Somewhere in between Glastonbury and the work I’ve had to catch up as a result of being away for it, The Smashing Pumpkins sneaked this beauty in below my radar and as a result, I feel a little violated for missing out on a few extra days of absolute bliss!

If you haven’t heard Freak yet, the first track from Vol.2 of the one-track-at-a-time mega 11 EP 44 song project Teargarden By Kaleidyscope then do yourself a favour and stop reading this, do not pass go, do not collect $200 and listen to it immediately!

Freak is classic Pumpkins with murky overdrives, Zwan-like optimism and Na-Na-Na-Na sing-alongs. Having thrown countless hard earned reddies at The Smashing Pumpkins for half my life now, I’m completely stunned that tunes of this quality are up for grabs free for the anticipated 5 year duration of this project (if it’s seen through to the end).

It’s worth pointing out that 19-20 year old drummer Mike Byrne is beginning to show signs that he may well be capable of filling the horrific void of Jimmy Chamberlin’s departure and that The Smashing Pumpkins 3.0 are about to hit their stride.

The Smashing Pumpkins are available to download from the Nokia/Ovi Music Store and if you’ve got Comes With Music download the lot for free!

It came as a lovely surprise a couple days earlier to learn that I had a ticket to see Mystery Jets at Somerset House. Though never exploring the band before, having heard praise of their live performance and finally getting the opportunity to experience a gig at Somerset House on a beautiful summer’s evening was enough to make one’s self rather up for the occasion.

Due to the ease of stage/bar/bathroom access, there was no chore in finding a comfortable, uncrowded space to stand between the headliner set and that of the surprisingly delightful Kiwi-born-London-based 4 piece Connan & The Mockasins who played support with their erratic-trippy-surf-rock and songs about “Forever Dolphin Love”. Apparently now going by the name of Connan Mockasin, they’re worth further exploration and come highly recommended.

Now, once again a lack of intimate knowledge of Mystery Jets’ music means I’m unable to dissect the track list, but a grand entrance to the ringing of air raid sirens, the aforementioned beautiful summer’s evening, and big tunes that entice the ear even upon first listen, made for a magical gig experience and a bit of self-reprimanding for not exploring them sooner!

Mystery Jets are available to download from the Nokia/Ovi Music Store and if you have Comes With Music, they’re all free!

After a trying false start in preparation and arriving in sweltering heat that would come to render a pair of wellies null and void, I begin making my journey toward the stages. I dual in decision on whether to watch Snoop Dogg or Bloc Party frontman Kele’s solo set. Already overcome by the heat I stop by the BBC Introducing tent and catch the last half of a rather impressive Out Like A Lion and begin to get acquainted with my first SLR.

Beginning to feel the festival spirit after feeding back off the excitement from the band members about playing Glastonbury, I make my way to the neighbouring John Peel tent for Kele’s set, relenting on Snoop Dogg’s in a bid to dodge the sun.

In elevated spirit post Kele, I head down to the Pyramid Stage hoping that I might just make it for a Snoop track or two, but arrive half way through Vampire Weekend… which is no real tragedy by any means. After which I take a photographic detour of the Green Fields, the Stone Circle and around the Tipi Village.

An empty wallet and an unimaginable thirst then leads me to the gate for the area behind the Park Stage. This would be my first inkling that the hospitality wrist band offered more than just access to showers and lesser used toilet facilities as I’m granted access.

Out of desperation and damn near dehydration I find myself in the canteen, grab a free bottle of water, and finish it off without a breath taken. Recognising opportunity, I take the time to enquire about the 20:30 Special Guest slot… but the hospitality wrist band isn’t enough to influence anyone into revealing secrets and so I return to the stage, take a seat on the grass and wait patiently, desperately hoping for The Strokes, only we’re presented with something even more special in the form of Thom Yorke… looking a bit like Mark Knopfler.

The set closes and it’s a frantic dash to the Pyramid Stage for the Friday night headliners. A moment that would redefine my coverage strategy when I made the error of convincing myself that meeting friends in front of the sound tower was plausible. This journey would come to be the truest test of patience as the path cutters I chose to slipstream through the human density dissipate and I’m solidly wedged in the thick of it… D’oh!

It’s at this point I choose to disregard politeness as apologising to every person I bump would rapidly deplete the average mans daily word count, and so I endeavour through and finally make my way to a clearing stage right for a Gorillaz set that was far better than the reception it received.

