Tom Dunne: Paul McCartney and my four other Glastonbury highlights
Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl and Bruce Springsteen on stage at Glastonbury. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)
I had left it late. I am younger than Paul McCartney but older than many of his best albums. At this point in my life I should be carrying a “Down With This Sort of Thing” placard whilst muttering: “Festivals! I’ll give ya festivals.” But there I was: 2022, a Glastonbury virgin with weekend passes.
It was, as everyone said it would be, utterly overwhelming. People had said it was big, but yet I was unprepared. We were dropped at a gate, wandered into scene reminiscent of a Game of Thrones market day and asked for the Pyramid stage. A voice, a Devon one I’ll wager said, “Well yer a long way from dere.”
Some days of hiking later, having encountered scenes reminiscent of Journey to the Centre of the Earth, past fire breathing dragons, all known food types, bars, cess pits, hippies in all shapes and sizes and at all stages of their evolution, we arrived at the Pyramid stage. There is a bar to the right of it called The Mandela Bar. My mate awaited.
My friend is a veteran of both the UK music industry and the festival. Like many, he had come once and now couldn’t stop. Some of his friends had been 27 times. Many described their first Glastonbury as life-changing. It was where they had found both themselves and a purpose in life.
I could understand this. I’ve never encountered a more welcoming atmosphere. It was politeness and patience everywhere you looked. If someone spilled your beer they’d buy you another. I saw, at most, two police. My friend took me to a hilltop bar — three days hike — and from there we could appreciate its vastness. It was all Glastonbury, as far as the eye could see.
With stages being so far apart it is a constant sea of flux. Leaving one stage you will be swept along on a sea of humanity to your next destination. These are long and at times bewildering trips. It took us 30 minutes to traverse to where Gabriels were playing. But on the trip, well, the wonders we saw!
I had printed out a five-page running order from a document that ran to 66 pages. It seemed old fashioned in a world of apps but over the weekend it was worn out. “Tom, can I just see that for a minute,” became a constant refrain. It needed military planning.
So, five picks from the about the 15 acts that I saw are:
On the Pyramid Stage as seen from the now legendary Mandela Bar. Their chemistry is magnetic, but when I recognised the opening bars of Led Zeppelin’s Battle of Evermore, I experienced my first ‘died and gone to heaven’ moment. That song, those voices, phew!
An LA band featuring the incredible vocals of Jacob Lusk. They have been on my ‘ones to watch’ radar for a long time now. Jacob’s voice is laughably good, his range jaw-dropping. I hear he is working with one of Kendrick Lamar’s producers so definitely, watch this space.
The rise and rise. This was a highlight. The John Peel Stage, and rightly so. It was from Phoebe, and during her show, that I learned of the Roe/Wade abortion decision being overturned, which was fitting somehow. Her audience, mostly female, adore her. Interestingly, a woman from the record company with me in the crowd remarked, “my favourite artist since Ryan Adams.”
The revelation of the weekend. The albums had failed to wow me. People had said you need to see them. People were right. I looked into Joe Talbot's manic eyes and thought, “Where have you been all my life!” The energy, the mania, the fun, when are they playing Ireland again?
It was always going to be about this man, this moment and this stage. A week gone 80, the writer of the finest, most culturally significant, songs of the most optimist decade in history, the Mozart of our age, how could it not be?
Looking at him as he played Maybe I’m Amazed and Let It be, with that signature head movement, that signature raised eyebrow, that slightly weakened voice was a privilege. I just feel gratitude towards him at this point, and I suppose, deep love.
I only managed to see a fraction of what I’d have liked to, and the smart money says The Sugababes were amazing, but there is always next year.
