One things for certain, Glastonbury is the big one, the daddy, and judging by the BBC’s 24/7 coverage this year, the one that everyone wants to watch. But what’s it really like? Cherwell music reports directly from the depths of a muddy field — Ostrich burger and cappuccino in hand — about the greatest festival on earth.
Glastonbury is absolutely humongous. Everyone knows it’s big, but it’s physically HUGE. That romantic festival-goers cliche of coming over the hill to be met by the vast landscape that Glastonbury covers is entirely accurate, and a moment I experienced for the first time yesterday afternoon. But are the idealistic roots of the festival, it’s association with charitable causes, and the ‘true ethos’ of the festival still intact?
Behind the scenes of the pyramid stage stands about 100 Winnebagos and the BBC compound — which is about as big as the main stage area itself! With the popularisation of glamping and hospitality packages, less and less people seem to be slumming it and, with the average age of the festival-goer having hit a record high of 43 this year, it seems as if the age bracket that festivals such as Glastonbury were initially targeted at are being priced out. Cherwell is slightly embarrassed to report that it enjoyed smoked salmon and scrambled egg in the hospitality tent this morning, is this sort of luxurious festival experience undermining the Glastonbury image?
In a recent interview, Michael Eavis (the farmer/founder of the festival) encouraged people to attempt to ‘jump the fence’ and gain free admission to the festival. Whilst this may have just been a throwaway comment, a stunt even, these sort of liberal attitudes are still at the heart of the festivals existence, with multiple Guardian-selling stalls, as well as the ‘healing field’, a feature that has been retained from the original festival in 1971 complete with ‘stone circle’, reinforces this.
However, the thing truly at the heart of Glastonbury is the music. It was evident last night, even before the festival had officially started, just how varied and important music is here. With over 100 stages there’s also something for everyone and Oxford is making a good show for itself with, amongst others, Foals, Lewis Watson, Stornoway and Treetop Flyers making an appearance on the main stages over the weekend. The John Peel stage could easily be renamed the ‘who have Cherwell reviewed this year?’ stage with a fantastic line-up leading to an eternal Glastonbury conundrum: the dreaded clash!
Although I could probably think of worse problems in life, the Glastonbury clash is up there as one of the most excruciating. While the Arctic Monkeys play their headline slot on the Pyramid stage, Portishead grace the Other stage with Chic (feat. Nile Rodgers) over on Silver Hayes. Do I follow the flock? Reflect alternatively? Or boogie on down? Check back tomorrow to find out…
The Other stage has also just played host to Liam Gallagher with Beady Eye in a ‘surprise slot’ that was possibly the festival’s worst kept secret. Having been a huge Oasis fan, I had to leave after three songs — the man can’t sing! But the surprise slot is another Glastonbury feature with fixtures in 2011 including Radiohead and Pulp. Bookies favourites this year include Daft Punk and David Bowie as well as Gallagher but who knows?
To find out more and live the Glastonbury experience check back here daily! Now I’m off to find a pillow. Camping hurts.