Saturday morning and a bit of tent Feng Shui in the dead of night pays dividends, eradicating my need to perform an action film combat roll from the inside out as I awake, aflame from the greenhouse effect of the common tent. Having failed to kick off our prize winning #WheresGaz Twitter game a day earlier, I set out to fulfil this and hit various locations where I can sit in the shade and watch the festival folk whilst waiting in 15 minute increments for each until The Dead Weather’s Pyramid Stage set.

Buzzing from The Dead Weather slot I set out to lighten my carry load in preparation for the Saturday headliners and take the excess weight of my laptop to the wonderful Birmingham Friends Of The Earth property lock-up. Run by volunteers, the facility is free, secure and priceless… I wish to commend them for their amazing work and hope everyone else who used the facility made as many donations as I did. I’d never have managed without you!

With the slightest window of time before the Pyramid headline slot, I make my way to the quaintest of tents near the Park Stage called The Big Easy Jam. An indoor/outdoor living room vibe with muffled drums, an upright piano, several guitars, and big open arms for festival goers to participate and listen to the talents of un-billed artists. Charging my camera battery I enjoy covers of songs by The Beatles, Bob Marley, and even Kasabian’s Fire before making my way back The Pyramid Stage during the Scissor Sisters set to secure a prime location for the headline.

En route I finally discover the hospitality commuter channels that would come to make my the rest of the weekend significantly easier for traversing between stages and manage to get within earshot of a few Scissor Sisters tracks, giving me the perfect opportunity to snatch up a top spot for Muse’s Set when the crowd disperses.

Immunised to the crowds after having avoided the hoarding masses post Muse, I capitalise on saved energy and make my way down to Block 9, Shangri La and Arcadia for some post apocalyptic nocturnal entertainment and am awed by the flame throwing Afterburner Stage with it’s DJ’s and acrobatic girls twirling around in rings of fire.

Sunday morning rolls in and I prepare a load for the car to ease the Monday morning departure. I take a stroll to snap some festival activity, grab the tastiest mocha frappe’ (Yes, very Zoolander) from hospitality and enjoy a leisurely stroll to the Pyramid Stage for Slash’s Set. After which I make my way down to Chill n’ Charge and catch the 2 last German goals that dash England’s World Cup dream.

With the afternoon weather cooling off, I take one for the team and make my way back to the car on my own with an unbearable load, and finally make it back in time for a brief stop over at the Other Stage for LCD Soundsystem, conveniently catching Daft Punk Is Playing At My House, My Friends and James Murphy between songs singing “It smells like human pooooooo” in falsetto… which it does, due to the lack of rain that Glastonbury is synonymous for.

As we enter the last furlong of Glastonbury’s 40th anniversary, I choose to take it easy for a performance by the legendary Stevie Wonder and make my way up to the highest point facing the Pyramid stage. A smart choice as my view suggests that Mr Wonder has pulled the largest audience of the entire festival… and though I don’t know enough Stevie Wonder to give a performance dissection, the appearance of Higher Ground bodes well with me on my perch and it’s festival longview.

So, to summarise my Glastonbury experience I’ll use alliteration… Broken, Bruised, Battered, Blistered and Burned… Bloody Brilliant!

Slash didn’t disappoint, never seen the man in the flesh, but this one was merely novelty factor for me. I don’t like Velvet Revolver and don’t like much Guns N’ Roses… and I have a particular distaste for Sweet Child ‘O Mine.

None the less, the aforementioned was a massive crowd pleaser and I did enjoy Civil War and set closer Paradise City of the G’N R tunes. I did expect some special guests as Slash’s new album is riddled with them, and I had a hope on for Wolfmother’s Andrew Stockdale, but they were a set touring band.

With Alter Bridge’s Myles Kennedy at the helm, it was actually very, very impressive. I’ve never given Alter Bridge a chanced based solely on the fact that the rest of the band members are former Creed, a band that doesn’t sit well with me being a mammoth Pearl Jam fan ‘n all, but the dude’s got that Bruce Dickinson/Ronnie James Dio hellsetto thing going on and can really hold a note… so I’ll consider it.

Over all, it’s a set I’m pleased I watched plus I got me some snaps of the cigarette smoking, Jack Daniels drinking legend himself.

As before, here’s my Flickr Set

Slash’s solo album is available to download now from Nokia/Ovi Music Store and if you’re a Comes With Music member, it’s free!

Muse at Glastonbury this year has long been set as the “one to watch”. I overheard one say to another “Muse tomorrow, I don’t give a f*** if I don’t see anybody else” and another say “watching them will make you a fan”… But tonight there’s more to it than that, as this is Muse’s first Glastonbury appearance since the tragic passing of drummer Dom Howard’s father, shortly after watching the band perform their greatest show to the date.

