Glastonbury 2025: Work hard, play harder

GLASTONBURY Festival provided for an altogether different experience in 2025 even though this was my eighth visit to Worthy Farm.

This year, for the first time, I volunteered as an Oxfam steward, taking on three eight-hour shifts - and, as such, I felt an even more heightened sense of anticipatory anxiety ahead of the Festival than usual.

What if I quite frankly was not fit enough to do a full week in a tent? What if I was rubbish at what I was being asked to do?

What if it rained all week and I just could not hack being damp and miserable for that long?

But I really needn't have worried - particularly with regards to any prospect of a washout.

WORK HARD

OXFAM requires its volunteers to arrive at Glastonbury Festival by Tuesday at the latest - and, better still, by Monday evening.

Therefore, I booked the 11:31 train from Newcastle to arrive at Castle Cary - the nearest station to the Festival site - at 18:14 on Monday 23 June.

An early problem presented itself at Doncaster where my connecting Hull Trains service to London Kings Cross was cancelled as a result of industrial action - and so I hastily gathered all of my stuff on the platform and reboarded my initial train all the way to the capital.

In London, I diverted from the direct route between Kings Cross and Paddington to buy some tent pegs on Tottenham Court Road - and so it was only once I boarded the service to Somerset that I was able to feel a little more relaxed about everything.

From Castle Cary, I bit the bullet and took a rather expensive taxi to Blue Gate near the Oxfield but gladly made it on time to register.

There, I received my all-important luminous tabard, my briefing pack including my shift times, my ID lanyard and wristbands, and my meal and shower vouchers.

My shift times and areas were confirmed as follows:

• Wednesday 25 June - Pedestrian Gate A - 05:45-14:00
• Thursday 26 June - Vehicle Gate 5 - 13:45-22:00
• Saturday 28 June - Pedestrian Gate D - 21:45-06:00

In short, I had hit the jackpot!

These were great shifts to be allocated with two of them completed even before the main stages kicked off and an overnight stint during which the only significant artist appearances were the Saturday night headliners.

For the rest of Monday, I took a whistle-stop wander around bits of the site before, tired from the long journey from the North East, I got myself cozied up in my sleeping bag for my first night in a week of tent-dwelling.

At that stage, my mind was still racing about just what I had let myself in for - but an entertaining, though mandatory, hour-long briefing - delivered on Tuesday at 3pm - provided some guidance and reassurance.

During the briefing, we learned about the different roles to be undertaken, the security features of the various tickets, and the support available to us.

However, there was a disappointing lack of specific information about working on Vehicle Gates (see shift 2 below).

Nevertheless, we were advised that a far more detailed briefing would be delivered by a supervisor at the start of each of our shifts during which our exact roles would be allocated.

The remainder of Tuesday was unquestionably a time to try and relax, and I made a quick tour of a few of the crew bars available to staff and volunteers before the Festival gates open such as Maceos, the Tow and Hitch, and a couple of others.

Still, I returned to the tent around 10pm for a responsibly early night ahead of my first ever work at Glastonbury Festival, starting at 5.45am!

Shift 1 - Wednesday 25 June
at Pedestrian Gate A - 05:45-14:00

Now, anyone who has ever known me will be aware that my attendance at a pre-6am shift was almost a miraculous effort in itself.

However, I quickly realised that this was the place to be for my first ever shift. Pedestrian Gate A almost always attracts the television cameras and Glastonbury glitterati for its proximity to the Festival bus station.

Allocated a standard ticket-checking and scanning role, there was palpable feeling of nerves and excitement ahead of the official opening of the gates shortly before 8am.

And then came a real lump-in-the-throat moment as Emily Eavis helped her father Michael out of a vehicle in a wheelchair to acknowledge the crowds as a small band played the theme from Chariots of Fire.

Thereafter, it was down to work - except it did not really feel like work to offer a warm welcome to everyone who had waited so patiently outside.

The shift was notable for one runner who appeared to evade Security - and a couple of other punters who, without the correct credentials, were dealt with effectively.

But, while part of the role of the Oxfam steward was to be on the lookout for anything that did not look or feel right, most of the eight hours passed by steadily, with only the sharply-rising temperature beyond midday causing any sort of discomfort.

The end of the first shift produced a little surge of confidence in myself - and I knew, after a decent rest, that I could enjoy the rest of Wednesday in the knowledge that I had done my bit to get the party started...

Shift 2 - Thursday 26 June
at Vehicle Gate 5 - 13:45-22:00

From a busy Pedestrian Gate on Wednesday to a nearby busy Vehicle Gate on the following afternoon - this was a rather different, and initially extremely confusing, experience as a team of four of us managed two lanes of traffic heading into the Festival.

My senses were heightened by the constant hum of idling engines as they waited at the checkpoint with some larger vehicles - trucks and tour buses, most notably - having kicked up a lot of dust on yet another scorching afternoon.

For sure, there was a different type of clientele on this shift than the excited punters on the day prior with the arrival instead of loads of production staff, delivery workers as well as site worker and hospitality tickets.

Performers and their guests were also beginning to arrive - including Joe Goddard of Hot Chip and some friends of the Alabama 3 - though presumably the Oxfam volunteers over the weekend had the opportunity to be a little more star-struck.

In another notable difference to the Pedestrian Gate, though, the Vehicle Gate had its own dedicated staff - and dealt with some of the tickets themselves.

Nevertheless, there was still no shortage of stubbing and scanning of EPOs for us volunteers.

Following a late break, the remainder of the shift brought the far more laidback responsibility of liaising with the Security staff and literally using a blue marker pen to write the number of occupants of a vehicle on its windscreen.

But, as the last of the evening sunshine disappeared behind the treeline and the temperature cooled, the end of the shift was a welcome feeling especially as there was now almost 48 hours to indulge in the Festival as a punter.

Shift 3 - Saturday 28 June
at Pedestrian Gate D - 21:45-06:00

Fully into the swing of the Festival by this point - and on an emotional high following the glorious performance of Pulp on the Pyramid Stage - the overnight shift had the reputation for providing its own challenges.

Notably, depending on exactly where you are stationed, I was warned that the shift would drag if there were not a lot of people to deal with.

Moreover, it would have the potential to seem even longer if the temperature dropped significantly as is often the case in the Mendip Hills even at the very height of the summer.

As such, I took a jumper, wore my warm, waterproof trousers and three pairs of socks and mentally prepared myself for a long night.

Instead, cloud cover ensured the night remained mild with little to no breeze - and, although I decided on my break that I still needed my jumper for the second half of the shift, there was little time to think about anything else.

From towards the end of the headliners at around 11pm, it was a remarkably busy shift as a steady stream of people - in varying states of drunkeness and joy - passed through the Gate D throughout the whole of the night right until 6am.

Hopefully they all remembered their Pass Outs for re-entry on Sunday - though, in reality by 6am, my own thoughts had rather drifted to dropping off for a full morning of sleep to a soundtrack of light drizzle against the canvas of the tent.

Still, before I hit the sack, I embraced my good friend Jonathan for prompting this opportunity to attend Glastonbury which never would have been possible without his regular gentle arm twists.

Work for the weekend was now completely over - and once again the whole of the Festival was ours to enjoy! 

PLAY HARDER

Wednesday and Thursday

I really scored on my Oxfam shifts which effectively offered the opportunity to have fun on all the major nights of the festival between Wednesday and Sunday, except for the overnight Saturday. 

Additionally, there was plenty of time for fun throughout Friday, on Saturday afternoon, and the whole of Sunday. 

Back to Wednesday - and, with the majority of the attendees having arrived, the Pyramid hosted its first Opening Ceremony since 1990 as the acrobats and jugglers from the Theatre and Circus area took centre stage at 10pm.

Sadly, their technically-outstanding show was something out of a damp squib, suited to a much smaller audience than that which appeared in the Pyramid field with little else on around the site.

Without a music licence on the main stages until Friday, the audience was encouraged themselves to participate by humming and providing vocals. 

However, a lack of clear messaging left the crowd largely oblivious to what they were meant to be doing and the sense of bafflement led to the show itself not getting the attention which it deserved. 

Instead, approximately 24 hours later on Thursday, a far more engaging - albeit completely unofficial ceremony - took place on the Sensation Seekers stage thanks to the excellent Oh My God, It's The Church.

A downpour of mild rain - or waam waata - fell from the Heavens provided no great discomfort - and merely added to the atmosphere being generated by band preacher Michael Alabama Jackson. 

