Glastonbury 2017 ! WOW !!!

I cant believe a week ago today I walking around the wonderland that is Glastonbury, its taken me a couple of days to process the events of the last week and upon waking up this morning to return to work this morning the words of the great Dr Seuss rang true…..”don’t cry because its over, smile because it happened”, and my god how it happened ! The bands ! The people ! The weather ! The food ! Glasto 2017 is hands down my favourite visit to the farm in the 8 times I’ve been there, an absolute vintage year.

By the time me and Niki, my gorgeous wife, got home, it really felt like an act of redemption as well. 2015, our last visit, didn’t go to well, all my own reckless doing by the way, I just wanted this year to go so well for us both, take things at a different pace and really savour as much of the festival as we could. It worked as she also says this year was her favourite.

I wont go into loads of detail about what made this year so special as I’ll save that for individual posts regarding the events of each day but there was a very special feel to Worthy Farm this year. The weather certainly helped, being able to walk around in shorts, vest and trainers all weekend with the sun glistening off everything, making the site look absolutely beautiful, really adds something to the experience. Everyone is just happier ! And the amount of effort that all the crews take in making the site look out of this world is not lost in a barrage of rain and mud.

The bands and acts I saw  seemed to revel in the warm weather and really got how special playing at Glastonbury really is. A lot of the acts, whether it being their first time like Lorde or Barry Gibb, or making a return but playing a higher slot, like Royal Blood or The XX, seemed genuinely overwhelmed or excited to be there, this resonates with an audience as much as an audiences reaction is appreciated by the bands themselves.

I think we managed to see pretty much the full site on the Thursday alone, ending the day with a communal camp fire in the woods while drinking damson gin, it was a lovely start which set the tone for the weekend ahead. As well as a shed load of bands over the weekend, quite a few unplanned or changed plans day to day, we found time to explore and bimble about. I found a wander around the T&C fields to be a great natural remedy for a hangover, laughter really is the best medicine and even found time for some gift shopping on the Sunday.

Personal highlights included Lorde, Craig Charles and Royal Blood on the Friday, Craig David and Foo Fighters on the Saturday, and Barry Gibb and London Grammar on the Sunday, but I’ll be posted more detailed blog posts regarding each day in due course.

Even though it felt more chilled out than in previous years Niki and myself still clocked in an impressive 50 miles walking over the 3 and a half days on site, that doesn’t include dancing distance either, so if you are planning Glastonbury one year for the first time please be aware of this, as some people I’ve spoke to clocked in more ! The Glastonbury blues are definitely starting to pass now, I hope they are for others, and as the gloom is clearing I’m left with amazing memories and such a wonderful adventure with my amazing wife Niki, my partner in crime !

Only 8 more shifts at work and then we pack up for our next adventure, Latitude Festival, but this time with our two amazing kids, Ellie 10, and Jacob 8, this will be our third Latitide in a row as a family and we cannot wait.

Things to do at Glastonbury (Part 10)

 

Well the full line up was released on Tuesday and its exceeded my expectations, as an overall line up I think its one of the best the festival has ever put together, just so much quality right across the stages right down to the smaller stages. There has however been a bit of negative feedback on Glasto Chat from some people regarding the line ups quality which I really don’t understand. For the price we pay for a ticket the amount of stages Glastonbury offers is unbelievable, the quality of acts it offers is again unbelievable. If you were one on Tuesday morning to scroll through the 77, yes 77, stages that were released and not be impressed I think your either going to the wrong festival, or need expand your horizons when it comes to your musical tastes, the line up is stacked, and it still hasn’t all been announced yet !

Well this is the last part of my “Things to do at Glastonbury”, and in my opinion I’ve left the most important thing till last, if you don’t do any of the things I’ve mentioned in the past 9 blog posts please read this one and take it to heart as it is that important, not just to me, but to the Eavis’ and the festival itself.

10, LOVE THE FARM, LEAVE NO TRACE !

In truth this one shouldn’t really need a blog post from me, or posts by other people on message forums, chat rooms or Facebook groups to get across how important this is, but sadly it does. “LOVE THE FARM, LEAVE NO TRACE” isn’t just a catchy slogan that the festival has dreamt up but a mantra that we should all try to stick to. Glastonbury is unlike any other festival in the country in the way it is set up, the little freedoms it gives us once we’re inside, the effort that is put into the vast line up and the attention to detail that is put into making the site look like a glorious wonderland. A lot of love and respect is put into the festival by all who work there, all they ask as well as going there and having the time of our lives is that we also treat the site with the love and respect it deserves. The Eavis’ might own the farm but for anyone that is a Glastonbury regular the farm also belongs to us and I for one want that to remain for a very long time, I don’t want our short-sightedness and lack of effort to be the reason the Eavis’ one day call time on Glastonbury.