As much as I prayed and danced around in circles for things to go the way I predicted them to by open unusually with a classic, they kept the commercial approach to a setlist opener and kicked off with Uprising followed-up buy Supermassive Black Hole to clear the new hype and Twilight obligation swiftly, and hit their stride with New Born and the near perfect Map Of The Problematique.

The fat eighties beat of Guiding Light works the open air, and the setlist return of Citizen Erased is a big moment for me, and probably anyone else who’s experienced it’s absence at recent shows.

A stretch on the ol’ piano next and we’re treated to the b-side instrumental Niche before United States Of Eurasia (-Collateral Damage) and über crowd pleaser Feeling Good.

Back in my snap spot for a couple shots I finally manage one of Dom when he moves down stage to play diminished percussion on Undisclosed Desires… but the photos blur and I’m left with nothing.

After Resistance, it’s the Interlude before Hysteria as it appears on Absolution. It’s one of those moments that define the fan tiers and reveals those with whom to share the all-knowing moments with.

Time Is Running Out, Starlight and a very noisy Stockholm Syndrome usher in the encore where we’re treated to the guest appearance of The Edge for U2 classic Where The Streets Have No Name.

Drawing to a close they play Plug In Baby (Just wouldn’t be Muse otherwise) and “Man with Harmonica” ushers in staple closer Knights Of Cydonia.

Unfortunately we didn’t get the UFO performing arial maneuvers above the stage as they did at Rock Am Ring, interrupting Slayer’s set, thankfully, no Neutron Star Collision.. But still no MK Ultra! When Lord, when’s gon’ be my time?

Here’s the Flickr Set, Unfortunately these weren’t my best of the weekend, but they have a moment or two.

Muse is available to download now from Nokia/Ovi Music Store and if you’re a Comes With Music member, it’s free!

The Dead Weather!… What can I say!?

Possibly my favourite performance at Glastonbury’s 40th. I’m ridiculously obsessed with The White Stripes, my Raconteurs collection is immaculate and I own the UK and Australian “A” pressing of Steady As She Goes 7″, What’s not to love about Queens Of The Stone Age, and Alison Mosshart is a fox!

Do I know both Dead Weather albums back to front?… No, about 50/50! But sonically, creatively and visually, they’re a force to be reckoned with, I love Jack White, and Alison Mosshart is a fox!

I guess I just loved their performance the most because I got the maddest lens-love of the entire weekend from them. Clicking any of the images will take you to my Flickr… I hope you like them as much as I do, so be sure to check out the Flickr Set, it’s my favourite!

The Dead Weather are available to download now from Nokia/Ovi Music Store and if you’re a Comes With Music member, they’re all free!

With Glastonbury I had intentions of blogging about the days performances at the end of every night or between sets. But lets face it, the place is massive, the heat this year was unbearable, and there’s a million things to see and do. So by now I’m sure you’ve all read some really negative reviews about the highly anticipated Gorillaz set, but allow me to tell you what I think…

Sure, the performances weren’t perfect. A couple of times Damon Albarn must have thought there was another measure before he had to start singing, On Melancholy Hill was poorly placed as the third song in the set, Snoop Dogg not performing his part on Welcome To The World Of The Plastic Beach when he was actually at the festival, and words like “Breaking the cardinal rule of headlining” with regards to them not playing a hit heavy set.

To those of you who think Gorillaz’ setlist was the wrong way to go, I say it’s all of you who need to open you’re eyes to what Glastonbury is really all about. Water Aid, Greenpeace, Plastic Beach… are you beginning to see a theme yet? If it isn’t blatantly obvious that Plastic Beach’s is one of environmental concern and had a necessary message for festival goers, then think about all the scattered plastic bottles and then think about Albarn’s futile attempt at trying to get the crowd to sing the single repeated stanza from Pirate Jet.

Regardless of the performance shortcomings like Mark E Smith having to read his lines on what didn’t sound anything like Glitter Freeze, at the very least Kano and Bashy on White Flag, and Little Dragon on Empire Ants and the beautifully dueted To Binge were enough to make it one to remember… but most seem to have missed the boat to Plastic Beach.

Sigh!

Flickr Set

Gorillaz are available to download now from Nokia/Ovi Music Store and if you’re a Comes With Music member, they’re all free!

After some crowd commotion I stand to see Michael Eavis take the mic to introduce “two superstars”. Unable to make out who the solitary figure on the stage is, I’m asked by the nearest person if I can see. I promptly take a peek through my 100-400 lens and am utterly gobsmacked to realise it’s none other than Thom Yorke, which immediately prompts the question “Who’s the other superstar?”

