grins.
Jacob Collier, Saturday, West Holts It was brilliant that Jacob was booked for the first time at Glasto this year. He’s a legend already, and an undeniable genius. His energy was - as always - infectious and his backing band and singers were themselves absolutely top notch.
I don't think I can really do the performance justice in a few short paragraphs; this is definitely one you must watch for yourself. It was a set of unbridled joy performed under a blazing sun and a vast blue sky: Jacob presented us music as pure sense and emotion. He also had the audacity to try his audience choir trick on this field of normal people ... and it worked, somehow. I suspect only Jacob could pull that off - he has the passion and positivity to will something like that into being.
The fact that the Red Arrows flew over during his set - Jacob glancing up with a quick 'wow' and carrying on without missing a beat (it's at about 12:40 of the iPlayer recording) - somehow sealed the deal on this one, as if it was all part of a greater plan.
Lewis Capaldi, Saturday, Pyramid Stage This performance took place at about the same time as Jacob's (therefore featuring the Red Arrows, too) and contrasted with it - but strangely also shared several characteristics. Lewis is a very different character from Jacob, but both are unafraid to be themselves, and received genuine supportive love from their audience as a result, expressed in contrasting ways.
He started strong, with 'Forget Me' getting into a relaxed kind of groove, striding the stage and beckoning to the crowd. Just after a false end was when the Red Arrows featured, provoking a cheer from the crowd and a slight chuckle from Lewis as he continued singing.
It was around the time he picked up his guitar and launched into 'Forever', and after he finished that song and gazed out at the huge crowd, that signs of some trouble began.
I really enjoyed Lewis' humour and humble confidence, typified by the point when he decided to pull his shirt off after the first few songs of his set. He sang 'Wish You The Best'. And then, of course, was when the effort began to be a bit too much. This led to that widely reported open admission that he was struggling, and an unprecedented wave of energy and support from the crowd. It made me think of a moment last year - one of those I wrote about - when Holly Humberstone had a bit of a wobble, but admitted it, and pushed through it.
Of course, Lewis couldn't recover, but that's OK. He did what he had to, and exited the stage bravely and with everyone's backing - the crowd bearing him up as they helped him finish 'Someone You Loved'. I mean, who couldn't be moved by that level of mass support - the way everyone's voices swelled every time Lewis faltered. The raw emotion was painful to witness, but the reaction of all those people watching was equally uplifting. Big love, Lewis.
Guns N' Roses, Saturday, Pyramid Stage This was a set which seems to have generated vastly different opinions. The NME regarded it as solid but for “the wrong audience”. Others noted some poor sound and stilted interactions. Some didn’t rate it at all, including Blinded by the Floodlights. And many others loved it.
Personally, I was very pleasantly surprised. I’ve heard some quite ropey live performances from the band, but at Glastonbury they seemed mature, in control, and happy to be there. And Axl Rose’s voice was remarkably strong, right through the 2-hour plus performance.
‘Sweet Child Of Mine’ was an inevitable standout. It started after a long, noodling guitar solo from Slash, which kept the song disguised until the last minute. Then there was the strong crowd singalong; and Slash’s ad libs in the oh so well-known guitar solos.
A huge and chugging 'Paradise City' with Dave Grohl on guitar was great, of course, but my other highlight had to be the extended version of ‘Knocking on Heaven's Door’, again the crowd singalong playing a big part in the strength of that performance. Slash handled his double-necked guitar like it was as light as a feather, conjuring up some incredible sounds. No one really wanted that song to end, and I wasn't ever bored. Really memorable.
Nova Twins, Sunday, Other Stage A blistering set, finishing with a huge version of ‘Choose Your Fighter’ where the two left the stage to prowl the front of the audience. The duo, backed by powerful live drums, produce some crazy sounds from their guitars and vast pedal boards and exude energetic rebellion - but also come across as ... nice (in the best sense): warm and genuinely engaged with the audience and their surroundings. This band still feel quite raw and new, but that only means they have very great heights to reach in the coming years.
There were of course lots of other performances worth noting too, but I have to stop somewhere: Editors, The Lathums, The Big Moon, The Murder Capital, Alison Goldfrapp, Rina Sawayama ... What were your standouts?