Reviewed by Steven Hellyar and Kevin Gaughan
Glastonbudget 2023 review overview
Glastonbudget 2023 review Friday
Glastonbudget 2023 review Saturday
Steve writes:
After attending the silent disco late the night before over at the big top tent, which had Kevin and I dancing the night away early into the morning – not to mention the after-party back at the caravan – we had the pleasure of listening to Heather McDowall the next morning. Her song Place for me was a favourite of hers, and it was very calm and smooth, with the drummers blending in perfectly with the vocals.
Rolling into the afternoon, people were ready for more, and over in the big top tent, Tick Tick Boom definitely had a presence on stage, all dressed in black with chains on their trousers. Their performance was energetic and had the crowd on their feet, making for a truly unforgettable experience.
Despite the drummer’s alleged hangover, Tick Tick Boom still managed to deliver an energetic performance that got the crowd pumped up. And when Fleetwood Bac took the main stage, the party vibe reached new heights. Everyone knew the songs, the drinks flowed, and beach balls bounced around the crowd.
Fleetwood Bac’s performance was the highlight of the day. They played all the hits that the audience wanted to hear, and their infectious energy kept the party going strong. It was the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon, and everyone left feeling thoroughly entertained.
Overall, Tick Tick Boom and Fleetwood Bac both put on great performances that will be remembered for a long time. It’s clear that these bands know how to bring the energy and get the crowd engaged, making them great choices for anyone looking to experience a fun and exciting live music performance.
Kevin adds:
Unfortunately we forgot to plan a tea break into our schedule which meant we missed a few bands, notably, Pure Paloma who were amazing last year, while we fired up the barbeque back at Music in Leicester HQ.
However, back on it, just in time for Mötley Crüde in the Big Top, it was their debut appearance at Glastonbudget and, having interviewed them a couple of weeks before (click here for the interview – 15 mins in) I had high expectations!
Starting off with the instantly recognisable Dr. Feelgood, I knew this was going to be a good show, with all the energy and theatrics of the real thing, they ploughed through Mötley Crüe’s back catalogue sounding amazing. The crowd were a little static to start off with, but soon got into full swing when the hits started flowing.
Apart from the lack of Tommy Lee’s rotating drum cage (perhaps something to work on for next year!) they looked great and sounded amazing. Later on in the evening, a few people told me how they went to see the real Mötley Crüe a few days earlier but actually preferred this show!
One of the reasons I love the Big Top is because, even at 3:30 in the afternoon, with the sun out, because it’s dark in the huge marquee, the lighting can be used to good effect to create a proper gig experience as it did with Mötley Crüde.
Hot on the heals of Mötley Crüde were Motörheadache UK – a tribute to another of my great favourites from my youth, although, looking the part, there was something different with the sound, can’t quite put my finger on it… oh yeah, that’s it… it wasn’t as loud as Motörhead! I remember seeing Motörhead decades ago, it was so loud I had no idea when one song ended and a new one started and I also couldn’t tell what songs they were playing – it was just a barrage of distorted noise!
This time, however, with Motörheadache UK, I could actually hear the music and identify the songs which was much better!
A man of few words, it made me smile every time frontman Rob (Lemmy) said – ‘We’re Motörhead and we play rock ‘n roll’.
Another great tribute to one of my favourite bands.
Next up in the Big Top were Guns 2 Roses – certainly looking the part, however, frontman, Gavin (Axle) was sounding even more gravelly than usual, which I noticed to start off with then gradually got into the swing.
The Big Top was heaving at this point and everybody was in full crowd participation mode as they sang along to all the Guns ‘n Roses classics.
Following on from Guns 2 Roses were two more of my icons from the past – Metallica Reloaded and Whole Lotta DC. Again, two great tribute bands who played the popular tunes from Metallica and AC/DC and did them all extremely well.
Having grown up with the original versions of these bands, I knew the songs so well, that if there was a timing error, or if something wasn’t quite right with one of my favourite songs, it would ruin the performance for me from then on. But that didn’t happen with any of the bands in the Big Top and I had a great time with all the performances.
Unfortunately, one of life’s clashes was happening before my very eyes – Whole Lotta DC were on at exactly the same time as Totally Tina! – normally, I’d much prefer to stick with Whole Lotta DC, but as Tina Turner had sadly passed away just a few days earlier (24/05/23) I felt I had to see the Tina Turner tribute act on the Main Stage.
Disappointed, I was not – wow, she put on a huge production, with her full band and six dancers, Justine (Tina) put on an incredible, high-energy performance. During her encore of Simply the Best she bought her mother onto the stage to say hi and have a little dance on the stage which was a nice personal touch, I thought.
Unfortunately, we missed her heart-felt tribute to Tina at the start of her show, but you can see it below:
Then off to the VIP tent again to reflect and regroup where we met hard rockers from Essex, Beneath the Embers. We told them how they were supposed to be kicking our Sunday off on the IcOn stage, or so we thought, having rolled out of the caravan early and waiting at the IcOn stage at 11:30AM, we then realised they were just finishing their set in the Big Top! – it was good to catch up in the VIP marquee, however, having apologised for missing them, they let us off and we had good chat over a beer.
We also managed to catch a bit of Ellie Galvin – a local singer/songwriter who played some lovely chilled covers as well as her own songs, ending with a song about vegetables – how a carrot met a swede and started dating each other which I really enjoyed.
A great end to an amazing weekend of live music, beer, good times and meeting new people, or, as Steve (previously a Glastonbudget virgin) says:
‘Glastonbudget was an incredible experience that music lovers won’t want to miss. The performances were top-notch, the atmosphere was electric, and the memories made will last a lifetime. If you’re looking for a music festival that truly captures the spirit of live music, Glastonbudget is definitely one to check out!’
Glastonbudget 2023 review overview
Glastonbudget 2023 review Friday
Glastonbudget 2023 review Saturday
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