“LOVE THE FARM, LEAVE NO TRACE” started as campaign a few years ago as it was highlighted by the festival that ticket holders were not collectively doing enough to look after the site. This was taken a step further last year were for the first time attendees were asked to sign the “love the farm, leave no trace” pledge upon paying the ticket balance off. I unfortunately couldn’t attend the festival last year so this year was my first year signing the pledge, so I want to go into a bit more detail as to why the pledge is so important.

1, Use the toilets and don’t pee on the land

Please don’t pee on the land ! Its unsightly, disgusting and worst case scenario if enough people do it, it could lead to the festival having their license revoked. Peeing on the land can seriously effect the pollution levels of the surrounding water ways if too many people do it, these water ways and surrounding areas are the natural habitat of the fish and wildlife in the area. Due to this the environmental agency tests the toxicity levels of the water ways before, during and after the festival and has the power to close the festival down.

You may think “well its only me”, or “it doesn’t matter if I do it”, but imagine if everyone thought like that ! There’s enough toilets on site, they are situated everywhere, there’s 1000’s of them and this year there will be over 1300 compost toilets on site, so there’s really no excuse not a to use one when you need to go. If it means losing your spot, holding it till the end of a bands set or joining a queue at one of the toilets its much better than peeing up against a railing or fence. Or even worse peeing while stood in a crowd watching a band.

The festival has really made a concerted effort over the last few years to improve the quality of the toilets on site so in return please make the effort to use them.

2, Use the bins provided/do not litter

This one really annoys me when I see people not cleaning up after themselves at Glastonbury. The main reason isn’t the fact that littering in general is just wrong, although we’ve all done it from time to time. For me its the fact that just like the rest of the site even the bins at Glastonbury are a bit special. The crew spends hours individually hand painting the bins at Glastonbury, its another part of the assault on our senses that I think some people miss or take for granted. If they’re willing to put so much time and effort into making even the bins look unique and special the least we can do is use them.

Its really not that hard at the end of meals or as your moving between stages to pop your rubbish in the bins. Have you also ever stayed around one of the main stages, maybe chatting, after a headliner has finished, or maybe walked through the pyramid field on your way to somewhere else after the bands have finished ? If you haven’t you’d be shocked, its looks like something out of the apocalypse ! Its then the jobs of the litter picking crews to then make the fields suitable for us to enjoy each day. If you see them working away give them a big thank you or even offer to help for a bit, as I bet sometimes it feels like a frustrating and thankless job. The festival is also looking to push its recycling figures to past 60% of the overall waste generated from the bins, and then there’s the cost to the festival, which I’ll mention later.

<> on June 27, 2011 in Glastonbury, England.

3, Take your belongings home with you and keep your campsite clean

I know its the last thing we want to tackle after 5 days of Glastonbury. You’ve partied hard and your mentally and physically exhausted, especially if you’ve had a late Sunday night/Monday morning. Just think of all the effort that has been put into making your 5 days on the farm so magical, and pack up  your stuff and take it home with you. If you’ve seen the photos or videos put up online after the festival by some members of the clean up crews its quite frankly disgusting the amount of stuff that is left behind. I’m not saying I’m perfect and have taken everything home with me but what I haven’t has either been put into black waste bags and put into the waste bays or has been put into the recycling bays. The bays can be found in most campsites and if you cant find it just ask one of the friendly campsite crews.  During the festival the campsite crews will also give out recycling bags to keep your camp clean, again use the bays and bins for recycling.

 

It costs the festival approx. £780,000 to dispose of the rubbish produced at the festival, yet some people wonder why each year the ticket prices rise slightly. This is money that could go to the great charities that the festival supports. So lets try to make the festival as green and as clean as we can.

Ultimately we are all responsible for the future of the festival. Its my 35th birthday today, since I became a Glastonbury regular I’ve dreamed of being a Glastonbury crusty, still going to the festival in my 60’s and 70’s. I hope I get to see that day and it not be ruined by the fact that we couldn’t collectively treat the farm with the love and respect it deserves.

