The day's mass exodus was reserved for the geek messiahs of massive beats, Tom and Ed Chemical for whom the headline slot on the Pyramid Stage appears to be a long-cherished dream come true.
Headlining with a dance act that hides behind banks of equipment and attempts to make up for lack of stage presence with blinding light shows and beautiful visuals may be an experiment for Michael Eavis. But the crowd doesn't seem to have a problem with it. Swarms of people abandon Glastonbury's other attractions to create a roadblock around Worthy Farm's most impressive northern reach.
It's a tremendous achievement for a couple of one-time underground dance producers who released their first 12" alongside embryonic label mates Underworld. And, somehow, it makes perfect sense that it's the Chemicals and not Karl Hyde and crew that take this slot tonight.
'Block Rockin Beats', 'Out Of Control', 'Music: Response' and the like, thud out across the hillside with all the necessary modulations that denote 'performance', working wonders for the kids down the front with their heads in the speakers but struggling to excite those of us stuck in the margins. "Why's nobody dancing?" some bloke shouts. "We can't bloody hear it mate, we're half a mile away from the speakers on the side of a bloody great hillside!"
When the bassline from 'Out Of Control' drops, it feels like it might really kick-off but it's not the volume that's the problem. This stage really craves the energy of a live performance. The Chemical Brothers can certainly rock a venue the size of Brixton Academy, but the Pyramid demands something more. It's a shame 'cause all these boys ever wanted was to be rock stars.
Still, as 'The Private Psychedelic Reel' is unfolded over the hillside and the torches shimmer their approval, The Chemical Brothers surely took they're hands off their knobs for a moment (as it were) and allowed the scene to rob them of breath.
