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March 28, 2024, 08:33:18 AM

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Glastonbury Festival - 50 years old

Started by Head Gardener, June 23, 2020, 04:15:46 PM

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Harry Badger

Quote from: Cuntbeaks on June 26, 2020, 08:42:58 PM
Was living in Derby in 1994 and was keen to go that year to see Orbital. Couldn't be arsed in the end, but the Channel 4 footage of Orbital was superb, it seemed to capture the intensity and euphoria the could create as a live band back then.

I remember watching that at the age of 14. I was already a big fan of Orbital but that set was something else. I decided there and then I would go to Glastonbury - sadly I had to wait another four years as there was no way my risk-averse parents would allow me to go before I turned 18.

jobotic

I was there. Had got into techno but and sort of liked them. Would;y listen to them now and haven't for years. Think I also saw Richie Hawtin that weekend, which was proper, as I was a twatty snob even about a genre of music I didn't know much about/

But you know what? Bumped into my friends, who I still love to this day, and wondered into the middle of the crowd, all off our tits and it was fucking wonderful.


Having written all that it's bollocks - Richie Hawtin was the year after. I must have gone in 95 and 96. The nineties, man.

Head Gardener

#62


Glasto 2005 I'm sure I left my car keys round here somewhere...


Head Gardiner - as an aged stalwart, did you prefer the festival when it was open to all (pre 1992) or since its corporatisation, high security fences & restrictive practices were introduced?

Head Gardener

Yes absolutely, there was almost a homely vibe in the 80's, with only a handful of stages in a smaller area it was just a short 10 minute walk to see something else if  the main stage didn't entertain. By far the best way getting in was by motorbike, on the 3 occasions I sat on the back of a mates bike we just breezed past all the queues and were able  to set up camp anywhere on site, usually at the top of the hill looking down to the main stage, this made for some magical nights in a tent with a view, camp fire, special tea etc. The big bands were never the main draw even in '81 the theatre tent and comedy stage were the best places to sit down on rush matting and skin up for the afternoon, you'd be lucky to stand up in those tents by the 90's.

Puce Moment

Yep, 1994 was my first year at Glastonbury and I asked my girlfriends brother to record all the Channel 4 coverage for when I returned. Loads of good stuff, including the Nick Cave performance which I remember as being amazing despite the fact that he was fucked on smack and I was fucked on acid.

DrGreggles

Pulp '95 was a bit special, but those festival gigs rarely capture performers at the top of their game.
I think I went to 5 Glastonburys but, outside a handful of moments, it was mostly forgettable.
That said, I was in a bit of a state throughout, so perhaps not in the ideal condition for forming strong memories.

George Oscar Bluth II

Thing about it is, what makes it great now is that it is about 10 different festivals in one. It's totally fair to say that it's V Festival, but it is also that one that all your mates who still go clubbing in their 30s go to (Shambala?), and those defunct dance fests from the 2000s and Latitude, and Reading and Leeds and a night out at a cabaret, and your local Camra beer fest etc etc.

It has the most to do, the best vibe (used to do Leeds in the 2000s and that would slowly turn into an all out riot by Sunday night). Not as good as it was in the 80s when you paid 50p to get in I'm sure, but so so so much better than anything else.

Didn't have a ticket for this year, which I realise means I won't be going to 2022 at the earliest...gah.

mobias

Footage of Pulp doing Common People being shown at the moment. Despite the fiddle player being way too high in the mix (or indeed just there at all) it looks and sounds amazing. The first thing that comes to mind is how genuinely into it the audience is. This is before the days of barriers and flag wavers and it looks like a riot. This is what I remember festival audiences looking like.  The irony is the audience of Glastonbury these days is filled with exactly the sort of people he was having a go at in Common People.

Rev+

My one and only was 1999, with headliners the Manics and REM both happening to have released their most tedious albums to date that year and hammering the hell out of them, obviously.  Still, was nice to finally see the latter.  Someone must have pulled out for the Sunday because the headliner was Skunk Anansie - never that big, and well past the point you'd book them to headline the second stage.