The above paragraph is how I had originally intended to end this post and my plan was to always publish this post today. Like I mentioned above its my 35th birthday today so yesterday my in-laws threw me a birthday BBQ. Id had a great day with my wife, two kids and my in-laws, who I love dearly. Later that night my wife called it a night earlier than me as she was feeling a bit under the weather and just as I was about to call it a night I checked BBC News and saw the news about the London attack, I sat in my chair afterwards in shock afterwards for a good 15-20 minutes, what a crazy world we live in ! Then this morning the questions started again in Glasto chat regarding the safety of the festival.

The chances of an attack at Glastonbury seem very slim, that’s not to say not impossible though. Logistically the place is a nightmare to get to for people who go year in year out, tickets are a nightmare to get hold of and everyone who has a ticket has their photo and details on file. Once your there there’s fields upon fields to get through just to get to the gates, security is also very tight. I for one couldn’t see an attack happening. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t stay vigilant ! So if you see anything suspicious or out of place, no matter how small or trivial it seems, please report it, you may be doing some of us the ultimate favour. Lets look after ourselves, each other, and the farm. I cant wait to see everyone their on the farm in just over two week. ONE LOVE !

 

 

 

Things to do at Glastonbury (Part 9)

Firstly I hope everyone is enjoying their bank holiday weekend. I had the pleasure of going to Radio 1’s Big Weekend in my hometown of Hull yesterday. Myself and the wife took or little ones, Ellie 10, and Jacob, 8, to it and although the Saturday line-up would have favoured myself and my better half more it was really good to see some acts I wouldn’t normally go see live and who the kiddies wanted to see.

The atmosphere was great, really friendly and chilled in light of the events last week. There was a heavy police presence which actually was really reassuring. Although the atmosphere on the TV didn’t look the best it was totally different being there. I think its partly because the TV cant pick up the fact that people at these events are watching bands they’ve actively wanted to see, and with only 3 stages its not like we were spoilt for choice like Glastonbury. A lot of people I know hadn’t actually ever been to an event this size, or were taking their children to something like this for the first time, so a lot of people were actually standing and watching the bands, so while it may have seemed static and lifeless on TV in person it was a different story.

My kids loved it but were wiped out and back home by 7pm so we missed Royal Blood and Kings of Leon, but we saw some other interesting acts who are firm favourites of the kids. Little Mix were first on and blew me away, but can those girls sing and perform, and they wouldn’t seem out of place with an early daytime pyramid slot one year, they were that good. I can also now add Sean Paul and Shawn Mendes to the list of acts I’ve seen live, something I didn’t think Id be writing about at the turn of the year ! Both were excellently entertaining in there own rights. Sean Paul especially knows how to get a crowd going and if Shaggy or Craig David can make it onto the Glastonbury line-up I cant see why he couldn’t play one year.

9, Look after yourself

This one should go with out saying but once your fully immersed in the vast wonderland that is Glastonbury it is very easy to think that your invincible, sometimes the place can make you feel like that. Trust me from first hand experience that this is not the case and you need to remember your still human at the end of the day. This post is just a few handy tips and reminders about looking after yourself while on the farm.

If arriving on the early on the Wednesday the festival is basically taking up 5 days of your life, 5 amazing days but still the same amount of time as a working week. So please be mindful that Glastonbury is a marathon, not a sprint, so if your constantly rushing about at 100 mph trying to cram in as much as much as you can and see everywhere at some point you will crash and burn. I like to take a much more leisurely pace on the Wednesday and Thursday, and on the main days moving between stages I don’t rush as much as I did in my younger days. If you are one to rush as you don’t want to miss the start of your favourite bands sets please make sure you rest at some point. Even just a sit in a bar or at the back of one of the fields for half an hour can make all the difference, my wife’s a napper so she has a nap some days to recharge her batteries. She doesn’t go back to our tent but likes to leisurely lay out at the back of a field while a band is playing and chill out.

Make sure you eat and drink well, that energy your expending during the festival has to be replenished. My brother and his group are buggers for thinking they are invincible at Glastonbury, to the point that I have seen some of them on a Saturday afternoon looking worse for wear without knowing it, and I’ve taken them off for something to eat as they’ve been forgetting. As I’ve mentioned in a previous post Glastonbury has some amazing food on site so this can be a very enjoyable part of the festival but It is important to stock up on water each day, there are many water points located around the site and making sure your well hydrated is very important.

