Turning Japanese
Bleary-eyed revellers had no idea what was emanating from the beautifully decorated Pyramid stage as another wonderfully sunny day began to shake its back off. A more apt choice of opening artist than Shibusashirazu Orchestra is hard to think of, their name meaning "never be cool or not knowing bitterness" embodies the Glastonbury spirit to the letter, as their culture-clash of styles, art-house performance and punk attitude, summarized all the reasons we love to be here. Mixing an array of musical styles that Frank Zappa would have been proud of, the 40 odd members had a dizzying variety of roles, from the humble bass player to a bald-headed, thong-wearing dancer cavorting on the lower platform.
	Hungarian wedding songs, pseudo classical-polkas hurtled by as the 15 strong brass section tore through the arrangements at breakneck speed, switching back to a loping funk then punky football style anthem, the crowd happy to chant along. With shimmying pom-pom girls, a nurse proudly holding a bandaged baby, a body pant smeared thong-man, and a be-mulleted cheerleading vocalist, Shibusashirazu Orchestra (for those who were awake enough to witness this joyous cultural mêlée) were the perfect opening gambit, setting the tone for a triumphant return for this year's festival. Words: Mike Flynn Pictures: Alf Goodrich