Zion Train

Glastonbury is probably thought of as a live music hot-spot by those from afar, but the reality is it's not. A small town in the middle of nowhere, it doesn't get too many musical visitors, or too much else (apart from each June). So this gig was sold out. It seemed that every hippie, beardy, and alternative in Somerset was there, for a damned good night, and, ooohhh, there were some bands too.

The crowd were more than adequately warmed up by the excellent - and still improving - BlackBud. On the way to the bar after, I heard more than several people singing their praises - they'd obviously made an impression, again.

Between bands, music was played through the PA (by a DJ? I've no idea), and a friend commented on how, in the dim-distant past, people used to sit down between bands. Not here tho - it was an opportunity to dance, and one that most were determined not to miss.

And so onto Zion Train ... I'd last seen them in 2000, and a check back (at the time of writing) on my photos shows me with a dodgy memory. I was sure they had a live band - drummer, bassist, guitar, but that wasn't the case ... but they did have a bigger brass section. Tonight, there's a brass section of two, and (as before) a female singer (Molara), and guy (Perch) with an electronic box of tricks and noises.

The box of tricks pumped out reggae-based rhythms, ranging from a slower dub-style to almost drum and bass, while Molara worked hard at raising the vibe, with vocals that were often more of an accompaniment than 'normal' singing. Meanwhile the brass gave an often softer - almost soulful - side to the driving beats.

There was no fanatical fan-dom going on here, just a crowd determined to enjoy and dance. As the temperature increased, shirts were discarded by the increasingly sweaty crowd, and the chance of non-alcoholic liquid relief disappeared when the water ran out at the bar.

The set went on for over an hour and a half, and while those with the energy danced right through, even the less-involved soaked it all up with a passion. Without meaning to take anything away from a great performance from Zion Train, it was the audience that made the night.

FUTURE GIGS