If it is a sunny year, we’re due one after the scorcher of 2010 and the rain of last year, as well as keeping well hydrated please remember to keep topped up on the sun lotion, its easy to forget when your in the moment enjoying the bands each day, but getting burnt is not a joke, it can hurt like hell. That coupled with not keeping hydrated can lead to not feeling too good after a few days. The last thing Id want is to feel ill at Glastonbury ! Speaking of not getting poorly, please make sure you sanitise those hands after the trips to the toilet, not everyone at Glastonbury is that bothered about hygiene so its very easy to spread germs and get an upset stomach if you don’t look after yourself.

Know your limits, Its really not worth missing someone you’ve been waiting months to see just because you partied a bit too hard the night before. This comes from first hand experience of missing Patti Smith and Lionel Richie in 2015 as Id had a particularly late night on the Saturday night/Sunday morning. Missing Patti Smith especially will haunt me for a long time.

Get to know your coping mechanisms for getting over the low or tired points. Glastonbury can be a physical, mental and emotional rollercoaster. I’ve cried tears of joy watching bands,  but have also had low points because at that moment all that mattered was enjoying myself and I wasn’t. If your having a low point at any point this year please don’t worry, its normal, we’ve all had them. I like to go for a walk and just look around at the site if I’m having a particularly low point as it reminds me where I actually am. This also helps if I’m generally having a dip in mood. Something I’ve realised over the years is spending too much time in one field or at one stage makes me dip, and having a walk and seeing something new or stumbling upon something I didn’t expect can reignite my energy levels. I’m also a sucker for random high fives as I’m walking as the interaction can recharge the batteries. I’ve already said my wife likes naps, I like walks and high fives and rely on these when I’m not really feeling at my best, finding yours can really help you get the most out of your time at the festival.

Last but not least if your one to suffer from anxiety or depression, as I do at times, please take it a bit easier on the Sunday. Glastonbury withdrawal is a real thing and if you party hard on the Sunday but do suffer,  the Monday might hit you like a tonne of bricks and can continue days after the festival. Again this is from first hand experience and the years I’ve slowed down a bit on the Sunday have been my most enjoyable. Also if you’ve never been,  post Glastonbury dreams are very normal, don’t worry, most people have them and they can be very vivid.

So as well as looking after each other please look after yourself as well, I’ll be back later in the week for the last part in “Things to do at Glastonbury”

 

 

Things to do at Glastonbury (Part 8)

Firstly, Id like to say my thoughts are with the families and friends of those affected by the atrocious terrorist attack in Manchester this week. Such a joyous or communal occasion as going to a concert should  never result in people losing their lives, it makes me angry that this is the reality we actually live in.

My wife rang me the morning after  as we are taking our two kids to Radio 1’s big weekend on Sunday to ask if we’re still going, as some of our friends have decided not to go. If people decide not to go to things like this then these terror groups are starting to win, they want disruption of our day to day lives, they want us to live in fear of going to events like Radio 1’s Big Weekend or Glastonbury. We cant have that, we must carry on living our lives, we must stand united and together. This isn’t the first time our country has suffered at the hands of evil but each time we have carried on and moved forward.

The likes of Katie Hopkins have also taken the attacks as an excuse to launch their hate filled rhetoric and further their own agendas, to that I say shame on them. Calling people “ants” for standing together or telling “western men to rise up” also makes you a preacher of hate, no good can come from such vile talk and only bloats the ideas of the narrow minded bigots who think every Muslim is a terrorist . These people must realise that escalating the situations is not the answer.

This part of the “things to do at Glastonbury” was originally intended to be part 9 of 10, but I believe it is quite apt with the events of this week, I  hope some of you who read it take comfort in the fact that we are heading to such a wonderful place in a few weeks.

9, Look out for each other

If your a veteran of Glastonbury you’ll understand the vibe and communal nature of the place, if you’ve never been your in for a reawakening of what is so good about the human spirit. For the most part people at Glastonbury are some of the friendliest I’ve ever encountered. They know they have a golden ticket to the best festival in the world and it shows for the most part in the way people behave and they way they are with each other. This piece is just some things I’ve picked up over my 7 visits to the farm and even if you are a veteran or a Glasto virgin they may help you enjoy your experience a little bit more.

Firstly introduce yourself to your neighbours. Once your camped up get to know those around you, offer them a drink and have a chat. This really helps kick off things in the right way and actually helps having friendly faces around you each morning as you face your hangover, as a little smile and a chat around camp really does help. Having a handle of who is camped around you also really helps spot unsavoury characters, and trust me, even Glastonbury has its share of thieves and low lives. In 2013 questioned my brother as he was poking his head into my tent while I was out in the festival enjoying myself. The group of friends we made around our camp that year was very special, and it all started with one girl introducing herself to myself and my wife as soon as they got there.