Never went back, as magical as it was, because the ticket prices reached 'a week in Portugal' prices.  Not that I did that either.

Head Gardener

Quote from: Rev+ on June 28, 2020, 12:26:11 AM
Someone must have pulled out for the Sunday because the headliner was Skunk Anansie - never that big, and well past the point you'd book them to headline the second stage.

Although there have been incidents of many bands pulling out either on the day or soon before the festival started like U2 in '82 and The Smiths in '83 but the top honour of pulling the headliners at a festival that I went to, goes to Reading 1979. The Friday headliner turned up, cheers Sting, but it was announced onsite that other days main bands were to be replaced by much inferior alternatives. The Scorpions for Thin Lizzy on Saturday and Nils 'Fuckin' Lofgren for Ramones on Sunday, I always considered suing because of that fuck up but just sadly trudged off to the railway station and went home with Whitesnake ringing in my ears.


mobias

Peter Gabriel on before Whitesnake? Those were the days.

Head Gardener

and not just that, Gabriel with Collins guesting on a few songs, Biko, The Lamb, Mother of Violence, and Hackett was there that weekend too but did he join them? did he fuck!

Beagle 2

I watched the Radiohead '97 set last night, just Radiohead playing amazing Radiohead songs incredibly well, nae chatter nae gimmicks. When it had finished it flicked back to Coldplay a few years ago, about 4 billion quid spent on the extras, lasers, yer Martin running around looking pleased with himself talking bollocks all over a bed of plodding chord chord chord shmindie, every second some forced attempt to create a "perfect glasto moment". Game's gone Clive.

I can't really think of a headliner on the Pyramid I've enjoyed that much. It's a much better place for getting a spot in the afternoon. The Verve in the cold on the wrong sort of drugs was a particular lowlight. That's one aspect of the festival that's better on the telly.

Probably be five years or so before we can go back and then we'll have two kids in tow but I still can't wait. Met me wife there, dinta.

Beagle 2

I'll take as many of these old photos and reminisces as you've got, Head Gardener, very interesting!

Head Gardener

thanks B2 am running low on pics tbh but have been posting galleries with additions in The Ghetto (a creative nsfw website for any old nonsense) and still have prog scans, forthcoming


Marner and Me

Quote from: Beagle 2 on June 28, 2020, 09:44:50 AM
I watched the Radiohead '97 set last night, just Radiohead playing amazing Radiohead songs incredibly well, nae chatter nae gimmicks. When it had finished it flicked back to Coldplay a few years ago, about 4 billion quid spent on the extras, lasers, yer Martin running around looking pleased with himself talking bollocks all over a bed of plodding chord chord chord shmindie, every second some forced attempt to create a "perfect glasto moment". Game's gone Clive.

I can't really think of a headliner on the Pyramid I've enjoyed that much. It's a much better place for getting a spot in the afternoon. The Verve in the cold on the wrong sort of drugs was a particular lowlight. That's one aspect of the festival that's better on the telly.

Probably be five years or so before we can go back and then we'll have two kids in tow but I still can't wait. Met me wife there, dinta.

I've never been, and probably never will. This sums it up for me. A mate sent me a link of Mike Skinner performing there once. He just wouldn't shut up about it. Got to create memories, shut up and sing, and I'll memorise that you prick.

The sort of people who go now seem like bores. They go there with a big sign and to then tell everyone they meet that year that they "found themselves" at Glastonbury.

The other thing that puts me off is paying £500 quid plus travel for a ticket to then come back and find that someone has boosted your tent or set it on fire, the mess these lot leave behind is a disgrace too.

Icehaven

Quote from: Rev+ on June 28, 2020, 12:26:11 AM
My one and only was 1999, with headliners the Manics and REM...

That's weird, I was there that year but I have no memory of watching REM, and I can't believe I wouldn't have chosen them over virtually anyone they were clashing with so either I missed them for some unfathomable reason or I did see them but don't remember it. I've never been into drugs and I didn't even drink much back then as I couldn't afford it so I can't even blame that.

