Bellowhead

Another moment of indecision leads me to follow my heart in deciding the headline act to watch on Glastonbury's last night and blimey if it isn't another perfect evening? The mud moat has made the avalon Tent into it's very own Isle and the crowd inside have arms aloft as the lights shine out from the stage into the damp black night.

I've not seen Spiers and Boden or their band incarnation Bellowhead before but I'm familiar with the album 'Burlesque' not that it matters much. The well spoken lead singer and furious fiddle player Jon Boden draws us in with introductions and explanations of musical pieces and perhaps a jibe or two at the trombone player, Justin Thurgur, a classically trained musician reduced to playing two notes!

The music is frenetic though, and despite blisters and aching limbs from five days of exertion in the Somerset countryside the band imbue us with the desire to dance. Traditional drinkin' and dancin' music and red lights and the blue drapes all add up to a merry old time.

Benji Kirkpatrick on guitar or mandolin or banjo is a demon a blur with his fretwork. The effort expended is so much it looks like he's caught fire as steam pours off his back!

Rachael McShane and Jon perform a fiddle duet and anyone who wasn't caught in the moment sure is now. The band whirl on and the crowd are loving every minute. The applause come the end is nothing short of incredible. What a fantastic way to draw the weekend's fine music on Avalon to a close.

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