Rolf Harris kicks off 40th Glastonbury

Most headliners at this year's Glastonbury are focusing on the festival's 40th anniversary, but another institution had cause to celebrate its age when initiating Friday's musical proceedings.

The fact that Rolf Harris, now 80, can still wibble-wobble his way to a set in the baking heat pays tribute to the draw of the Somerset event. His humour, bittersweet songs and old-school ability to captivate a crowd was just shy of inspirational. Indeed, the fact that he can shuffle into the line-up alongside cutting edge bands like Local Natives, who went gun-slinging through the Queen's Head Stage the previous evening, is reason alone to trumpet Glastonbury's continually dynamic roster of talent.

Acid house, peace and local county ensigns held aloft in the crowd heralded his arrival, while a delightfully incongruous hip-hop-inspired introduction made way for "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport", along with an accordion, comic asides from the 80-year-old ("Did you think I'd forgotten his name?") and several blasts of didgeridoo. Harris even tried beat-boxing with his emcee, BB Manic; the results, as one might predict, were captivating.

On the John Peel Stage, Detroit Social Club snarled out a tribute to Manc rock bands: guitar kerrangs and stadium-anthems-in-the-making abounded in tracks like "Sunshine People". Holland's De Staat evinced the kind of California rock that would make Queens of the Stone Age proud.

They sing in American accents, take a pause so their bass player can roar "Oh yeah!" and slide into rock-out vocal gymnastics. Halfway through, they find their feet: warring lead guitars and the keyboard player leaping into the audience sated the musical appetites of both those clapping ironically, and those who were just clapping.

Afterwards, revellers made their way to the Pyramid Stage for the lead-up to the big show. Here, the southern drawl of Willie Nelson rang out "Always on My Mind", while Vampire Weekend vaunted the singles from their January album, Contra, shortly before an admirably energetic Dizzee Rascal waded through the heat.

All that's left is for the sweat to be swept aside for Murdoc et al from Gorillaz to easily swing their hips at the Pyramid stage last thing on Friday. At the time of writing, this looked like it would be accompanied by a triumphant burr of crowd approval. There are also rumours that The Strokes will make a surprise appearance at the farm later on Friday night. Presumably, with his appreciation for the rapping world, Harris could slip into a pair of skinny jeans and give them a run for their money.

(Corporation Mark) THE INDEPENDENT

All rights owned or licensed to Independent News & Media Ltd