Young Makes Up for '97 No-Show With Blistering Glastonbury Set
- Posted on Jun 27th 2009 9:55AM by Stephen Dowling / Rebecca Laurence
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Twelve years it took -- in 1997, Neil Young was supposed to headline the Pyramid Stage; an appearance curtailed by a rather messy accident whilst making a ham sandwich. More than a decade later, Glastonbury finally got its date with Canada's Godfather of grunge on Friday night.
With a reputation for perverse setlists -- just because there's tens of thousands of fans anticipating the classics doesn't mean he'll play them -- Young unleashed a blistering, amp-mangling performance which put paid to any fears of obtuse, audience-alienating stubbornness.
It started with post-punk 'Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)' and 'Mansion on the Hill' before fans were treated to a filling-rattling coda to 'Down by the River' as Young corralled his band through a spine-tingling set heavy on Crazy Horse-era material.
Seventies standards like 'Cinnamon Girl' and 'Needle and the Damage Done' were all present and correct, but the biggest cheer of the night -- a hoarse, bellowing, manly cry, no doubt lubricated with cider -- was for 'Rockin' in the Free World,' which Young and band turned into a feedback-stained epic.
He wasn't finished. For an encore, he returned to cover The Beatles' 'A Day in the Life' -- the Beatles as imagined by Sonic Youth, perhaps. Young propped his trusty guitar against an amp and proceeded to bash at it with a mic stand until the strings snapped. Just in case things were getting too comfortable.
Glastonbury 2009
A festivalgoer enjoys the traditional Glasto mud.
Fans had to make the most of it – the sun was soon out.
The crowd go wild during Lady GaGa's Friday set.
Lady GaGa – masked and magnificent.
Mudpack, Glastonbury style.
Lady GaGa – filthy future shock.
Neil Young goes electric.
Neil Young won over the Glasto crowd with a set filled with classics like Heart Of Gold.
Lily Allen was backstage on Friday, with a little friend...
... and on stage, a vision in pink and purple.