Icehaven

Quote from: Head Gardener on June 28, 2020, 08:59:11 AM
Although there have been incidents of many bands pulling out either on the day or soon before the festival started like U2 in '82 and The Smiths in '83...

I was at Pulp's legendary 1995 replacing of The Stone Roses, and just before they came on there was a group of lads in SR shirts standing behind us literally going "We should have been seeing them now lads, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SEEING THEM NOW", so we quickly moved, suspecting they were going to ruin Pulp for anyone anywhere near them. I was a big Pulp fan at the time though and wasn't particularly bothered about the Stone Roses so I was delighted when I first heard what had happened, but in hindsight I can see why there may have been some general disappointment.

Jockice

Quote from: icehaven on June 28, 2020, 12:38:02 PM
I was at Pulp's legendary 1995 replacing of The Stone Roses, and just before they came on there was a group of lads in SR shirts standing behind us literally going "We should have been seeing them now lads, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SEEING THEM NOW", so we quickly moved, suspecting they were going to ruin Pulp for anyone anywhere near them. I was a big Pulp fan at the time though and wasn't particularly bothered about the Stone Roses so I was delighted when I first heard what had happened, but in hindsight I can see why there may have been some general disappointment.

A workmate of mine went that year. And when Pulp were on he was watching Portishead on another stage because the friends he had gone with wanted to see them. He liked Pulp (I saw them with him at least twice) but was outvoted. Portishead for fuck's sake. Poor sod!

Jockice

Quote from: mobias on June 27, 2020, 09:03:23 PM
Footage of Pulp doing Common People being shown at the moment. Despite the fiddle player being way too high in the mix (or indeed just there at all) it looks and sounds amazing. The first thing that comes to mind is how genuinely into it the audience is. This is before the days of barriers and flag wavers and it looks like a riot. This is what I remember festival audiences looking like.  The irony is the audience of Glastonbury these days is filled with exactly the sort of people he was having a go at in Common People.

Hey, don't slag Russell off! He was an integral part of Pulp. I actually think that part of the reason their two albums after Different Class were relative flops (saleswise anyway) was because he had no input into them. Not necessarily for musical reasons either.

People who hoist flags directly near the front of the stage at festivals deserve to be killed with hammers. Those that hoist them further back deserve the lesser punishment of a thorough beating with a length of lead pipe.

Sin Agog

Quote from: mobias on June 27, 2020, 09:03:23 PM
Footage of Pulp doing Common People being shown at the moment. Despite the fiddle player being way too high in the mix (or indeed just there at all) it looks and sounds amazing. The first thing that comes to mind is how genuinely into it the audience is. This is before the days of barriers and flag wavers and it looks like a riot. This is what I remember festival audiences looking like.  The irony is the audience of Glastonbury these days is filled with exactly the sort of people he was having a go at in Common People.

It is eerie how I never encounter squarer milksops than at Glastonbury over the last decade.  You hear them getting frantically hyped for some milquetoast old XFM fodder like Snow Patrol.  As someone who usually ends up camped in the Theatre Field or Green Futures, it's a strange form of culture shock to suddenly cross paths with these people I simply never see in real life.  Glastonbury is home to pretty much every different sort, though, so it'd be wrong to base any opinion solely on the presence of these marshmallowy office boys.

I should say I've never seen anyone actually bring a flag in to Glastonbury.  Dunno if they break them down into smaller Ikea-esque flag components in advance and assemble them there.

Also agree with whoever said that some of the best times are spent in the Theatre Field watching comedy.  It's nice to wind down and watch them folks off the telly (saw four Taskmaster alumni last time I was there), even if a big top full of crashed festivalgoers looking to get out of the sun isn't the ideal venue for a stand-up set.  My friend also runs this small tent around there called Mavericks which reminds me of the best, most anarchic '80s dark cabaret that begat people like Jerry Sadowitz.  It's where all the professional performers go to blow off steam by competing against one another to win free drinks, and you will not go ten minutes without seeing some bloke's todger, or someone stick a condom over their head and pierce their face with metal implements, or a contortionist turning herself into a bow and arrow and firing at her partner.  Love spending whole nights there.

