Glstonbury '09- Line-up Gathers Speed

More meat has been added to the Glastonbury bone this weekend, with the confimed acts list jumping upto 40 artists.

Fleet Foxes, The View, Kaiser Cheifs, Just Jack, Maximo Park, White Lies, Bat For Lashes & Echo and the Bunnymen are just the biggest names to hit the list.

Harmonic Seattle 5- piece Fleet foxes will be on everones must see list, after this years stunning self titled debut album, there were rumors going around saying that they would not be hitting festivals this year as it ruins their sound (not unlike Arcade Fire in '07). Echo and the Bunnymen are not normally know for their festival presence either, but with a new album out in the summer it will be a chance for the 80's Liverpool outfit to dust off the guitar strings.

Kaisers Cheifs are 2nd headlining Leeds on the Sunday, so i wonder where Emily Eavis will place them in the lineup?

In other news The Killers, Oasis and Keane will headline an impressive V-Fest lineup. T-in the park is boasting one of the best suprise lineups this year. The Killers, Kings of Leon, Snow Patrol, Keane, Blur, NIN and The Manic Street Preachers

Essential listening

Fleet Foxes- Sun It Rises

Echo and the Bunnymen- The Killing Moon

Kaiser Chiefs- Oh my god

Maximo Park- Apply Some pressure

The View- Wasted Little DJ's, Shock Horror.

Vox Pop

We are all noticing, or have been told about, a difference in the worlds changing climate. Governments and leaders continue to set new targets and more stringent laws to cut down our 'carbon footprint', lower our emissions and to be more 'green', but what are the people on the street really doing?

I asked wide ranging group of people from the local area this question.

"Sheffield's climate is changing, wetter winters and summers, and higher temperatures all year round- What are you doing to help save the planet?"


"I have cut down on my gas & electricity emission as well as re-cycle paper, but that may be more to do with finances than being green! Although i must say i would be more inclined to re-cycle if they promised to knock down council tax."
Sheree Young, 45, Postwoman, Stannington



"If I'm Honest I don't think about it as much as i should. I sometimes walk to town instead of getting on the bus but, when all's said and done, that bus will still run, if I'm sat on it or not
Sam Crookes, 20, Student, Hillsborough






"I watch what electricity i use, take my own bags to Tesco's and i don't burn any rubbish in my yard anymore. I'm not quite sure of much more i could do"
Jess Baines, 24, Bar-person, Dungworth





"I think that these things are just a natural cycle so i don't actively do anything in particular"
Sheila Hayles, 71, retired, Walkley





"Not a right lot, as i run a country pub. To be honest im pretty 'non-green', we burn lots of coal, big lorries deliver beer and i drive a 4x4. Because of what i do and where we live these things are a necessity."
Mandy Davies, 48, Landlady, Low Bradfield






"I'm not doing anything, why would i be? It would make my job much harder if i was to be energy efficient. As a farmer i know how much produce we import from overseas its terrible. Now dont tell me it would be less economical to produce it ourselves."
David Hague, 28, Farmer, Worral

Glasto' 09- Leeds/Reading coo

Yesterdays shock announcement that Radiohead will be playing Saturday's headline slot at Leeds/Reading may done more than boot sales for the event.

The already strong lineup including the Kings of Leon, Arctic Monkeys and The Prodigy may have just taken the shiny edge of Glastonbury's smile.

Radiohead who were strong rumers to become Glastonbury's naughties era band and the controversial 4th headliner have now effectively ruled themselves out of doing anymore 'UK festivals'.

Although the Leeds festival doesn't have the depth of some of the larger events, its coo with last years Glastonbury openers KOL, and Sheffield's Arctic Monkeys must mean it is in serious contention of being the cherry on top of this years calendar. Other artists confirmed are, Bloc Party, Placebo, Prodigy, Maximo Park, Kaiser Chiefs, Vampire Weekend and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Tickets are priced at £175, £20 higher this year according to promoter Melvin Benn

"Unfortunately the £20 increase is unavoidable. The collapse of the pound versus the dollar has impacted on the festival very significantly.”

Essential Listening (Leeds/Reading)

Radiohead- No Suprises, High and Dry, Karma Police

Arctic Monkeys- When The Sun Goes Down, Flouresect Adolecent

Bloc Party- Helicopter

Kings Of Leon- Fans, Sex_on_Fire, The Bucket

Glasto 09- Old Boys Reunion

Michael Eavis' idea that this years anniversary festival should represent bands from each century had taken a more positive step.

The Concept of a band from each year of Glastonbury since its re-opening in 1970 was originally quaffed by the organisers but recent self confirmation from the old time Ska band Madness, crooner Tony Christie and novelty musician/vet/artist Rolf Harris surely paves way for an interesting mixture.

Madness reunited in 2002 after a 20 year on off hiatus with a musical based on their hits spanning two decades. The band have played various large scale gigs since the reunion including a tour at the O2 areana.