This rain was indeed the only time that the festival site got a bit of a soaking - and was one which made pretty much no impression on the parched ground.

By contrast, Oh My God, It's The Church made a brilliant impact as usual, though - and provided a key message for all to follow throughout the remainder of the weekend. 

The remainder of Thursday night brought a true Glastonbury pursuit of largely directionless bimbling in search of something foot-tapping, enchanting or both. 

We found it in the Toad Hole in the Green Fields where the Berlin-based psychedelic outfit Tolstoys livened everyone up in a joyous hour to wrap up this particular chapter. 

Friday

In an unexpectedly sprightly start to Friday, I made my way back to Pyramid for the opening act proper on the stage as Supergrass started things off with their up-tempo brand of Britpop.

Irish singer-songwriter CMAT followed and showed beauty truly lies in the eye of the beholder with an engaging performance.

From there, I headed straight back to the Britpop 1990s for the searingly underrated York-based band Shed Seven who recaptured that bittersweet era with their anthemic hits Going For Gold and Chasing Rainbows.

Already on target to be one of my favourite sets of the weekend, the frontman of Elvana capped it off by randomly turning up halfway through and joining Rick Witter for a duet of Suspicious Minds. It was wonderful stuff.

Frantic Friday then stepped up yet another gear as Lewis Capaldi made a previously unconfirmed emotional return to complete the 35 minutes of the set which he had been forced to abandon in 2023.

A quick blast of early-2000s post-punk from Franz Ferdinand on Other Stage included an unexpected twist as the other Capaldi - former Thick Of It and Doctor Who actor Peter - made a guest appearance to duet on Take Me Out with Alex Kapranos.

Then it was back to the Pyramid for the awesome and angsty-as-ever Alanis Morrisette. 

The Canadian delighted the main stage by recapturing the iconic soundtrack for so many 1990s teenagers with Hand In My Pocket, Hands Clean, You Learn, Ironic (of course), and You Oughta Know, before finishing - appropriately enough - on Thank U. 

Next was a first trip up the hill to the Park Stage where Self Esteem supplied a welcome chilled-out vibe - though, disappointingly at times, seemed more interested in creating something special for her audience on TikTok than the one right in front of her. 

Then again, perhaps I am just getting a bit old and grumpy about this sort of thing - especially in red-hot weather. 

Saturday

After being frazzled throughout Friday - and with my shift coming at the end of the day - I was fairly unambitious with my Saturday plans and so missed the return of the Kaiser Chiefs to Pyramid. 

Instead, buoyed by some extra rest, I made my way to the Acoustic tent for the first time for a heartfelt tribute to Bob Dylan - my dad's favourite artist and mine too. 

A collection of Dylan aficionados, including veteran folkie Ralph McTell, combined to contribute a couple of songs each - though there were one too many obscure tunes and McTell sang his entries like he was going to burst out any second into his famed Streets of London.

Nevertheless, to finish, the troupe prompted a really emotional moment between myself and my friend John - a true Dylan fanatic - with 1967 song I Shall Be Released. 

From the legend of Dylan to Pyramid for a true pioneer of rock-n-roll John Fogerty - and the former Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman was in fine fettle, celebrating his recent success in regaining the global publishing rights to his band's songs following a 50-year legal battle. 

Mystery band Patchwork was next on Pyramid - though, when Pulp's Jarvis Cocker bounded on stage in his inimitable style, there was a sense of relief, rather than surprise. 

In perhaps the worst kept secret of all-time, Patchwork was indeed Pulp - and, restricted to an hour, had to squeeze in all of their hits - Disco 2000, Do You Remember The First Time?, Mis-Shapes, Babies, and more. 

There was little-to-no filler - and the set concluded with the anthemic Common People as the Red Arrows roared overhead on cue. 

With the entertainment curtailed by work, this potentially iconic Glastonbury moment was a spectacular way to head into shift - and nothing on Sunday really promised to match it. 

Sunday

Nothing did, as it happens - but, with all my shifts completed, it was still a fantastically fun day. 

The Libertines on Pyramid promised a riotous start - but, as well as a relatively early set time counting against Pete Doherty, Carl Barat et al, their undoubtedly necessary mellowing unsurprisingly means that I no longer hear the music in the same way as I did at the peak of the band's powers. 

 

Elsewhere, on the Avalon stage, there was better news as the Horne Section - fronted by the genuinely clever humourist Alex Horne - furnished this adorable corner of the festival with an hour-full of genuine belly laughs. 

Then, next of course, came Rod Stewart in the fabled Sunday afternoon Legends' slot on Pyramid.

"If you want my body, and you think I'm sexy" crooned the 80-year-old midway through his set - not really Rod thought the vast majority of the crowd, surely.

At least, though, Sailing - a reliable set-closer if ever there was one - genuinely went down a storm. 

Instead, I was far more enthused by the appearance of Nile Rodgers and Chic in the following set - and, as always, the New Yorker had the Pyramid field on their feet for a boogie.

Legendary songwriter and producer for the likes of Diana Ross, David Bowie, Madonna and more recently Daft Punk among many others, Rodgers really is a must-watch at a big Festival to make you forget about tired feet. 

Would The Prodigy without the glorious Keith Flint still be worth a watch was a big question of mine on Sunday night?

The answer unquestionably was affirmative - the music and the light show was as good as ever, and a stunning show from the Braintree act set the vibes just right for Sunday night. 

The feelgood factor continued back on Avalon where The Alabama 3 had their audience in the palm of their hands - and there was still more fun at The Levels in the Silver Hayes area where Groove Armarda drew a huge crowd.

Now, at 3am on Monday morning, the festival was over for many - but, in what is fast becoming a bit of a Glastonbury tradition, the final night does not feel as if it is over until the New York Brass Band have sounded out their final note.

Chugging back a Guinness from the can at 5am while bouncing around in a busy and friendly crowd - this truly had been another Glastonbury Festival which had the absolute maximum of fun joyfully squeezed out. 

More than that, though, this will always be an especially memorable visit to Worthy Farm for me as, for the first time, I can say that I made a genuine contribution to the running of this huge operation. 

Better still, I can say that I made my contribution with pride - and, even better again, volunteering with Oxfam added to my experience, rather than detracting from it - even if it was pretty hard graft at times.

OTHER GLASTONOTES

Headliners

As always, it was a Glastonbury Festival involving some firsts - and, notably on this occasion, this was the first edition in which I did not see a single minute of any of the headliners on Pyramid stage. 

Apologies can be offered to Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts who I would have seen if I had not been on shift. 

However, by all accounts, The 1975 - a painfully overrated band, in my opinion - unsurprisingly gave an underwhelming performance. Meanwhile, at the tender age of 22, it is a wonder that Olivia Rodrigo had enough songs to fill the 90-minute slot.

Then again, Glastonbury is about so much more than the headliners - and I am no doubt just getting a bit old and grumpy. 

Politics

Glastonbury Festival is an inherently political place - it always has been and hopefully it always will be. Notably this year, there was a couple of excellent tributes of the 40th anniversary of the Battle of Beanfield in the Green Fields and the South East Corner - read more here. 

More notably, two artists - Kneecap and Bob Vylan - made the biggest headlines of the festival in the print media, at least. 

For the record, I went to neither of the sets - Bob Vylan clashed with the Songs of Bob Dylan on Acoustic while hip hop act Kneecap isn't my vibe, and I wasn't interested in going along for the sake of it. 

Bob Vylan in particular were strongly criticised for leading a chant of "Death, death to the IDF [Israel "Defense" Force]" - but, while I agree with Emily Eavis's statement that Glastonbury Festival should be used as a positive force for change, "Death to the IDF" on an organisational level - and a complete reassessment by the Israeli government of its values - is simply a must if there is ever going to be peace in the Middle East given its ongoing murderous action. 

Certainly, if I were in the UK government, I know which one I would be more disgusted by. 

Crowds

With a capacity well in excess of 200,000, much has been made about crowd management at the festival - and there have been some past mistakes by the organisers, in 2024 in particular, where relatively large-name acts ended up on stages which were far too small for them. 

In response, there was a slight drop in capacity this year - but, to be honest, the well-publicised reduction made no noticeable difference to me. After all, a few thousand less is a drop in the ocean in Glastonbury terms, and there was not a noticeable difference to the naked eye. 

Nevertheless, communications on the official app in particular were better than ever with specific and timely information given about which acts were likely to reach capacity. Matrix signs for the raucous overnight South East Corner were similarly informative. 

