It is April 2010, and the 75,000-capacity festival is hosting the first full live performance by Gorillaz, the cartoon collective created by Albarn and illustrator Jamie Hewlett. In fact, it’s actually the debut of Gorillaz #2, or possibly even #3, the band’s third album Plastic Beach conscripting a fresh roll call of guest talent.
Joining the Clash vets on stage tonight are a seven-strong string section, four backing vocalists, six Syrian-American percussionists, the rap trio De La Soul, the Japanese-Swedish vocalist Yukimi Nagano of Little Dragon and Gruff Rhys from Super Furry Animals.
None of which noisy hubbub seems to phase the proceedings’ elder statesman. Seated in one of those Portakabins, attended by a dapper butler-cum-valet named Arthur, is Bobby Womack.
“Bobby is a precious thing,” Albarn had earlier told me of the soul legend he had recruited to sing on two Plastic Beach numbers. “He’s getting on but his voice is still there. Which is really rare; the voice usually diminishes as time goes by.”