Other joining the confirmationas at the moment are, quirky 90's britpop band The Wonder Stuff, pop 'princess' Lilly Allen, Just Jack, Anvil, Little Boots, Florence and the Machine and The Red Light Company

Essential Listening

Madness- House Of Fun, Baggy Trousers
Lilly Allen- Smile

Red Light Company- Arts and Crafts

Wonder Suff- Size of a Cow

The Patron saint day debate

You can see the sheer look of glee in Arthur Guinness' eye when the 17th of march swings around again. The popular stout expects to sell around 13 million pints on St Patrick's day, nearly triple the mass sold on any other day.

Normally i would be sceptical of such a fact but after last night, it feels like i have ingested a good percentage of that figure.

As For St Georges day, what am i doing? I have no idea, i might be busy, i might have been busy, i might even be doing it now. For the fact is i have no idea when it was/is, and frankly i dont care, and yet people seem to get really narky if you tell them this.

I spent yesterday 'celebrating' St Paddy's in Newcastle with a good friend of mine. We had decided to persuade as many people as possible that we were Irish for the night and see how successful we were with the ladies. The winner ironically got a pint of Guinness. We each donned full Green clothing and acquired a lovely array of flags and shamrocks painted on our face, rather like a slightly Irish Apache warrior. We even brought along a token Irishman to add gusto to our performance. Although he later told us he was the wrong king of Irish for St Patricks day.

Needless to say the night was not a success, but i have now a cracking iron content in my bloodstream

Ill stray back to my main point now. I am in no way Irish, not even a little bit and yet i will happily celebrate the day of their patron saint and hope to do it without any snide "your not even Irish" comments.

The so called saint is is a bit of dodgey story anyway;

St Patrick was born in Wales to a wealthy family in AD 390 but was captured and taken to Ireland as a slave. He hated the place! As for driving snakes out, utter rubbish, there were no snakes in Ireland. The people who wrote the story were a little to literal with the meaning of snake. Patrick actually managed to banish the snakes that followed the Pagan religion, not exactly a reptile.

I know why we as a nation are slightly anxious about following St George, everything from the yob culture associated with his flag as well as his rather dubious British heritage.

St George, the Patron Saint of England, was born in Turkey and grew up to become a Roman soldier, who slayed a dragon. Now its not that we don't believe in dragons but.... no no wait it is that!

The only dangerous type of dragon in this world is the Comono dragon, which can be easily thwarted by a large stick.

Our beloved George is also the patron saint of Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, Russia and Portugal. Now I'm sorry but that is not national identity that's just greedy.

The Scots have St Andrew but seem to put more celebration into Burns night, and the welsh eat cheese on toast to remember David.

People need to mellow out a little with the hard line nationalism. So what if a Englishman wants to celebrate St Patricks day? it doesn't matter! Half the stories are made up anyway.

Oh well, rant over. I best start planning my costume for Australia day.

Glasto '09- Tickets

If your reading this its probably too late. They are well and truly gone. I apologise for this seeming like a i am rubbing it in, but I'm not... Well i am a bit.

After last years apparent lack of ticket sales, 2009 has fully sold out thanks to the new ticket system. Although more complex than the Russian launch codes, getting a ticket this year has proved a total success.

The idea that you could put a deposit down in November and buy the tickets in February meant that more people who were on the fence decided the £50 deposit was far too tempting. Glastonbury £50 no way?

... Well no obviously not, but if people perceive it that way that's fine, just don't get upset when the £175 metamorphosis's into GLASTFEST09 on your bank statement.

Its amazing how this year can sell out so quickly after last years apparent fiasco, 3,000 tickets unsold is more than unusual. Or are we just naive, was the ticket problem just to build up the controversial hype around the big bad rapper?

A couple of smaller band have confirmed in the last few days Animal Collective, Bon Ivor, The Ting Tings and The Lancashire Hotpots.

Id like to do an essential listening for this one but it would be a lie as id rather listen to the cat than the Ting Tings

Glastonbury '09- Blur

Thank you, whoever is out there, just thank you.

Listen up everyone. Blur have self confirmed Glastonbury '09. See miracles do happen, there is someone out there, and the one thing we know is he is obviously a fan of End of a Century .

Naturally the Eavis family have declined to comment on the matter, but the ominous slot in Blur's touring calendar as well as Damian Alburn actually saying it publicly, is definitely a sign for me to crack out the festival strength cider and re-affirm myself with 'Parklife'

Blur's arrival has caused somewhat of a stir, Oasis have ruled themselves out of the running now for one of the headline spots, and in turn crushed my dream of the BLUR vs OASIS 1995 Battle of Britpop having a re-run.

Almost Overlooked in this, veteran grunge guru Niel Young appears to be the 3 headliner on board, to add a more hardcore fan base to the lineup. This paves the way for the 4Th unprecedented headliner band now surely?

Does the booking of such an act so early show the festival has lost a bit of its sting. Im mean who shows their best hand this early? I really don't know what I'm asking of the Glasto but i think i was hoping for a "WOW i cant believe they are playing band", a bit like Jay-Z in '08. Instead we have 3 quality headliners and another space left for... well who?

I'm going to start off a bit of an essential listening plan in accordance to the rumored lineup... so for today:

Blur- Parklife, End of a Century, Charmless man

Niel Young- Heart of Gold, Southern man