Now, it is always going to be extremely difficult to manage crowds at an event with the size of Glastonbury Festival - but it is clear from the vast improvement in comms that Emily Eavis and team have listened to concerns and are doing their best to manage some extremely difficult situations. 

Litter

Related to the above, the sheer size of Glastonbury Festival inevitably means there will be some "unintentional" littering - stuff left in a genuine emergency and empty cans which unknowingly fall out of pockets, for example. 

However, the amount of litter around the festival site cannot all be down to accidents - and indeed I have witnessed punters stamp on their can to flatten it then leave it on the ground. 

There are plenty of bins available so there is genuinely no excuse - and, even when the receptacles are overflowing, the waste will no doubt be collected more easily if it is propped up against the bins.

Truly, the festival is blessed by the litter-pickers and recycling crew - and I am aware that this is a societal issue, rather than something which is specific to Glastonbury. 

Nevertheless, Glastonbury punters and the festival itself really should be held up as a standard-bearer for this sort of thing - and the Love The Farm, Leave No Trace message can sound rather hollow sometimes.

Index 2023

INDEX 2023

So, good riddance 2023, you utter shitfest of a year. Whether or not life actually does begin at 40, as the cliché would suggest, it has certainly changed a lot for me in the last 12 months. RIP Dad, I miss you every day and I will always love you.

Nevertheless, it would be churlish not to admit that there have still been some highlights. My lovely niece Maya is growing up fast, always makes me smile and usually makes me laugh like a gargling drain with her antics.

I also loved my trip to Greece (except for the bit when my phone got stolen), my latest Glastonbury Festival renewal (where the Foo Fighters especially were truly epic), yet another visit to Prague (where me and my friends got to have a go at being Pilsner Urquell tapsters), a raucous weekend in Ibiza (except for the bit when my phone got stolen), and I also bimbled around a bit of Germany which I had never previously seen.

Of course, that trip to Germany derived from a serious prolonged upturn in form from my beloved Newcastle United who finished last season in the top four for the first time in 20 years.

But, to be quite honest, even Newcastle United let me down this year in the biggest games of the calendar year at Wembley in February in the Carabao Cup Final - even if the crowd in Trafalgar Square on the night before was epic - and then again against AC Milan at St James Park this month.

There have been various other weekends away in the UK which have captured the imagination: the snooker in Sheffield in April, Nottingham in May to see Team GB regain their place at the top table in international ice hockey, York for Hallowe'en, and another visit to Lindisfarne Festival in September.

Unfortunately, though, I finished the year still partly recovering from a hairline fracture to my ankle sustained at Lindisfarne after the injury suffered several setbacks, although some of them were admittedly self-inflicted.

Additionally, I have spent much of the run-up to Christmas battling an acute bout of the lurgy which has hung around for the last seven weeks and, at times, made me sound like a 40-a-day smoker.

It basically made an already exhausting year just that little bit more difficult to get through - and, despite numerous undoubted highlights, I am afraid this is a year which, for quite some time, I have been desperate to consign to the archives.

For what it's worth, this blog still gets updated with the occasional updates - and, hopefully, 2024 will provide opportunities for some write-ups on a brighter note.

An index of the posts made in 2023 can be found below:

CRICKET
Ashes 2023
16.06  Baz-ball faces its biggest Test of all in Ashes
11.07  Ashes alive after England win Headingley nail-biter
01.08  Broad signs off in style as Ashes series ends drawn
World Cup
05.10  Preview: Confident India hold all the cards
14.11  Not defending anything
19.11  Australia tear down India's cloak of invincibility

FOOTBALL
Season 2022/23
04.05  Haaland breaks goal record to send Man City back top
13.06  Manchester City complete incredible Treble
Season 2023/24
15.08  Manchester City go for four in a row
04.12  Another chance for England at Euro 2024

RUGBY UNION
World Cup
08.09  Preview: C'est le moment... peut-être
04.11  Back-to-back Boks outlast All Blacks

SNOOKER
World Championships
14.04  Snooker finds itself in a terrible fix
01.05  Belgian Bullet slays maximum man Selby

POLITICS
By elections
24.07  Another messy night

PERSONAL
Glastonbury 2023
30.06  There goes My Hero

So, take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind

Down the foggy ruins of time

Far past the frozen leaves

The haunted frightened trees

Out to the windy beach

Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow

Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky

With one hand waving free

Silhouetted by the sea

Circled by the circus sands

With all memory and fate

Driven deep beneath the waves

Let me forget about today until tomorrow

Bob Dylan - Mr. Tambourine Man (1965)

Glastonbury review: There goes My Hero

ELTON JOHN brought down the curtain on a sun-baked Glastonbury Festival with his last ever concert in the United Kingdom as the Sunday night headliner on Pyramid Stage. 

The legendary 76-year-old self-styled Rocketman launched his set with Pinball Wizard. 

But, pretty soon, he was onto the tear-jerkers Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues, my own personal favourite - before further emotional performances of Someone Saved My Life Tonight, Your Song, and Candle in the Wind. 

Then the party got started as Tiny Dancer, Don't Go Breaking My Heart, Crocodile Rock, Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting and I'm Still Standing came in quick succession. 

Guests included Brandon Flowers of The Killers for Tiny Dancer - but absolutely no one would have guessed his other invitees:

▪️ the London Community Gospel Choir for Are You Ready For Love and Sad Songs (Say So Much)

▪️ TikTok star Stephen Sanchez for Until I Found You

▪️ Japanese singer Rina Sawayama for Don't Go Breaking My Heart 

Elton finished his set by dedicating Don't Let The Sun Go Down on Me to his late fellow performer George Michael before leaving the stage after Rocket Man. Strangely, though, there was no encore. 

Earlier, the Pyramid stage opened on Saturday and Sunday with impressive stuff from Rick Astley and the Dixie Chicks respectively. 

Entertaining and self-effacing Astley got the mood right by mixing up his set somewhat with covers of Harry Styles's As It Was and, rather unexpectedly, Highway To Hell by AC/DC. 

Astley finished, of course, with a sing-a-long of Never Gonna Let You Down with the whole of the crowd. 

Elsewhere, the Other Stage also presented strong performances from the likes of The Hives and Lightning Seeds back-to-back early on Friday, and Generation Sex and Manic Street Preachers on Saturday. 

In particular, Generation Sex were a great throwback to height of punk rock as Billy Idol was joined by former Sex Pistols, Steve Jones and Paul Cook, to alternate between the most famous hits from Generation X and the Pistols. 

Idol finished with the brilliant version of My Way from the latter - and delivered a typically energetic performance despite somehow having to style it out in a leather jacket in the sweltering heat. 

Of course, any good Glastonbury visit goes beyond Pyramid and Other with options available on over 100 stages, big and small - and smaller. 

Steve Earle delighted on the Acoustic Stage with the proper version of Galway Girl while Richard Thompson of 1970s folk revivalists Fairport Convention slowed everything down there on a sweltering Saturday. 

The eclectic sounds of Congolese groovers Kanga Bongo Man really got feet moving in front of the West Holts stage, while Sparks provided another perfect throwback on The Park. 

Arcadia and Silver Hayes remain the prime late night area for dance music enthusiasts - and the giant fire-spewing spider Arcadia delivered great visuals even for more casual listeners to the genre. 

Elsewhere, South African a capella quintet The Joy provided much joy to the Rabbit Hole on Friday night - but the main action into the early hours still comes from the south east corner. 

On Sunday night, my close friend Jonathan, his amiable work shift partner Tom, and another friend Chris all ambled along the Old Railway Path in a successful attempt to keep the Festival going as long as possible. 

The sights of the south east corner were as eye-opening as ever with personal highlights being The Unfairground and The Temple, a Colosseum-style rave venue. 

Additionally, bizarre space rockers Henge performed an entertaining set on the Truth Stage before the final journey back to the tent at 5am on Monday was pleasantly interrupted by the New York Brass Band on the Rocket Lounge. 

As if we could end up anywhere else... 

🔼

Back to the headliners on Pyramid - and the peaceful efforts of Yusuf/Cat Stevens somehow kept the ominous storm clouds away from delivering a downpour before Blondie stepped things up from opener One Way Or Another onwards. 

It was generally agreed, though, that Elton John provided the best big stage entertainment - while Arctic Monkeys on Friday night had been a major disappointment. 

Now, it is quite obvious that Alex Turner's group have undergone a significant style change since their debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. 

But there is absolutely no way that the frontman should be crooning away to old classics like Mardy Bum as well. It just doesn't work. 

