Festival fever / Take me back to Glastonbury
Judging by the coverage of this year’s Glastonbury festival, and the reaction in certain quarters, you would be forgiven for thinking that it was little less than a hard-left, Jew-hating Nuremberg rally. It is an impressive achievement to unite the government, led by the Prime Minister, and the opposition in blanket condemnation of two of the acts performing. But the groanworthily named ‘Bob Vylan’ – and the more up-and-at-‘em Kneecap – managed to raise their profiles far beyond what their mediocre music warrants by making various anti-Israel, pro-Palestine comments during their sets. Living up to the old adage that all publicity is good publicity, their streaming numbers promptly went through the roof, even as other, more milquetoast (and far better) acts were there for the enjoyment, too.
A couple of rotten apples do not ruin the cider harvest. This particularly English festival will run and run
The last time I went to Glastonbury was in 2004, the year headlined by a resurgent Paul McCartney, a truly dreadful Oasis and Muse, who for a moment looked as if they would become the next big thing before........
© The Spectator
