Akin Ojumu
Sunday June 26, 2005
The ObserverNew Order turned back the clock last night with a rousing performance at the Glastonbury festival. The veteran Manchester band who successfully merged rock and dance music in the Eighties, proved that they were still a potent force.
They began their set with two of their biggest hits, 'Crystal' and 'Regret', before delighting the crowd with a number of old favourites. New Order were created from the remains of Joy Division after singer Ian Curtis's suicide in 1980.
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That band is frequently cited by contemporary acts as an influence and there is a film in development about their short-lived career. New Order's performance injected a shot of life into cold and damp festival-goers, who had just stood through an uninspiring set by Keane, one of today's rising stars.
Keane are unlikely to hit the headlines for their rock'n'roll behaviour. They are the band least likely to throw a television out of a hotel room window, but the Hastings trio were one of the most eagerly anticipated bands on stage. Especially since, by the time they played the main Pyramid stage last night, thousands of fans had spent the last 36 hours trudging through the treacle-thick mud that had swamped the event.
The crowd needed a lift, but rousing anthems aren't what Keane do best. The band's intimate and heartfelt songs aren't designed to rock stadiums. They're one of the new breed of gentle British rock bands alongside Coldplay and Travis that have found large audiences in recent years.
Elsewhere, festival-goers were treated to more energetic sets by other up-and-coming bands. Kaiser Chiefs stormed the Pyramid stage in the afternoon, following a raucous performance by spoof Welsh rap band Goldie Lookin' Chain who got the audience jumping with comedy rap songs including 'Your Mother's Got A p*n*s'. Which must win some awards for most memorable title.