Once out and about in the festival just smile and talk to people. I’ve said it in some of the other suggestions that the people are a very special part of what makes Glastonbury. Some of my best times have been chatting to and meeting random festival goers. Offer your drinks out to the people you meet. Over the years I’ve also seen people giving glow sticks, sweets, food, and offering to paint peoples faces. My wife in 2014 painted a few faces with fluorescent paint after a few people had been watching her paint mine near the back of the pyramid field. I like the idea of offering things like your drinks or glow sticks out as its little things like that enhance the atmosphere and spirit of the place.

Be polite and talk to the volunteers around the site. Its the hard work of the event staff, stewards, campsite crews, bar staff and litter crews that help make the event so enjoyable for us. I always make a point of saying “hi” to the campsite crews every morning and night. I always ask the crews at the bars and the food stalls if they’re enjoying the festival or how their day is going and will give the litter crews a hand if I happen to be passing by them, and always make a point of thanking them for their hard work. I know a lot of the volunteers get extended periods of time off to enjoy the festival but I for one couldn’t handle having to go back to a work shift at Glasto after a bit of time off enjoying myself, so I really appreciate the work they put in.

Try to look after each in large crowds or busy areas. I know, especially when watching bands, that sometimes people wanting to get past you can be a nuisance. But lets just appreciate the fact that if people are polite getting through crowds they have as much right to get a spot as anyone else, for all you know they may have just popped out of the crowd for the toilet or a drink and are getting back to their group that have been there before you. The same goes for when your navigating through the crowds yourself. Just be polite and patient and most people will let you get to where you want to go. I say most people as there is a segment of people with chairs or blankets who seem to think they have a divine right to space. If you want to sit out please don’t do it down the front of the stages where people will want to be up enjoying themselves, its just a bit rude.

If you see people struggling in crowds or busy areas please don’t turn a blind eye. Some people at the festival will struggle with anxiety and while Glastonbury might be their happy place anything could trigger an attack, so if you see someone not coping or upset ask them if they’re ok, this goes for if you see people falling in crowds or struggling to get through crowds, please help them. I was coming out of the Rolling Stones with my wife in 2013, we were exiting along the top track of the pyramid field and the track was full of people and it was quite a crush. The woman next to us started having a panic attack but also had her young son with her and she was really struggling. My wife and I managed to make a shield around her son while another gentleman was busy calming the woman down and we got them both out. Also, if you see someone sat by themselves looking worried or upset, just sit next to them and ask if they’re ok, they might be fine but I’m sure they’ll appreciate the fact that someone has taken the time to ask them if anythings wrong. I’ve also been stood with friends watching bands and noticed people stood by themselves and after asking if they fancy joining us have found out all their friends have gone to watch someone else, its always worth asking if people are ok.

Glastonbury has a vast age range visiting the farm so this is another thing to take into account. I try not to smoke too close to people with children or act too wildly, even though Glastonbury is a place to let loose there are times when you have to consider the needs of those around you.

When using the amenities on site its also worth being mindful of others. If your using the water points or wash basins spare to minute to hold the tap down for the person behind you in the queue to fill up their water bottles, it really helps. Also if you have a kettle or basin at you camp don’t wash your hair at the sinks, its really not fair on the other people waiting in line. Come the Sunday if you have any hand sanitizer left don’t be scared to share it with others, the sanitizer stations at the toilets are usually running dry by this point.

In light of recent events Id also recommend being extra vigilant. Even though the chance of an attack seems unlikely due to the logistics of the place its not out of the realms of possibility. So if you see anything suspicious please report it, you may end up doing some people on the farm the biggest favour of all.

Last but not least don’t be scared to be silly. Be the first one up to dance, you’ll see others will follow. Smile, laugh, hug people, high five strangers (one of my personal favourites), Glastonbury is a chance for us to unwind, throw of the shackles of the day to day grind and really enjoy yourselves. If that means dancing like no one is watching or dressing up in fancy dress then go for it. I for one cant wait for 4 weeks time when we get to see the spirit of human kindness and good nature in all its glory, ONE LOVE ! x

Things to do at Glastonbury (Part 7)

Up to now most of my suggestions for things to do have involved certain areas of the festival,  the next few suggestions are general bits of advice which I feel deserve more than a quick bullet point.

