The Music

Not a Zwan Song

When the Glastonbury rumour mill (second only – in terms of activity – to football’s summer transfer speculation) suggested that Billy Corgan’s new band Zwan had pulled out and their slot was to be taken buy indie rockers The Music, many people were disappointed. Those who stayed away missed a treat. The Music are a consummate and thoroughly entertaining live act.

What is more they inspire a depth of feeling in their hardcore following the envy of the majority of their peers. And the hardcore are legion today, despite the band not joining the festival line-up until months after the tickets had sold out. “Music! Music!” is chanted between songs and suddenly I start to notice their t-shirts are everywhere. Then hundreds of people begin clapping above their heads without the slightest provocation from the stage. If the Leeds accent didn’t give them away you’d swear it was a hometown gig.

It is a strong, even paced set. Though we all want to hear the driving Getaway, arguably the stand-out track from this year’s eponymous debut, the whole set engages and insists. Songs like Human and The Truth Is No Words stand up in their own right. It is telling that so many different titles are called for by the fans.

Make no mistake, these are proper musicians. Considering the triumphalist nature of their name it is a damn good job. Even when singer Robert Harvey joins in on guitar – which he does on numerous occasions, adding both depth and complexity – the band remain watertight. There is even something charismatic in the way Harvey shakes his head in time to the rhythm, so we all start doing it too.

We sing along, we dance. It’s the best crowd reaction I’ve felt so far this Glastonbury. Nobody appears at all disappointed that Corgan and co couldn’t come.
The Music? They were smashing.

Jamie Walters.
photo Sara Bowrey

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