Away from the Pyramid Stage Preview

Well there is nothing better than strolling around at Glastonbury, accidentally getting lost after walking through a pair of stilts the wrong way, and ending up watching a bunch of bearded Swedish men in dresses who suddenly become your new favourite band. But if you want some suggestions of a few acts playing away from the Main Stages to check out, then take this advice from Gents of HMZ (who is well-qualified to know, once being rated as one of the top four best Indie DJs to play in Plymouth on Thursday nights).

When gates open on Wednesday there aren’t many bands performing, and I don’t know the names of any that are, so I can’t recommend them. Instead I’d say go straight to the Cider Bus after you’ve collected some fire-wood and maybe pitched your tent, and treat yourself to a delicious pint of hot & spicy Burrow Hill Cider with a few shots of cider brandy in the top. After that, possibly get some food at an outlet such as Arnold’s Alfresco – producers of fantastic burgers with names like Garlic Guzzlers and the Pilton Porker – made with real fresh local meat (unlike most of the shite on offer) – and featuring nice crispy salad (some of the freshest legal foliage you’ll be offered all weekend).

On the food front – Thursdays are traditionally crepe day. Thursdays are also traditionally the day us Nailsea men visit the Love Tent in the Greenpeace field in a hapless search for romance. As yet none of us have succeeded in finding our dream-woman (we don’t ask much – just for a girl who lives on a local cider-farm, and has the correct about of fingers and toes), but we boast a 100% success record of pissing off the Love Tent staff – “for God’s sake lads, which one of you has written that you’re a Professional Dogger on your form – there’s no such thing.” Thursday afternoons are traditional for a site-wide cider/perry/beer crawl. I have no idea what Thursday evenings are traditional for.

Friday, the bands start, and Newcastle 5-piece Maximo Park are scheduled to be one of the first appearing on the John Peel Stage. But they may surely now be moved up the bill after recently smashing into the UK charts top 15 with debut album “A Certain Trigger” and single “Graffiti” (at positions 15 and 15 respectively). An hour or so later the same stage gets the chance to have the crap smashed out of it by Be Your Own PET – jumping around with all the energy you’d expect from a group of 16/17 year olds with a handful of fantastically short and angry punk tunes, and a singer with the ready-made rock n roll name of Jemina Pearl. I’ll be staying around for The Secret Machines afterwards – their support slot with Interpol last year and epic Pink Floyd-esque album “Now Here is Nowhere” making them one of the must-see bands of Glastonbury 2005 for me.

Earlier on today will have seen an appearance by the talented bluesy-rocking musicians Black Bud, runners-up in last year’s Glastonbury Unsigned competition. Their relentless touring since has seen them rewarded with a record deal and an upgraded spot to Other Stage openers at Glastonbury 2005. Following them later are the Hot Hot Heat, sounding a bit like The Strokes thundering through some of Elvis Costello’s punkier moments. I’m not yet convinced that their recent album lives up to the promise of legendary debut “Make Up The Breakdown”, but still makes them a band well worth seeing, especially for their afro-ed frontman Steve Bays (left) giving as energetic a performance as possible while still playing a keyboard for most of the gig. Elsewhere today, 808 State may be worth investigating in the West Dance Tent, especially if MC Tunes turns up for a rendition of “The Only Rhythm That Bites” (which is probably doubtful). Spikey-haired violinist and Aston Villa supporter Nigel Kennedy plays the JazzWorld Stage with his new Jazz-based project, and Pitman will be mining some beats down in the Dance Lounge (where?) through his observant rap tunes – a bit like The Streets but very funny, from what I remember of the limited stuff I’ve heard.

'Allo me old china - wot say we pop round the Jack, I'll stand you a pig and you can rabbit on about your teapots? We can 'ave some loop and tommy and be off before the dickory hits twelve. That’s right; Saturday in the Acoustic Tent is a bit of a Cockney knees-up. Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel headline, and the London Lasses also play, but the highlight for our I.T. Director Smithy and many other annoying jellied-eel-eaters will be the appearance of legendary Cockney twats Chas and Dave. A group with an equally legendary status, but with the Scottish this time, are The Proclaimers – the bespeckled brothers headline the Avalon Stage today. Even more legeands (of the festival circuit) The Levellers, will be hoping to get slightly less mudbomb-caked than they did 1997 when they play the JazzWorld Stage earlier in the day. The John Peel Stage concentrates on bands striving to acquire legendary status, and The Subways (left) may just have taken a step towards this when they play today as they would have already graced The Pyramid Stage this weekend. Well worth catching live, many punters may take up this second opportunity to catch the three-piece’s electric White Stripes-esque performance, and to some extent music, with their tracks with also taking influence from Ash’s summery rock sounds. Playing some lighter songs but still with a warm summer glow are the hotly-tipped Magic Numbers later on The John Peel Stage. Those that want to dance to something funkier than Coldplay on a Saturday night may enjoy the Go! Team finishing off this Stage for the day, sounding a bit like The Avalanches, but with a full-band playing their own catchy grooves. Pick of the day for me on The Other stage would definitely be Interpol, epic tunes that switch from cold and icy to warm and uplifting, often with a Joy Division-y feel and New York sound. Their two albums need to be purchased!

Not much that I’m very well-up on going on during “get-pissed-Sunday” away from The Main Stage. Bristol is represented by Massive Attack’s Daddy G playing the Roots Tent. Brendan Benson has a good album out, and anyone who has collaborated with Jack White plus a bloke from fantastic 90’s band Jellyfish has got to be worth checking out – he plays quite early on The Other Stage. Before things start drawing to a close, a band very high on the list of recommendations are still to come in The Ballroom of the Lost Vagueness Field (apparently you need to wear a Tuxedo to get in, but you can borrow one here if you forget your own)… The Pipettes (right), who will be playing at 7.40pm. This band are fronted by three polka-dot dress wearing ladies who perform some kylie-style dance moves, as 4 blokes turn out some 60’s-ish beats in the background. They have some great songs, such as “Tie Me To The Kitchen Sink” and “School Uniform” which make them a very entertaining way to help round off what has hopefully been fantastic Glastonbury Festival 2005.

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