After an introductory lap with no sign of the second artist, Yorke takes his place at an upright piano for the title track from his solo debut The Eraser. With a Digital Delay Pedal at foot Yorke then takes the Bass and catches a loop, then takes up the keys for a compositely rich Harrowdown Hill.

After Black Swan the question is answered as Jonny Greenwood joins Yorke for Cymbal Rush, the last of the Thom Yorke solo material before indulging in a stripped down Radiohead set featuring Weird Fishes/Arpeggi and Pyramid Song… But the real magic happens with Karma Police when it gets the loudest singalong of the set.

With Karma Police finished, Yorke and Greenwood experience technical difficultly and begin discussing something among themselves. Silence washes over the crowd for what seems like an eternity and it’s at this point the crowd takes control of the situation and begins to reprise the Karma Police climax. It’s not long before the issue is resolved and Yorke returns to the mic to play the song out again for what is without a doubt the single most magically moment of Glastonbury’s 40th.

They appropriately close the set with Street Spirit (Fade Out) and the tiny speckled goose bumps shine through the sun tortured red skin on my arms like stars in the night.

Flickr Set

Radiohead, Jonny Greenwood and Thom Yorke are available to download now from Nokia/Ovi Music Store and if you’re a Comes With Music member, they’re all free!

Failing to catch the end of Snoop’s set after choosing to watch Kele instead, I reach the Pyramid Stage about half way through Vampire Weekend.

They’re a band I liked the minute I heard the cross stick snare work in the intro to Mansard Roof back in 2007, but they’re also one of those bands I never took the chance to completely explore… But by some twist of fate I’m lucky enough to get there just in time to catch the songs I know, beginning with A-Punk.

Still orbiting the crowd perimeter and heading to the location that would become my staple photographing position for the remainder of the weekend, frontman Ezra Koenig shrieks a piercing “Blakes got a new face” revealing an impressive vocal ability. Apparently dissatisfied with the response, the shriek goes out again and this time the audience is far more receptive, and as I bare ever closer to the stage right barrier I’m moved by the scores of festival goers glee.

Finally in position, I snap a couple shots through the beat heavy Giving Up The Gun and Campus, then take a little deserved time out for a sing along to Oxford Comma, Horchata and Mansard Roof. It’s around this time Ezra takes a bit of time to thank the audience for giving “a couple knuckleheads” that “forget to even bring wellies the last time” for being so supportive, and then close with Walcott.

With careful consideration, I exit the Pyramid Arena to go around the back of the Other stage and head down to the Park Stage for the 20:30 TBA slot…

Flickr Set

Vampire Weekend albums are available to download from Nokia/Ovi Music Store and if you’re a Comes With Music member, they’re all free!

The trouble with Glastonbury is having to make choices. It’s not something I’m hugely fond of in everyday life, never mind when it comes to choosing who’s set to watch… and so it all comes down to logistics.

Having suffered from near heat exhaustion the day before with 5 treks between my tent on the western perimeter and the parking area way beyond the eastern perimeter, my choice becomes obvious as the John Peel tent entices me with it’s offering of sanctuary from the blazing sun, and a chance to see Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke’s solo incarnation.

Now Kele (his solo moniker) has been accused of being a miserable individual in the past, not something that I’ve ever observed, but this has been the general perception of him none the less. Touching down just in time for the start of the set, my eyes adjust from the glare outside to see a spritely Kele take to the stage with his debut solo album opener Walk Tall and it becomes immediately obvious that any of the aforementioned perceptions are either circumstantial, or just plain misperception. Kele’s in a good headspace!

Keeping close to The Boxer’s track order, playing On The Lam, The Other Side and Everything You Wanted sequentially, saving debut solo single Tenderoni until after a Bloc Party medley featuring a dance rendition of Blue Light, The Prayer and the ominously suggestive One More Chance – With consideration to the fact that moments before, Kele makes the bothersome statement “For those of you who don’t know, I used to be in a band”, suggesting that Bloc Party are officially no more!

Following 2 more tracks from The Boxer, we’re treated to the Euro-Techno stomper Flux as the set closer, elevating my mood in combination with my first proper Glasto set of 2010, and a moderately successful test shoot with the obscene lens I hired for the weekend.

Flicker Set

Kele – The Boxer and Bloc Party are both available to download now from Nokia/Ovi Music Store and if you’re a Comes With Music member, they’re all free!