Psicle: Hinds' Site

Braving biblical rain downpours in Balham and negotiating closed tubes and cancelled buses I eventually hit a bit of sun as I speed west past the city of my formative years for my just-off-the-M5 rendevous with Ramsay, Jo, Poppy and Tom. Despite yesterday's 18 queues we drive straight into the parking field and before you can say muddy path to gate D we're pitched in our usual quiet field and supping from a can. Missing the absent Debbie I have another lager before we head off to the far side of the festival for Shangri La and amongst the sound systems and other amusements catch the last few a songs and rants of Katie Tempest who's politically tinged hip hop gets us in the mood for partying leading us to a club where the DJ seems to be playing numerous layers of disco tunes proving a hit with the punters and we're all grooving around like it's 1999.

Friday morning we're up with the lark, well, nearly, and head off to our favourite spot to see a great Welsh singer at the Park. Gwenno has a great voice over spacey atmospheric rock which reminds me of Jane Weaver. We wander down to the Other stage to see the start of a late running James although there's nothing to keep us from missing a band I've not seen and we're off to see Night Beats who are an American big guitar band and play an energetic and compelling set. As I'm with Ramsay and Jo they're up for their usual running about which my phone tells me after the weekend that we've slodged about 15 miles a day in the mud. Not sure if that includes jumping up and down. Anyways we're struggling through the mud to the BBC Introducing stage down where the dance tents used to be and some still are. We watch a great hard edged indie set by the Vinyl Society before hanging around right at the front by the barrier to see the surprise guests who were never going to be Radiohead and although I'm not a fan I must admit that the short sitting down set by Catfish & the Bottlemen was entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable. As we're up that way we go back to the tents where we manage to miss the worst of a heavy downpour. Back into the throng we dance to a bit of house strutting our stuff on the Beat Hotel podium before watching a few songs by ZZ Top who are not that interesting and the beardy novelty wears off pretty quickly. After watching some decent american rock in the form of White Denim we then watch a brilliantly fun set by Foals who grab the crowd by the scruff of the neck and we're all chatting and bopping away sharing stories and drinks. Our Friday Night Headliners are Underworld who deliver a scintillating techno dance set loved by young and old alike. Having lost my chums I make friends with another group of younger boppers which is what Glastonbury is all about. One big happy family. Born Slippy is one of the more relevant Glasto tunes and completes a brilliantly danceable set. After all that excitement I find Ramsay and Jo again before touring the after gig offerings including a crowded and unappealing Four Tet DJ set and ending up dacning to reggae at the dance hall area.

Saturday it's muddy out there having had a lot more rain overnight but the docs are up to the job my Italian paratroop boots having gone rotten in the soul. We wander past Izzy Bizu at the Park who sounds pretty good but we're on our way down to see the brilliant Beans on Toast who has the crowd mesmerised and in the palm of his hand. A brilliant performer dishing out heartfelt and completely believable songs which are witty touching and edifying for the soul. Yep, we are all in this together so why not get on with each other. We are all up for it. If only it was as simple in the world. Talking of which since we've been here the UK has voted to leave the EU and I feel like I'm the only one on the site who voted out. After our Beans we wander past Hurts who are playing a song we all loved when it was in a Leeds church but we're on a mission to relive one of Glasto's standout moments when an Australian band had us all jumping at the Park in the rain and then the sun came out. This year it's not raining but nonetheless Jagwar Ma deliver a brilliantly baggy dance set as usual getting us bouncing about. Fantastic. We see Pete and Wendy after. Now, rather than list everyone we hang out with and pretend that I can remember who we see when intersperse at various intervals me catching up with Pete and Wendy, Mark and Claire, Nick and Emily and of course Poppy and Tom. And random others. As Kurt Vile does very little for me although I feel I should like him it's down to the Glade to see a great Yorkshire band Vessels who hit us with big drummy bassy electronic dance which is a great follow up to Jagwar Ma. As I'm with my buddies I trek with them through the mud to see Tame Impala who every loves except seemingly myself as they are both tame and as bad as I last remembered them. Soz Ramz. We schlup back to the Park to see Mercury Rev who are good for three songs but to be honest then we feel we've heard them all so we debate who the last band should be as we're spoilt for choice. As they're close and should be good for a bit of nostalgia we plum for New Order who don't disappoint performing a great set with lots of classics and Love Will Tear Us Apart for an encore. At the end they say something about this being their last gig but we know they're due to play others over the summer. Rams Jo and I are knackered so we slowly work our way back to our tents and settle down for a relatively early nights kip.

Sunday morning and it's our last day so we're up bright an early, OK by midday at least, for the days festivities. Our Sunday Service is a brilliantly upbeat set by a Spanish girl foursome called Hinds. They are bouncy and regale us with stories of their first time at Glastonbury last year and also this and they are obviously loving it. One story is about how they've all fallen over in the mud like a dog (on all fours) on their asses and just generally getting mucky with their mates. Endearing. The music's pretty damn good too. Rocky indie poppy Bangles with a harder bassier edge and bloody good musicians. A touch of real enthusiasm. By the end of the set they own the Park and deservedly so. What a great start to our last day. Go see! On our way to see him we bump into Carl and en route to the main drag we stop off to see Billy Bragg and friends in the Left Field tent. It's good but for gods sake even a committed left fielder like Billy has been conned by the conservative agenda and is railing against the out vote. Even our Billy ain't listening to the people. Ah well. Next is a bit of nostalgia from the era when we last voted on Europe and although I don't make it to the Leeds flag to meet Ramsay and Jo I still enjoy myself jigging about and singing nearly every word to ELO along with the rest of the crowd. How come my memory can remember all that but not who I saw two hours ago? I didn't really want to see the Sunday Nostalgia Legends Spot but to be honest it was very very good. Having found my mates we wander up through the new not so secret woody bit and to the relocated John Peel Stage for the first time this year which we used to live in. Band of Horses are pretty competent as a stoner shoe gazer guitars and drums band who set us up nicely for the evening. On our way to the Other Stage we're waylaid by getting down to a crazy muddy techno reggae dance hall party at the shacks and then we're watching something completely different that is the theatrical performance by P J Harvey. I like her so much more live and she delivers great indie rock going a little loco at times with variously half a dozen saxes or everyone playing drums. We hang around to see the reformed LCD Soundsystem who are quite possibly the highlight of the festival but maybe I'm biased as they are such a great mix of funky dance beats and rocky indieness. Every song is a classic and it's a fun, and I guess safe, way to end the weekend. Although not quite the end as we find Pete and Wendy at the Glade and in between buying our last cold drinks and finishing our own supplies we shuffle about in the mud to the various sound systems. Eventually it's time to get some kip and having been left with Pete and Wendy I lose them inconveniently at the conveniences and wander back home on my todd to try and find the tent in the sparsely populated field.

Monday is uneventful with easy packing, once the kids are awake, straight out of the car park once we roll the car into some traction and soon enough I've said goodbye to my mates and am on the train speeding eastwards homewards to grin at other muddied Glastoeers on the tube but even now the sheen of festival chattiness is wearing off in the reality of London's underground. Well, you can't chat to everyone on the tube can you? Another great year and special thanks to my adopted Festi Parents. It's nice to be back home though to see Debbie and wish Lily-Rose a happy birthday, which I've missed by three days...