Glastonbury 2002: Main Stages Review, Sunday

United Kingdom | by Andrew Future, Mike Eccleshall | 30 June 2002

Alongside the curiously murky, yet deftly beautiful Sunday sunrise came the realisation to many that 'Oh, we better go see some bands today.' Aussie cabaret a good humoured fun is didgeridoo up the arse for the 'serious' music to follow, but whilst 'Rolfy' holds his own on the Pyramid Stage, the midday crowd is in fine spirit. Dressed like your dad in a stained myriad of bright colours, Mr. Harris keeps the sun out long enough to waltz through a host of his international anthems. 'Waltzing Matilda', 'Meringue' and curiously, a cover of 'He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother' unite all in tender ludicrousness, proving that whatever anyone says the music is always there as the spirit of Glasto.

Like a small gang of delinquent children who've guzzled a few too many fruit pastels, My Vitriol buzz around with a raucously distorted wakeup call full of their slightly overfamiliar, yet equally likeable indie-grunge anthems. Tantrums are replaced by a selection of new songs, including new single 'Moodswings' which features on their remixed 'Finelines' LP, accompanied by a load of b-sides. Give Som a bit of a personality transplant and who knows, they could be playing at 3 o'clock next year.

Hundred Reasons' rise and rise has been quite sharp, and whilst the home-listening quality of their songs is quietly ignored, there's no denying that their live show is one of the most popular to grace the Other Stage all weekend. Many an arse mark adorns the field as bodies rise to form one of the more sizeable moshpits of the weeekend and as cliched and slightly clumsy as it all sounds, the personality and humility burst through nearly as much as 'I'll Find You', 'Silver' and the ever popular 'Remus'.

Seeming rather fairy-eyed and being rather rude when encountered by a VF crewman backstage, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are always on the verge of going down like a stoned Catholic to an early-PM crowd of festival cynics. The depth-charged breeze block guitar wall drives well though, with 'Love Like A Fever' and 'XX' even managing to provoke the odd slice of foot tapping frenzy from the, erm, 'thrilled' crowd.

A lone Badly Drawn Boy replete with his 'classic' hat ambles hobbit-like onto the vast expanse that is the Pyramid Stage. "Judge me not by my size, do you?", asks the cardboard cut-out Yoda, being waved upon a stick in the audience. "This is going to be one of the best moments of your life and mine, declares the singer/songwriter. Well, he is certainly enjoying himself today, cracking 'hilarious' anecdotes ("I met Hugh Grant and found him not as good looking as me" and "Madonna took a shine to me, but I had to blow her out") in between songs from his forthcoming album (soundtrack to the 'About a Boy' film). Throughout, despite his beaming disposition and endearing light hearted approach, Damon Gough can illicit little more than a gentle nod of the head from a disappointingly blase crowd.