Conversely, Guns N Roses on Saturday played in a far more orthodox hard-rock fashion - and, as such, will have pleased their hardcore fanbase.

The appearance of Dave Grohl during their closer Paradise City was a glorious way to finish - but the set, as a whole, lacked the wider connection to the crowd enjoyed by the Rocketman. 

Grohl, however, had already himself become the central figure of this edition of the Festival, as the worst-kept secret in Glastonbury history - the made-up band the Churn-Ups - were indeed revealed to be the Foo Fighters. 

Despite the lack of surprise, the one-hour set on Friday evening was the highlight of my seventh visit to Worthy Farm as the Foos were left simply no room for filler. 

Opening with All My Life, Grohl expertly navigated his way through the set via outright classics Learn To Fly, The Pretender, My Hero, Best Of You, and Everlong. 

The slower version of My Hero was the absolute height of my Festival - and for a very personal reason. 

Now, this edition of the Glastonbury was always going to be a pretty special one for me - having not been since 2017, I was desperate to go in what is my 40th year. 

Excitingly, in the ballot last October, I got a ticket - or, more accurately, I was part of a WhatsApp group all trying for tickets, of whom one man was successful for the rest of us. Thanks, Kieran. 

Thereafter, Jonathan worked out a route of six trains for me from my home town of Blaydon in Tyneside all the way to Bristol Temple Meads, via Hexham, Carlisle, Wigan North West, Birmingham New Street, and Cheltenham Spa. 

Remarkably, it worked out almost without a hitch except for an unscheduled change at Preston where my train from Carlisle abruptly terminated. Simply, though, I just had to board the service to Birmingham one stop early. 

In Bristol, I was offered an overnight flat by another lad Shing and stayed there with his mate Coops before catching the coach to the Festival on Thursday morning. 

With my beer and snacks brought onto site in ever-faithful John's campervan, it was all set up perfectly. In truth, though, a shadow hung over the whole journey. 

In March, a new reality had intervened after my dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer and renal failure, for which he needed dialysis to keep him alive. 

Then, on the very eve of the Festival, the hospital consultant advised that, due to the extent of the cancer, the dialysis was no longer effective. 

Devastatingly, my dad now had no further treatment available to him - and, suddenly, doubts inevitably crept in about the trip altogether. 

With the goodwill of my parents, I decided still to go but my thoughts were never far away from my dad. 

The lyrics by the Foo Fighters in My Hero read:

There goes my hero

Watch him as he goes

There goes my hero

He's ordinary 

The tears flowed. Of course, the tears flowed - those lyrics spoke so close to me. 

My dad has never come across as being, or wanting to be, any more than an ordinary bloke living a quiet life, working hard and raising a family. He has deserved a far more fruitful retirement. 

At the same time, my dad has actually always been My Hero - and, after the toughest few months of my life, I will be very soon watching him as he goes.

That moment at Glastonbury was like no other. Already this has been a year like no other. 

Index 2017

GENERAL ELECTION Full results
08.05 In the hands of the youth?
10.05 Young hearts run free as May clings on

FOOTBALL
Domestic
13.05 NUFC: Mission accomplished
07.06 For the record: Winners and losers
11.08 Premier League preview: Can Chelsea defend their title?
World Cup 2018
11.10 Undewhelming England reach World Cup in Russia
16.11 Playoffs: Arrivederci Azzurri, Ireland and Northern Ireland
01.12 Draw: England can breathe in Group of Life
 
CRICKET
05.07 Taking Root
Ashes 2017/18
22.11 Adversity test for England in Ashes defence
18.12 Dust to dust 

OTHER WRITE-UPS
30.06 Glastonbury: A worthy return
09.07 Lions roar to series draw
02.11 High-rolling Hamilton completes his quadruple

PHOTO BLOG
11.11 Lest we forget

Glastonbury 2017: A Worthy return

THE TRUE measure of a successful visit to Glastonbury Festival is often in the memories which abide, as much as in the experience itself.

So, in that case, Glastonbury 2017 was and still is a glorious triumph.

Even now, more than a week since it started, little moments fill the vacant boredom of everyday life and the corners of my mouth involuntarily curl up at the edge. My eyes dazzle excitedly and I catch myself smiling.

Right from the start, though, I knew this was going to be a special Glastonbury for me.

It was, after all, my first visit for four years - and so, when I eventually arrived on site, late on Thursday, I immediately collapsed to the turf in the manner of a Wimbledon champion who had just landed a winning forehand on championship point.

Time to explore - although, to be totally honest, Thursday night was a little stop-start for me and my companions as we consistently found ourselves in the unfortunate position of greeting the end of a set.

Perhaps it was inevitable that we would end up down a Rabbit Hole that night.

On Friday, we found better form as Chryssie Hynde and the Pretenders opened the Other Stage before we hot-footed it to West Holts for the Hot 8 Brass Band and a taste of festival-strength Brothers Cider.

Liverpool band Circa Waves then infused a summery burst of indie-pop as I clambered on the shoulders of a mate for their set-closer T-Shirt Weather.

"It's gonna be okay" affirmed lead vocalist Kieran Shudall as the band around him played out. Already, though, I knew it was going to be much better than that...

Next for me came the highly-rated Brighton-based Royal Blood and a first proper visit of the year to the Pyramid. Gladly, it can be reported that it was not a disappointment.

Indeed, there must have been few noisier sets of the weekend as duo Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher celebrated their album How Did We Get So Dark? going to number one by clanging champagne bottles together. The little monsters.

George Ezra did nothing to slow the pace by opening his Other Stage appearance with Cassy O before he strummed his way through a genuinely classy set to Budapest.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor then enticed the Avalon, indulging in a costume change while reminding her audience of her array of hits from the turn of the millennium.

And so, onto the first of the headliners - and Radiohead on Pyramid, 20 years on from the release of OK Computer.

Undoubtedly there was a buzz around the crowd - but, unfortunately for the more casual observer like myself, Thom Yorke had back-filled his set and my thoughts soon began to wander elsewhere.

In the Park, those thoughts found their home, as Wayne Coyne and the Flaming Lips reproduced exactly the sort of bizarre performance which first appealed to me back in 2010.

There is a gentle beauty among all the bizarreness, though - and the cover of David Bowie's Space Oddity was an outstandingly lovely touch before a becalmed crowd faded into the night to the words of Do You Realize??

Saturday already had a lot to live up to meet those opening standards.

Nevertheless, the day got off to a grand start as, on Pyramid, the Bootleg Beatles, marching suits and all, reincarnated Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band on its 50th anniversary.

The Brass Funkeys entertainingly opened up the Avalon tent and kept spirits high amid the drizzle with a cover of One Step Beyond and a blast of the Bear Necessities.

And Jools Holland then brought on a whole array of guests during his set on Pyramid including his old mucker Chris Difford of Squeeze for a rendition of Cool For Cats.

Clearly, though, the afternoon belonged to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Drawing one of the biggest audiences of the weekend, Mr Corbyn's 14-minute speech on Pyramid was, in many ways, largely preaching to a converted choir.

However, in a week in which the Conservatives cheered the retention of a 1% cap on public sector wage growth in the House of Commons, Mr Corbyn's words will still have resonated well beyond the most hardcore of his supporters, and so his battle goes on.

Back to the music - and Saturday evening was a tale of two Katys, as KT Tunstall rolled back the years on the Acoustic stage before pop star-extraordinaire Katy Perry lit up the Pyramid.

The Avalanches provided more nostalgia on West Holts ahead of the Foo Fighters taking to the Pyramid stage.

Cruelly denied the top slot in 2015 when injury forced Dave Grohl to pull out, the Foos made up for lost time by starting with Times Like These and All My Life.

My Hero was dedicated to a naked fan in the audience and, as the set drew to its close, it reached its climax when Monkey Wrench and Best of You came in quick succession.

I think it would be fair to say that we did, indeed, see the best of the Foo Fighters who were on top form throughout - and it set me up for a night which felt at the time it as if it would last forever but now feels as if it was gone in a flash.

At least I know the night finished with people in a packed Silent Disco blasting out Bohemian Rhapsody to each other, and then it literally dawned upon me.

Dawn arrived, the sky was no longer dark - and yet I had not been to bed. Forgive me then for my later start on Sunday...

The final day of the festival began at Other as the Boston-based Dropkick Murphys paid testament to their celtic roots, ahead of a much-anticipated appearance by Rag'n'Bone Man.

