Banco de Gaia

Like Michael Franti or the Japanese Noodle Bar it just wouldn’t be Glastonbury without Banco de Gaia’s Toby Marks appearing somewhere on site.

A packed Croissant Neuf audience are rewarded for their understanding of the late start and early technical difficulties with arguably Banco’s finest festival performance ever.

Worryingly the P.A. announces that “Banco de Gaia will be performing his new album!”, What all of it? Then why does he need all the kit? Just stick the CD on and we’ll all sit around and have tea and a smoke. No danger. It is a hi-tech back to basics for Toby tonight. No live instruments, just racks and cables and more Apple logos than a Willow- heavy episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Early signs are not good. All the pointing to the sky is not encouragement to the crowd, rather instructions to the sound man. Toby’s mask of concentration suggests that this could go either way. Three tracks in though and Banco de Gaia is into his stride, Last Train to Lhasa getting the first of the big cheers.

Provokative socially aware visuals combine with the trademark Banco sound of trance beats and world music influences. The dancing throng laps it up. There is a real rave vibe as material from the recent You Are Here album mixes satisfyingly with old favourites like Heliopolis and I Love Baby Cheesy. Even Toby is grinning like a true gurner.

He may not be happy with the state of the world but Banco de Gaia is certainly happy with the state he has created at Croissant Neuf tonight.

Jamie Walters

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