Glastonbury 2007 - Saturday main stages

United Kingdom | | 23 June 2007

The morning begins as wet as day one but Glastonbury Emerging Talent winner Liz Green irons out the muddy ripples with her smoother than silk enchanting voice. On the slipside, Seasick Steve sounds as if he's swallowed the American Civil War judging by his brilliant bourbon stained blues. The sounds he can make with one guitar truly beggar belief. 

Brakes take to the Other Stage amid a soupy mud bath but thankfully their melodic indie-pop vibes send a ray of metaphorical sunshine through the crowd. An intense ‘Porcupine or Pineapple’ gives a much-needed wake up call for those who stumble down from the campsites wondering what all the fuss is about.

Brazilian kid wonders CSS give us something to dance about with a dazzling collection of electro-pop tunes accompanied by balloons, helium-vocals and extremely colourful outfits. Singer Lovefoxxx would simply need to change the lyrics from their most famous tune to "Let's make love and listen to rain from above" and Worthy Farm would witness it's biggest ever shag fest, and put Madness out of a job. Alas it doesn't happen. 

Klaxons are clearly wasted. You could rack up a Mastermind score on the number of times Jamie Reynolds says he's having the "best day of his life". And whilst the darlings of new rave might see their show as a high point in their career, their neon antics are wasted thanks to a ridiculous mid-afternoon slot in broad daylight. 'Not Over Yet' is the only standout song - and that's not even their's.

The sun’s not in the sky but why would you want to be anywhere else when Lily Allen is winning over the Pyramid Stage? With guest appearances from a reunited Lynval Golding and Terry Hall from The Specials (and an extra special performance of ‘Gangsters’), she brings us a ska-flavoured party full of brassy attitude in one of the highlights of the weekend.

Over on the John Peel Stage, Bat For Lashes and her eerie medieval fairytales transform the quagmire into a mystical forest of magical creatures. Appropriate then, that she is succeeded by elfin boy wonder Patrick Wolf. He glitters and stomps through a sexy back catalogue including the immortal ‘Tristan’ and life-affirming ‘The Magic Position’ in one of his final ever performances - or so he says. Glorious.

Back on the Other Stage, Editors surpass all expectations with an electric, thunderous set of gloom-inspired masterwork. An unstoppable mix of new material and old favourites from their debut make for an unmissable performance with the old faves sounding better and better with every live outing. The new album may have received some duff reviews, but its morbid tracks at least remind us that there is a fate worse than mud.

They might have turned down the chance to headline in 2005 but The Killers look more than happy to be here tonight. In a fantastic all-American glamourfest, we are treated to fireworks and enough anthems to lift even the muddiest of spirits (even if it was a bit quiet for our liking). A pulsating cover of Joy Division’s ‘Shadowlands’ and the stunning ‘All These Things…’ to close bring Saturday’s squelching to a euphoric end.