On Song 2: Blur’s Damon Albarn and Alex James rock the Glastonbury crowd PA

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Get more Glasto gossip from our festivals blog

Rating: 5/5

It started with the death of a legend, and ended with the birth of new ones. Glasto 2009, had it all – Blur, the Boss, and the greatest “I was there at Glasto” moment - Jacko’s death.

News of the Prince of Pop’s death was marked by a huge downpour from the Glasto heavens – the only one of a glorious weekend – but after the hysteria had died down the music began.

Whilst US hip-hop stars N.E.R.D crashed and burned with sound problems, the UK’s finest lyricist Dizzee Rascal lit the stage. Mixing his own brand of grime with some Jacko classics. The day before Lily Allen stormed the Pyramid stage with a sun-kissed pop- fest, aptly singing “the sun is in the sky…why would I want to be anywhere else?” Quite right.

Whilst Dizzee and Lily held the flame for the modern trailblazers, Neil Young and Springsteen gave them a lesson in staying power and longevity.

Storms to Springsteen: Glasto in pictures

Young’s mellow hit fest took some beating, but was possibly topped by Springsteen’s virtuoso marathon, which signed off with Thunder Road and Dancing in the Dark.

The day before, Gaga provided the “did she just show us her…?” scandal with some outrageous outfits, but bossed the Other stage with X-rated infectious dancefloor fillers. Then, if you could pause for breathe you might have been bowled over by the guitar smashing Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the sublime Bon Iver.

Come, Sunday there was only one syllable on everyone’s lips – Blur. Many were waiting for the mass pogo-ing of Song Two and Girls and Boys, but it was the cuter numbers Blur did best. Tender, and To The End (was Damon really crying at that point?) were beatific festival hug-a-longs that will live long in the memory.

Those that were tempted away from Essex’s finest were rewarded with a firecracker show from the Black Eyed Peas, which had frenzied dancing which deserved a bigger crowd. The BEP’s were the only ones who lost out. Best Glasto ever? It’s called such every year, but this time Eavis might be right.