Rag'n'Bone was clearly nervous during his set and he even admitted as much - but, thankfully, his voice remained as strong as ever, as he picked his way through the hits from his Human album.

Now, up until this point, the weather had been warm. There had been a little rain on Saturday morning but not enough for the ground to break up. However, for much of the time, the skies had been filled with a leaden cloud-cover.

Perhaps then even the weather knew it was party time on Pyramid as Barry Gibb brought some Saturday Night Fever to Sunday afternoon.

He was followed swiftly by Chic feat Nile Rodgers who brought the whole arena to its feet in a set which included all the hits and covers of Daft Punk and, again, Bowie.

It is difficult to put in words just how brilliant those three hours of disco under clear blue skies and a baking hot sun were - but, as the BeeGee sang, words are all I have.

Following all the dancing and singing, it was time to tone it down a bit - though only via another sing-a-long to the Bootleg Beatles' closer Hey Jude on Acoustic - and we made our way to the Circus Fields.

There, in the Big Top, we watched the stupidly entertaining Flying Dutchmen jugglers on unicycles.

And then the Occam's Razor acrobatics quintet dazzled my mind as a performance featuring huge metal poles played with at all sorts of different angles, the weight and timing of each move being key.

By this time, it was Ed Sheeran's turn to headline Pyramid, only six years after his appearance on the BBC Introducing Stage in 2011.

In fairness to Sheeran, we knew pretty much every number he played in his first hour - but, as this was the last night of Glastonbury for over 700 days, we wanted a big party in which to dance.

Mr Bombastic himself Shaggy - at the Gully Stage in the Silver Hayes area - duly obliged as he sailed through his tunes. Remember, though, it wasn't him...

At that point, all that was left was a final wander around the site, taking in the ever-magnificent Arcadia and ambling into the Bimble Inn for the raga-infused celtic sound of Delhi to Dublin.

One last boogie there and another in the Glade at around 3am on Monday morning just about finished us off as we headed back to our tents to put this festival to bed.

It had been an unbelievable few days, a festival which will not be easily forgotten in a long time.

But that period in the sunshine on Sunday afternoon was a particular highlight so, to conclude this write-up, I will lean upon the words of Bowie which featured on the 2016 Glastonbury t-shirts:

Oh, to capture just one drop of all the ecstasy that swept that afternoon
To paint that love upon a white balloon...

The Sun Machine is Coming Down, and We're Gonna Have a Party

Thailand 2012: From panic to paradise

SHUDDERING, sweating, and dry-heaving - all mixed in with bouts of sickness and diarrhoea. This was horrendous.

I also knew exactly what it was: the onset of another panic attack, and just three days before the start of the holiday of a lifetime to Thailand.

I was aware that it was a panic attack because, unfortunately, this was not an isolated incident. In fact, I had endured these episodes for some years now and foolishly done nothing about them.

These situations had indeed been mentioned in passing on this blog in the days when I was learning to drive.

In my review of my third failed test, entitled 'Under Pressure' no less, I wrote: "My anxiety was so bad that no rational explanation could calm me down and, due to the resultant insomnia, I expected that I may even have to cancel."

Meanwhile, another panic attack in London was the reason why a promised review of my work experience at the Camden New Journal back in 2009 was conspicuous by its absence.

For, on the first morning of that placement, I had a visceral reaction, similar to the one which I described in anticipation of the trip to Thailand.

Specifically, I was overwhelmed by the fact that, as a trained journalist following my successful NCTJ course at Darlington, I expected myself to work in a way that any other reporter would.

By rights, I should have been able to do this, of course.

However, the panic attack rendered me unable to do much around the office and this negative experience has been reinforced by my failure to do any placements elsewhere since. Perhaps, even though I am now seeking help, I am just not cut out for it.

Recently, I have found life more difficult, despite the support of excellent friends and family, as a series of relatively stressful events happened one after another.

For instance, in March, I was the best man at the wedding of my best mate. Now, making a speech is widely regarded as one of the most pressurised occasions of a person's life if they are not used to public speaking.

Rather than a touch of the nerves, though, I entered full-blown panic mode with stomach acid shooting up my oesophagus, making me nauseous and unable to eat the fine wedding feast on offer.

That, in the end, I still managed to stand up and deliver the speech was nothing short of remarkable, according to the doctor, and it remains for me a very proud moment.

Indeed, without declaring that I want a medal or anything, the fact is that I have always managed generally to muddle through with any task which I was feeling anxious about, undoubtedly showing some strength of character.

Sadly, my panic attack about Thailand - a holiday, for goodness sake! - was perhaps the worst I had ever experienced. And so, I finally decided it was time to seek professional assistance. 

My excellent GP immediately prescribed some diazepam to take me down off the ceiling and two days of this powerful stuff was enough to start and get me on the straight and narrow.

By Thursday 3 May, I was ready to make a decision about Thailand - and thankfully so, given that my train to the south was due to set off at just after 1pm. This was really cutting it fine.

In the end, I decided to bite the bullet and ensure that I did not waste a lot of money and a most wonderful experience. Whether I liked it or not, I was going to Thailand.

First, though, I was off to Reading for a couple of days before a flight from Heathrow to Bangkok via Zurich.

Handily included in that time was a trip to the CAMRA Reading Beer Festival which impressed with its size and organisation.

Then, on Saturday 6 May, the real deal began. Following a nervy landing at the short stop-off in Zurich, courtesy of a skiddy arrival on a sodden runway, I was at last on board a plane to Bangkok.

An episode of the Simpsons and the music of the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Beethoven passed the time on the 10-hour flight which did not seem anywhere near as long to me.

And so to Bangkok. Admittedly, at first, I found the metropolis of the Thai capital a little overwhelming with its constant bustle.

But, after being introduced to the atmospheric Khao San Road - a Glastonbury-esque experience without the rain - I began properly to relax into my holiday.

I did not have long in Bangkok at this point to see the sights - although I did fit in my first ever ride in a tuk-tuk - as, once our crowd was assembled from various flights, we were off to the islands via a flight to Suritthani and a ferry.

Koh Samui and Koh Phangan are both idyllic places without being off the beaten track for the casual tourist (cf. the backpacker) and hiring scooters helped us get around the islands more easily.

In Lamai on Samui, we visited the Grandmother and Grandfather Rocks - so named because of their, er, appearance - as well as a nearby waterfall. Then, at night, we kicked back by drinking buckets of various concoctions at the Ark Bar while being hustled by nine-year-old children playing Connect 4.

Refusing to play one of the kids, she retorted that I was a "ladyboy" before running off. It was certainly not an insult which I expected to hear but quite amusing all the same.

Meanwhile, on Phangan, we reached the beach near the Haad Rin peninsula where the legendary Full Moon parties take place.

There was not one scheduled for when we were there and, though the expected Half Moon party was cancelled for renovation, the Jungle Experience near Baan Tai was an adequate replacement.

The week on the islands - four days on Samui, three on Phangan - were highly relaxing and exactly what I had needed. By this stage, there were no second thoughts in having taken the plunge.

Back to Bangkok for the second week and there was plenty of 'work' to be done if we wanted to see the sights.

The heat and humidity were tough going at the height of the afternoon but I soon learned that Sprite and the 7-Eleven shops were my friends and would just about keep me in my comfort zone.

So, what did we end up seeing in Bangkok then?

Well, the Grand Palace complex does indeed seem to be the grandest area of the capital. It is split into several quarters and features 34 buildings, many of which are still in proper use today.

But, while the Palace is one of the most extraordinary sights in Thailand, the mish-mash of its layout left me slightly confused and overwhelmed meaning my favourite tourist traps in Bangkok lie elsewhere.

Wat Pho nearby, for instance, is a much smaller complex but hardly forgettable on account of the huge Reclining Buddha which is its centrepiece.

And Wat Arun - the Temple of the Dawn (pictured) - is an imposing landmark on the west bank of Chao Phraya river, featuring a central prang of 86 metres.

Steep stairs allow tourists to clamber up the prang to gain a fine panoramic view of the skyscrapers overlooking the river - but more on that sort of thing a little later.

For, the entirety of the second week was not just spent in Bangkok: there was also an excursion out to Kanchanburi which took in the Kao Poon Cave and allowed us a walk along the reconstructed Bridge over the River Kwai.

A trip to a safari park required us to engage our consciences as it was clear that many of the animals were not treated particularly well.

Nevertheless, the feeding of bananas to giraffes and zebras produced happier memories and some great photographs. The giraffes were particularly friendly, moving their heads right inside the safari bus to snaffle the goodies while earning a stroke on the neck.

