Glastonbury or other Festival?

My lad (30YO) has just left for his 8th or 9th Glasto.

A sign of the times maybe but he is taking the car as the camp site they are staying is open tonight, so hot shower/toilets and electricity.

I seem to remember his first he basically took a plastic bag full of cans of lager.

Personally festivals were never my scene. '79 Knebworth was the last if memory serves.

I spent a lot of summer weekends in the late sixties /seventies hitching around the country going to festivals,the last I went to was in 1978 to see Dylan at Blackbushe. Some great times and squalid times!!

I went to Glasto in 97 and a couple of others, Reading and V. I doubt I will have the same energy to walk about any of those  fields ever again, unless heavely sedated. Actually...

Been to T in the Park twice. Can't be bothered with the filth and squalor anymore. Prefer to see bands in more intimate venues where possible. Old Fartitis!!

Possibly. But each to their own. Been there, done them, prefer to sit in a nice living room and watch the DVD in my old age. 

I remember first going to Glasto in 1981 (Hawkwind and New Order) when it was a lot smaller - about 15,000 people I think. Last time I went was in the 1990s.

The only way I would go now would be if I had a nice air-conditioned Winnebago with a shower, comfy bed and nice clean sheets. Squalor's all very well in your teens and 20s, but not in advanced middle age.

However, sometimes it just seems easiest to watch in on the Beeb - that way you don't have to spend hours wandering around looking for acts you actually like.

Actually this week there is Rock The Beach festival just inside of the walking distance from where I live but I am not good with the large crowds anymore (been like that for years already). They have a quite impressive list of performers (including Green Day, Queens of the Stone Age, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Airbourne, Rammstein, Paramore etc.). However, I think I am going to pass the opportunity which I'll perhaps regret later...   

There've been some nice small fests near here which have just got too big in the last few years. Womad is the obvious example. Used to be in Reading, 10 min walk from the station and a nice contained site outside the leisure centre. Now it's in an enormous site about 10 miles from my door but I wouldn't go even if I could get tickets - too big.

They tend to be large expensive corporate affairs now but if it rains there is still the squalor of old times. They just don't appeal anymore. The last really good festival I went to was the Bishopstock Blues Festival in Exeter about 10 years ago. More like the old times with great artists. Unfortunately they went broke.

I am afraid that Glastonbury became too corporate, main stream and conventional these days but I would still love to go.

So instead I think my Hi-Fi wil have a rest and my TV well warmed up this week end.

Richard

Watching Portishead LIVE! BBC iplayer

Blooming Marvelous.  Thank you Ms Gibbons & Co.

Seasick Steve + John Paul Jones was jolly good.

Tony!

Thanks for the heads up on Portishead.  Just finished watching it.  Quite superb.  A brilliant way to start the day.  Thanks once again.

As for open concerts my last one was Knebworth in 75 with The Rolling Stones, 10cc, Hot Tuna, etc which was good but it dampened my enthusiasm for any more. 

SteveT

T in the Park mid 90's - A friend of ours worked for the organiser and got me a 'Press' pass.  All I had to do was bring an authentic looking camera and it was straight into the press pit between audience and stage.

Facing the stage and snapping away constantly I forgot the crowd was there. It was quite a shock to turn round and see the seething mass - like being in the parting of the red sea.

Alanis Morrissette was good, Radiohead and Manic Street Preachers strangely uncharismatic up close.  The Prodigy were excellent but best by far at working the crowd was Jarvis Cocker with Pulp.

Still have the pics from what was a memorable day. G

Who's waiting for The Stones tonight?

I went to Glasto once, in 1993 the year of the reformed Velvet Underground, scorching hot. I must admit, we also jumped the fence 

I really enjoyed it then and I want to go back when my daughter grows up to show her the wonderful delights of the music crowd. An age when she will appreciate the music, festive spirit but not the corporate side, I will grit my teeth on that one while she gets into the music with her friends. That maybe 10 years time...lets see where we are then.

Jason.

Let's roll....

Oh, dear! Something went extremely wrong.... Even M.T. must have had second thoughts.

Didn't get no satisfaction, I'm afraid.

MT,

Who or what is MT?

Sorry, but I hate acronyms!

ATB from George

Dear, George.

That would be Mick Taylor, ex-Stones member who left the band  many moons ago in a not-so-friendly way. Sour grapes turned mulled wine, I guess.

KR

Tony

"First three songs mate, no flash."

I've been to Cornbury a few times. Costello was superb, maybe four years ago. Pretenders also, though might have been the year before.

Chris

Dear Tony,

Thanks!

If I wrote BSO it could mean Boston Symphony Orchestra, or Bournemouth ...

The meaning would not be clear.

ATB from George

Dear, George.

Apologies if you felt left out.

KR

Tony

Dear Tony,

I know that I am not intentionally left out!

Even Radio Four have sent John Humphries to Glasto, so the news is getting through!

Apparently he is enjoying it, though I suspect not in a tent!

ATB from George