T in the Park 2009 - Sunday: Part III

Blog by Thomas Meek | 13 Jul 2009

Snow Patrol still playing well beyond their allotted time, and Albarn's lot nowhere to be seen, with no explanation offered as to what had happened to the night's headliners? What was going on?

From the whispers in a crowd still confused as to why Snow Patrol were on (or even bothered to exist in the first place), Blur weren't going to be on at all; Blur were going to play for just 15 minutes and pack it in; Graham Coxon had swine flu; Albarn and Coxon had fallen out once again; Snow Patrol were going to carry on playing until next year.

All of it could have been sorted neatly out with a PA announcement on the main stage during Snow Patrol's delayed set. But even at 8.50pm when the beats behind 'She's So High' should have begun, nothing was forthcoming, and all on offer was 'Chasing Cars' as the charge of the Lightbody brigade carried on.

The reason behind it all was a trip to hospital for Coxon, with a mysterious ailment we can only offer conjecture on. I'm going to go for an old-fashioned potential pandemic and say bird flu. Coxon's too cool to go with the crowd and their swine version.

Fortunately for us, and I suppose him and his loved ones too, he did manage a remarkable recovery, and seemed fit and healthy, if slightly sluggish when Blur emerged onto the main stage to deafening applause at 10.15pm – an hour and a half later than billed.

In the mean time, I did indulge in Snow Patrol, as they showed they can be true festival performers, splitting the crowd and encouraging the war of singalongs.

It was all effortless now for a band so far from their Songs For Polar Bear beginnings, and though they brought only frustration to myself with their music, too many people loved them for any complaints I have to be taken seriously.

Pet Shop Boys offered a fun alternative in King Tut's, as I flicked between stages hoping to hear the sounds of 'Girls and Boys'. Their dancers were particularly impressive, in coloured cube masks and holding no embarrassment. Brilliant stuff from the disco kings, especially with 'West End Girls' to close.

Mogwai came on afterwards too, though struggled to entice an audience away from the main stage waiting in anticipation for a band Scotland's post-rock royalty once famously denounced as 'shite'.

'Glasgow Megasnake' to begin with certainly wasn't though, and I'd have certainly stayed for the rest if my interests weren't so blurred.

For Britpop's greatest survivors did eventually come on, looking meek and slightly shocked, but happy to be here as they jumped straight into 'She's So High'.

Albarn apologised for their tardiness straight after, saying they very nearly didn't make it, and that Coxon had 'literally walked out of hospital to get here.'

And we were all very lucky he did, with 'Tracy Jacks' letting us all relive our youthful days, and 'Beetlebum' outshining everything that had come before this weekend.

More confusion came when Albarn announced that this would be their 'last gig' though. Whether he meant 'forever' or 'for the summer' we shall have to wait and see.

We should pray for the latter, as when they can pull out the likes of 'Tender' halfway through a set, and make 'Country House' more than novelty with Coxon's supreme playing, few can match them for energy and material.

It was all over too soon, especially for me, as, unlike Blur, the buses back were not running late. It was a true T experience while it lasted, and we can only hope it will happen again.

Menswear to reform for 2010 anyone?