The second day of the tour featured the Erawan Falls, named after the three-headed white elephant of Hindu mythology.

I succeeded in reaching the top of the seven-tiered falls, and swam in gorgeous rock pools filled with unnervingly nippy fish. Later that day, I rode on the back of an elephant and then got comprehensively soaked when it swished river water with its trunk back over its head!

The remainder of the holiday was spent in Bangkok again, though our group of six dwindled in number as we left on our respective flights.

Even still on the last day when there were just two of us left, we made attempts to get around the city and be productive.

The stomach-turning Siriraj Medical Museum had been well-placed in a slot at the end of the break with its gruesome displays having earned it the nickname of 'The Museum of Death'.

And so it was just as well that it could be balanced out by some spectacular sights in our very last activity as we visited a skybar at the top of the State Tower.

Standing at a height of 810 feet, the view from the 64th floor was an amazing end to a holiday which I somehow almost never made it on.

I now know that staying at home would have been a foolish decision in the extreme and hindsight has caused me to shake my head in disbelief at a panic attack over a holiday.

Still, I cannot deny that it actually happened - and has happened in the past - and so the problem now needs to be dealt with properly.

In the meantime, the memories of my Thai hiatus are all good, and live on and on: many thanks to family and friends who helped me let it be.

Glastonbury 2011 and Hyde Park review: Mud, sweat and beers

BEYONCE KNOWLES brought the curtain down on the last Glastonbury Festival until 2013 with a stunning show in front of a packed crowd on the Pyramid Stage.

The 29-year-old Texan singer opened her set by stepping down onto the stage from a mini version of the Pyramid while ticker tape and fireworks filled the air.

Beyonce fronted her performance with some of her biggest hits - starting with Crazy In Love and Single Ladies - before teaching the crowd some of the lyrics to her new single, Best Thing I Never Had.

The latter part of her set included covers of Prince and Kings of Leon, and a medley of Destiny's Child tunes.

But it was hardly a mistake to leave early and close the festival in style on the West Holts Stage with Kool & The Gang who played great versions of Get Down On It and Celebrate Good Times.

Earlier on the Sunday, Don McLean won the battle of the two American legends against Paul Simon, delivering a beautiful slow version of Vincent before milking American Pie for all its worth.

Simon stirred the crowd with Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes and You Can Call Me Al but he needlessly omitted Graceland and also could not find time for any Simon & Garfunkel tunes.

Thankfully, then, the Kaiser Chiefs on Other ran through all of their hits from their first album Employment after the Eels had helped us see in a beautiful sunset.

The hot sun on Sunday had come as a welcome relief after the heavens had poured down on most of Friday and Saturday morning.

Much of the site turned into a quagmire with up to a foot of mud in places and some of the bands struggled to rouse the crowd in the rain.

U2 were the biggest of the casualties with a largely underwhelming set.

Nevertheless, it did have a classy touch when Beautiful Day was introduced by an American astronaut in the International Space Station.

And Bono and the others will have at least pleased the purists having featured virtually all their biggest hits.

Earlier in the day, the Pyramid played host to an uninspiring set by Metronomy who would subsequently disappoint again at the Wireless Festival in Hyde Park.

On the Park, American pop duo Jenny and Johnny unsurprisingly struggled to blend their summery tunes with the inclement weather, despite their best efforts.

But, back at the Pyramid, there was total reverence as 85-year-old BB King sang the blues before, over on West Holts, Dr Jimmy Cliff hosted one of the best party atmospheres of the weekend.

On Saturday, Coldplay were another act to produce a great atmosphere at the front.

However, a truly magical Glastonbury moment - like when they finished on Fix You in 2005 - eluded Chris Martin and his band as they opted instead to finish on their new single Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall.

Elbow were a sound choice in providing the warm-up for Coldplay with front-man Guy Garvey giving the appearance of a man who could not believe his band had finally made it.

Meanwhile, much earlier in the day on John Peel Stage, Ardal O'Hanlon-lookalike Jamie 'Pockets' Fox from Fight Like Apes gave the impression that he should be anywhere other than a rock band.

That was not to his detriment, though, and the Irish group - fronted by shouty female vocalist Mary-Kate 'MayKay' Geraghty - provided a hugely entertaining start to the day with both their songs and ad libs.

After repeating the trick at Wireless, I can see Fight Like Apes - and not Shite Like Apes as a self-referential Fox amusingly called them - become another favourite of mine.

Just as the Gaslight Anthem did after their visit to Glastonbury on John Peel Stage in 2009. This year, the Brian Fallon-led New Jersey rockers were back - and playing on the big, uncovered Pyramid Stage.

But the Americans did not let the big venue unnerve them and they gave the big crowd an assured display of their talent.

Of course, as always, Glastonbury Festival has far more to it than just the main music stages though Tony Benn disappointed on the Leftfield Stage by turning up an hour early, meaning I missed him for a third successive year.

Another irritation was the new late night one-way queue system. With its winding seemingly never-ending path, it did its best to exhaust revellers even before they reached the likes of Shangrai-la and the Unfairground.

Worse still, most of these areas remained clogged up with mud even after the sun had dried out the rest of the site on Sunday.

My preview post showed I was skeptical of the one-way idea beforehand and being stuck in such a big queue did little to force me to reevaluate my opinion.

It may have been more organised for the organisers but there was an element of it becoming a chore to visit the late night areas when this has always previously been one of my most enjoyable parts of the festival.

Nevertheless, Arcadia is now such an impressive structure that Orbital played a DJ set there on Saturday night and it has certainly been a pleasure to see the venue develop over the last few years.

My favourite after-hours place this year was away from the south east corner, though. The Bourbon Street Bar gained two visits from myself.

The first was to see Sandi Thom play the blues on Thursday evening, and the second was for some late night boogie back to the jazz of the brilliantly-named Rabbit Foot Spasm Band on Friday.

Glastonbury certainly tested my patience on this fourth visit but, as usual, it still came through with a kaleidoscope of flying colours.


Hyde Park

ARCADE FIRE and Mumford & Sons impressed Hyde Park on the following Thursday, managing to stir a sleepy crowd into action after earlier sets by the Vaccines and Beirut.

And last weekend, Chase & Status, the Chemical Bros., The Streets, The Hives and Pulp were top billing at the aforementioned Wireless Festival.

Wireless was not without its hitches. A poor queuing system meant that I missed the chance to see Devotchka, a band which I held back from seeing at Glastonbury.

However, my biggest beef with the Hyde Park event was its rampant commercialism.

I understand the need for a festival to pay its way with advertisers but there were enough adverts there to make your eyes and ears bleed.

Mike Skinner of the Streets even joked main sponsors Barclaycard had approved the popping of pills during the subsequent sets by Chase & Status and the Chemical Brothers.

Earlier, Canadians Arcade Fire sprung somewhat of a surprise by featuring as many songs as they did from their first two albums, Funeral and Neon Bible, rather than their most recent release The Suburbs.

Still, another chance to hear Rebellion (Lies), Wake Up and No Cars Go live was no bad thing.

On Sunday at Wireless, the Hives played a straighter bat, reminding us of their biggest songs Hate To Say I Told You So and Main Offender.

Dressed in their usual sharp suits, Swedish front-man Pelle Almqvist ever-modestly self-proclaiming his band as the only one the crowd wanted to hear.

Of course, it was Pulp who were closer to that the description and the Sheffield band dug even deeper into their back collection to perform Disco 2000 and Babies in what was effectively a greatest hits set.

Appropriately, Jarvis Cocker and his band finished on Common People and ticker tape fell from the skies to signal the end of a party.

What a party it had been, though! An epic fortnight of music, mud, sweat and beers.

Glastonbury Festival and the Hyde Park hiatus

MY, OH MY! How quickly a year flies!

It seems just like yesterday since Stevie Wonder brought down the curtain on Glastonbury's 40th birthday celebrations.

But the time has come to make the journey to Michael Eavis' Worthy Farm in Pilton once again.

Even by Glastonbury standards, last year's festival was particularly spectacular. Not only was there the anniversary aspect but we also had a full week in which not a single raindrop fell.

It was, in fact, the first totally-dry Glastonbury since 2002 and so wishing for a repeat performance from the weather gods is rather optimistic.

Nevertheless, my hiatus from this blog for this year's festival looks like being pretty extraordinary again.

For, I will not only be attending Glastonbury - but also three further days of music on the following week at Hyde Park in London.

