Glastonbury Festival, Sunday Evening

Belle And Sebastian used to be one of my favorite bands. And then they moved record labels, decided to go pop and let Trevor Horn loose as producer of their last album. It was the production on this album that made it difficult for me to listen too (why all the silly noises in the mix). B+S also used to be a risky prospect playing live – some gigs could be beautiful others could be mired by sludgy sound; sometimes both of these could happen at the same gig as the band were notorious for playing to the first few rows. I’m pleased to say that today they sound great and, whilst they play a greatest hits set (including the sublime Lazy Line Painter Jane and Boy With The Arab Strap), the songs from the new album sound so much better played live. They even have the confidence to start with Fought In a War, a song about dying in the trenches. When the rain starts pouring down Stuart Murdoch jumps off the stage into the photographers pit to join the kids at the front – it’s an act of solidarity as he later explains to us. As they play on through the rain a rainbow appears over the green fields. That’s the magic of B+S.

Suzanne Vega is a Glastonbury regular and always closes the Acoustic Tent on a Sunday night. This year she has a full band with her and this is one of the dates on her UK tour to promote her new greatest hits record. She plays all the greats – Soldiers on The Wall, Liverpool and closes with Toms diner. In between she constantly plugs her web site. By The Way, why is the stage in the acoustic tent at the top of a hill? It makes it really hard to see the stage (even for those of us over 6 feet tall). If I could change Glastonbury in any way I’d move the stage to the southern, bottom end of the acoustic field.

Orbital are also Glastonbury regular, but they’ve decided to call it a day and this is their last gig in the UK. We arrive at the other stage in time to see them play through Doctor Who and Chime, and from our position, the light show is pretty amazing. The end of an era and they go out with a huge crowd sending them off.

- posted by Nigella @ 4:29 PM