AS darkness falls, it’s the ideal setting for The Horrors to take to the Park Stage for their headline slot on Friday night. The crowd isn’t huge, but its a good size for a band that’s up against The Arctic Monkeys and Portishead (who’s very own Geoff Barrow produced the bands second album Primary Colours).
When the band take to the stage, lead singer Faris Badwan looks like a young Joey Ramone with his big round sunglasses. He comes to the microphone and says “Hello, thanks for coming to see us, there are some amazing bands playing tonight,” ending his sentence as the synth starts to build up a wall of sound that begins Mirror’s Image. The sound then disappears into an elegant tone of keys and another synth takes its place. The drums start to dictate the tempo, as Rhys Webb bass riff becomes the next part to enter the song. Faris sways on his microphone stand back and forward until he bursts into the first lyrics of the reverbed soaked track.
The upbeat I Can See Through You is next and as Webb dances about the stage, its amazing to think this is the same band that were known for their chaotic live shows where Faris would throw black paint over the crowd and write songs such as Count in 5’s. It’s not that they weren’t great songs, but what we are witnessing this evening is on a whole other level.
The tones of the distorted bass and the high pitch keys can only mean its time for Primary Colours single Who Can Say, a song that you can’t help but get into by the infectious beat.
Endless Blue and Scarlet Fields follow before the riff of Dive In starts with a light show that grabs your attention. Although there has been little conversation with the crowd since the “thanks for coming” moment at the start, the set has been solid and has caught the attention of everyone that has turned up to see them.
As the gap between songs seems to drag, suddenly there is the overwhelming noise of a cymbal being hit repeatedly and a huge roar is let out from the crowd at the realisation that Sea Within A Sea is up next. “So say, we walk alone” is the open lyrics to this highly impressive track.
With a new album in production, we were always due a new song or two, and it came in the form of a track called Elixir Spring. This was followed by Faris introducing the next track by saying, “This is STILL LIFE thank you for coming to see us” as the keyboard riff begins and Badwin starts to sing, lost in the moment, it seem this is the stage for them. The Park Stage has an undeniable ambience and a relaxing feel to it from the flames at either side of the stage to the band facing the giant iconic GLASTONBURY sign at the top of the hill. The Horrors sound is ideal, and Still Life is the crowds ideal song as flags wave and people are on shoulders of friends loving the show put on by The Horrors.
As the cheers of the audience continue on, the start of the synth-heavy Moving Further Away begins- a late 80’s / early 90’s sounding track. As the drums and the guitar kicks in to full effect, the vocals sit nicely over the top of the rest of the instruments, such a perfect way to end the set.
For a band that were up against some major acts elsewhere, The Horrors put on a show worthy of the headline slot they received and it was a truly special performance from the stars.
Words: Neal Mcharg