The reasons for this, in my head at least, are three-fold. Firstly, by paying for Hyde Park tickets, the number of clashes at Glastonbury is vastly reduced. More on this below.

Secondly, attending more gigs is the perfect way to banish the inevitable Sunday night Glastonbury blues which I have not avoided yet in three previous visits.

And, finally, there is no Glastonbury Festival next year so splashing out on extra music now seems especially worth it.

The fallow year was actually meant to be this year but with resources such as portaloos and security being taken up by the 2012 London Olympics, it made more sense to delay the recess.

So what exactly will I be looking forward to see at Glastonbury 2011?

Well, for a start, the Pyramid Stage headliners are U2 on Friday, Coldplay on Saturday and Beyonce Knowles on Sunday.

U2 will make a belated return to the festival, having intended to play last year until pulling out due to a back injury to their front-man Bono.

Coldplay are also making a long-awaited return to Glastonbury, having last played there in 2005, while this is Beyonce's first appearance, coming three years after her husband Jay-Z headlined.

To be honest, it is far more likely that I will spend the last hours of Sunday at the West Holts Stage celebrating good times with Kool & the Gang over a few last pints of Brothers cider.

I will have already spent a fair bit of Sunday in front of Pyramid anyway, waking up to the sea-shanties of the Fisherman's Friends before watching Don McLean and Paul Simon on the afternoon.

On Friday, I intend to make visits to the Park Stage for Jenny & Johnny and Big Audio Dynamite before a long evening stint at the Pyramid for Morrissey and U2.

And, on Saturday, I will probably be back at the Pyramid again for the likes of Stornoway and the Gaslight Anthem.

However, I would like to get myself around the site a bit and, on Saturday afternoon, I will combine some real ale and folk as Thea Gilmore's version of Bob Dylan's John Wesley Harding is followed in the Acoustic Tent by Pentangle.

And, of course, I would hope to indulge in some Glastonbury traditions by attending Tony Benn's talk at the Poetry & Words tent - if there is room - and by seeing to a bit of Billy Bragg on Leftfield.

Then, there are the visits to the Green Fields, the Stone Circle and the plethora of late night areas, now operating under a new one-way system. I am a little skeptical about those new plans but it is intended to improve access.

By way of a disclaimer, this itinerary is not for definite - nothing ever is at Glastonbury where there are constantly plenty of distractions. But the schedule is perhaps more definite than in other years.

The reason for this is that the number of possible clashes between the various acts has been vastly reduced by my choice to extend my trip by attending Hyde Park on 30 June.

There, I will see a one-off gig by Arcade Fire, Mumford & Sons, Chase & Status and the Vaccines - before returning there for the Wireless Festival on 2-3 July.

At Wireless, I expect to see the likes of Pulp, the Chemical Brothers, Devotchka, Yuck, Fight Like Apes and Katy B among many others.

And so it is no surprise that, right now, I feel like a kid at Christmas and simply cannot wait to get going. I think Millie the Micra and myself are in for the most fun we have ever had.

Best foot forward

THE GREAT North Run is a massive annual event on the North East calendar - and I don't just mean on the sporting calendar.

In fact, the race from Newcastle to South Shields attracts over 50,000 entries and hours of BBC coverage, making it the world's most iconic half marathon.

This year, two days before my 28th birthday, I should be taking my place on the start line (or some way behind it) with thousands of others.

Yes, I have been 'fortunate' enough to be selected in the general ballot - but, already, part of me is absolutely petrified of what I have let myself in for.

Like many novice entrants into the Great North Run, I have never run 13.1 miles in my life - and I suspect I will never again do so after September.

For the record, the furthest I have officially run was 5.7 miles in the 2004 Blaydon Race but that was now more than six-and-a-half years ago.

Indeed, my last attempt at a proper run was last year's Sport Relief Mile in Gateshead's Saltwell Park when I just about collapsed over the line having been drinking until 3am that morning.

That was over just one measly mile and, though the late night undoubtedly did not help, it was still an embarrassing indictment of my fitness.

Since then, the poor state of my cardio has been playing on my mind hence the rather rash entry into the Great North Run.

But, having paid my entry fee and gained a place, it seems wrong to waste the chance of ticking off one of the things I have always wanted to do in my life.

In preparation, I plan to train up for and re-enter this year's Blaydon Race (now 5.9 miles) on 9th June, Geordie Day.

However, most of my Great North Run training will be made in the 12 weeks after the usual indulgences of the Glastonbury Festival.

Yes, once again, I will be making the annual pilgrimage at the end of June to Michael Eavis' Worthy Farm in Somerset to see - among other things - Beyonce Knowles shake her booty.

The July to September plan is probably leaving myself short of doing justice to the run to South Shields.

But, like my mum and my sister in 2009, and countless others before and since, I will more than likely just be happy to finish having picked up my fitness a little.

A moment of madness to be regretted or a great chance for personal achievement?

I suppose all will be revealed on Sunday 18th September.

Europe wins epic Ryder Cup

EUROPE 14.5-13.5 UNITED STATES

Europe wins the 2010 Ryder Cup

GRAEME McDOWELL held his nerve as Europe regained the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in Newport by the narrowest of margins.

McDowell won the final match of a memorable tournament 3&1 against the United States' Hunter Mahan to complete a magnificent year for the Ulsterman after his 2010 US Open success.

The decision to send McDowell out last proved to be prudent captaincy by Europe's Colin Montgomerie as McDowell had won on the course at the Welsh Open in June.

But the key to Europe's victory was the third session of two foursomes and four fourballs, played on Saturday evening and Sunday.

Europe won five of the matches - the other was halved - and it meant Montgomerie's men took a commanding three-point lead into the final session of Singles.

For the first time ever, the Singles had been delayed until the Monday after torrential rain wiped out almost all the playing time on Friday and the whole of Sunday morning.

It was hardly an unforeseeable prospect and the weather called into question the ridiculous decision to play Ryder Cup golf in the United Kingdom in October.

The blame lies with the American PGA Tour which insisted that its end-of-season FedEx Cup took place in mid-September, a space in the calendar usually reserved for the Ryder Cup.

The PGA Tour were able to do this because - unlike in Europe - the responsibility for the Ryder Cup in the United States rests with a separate organisation, namely the PGA of America.

And so, while the Ryder Cup is very much part of the European tour, it is not officially part of the PGA Tour.

That is something which drastically needs to change for the good of the competition and to prevent more October scheduling.

Play actually began at the scheduled time on Friday but was suspended after just two hours at 9.43am as heavy rain waterlogged vast areas of the fairways and greens.

A further two hours of action took place on Friday evening between 5pm and 7pm but none of the first session fourballs could be finished in time.

After a slow start, the US led in two matches by a hole, while Europe led in one match by a hole. A fourth match was all square, meaning there was all to play for when the players resumed on Saturday morning.

But, in the end, none of the matches changed hands and so while Lee Westwood/Martin Kaymer won the first point of the tournament for Europe, the United States took an early 2.5-1.5 lead.

USA increased their advantage further in the second session by taking three of the six foursomes matches played on the Saturday afternoon.

The efforts of Padraig Harrington/Ross Fisher and Ian Poulter/Luke Donald meant Europe won two matches while Westwood/Kaymer halved their match against Jim Furyk/Rickie Fowler.

But the score after two sessions was 6-4 to the Americans and the possibility of Europe taking a lead going into the Singles matches was fast diminishing.

However, after a pep talk from Montgomerie, the European players emerged for the third session with renewed fire in their bellies and turned the whole tie on its head.

By the end of the two hours of golf played on Saturday evening, Europe had a lead in all six matches.

Westwood and Donald were in particularly inspired form, 4 up after nine holes in a foursomes match against the in-form Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker.

Meanwhile, in the other foursomes match, McDowell and his Northern Irish compatriot Rory McIlroy were 3 up through seven on Zach Johnson and Mahan.

And the news was just as good in the four fourballs matches. Harrington/Fisher, Peter Hanson/Miguel Angel Jimenez, the Molinari brothers and Poulter/Kaymer all ended the day holding narrow advantages over Furyk/Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson/Jeff Overton, Stewart Cink/Matt Kuchar and Phil Mickelson/Fowler respectively.

Then, on Sunday, the rain came again, and the slim hopes of avoiding a first Monday finish were washed away, with a revised start time of 1.30pm agreed.

Paths around the course came to resemble the Glastonbury mud at its worst, coincidentally on the day tickets for the 2011 festival went on sale.

By the time the players were back out on the course, Glastonbury 2011 had sold out but this would have not have even registered in European players' minds.

