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3 weeks after an amazing festival, i recap my top 5 performances, other highlights and big misses.

my top 5 in no particular order...
1. The Maccabees @ Guardian Lounge

I was so excited about this performance after missing them on the Other Stage earlier in the day (due to a horrific Regina Spektor clash). I have seen the maccabees three times before and they were great all 3 times, but on the Guardian lounge they exceeded my expectations. Wall of Arms is my favourite album of the year, and all the new stuff they played was awesome...but it was 2 oldies that stood out somehow in what was one of the best live performances i've ever seen. Precious Time was just out of this world, so special, and after giving into crowd requests, Latchmere was immense (made probably even better by Orlando forgetting the words, and someone from the crowd going onstage and singing!). With Wall of Arms, The Maccabees have built on Colour it In both musically and lyrically and it is so abundantly clear that they are way ahead of the indie bands who broke through at the same time. The Maccabees are up there with the best.
watch their set on the other stage
(mp3)The Maccabees-Precious Time
2. Blur @ Pyramid Stage

Blur were outstanding. The band looked so happy to be back at the best festival of the year, back together as a band, and it was reflected in their immense performance. Turns out Tender is a huge festival anthem...at least now it is. The whole crowd singing along was pretty spesh. Wouldn't be at all surprised if Blur didn't make any new material/play any more shows after this year...we will see.
Watch Blur perform Tender, taken by someone in the crowd
(mp3) Blur-Tender
3. Badly Drawn Boy @ Avalon Stage

Playing half on his own and half with a band, Badly Drawn Boy played a great set on the Avalon Stage, a place he calls the "real Glastonbury". He was so good in an intimate venue, strange to think he has played the Pyramid before! He played mostly classics from his first 3 albums...the only three i've heard, so for me it was a pretty much ideal setlist, as well as Stone Roses and Jackson 5 covers! The Shining, track 1 from the mercury prize winning Hour of Bewilderbeast, is one of the best songs ever written in my eyes, so hearing it live (albeit with just an acoustic guita, not the full orchestra) was very special. He is one of Britain's great songwriting talents, i'll definately be going to see him on his next tour.
Really good fan recording of A Minor Incident
(mp3) Badly Drawn Boy-The Shining

4. Q-Tip @ Jazz World

Of all the people I saw at glastonbury, Q-Tip had by far and away the best stage presence of the lot. The leader of possibly the greatest hip-hop group of all time, A Tribe Called Quest, is 39 years old, and very very cool. He played almost a perfect mix of tracks from 2008's the Renaiscance, his debut Amplified and Tribe stuff. The crowd went sick for all Tribe Called Quest, especially Scenario and Check the Rhime. Sucka Nigga was immense, that song is so intelligent. Q-Tip is real hip-hop, reminding the world along with a select few that hip-hop is not about Flo Rida, 50 cent, soulja boy and other successfull talentless stars. Hip-hop is about De La Soul, Mos Def, Jay-Z, Nas, Biggie, A Tribe Called Quest, The Roots and other intelligent artists. Q-Tip never seems to be mentioned when people talk about the best rapper ever, but in terms of lyrical ability and stage prescence he is right up there with Jay, Nas, Biggie and 2pac.
A Tribe Called Quest-Sucka Nigga
5. Regina Spektor @ Pyramid Stage