Beagle 2

Quote from: Marner and Me on June 28, 2020, 10:43:02 AM
I've never been, and probably never will. This sums it up for me. A mate sent me a link of Mike Skinner performing there once. He just wouldn't shut up about it. Got to create memories, shut up and sing, and I'll memorise that you prick.

The sort of people who go now seem like bores. They go there with a big sign and to then tell everyone they meet that year that they "found themselves" at Glastonbury.

The other thing that puts me off is paying £500 quid plus travel for a ticket to then come back and find that someone has boosted your tent or set it on fire, the mess these lot leave behind is a disgrace too.

Well don't get me wrong, I absolutely love it and I terms of the effect it's had on my life I did sort of "find myself" there. Soz!

earl_sleek

OK I'm sold on the idea of going to a Glasto in future now, particularly if I can bring a massive flag replicating one of waspy's wimblewrongs, and unfurl it right at the front for the good folks watching at home on the BBC to see.

Rich Uncle Skeleton

Quote from: mobias on June 27, 2020, 09:03:23 PM
Footage of Pulp doing Common People being shown at the moment. Despite the fiddle player being way too high in the mix (or indeed just there at all) it looks and sounds amazing.

That extra loud violin became a bit of a running gag with a friend and I, serves a purpose in the tune but fuck me it's terrible that loud.  there's a proper mix of it on the special edition of Different Class (pulp had the whole set remixed for a later radio broadcast) sounds fucking great and begs the question why that mix isn't used in the video instead these days??

Norton Canes

Bowie's 2000 headline set on now. What a brilliant, beautiful man.

thugler

Quote from: Marner and Me on June 28, 2020, 10:43:02 AM
I've never been, and probably never will. This sums it up for me. A mate sent me a link of Mike Skinner performing there once. He just wouldn't shut up about it. Got to create memories, shut up and sing, and I'll memorise that you prick.

The sort of people who go now seem like bores. They go there with a big sign and to then tell everyone they meet that year that they "found themselves" at Glastonbury.

The other thing that puts me off is paying £500 quid plus travel for a ticket to then come back and find that someone has boosted your tent or set it on fire, the mess these lot leave behind is a disgrace too.

Not to be a dick but his is kind of a cliched point of view now. There are a few self regarding insta wankers at glastonbury for sure due to the sheer size and big pop acts, but there is actually a huge mix of people and it's pretty easy to avoid all that as you won't be interested in seeing the same stuff as them, in fact them flocking to see Ed Sheeran or whatever just gives you a better experience seeing something good with a bit more space.  'The sort of people who go' is ridiculously varied, it's as silly as saying 'the sort of act that plays glastonbury', it's another one of the unique qualities of the thing.

Also it's 250 I think now, which seems a lot but for the size of the thing it's understandable how it's that expensive. I've never had my tent boosted or set on fire, this is more of a reading/leeds thing in my experience, and the atmosphere is far less aggro than those, possibly due to the less oppressive security once you're in the site. Not to be pedantic, but last time even the mess clean up afterwards was far better than before and totally different to the pictures you saw the year before.

Beagle 2

Definitely the best vibe of any big festival in terms of people being nice and looking after each other.

Saying that, I have had my tent robbed once.

Icehaven

Quote from: Beagle 2 on June 29, 2020, 01:23:33 PM
Saying that, I have had my tent robbed once.

At one in the late 90s I'd had a slightly early night one night so was dozing in my tent at about midnight, and suddenly the zip opened and I was face to face with some bloke. He saw me and said "Oh, I was just wondering what time it was?" I said I really didn't know and he just rezipped my tent and buggered off. I was lucky as it made me very aware for all the good vibes and however safe we felt, there were still the same opportunistic fucks as in the real world, even if they were marginally more cowardly.