Glastonbury 2003 was magical. My first summer after graduating from university, I got to experience three firsts. My first Glastonbury; my first time seeing REM and my first time seeing my favourite band: Radiohead.
I’ll never forget the view of the site after reaching the brow of the Hill of Death (those that have made the arduous trek from the East car parks to pedestrian gate C will know this point well). It was a city unto itself. Quite a shock on arrival from the suburbs of Hertfordshire.
Sadly I didn’t get there till the Thursday that year – a mistake I soon learned to address in subsequent years. However, once the tent was up I went for a wander. The stalls of the markets were brimming with activity. Simply stunning.
This was also a dry year – a false sense of security for future visits – but it made it all the more blissful.
I saw so many bands that year. But there were three of four truly magical moments.
Moment number 1: REM on the Friday night. REM, my second favourite band were headlining the Pyramid stage. Then came on, opened with Begin the Begin, swept through Imitation of Life and surpassed all my expectations with a stellar greatest hits set. I turned to my good friend Simon and exclaimed my excitement: this was the start of a love affair with Glastonbury that’ll never falter.
Moment number 2: Flaming Lips warming up an expected Pyramid Stage crowd before Radiohead on the Saturday. Seeing Wayne Coyne conduct our happiness as the sun went down was truly a sight to behold.
And then, the main event. Moment of the festival – Radiohead take the stage. The memories are long and vivid – Ed clapping the crowd, Jonny taking up his drum sticks for the opening of There There. This was another magical set, full of classics old and new, and truly a magical moment.
This was my favourite song of the set. Fake Plastic Trees. When the rest of the band kick in at 2:33, you could literally feel the wave of euphoria knock the crowd back ten feet.
And then the crowd sing-a-long prompting an a capella refrain from Karma Police: truly breathtaking.
I didn’t quite know how to top that on the Sunday, but Doves put up a fine effort on the Other stage. The way they ended with Space Face was a breathtaking finish to a fabulous weekend.
Glastonbury is a special place. I’m lucky enough to have a ticket to this year’s extravaganza, and I can’t wait to get there.
Image copyright Jim Dyson/Getty Images
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