Woodsies
Covering the Smiths’ back catalogue in a secret Glasto set, Blossoms are admirably tight, while Astley banishes any sense of moral queasiness at listening to these beloved songs
It’s a curious thing, cancel culture. Most left-leaning media have unanimously agreed that liking Morrissey is a Very Bad Thing, and yet one of the biggest secret draws of the weekend is Blossoms and Rick Astley, performing their set of the Smiths covers for only the third time ever. The Woodsies tent – once named the John Peel tent, and playing Kasabian on the pre-show playlist, no less – fills a good 45 minutes in advance, and nobody seems to be wringing their hands with dilemma or having any terse chats about separating art from artist. At Glastonbury, and in the safe medium of full-band karaoke, we can apparently all ease a collective sigh, comfortable in the knowledge that although Mozza will surely be recouping his fair share of royalties, we’re not really paying directly in. (Or are we?) With this logic, singing along with giddy delirium to Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now is not only morally permissible but actively encouraged, in the spirit of having a good old festival time.
Packing my soapbox away in order to properly review the show in hand, it’s easy to see how one might feel comfortable in the easy camaraderie between tonight’s performers, allowing any of Morrissey’s problematic rants to feel very far away. Blossoms and Astley may seem like an unlikely friendship but they share an affection for well-spirited cheese; a love of throwback fun and a freedom from needing to prove any hipster credentials. And what could be a greater RickRoll than the idea that Astley can so convincingly portray these dour anthems of self-loathing just as smoothly as he did Never Gonna Give You Up on the Pyramid hours prior, nailing registers both nasal and falsetto? What with the quiff, boxy suit and gladioli-wafting gestures, anyone outside the tent might be forgiven for thinking it was the real deal … or at very least a particularly compelling episode of Stars in Their Eyes.