They knew that converting their overnight leads into actual points was vital as it would give them a huge advantage going into the Singles.

Westwood/Donald began a procession of Europe wins with a thumping 6&5 victory over Woods/Stricker.

And, in the other foursomes match, McDowell/McIlroy comfortably held off Zach Johnson/Mahan, winning 3&1 after taking the 17th hole with a birdie.

The fourballs matches were much less clear cut and all four of them went down to the penultimate hole at least.

Harrington/Fisher won 2&1 against Dustin Johnson/Furyk while Hanson/Jimenez won the last hole to beat Watson/Overton 2 up.

Poulter/Kaymer withstood a fine comeback at one stage to all-square by Mickelson/Fowler, eventually prevailing 2&1.

But, despite the best efforts of the Americans, USA never held the lead at any time in those three matches.

Their only chance rested in the match between the Molinari brothers and Cink/Kuchar.

Resuming 1 up, the Italians held that advantage until Kuchar nailed a 12-foot putt at the 10th hole to make the match all-square.

Kuchar then sank a 25-footer at the 13th hole to give the Americans a rare lead before the pairs exchanged holes at 15 and 16.

That left the Molinari brothers one down going to the final hole. Cink and Kuchar both carded par fives meaning either of the Italians could win a half-point with a birdie.

Edoardo missed his putt but Francesco made no mistake from just four-foot out after a fine approach shot.

The Molinaris had only managed to halve their match but, given the circumstances and the other results, it felt like another win.

It was another body blow to the Americans' confidence and it meant Europe would take a three-point lead going into the Singles.

Fears that the extra day might result in smaller crowds proved unfounded as 35,000 watched a dramatic day unfold.

Looking to secure his own Ryder Cup legacy, Europe skipper Montgomerie avoided the mistake of his predecessor Nick Faldo and named his strongest and most in-form players at the top of the order.

But it was the Americans who did better in the top matches as Steve Stricker overturned an early Lee Westwood lead to win the top match 2&1.

Stewart Cink should have won the second match for the Americans but missed a four-foot par putt on the 15th green when one ahead and the match finished all square.

Cink was in good company. In the next match, Furyk also blew several chances against Luke Donald who eventually prevailed 1 up.

Donald, though, was in particularly excellent form, holing from 20 feet on the 12th and the 13th to stay 2 up at that stage.

The next two matches on the card were a thrashing each as Dustin Johnson put away Kaymer 6&4 before Poulter responded for Europe by beating Kuchar 5&4.

Poulter's compatriot Fisher also looked set to score a vital point as he led 2 up at the turn, only for his form to desert him completely on the back nine.

Overton took full advantage and beat Fisher quite comfortably by 3&2 in the end.

That turnaround seemed to boost American spirits down the order with Woods particularly inspired against Francesco Molinari.

The Italian had no answer to Woods' blistering form which saw him shoot nine-under-par in 15 holes to win 4&3.

Mickelson and Zach Johnson had also lined up big wins against Hanson and Harrington, eventually prevailing 4&2 and 3&2 respectively.

And so, with Europe requiring two-and-a-half more points for victory, their Ryder Cup hopes relied on Jimenez, Edoardo Molinari and McDowell keeping their leads and holding their nerve.

Cigar-smoking Jimenez is far too wily and experienced a performer to let an advantage slip and indeed he accelerated away from Watson to win 4&3.

But Ryder Cup debutant Molinari did feel the pressure as rising talent Fowler, also making his debut aged 21, birdied the last four holes to win the last three holes and halve the match.

With the Hanson and Harrington matches out of reach, McDowell knew he would have to retain his lead in the so-called 'anchor match' for Europe to win the cup.

Another half-point would tie the overall score at 14-14 meaning the Americans, as holders, would retain the trophy.

Mahan had just pulled back McDowell to 1 up by winning the 15th hole with a birdie. Now was the time for a steady nerve from the man known as 'GMac'.

McDowell delivered immediately, regaining his two-hole lead with a birdie at the 16th.

And, at the 17th, it was Mahan's turn to feel the heat as he fluffed his chip from the front of the green. On missing the subsequent speculative 18-footer, the American conceded the hole and the match.

It was the first since 1991 that the Ryder Cup had been decided by the final match and Europe had done it - but only just - having actually lost three of the four sessions.

Nevertheless, Europe's victory extends the team's remarkable recent record of six wins out of the last eight editions - and four wins from the last five. Meanwhile the Americans are without an away win since 1993.

SESSION-BY-SESSION: HOW EUROPE WON THE RYDER CUP

Session One: Fourballs USA won 2.5-1.5
As the name suggests, this features four balls, one for each player. The player with the lowest score wins the hole for his team regardless of what his team-mate does. If two opponents have the same lowest score, the hole is halved.

Match one:
Lee Westwood(Eng)/Martin Kaymer(Ger) v Phil Mickelson/Dustin Johnson
Eur won 3 & 2

Match two:
Rory McIlroy(NI)/Graeme McDowell (NI) v Stewart Cink/Matt Kuchar
Match halved

Match three:
Ian Poulter(Eng)/Ross Fisher(Eng) v Steve Stricker/Tiger Woods
USA won 2 up

Match four:
Luke Donald(Eng)/Padraig Harrington(Ire) v Bubba Watson/Jeff Overton
USA won 3 & 2

Session Two: Foursomes USA won 3.5-2.5
Each pair of players takes alternate shots with the same ball. The pair with the lowest score wins the hole. If both teams shoot the same score, the hole is halved.

Match five:
Edoardo Molinari(Ita)/Francesco Molinari(Ita) v Zach Johnson/Hunter Mahan
USA won 2 up

Match six:
Lee Westwood(Eng)/Martin Kaymer(Ger) v Jim Furyk/Rickie Fowler
Match halved

Match seven:
Padraig Harrington(Ire)/Ross Fisher(Eng) v Phil Mickelson/Dustin Johnson
Eur won 3 & 2

Match eight:
Miguel Angel Jimenez(Spa)/Peter Hanson(Swe) v Tiger Woods/Steve Stricker
USA won 4 & 3

Match nine:
Ian Poulter(Eng)/Luke Donald(Eng) v Bubba Watson/Jeff Overton
Eur won 2 & 1

Match ten:
Graeme McDowell(NI)/Rory McIlroy(NI) v Stewart Cink/Matt Kuchar
USA won 2 up

Session three: Foursomes (matches 11-12) and Fourballs (matches 13-16) Europe won 5.5-0.5

Match 11:
Luke Donald(Eng)/Lee Westwood(Eng) v Steve Stricker/Tiger Woods
Eur won 6 & 5

Match 12:
Graeme McDowell(NI)/Rory McIlroy(NI) v Zach Johnson/Hunter Mahan
Eur won 3 & 1

Match 13:
Padraig Harrington(Ire)/Ross Fisher(Eng) v Jim Furyk/Dustin Johnson
Eur won 2 & 1

Match 14:
Peter Hanson(Swe)/Miguel Angel Jimenez(Spa) v Bubba Watson/Jeff Overton
Eur won 2 up

Match 15:
Edoardo Molinari(Ita)/Fracesco Molinari(Ita) v Stewart Cink/Matt Kuchar
Match halved

Match 16:
Ian Poulter(Eng)/Martin Kaymer(Ger) v Phil Mickelson/Rickie Fowler
Eur won 2 & 1

Session four: Singles USA won 7-5
Match 17:
Lee Westwood (Eng) v Steve Stricker
USA won 2 & 1

Match 18:
Rory McIlroy (NI) v Stewart Cink
Match halved

Match 19:
Luke Donald (Eng) v Jim Furyk
Eur won 1 up

Match 20:
Martin Kaymer (Ger) v Dustin Johnson
USA won 6 & 4

Match 21:
Ian Poulter (Eng) v Matt Kuchar
Eur won 5 & 4

Match 22:
Ross Fisher (Eng) v Jeff Overton
USA won 3 & 2

Match 23:
Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) v Bubba Watson
Eur won 4 & 3

Match 24:
Francesco Molinari (Ita) v Tiger Woods
USA won 4 & 3

Match 25:
Edoardo Molinari (Ita) v Rickie Fowler
Match halved

Match 26:
Peter Hanson (Swe) v Phil Mickelson
USA won 4 & 2

Match 27:
Padraig Harrington (Ire) v Zach Johnson
USA won 3 & 2

Match 28:
Graeme McDowell (NI) v Hunter Mahan
Eur won 3 & 1