Glastonbury 2023 Sunday round-up: Elton John earns his place in history and Blondie blister
Well, it’s all over for another year. On the ground, we’re all battle-worn, burnt and praying for a bath at home. Glastonbury Festival has been another taxing affair but the endurance test, naturally, comes with its rewards—Elton John weaving his way into history certainly being one of them.
As it had been all week, it was a heat-sapping day, with the masses which made up the audience now representing human raisins. But the goodwill remained. Most of them walked their weary legs towards the Pyramid Stage with big names drawing a sea of people that threatened to swallow the entire structure.
The old Glastonbury tradition of a wave of rubbish rumours was also in full swing, with Britney Spears being cited by a slew of liars who also spotted Karl Marx and Norma Jean (not on a big screen either). However, these no-shows did little to underwhelm with the high-spirits for Elton John overriding any asterisk of disappointment.
In truth, it was a day of fewer talking points in general, which is no bad thing, even for a story-craving reporter dead on his feat. Nevertheless, at Glastonbury, there will never not be things to discuss, and we’re breaking them down below.
Sunday at Glastonbury Festival:
Elton John makes history
It has already been touted that Elton John may have attracted the largest crowd in the festival’s history. The sea of bodies was monumental, and so was the performance. There might have been a slightly aged slurring vocal to certain moments, and the surprise guests didn’t leave the swarming hive of warm beer swingers aghast at any point, but the buzz was strong enough to see everything through to the festival’s newest iconic moment: Rocket Man blasting toward Empyrean with a flare soaring overhead.
The performance seemed like the perfect finale to things, and although he has been perpetually retiring for about half a decade now, that shimmering swan song may well see him bow out on a high. Those present at Worthy Farm will be happy to declare him one of Britain’s finest performers on that note.
Blondie showcase their brilliance
Following on from Yusuf / Cat Stevens’ mellow legend slot set, the classic CBGB-heralded punk of Blondie blew away the masses. At 77, Debbie Harry scintillated, and the band were in fine form, Clem Burke as vibrant as ever on drums and the rest of the gang following perfectly behind their captivating frontwoman’s lead.
This was, undoubtedly, one of the finest sets of the festival. Even the drunken pirate slumber on the floor was awoken and enlivened when ‘Call Me’ was blared out with brilliance. The band bought into the festival’s famed vibe with ease. It departed and left the beaming masses with a magical feeling of awed appreciation, ‘Jesus, we’ve still got even more icons on the way after that’, they could be heard uttering.
Japanese Breakfast’s tour manager gets a bollocking
Being the first act of the day on a stage might not seem prestigious on the line-up poster, but it comes with the perk of the chance to kick people’s day off in style. However, it also presents its own challenges—getting there in time being one of them. This is a task that Japanese Breakfast unfortunately failed.
The contemporary star was on many people’s ‘to watch’ lists, but sadly they were left disappointed thanks to some very bad tour management. Japanese Breakfast had played at a festival in Luxembourg the night before leaving a tricky journey to Worthy Farm right on time. In the end, it was too tight to mention, and you can’t help but think someone somewhere got a hefty bollocking.
A lot of surprise guest lies
It’s strange to be on the ground at Glastonbury and glance over your shoulder to see former footballer Steve McManaman watching Elton John or Toyah Willcox getting served next to you at the bar. This swell of celebrities amid the sweaty general masses also creates ample opportunity for some very false rumours to make the rounds.
Nobody picked out any of Elton’s surprise guests, Dave Grohl didn’t join Queens of the Stone Age, and Lil Nas X didn’t team up with Billy Ray Cyrus. But aside from everything predicted was true.
Fatigue gets the best of the revellers
Part of the reason that Elton’s set was so well attended and received with such goodwill was that many people had ‘saved themselves’ for it. Glastonbury is not exactly easy on you, and the unrelenting heat and sun this year amplified that to a blistering degree.
Fortunately, waterholes are plentiful, and there are a few hallowed patches of shade beneath long-standing trees scattered around the 900-acre site. But many looked weary as they trudged around, dreaming of a bath and a cuppa, this exhausted music reporter included. Over and out, hurrah!