7, Explore

If you’ve never been to Glastonbury let me tell you your in for a treat, Glastonbury is a vast wonderland and an all out assault on the senses. Visually it is unlike any other festival I’ve ever been too, the attention to detail is stunning, from the individually hand painted bins and poles, the flags in various fields and the thousands of fairy lights that make the site come alive at night. The beauty of the festival, as much as at times it doesn’t seem real, seems to reignite a sense of wonder and imagination in me that can sometimes be lost on a day to day basis, and I believe it is purposely done to make us explore.

Some of the best times at Glastonbury are found not watching the bands, yes the bands play an integral part to each day, but for me some of the best times are had with a few free between the must see acts. This time gives me a good chance to bimble about and really get stuck into what makes the festival so great, that’s the weird and wonderful moments I didn’t expect at every twist and turn, around every corner. Some of my most memorable moments have come just from walking from one stage to another, something out of the blue catching my eye or ear and my inquisitive nature just going with it. From ending up in an amazing indie disco after Neil Young in 2009, exploring the alleys of Shangri-La during the day in 2010 (one of my favourite ever festival days and I saw two bands all day). Seeing Davos perform in 2013 in Silver Hayes, it was midday on the Friday and we were just passing through, but the sound of his keyboard playing and the sight of girls either side dancing on stripper poles was enough to get mine and the wife’s attention.

I’ve ended up in make shift dance troupes, being shouted at by drill sergeants, just while walking for something to eat ! I’ve watched mime artists perform in boxes on bicycles just by being intrigued by crowds gathering. I’ve poked my head into tents and seen unbelievable jazz bands, dance troupes, crazy circus acts. Just sat myself down at the bandstand not knowing who is coming on and been treated to amazing skiffle, ska and punk bands. My willingness to explore the site has created amazing memories and moments.

Some of the best times to explore are the Wednesday and Thursday. For me these days feel like a separate festival to the other three days as there is less pressure on people and a more relaxed feel around the site. I like to take the chance on these days to explore gems like The Green Fields, the Permaculture Gardens, the Green Peace areas and just take in the attention to detail in such areas like The Glade while they’re a bit quieter. Then there’s hidden Glastonbury to find ! Do you know about the stone dragon at the Stone Circles ? Or ever been down the Rabbit Hole or found the Underground Piano Bar ? There’s treats hidden all over the site.

So with that being said don’t be scared to peak into tents, to trek up to Strummerville or The Crows Nest without knowing whose playing, to follow the sound of laughter, or music without knowing whats going on. Don’t be scared to miss the start of a must see bands set as your having fun doing something random, or be scared to leave a bands set before the end as you want to get stuck into the festival once again, the greatest thing about Glastonbury is the wonder of the festival itself.

 

 

Things to do at Glastonbury (Part 6)

6 weeks people ! This time in 6 weeks I should be grinning from ear to ear walking around Worthy Farm, having seen The Stone Roses in Leeds the night before. Emily Eavis announced today that there’s a few surprises yet to be announced including a big surprise they have been sitting on for 6 months that no one has yet got wind of. I could easily see a few more big names added to an already incredible line up, Lady Gaga hopefully. I think the big surprise could be the announcement of the legends slot, which has had its own individual announcement in the last few years, and although Barry Gibb has been considered to be the legend in question this year it hasn’t yet been confirmed.

6, Visit Arcadia

I bloody love Arcadia. No matter how many times I’ve visited it over the years and no matter what incarnation it is it always blows me away. The spider is an absolute monster to behold and each year the organisers and creators of Arcadia put little twists on the shows to keep it fresh enough to keep me running back for more.

Arcadia was once situated in the South East Corner and although still a spectacle was not near the scale you see now. It was originally first moved from the South East Corner to the Other Stage field in 2013, a move which showed what the creators could do with a bit more space but the sound and setup didn’t fit in that field, so in 2014 Arcadia was given the location it has now opposite The Park entrance and this field has become Arcadia’s home.

All of Arcadias stage setups are built from recycled materials and its centrepiece is The Spider, a gigantic fire spitting colossus that hosts world renowned DJ’s in its centre. Over the years I’ve seen the likes of Fatboy Slim, Seth Troxler and Disclosure DJ in this metal monster. Not only does The Spider spit fire it also spits out amazing visuals, lasers, dry ice and has rotating limbs which move. Over the years the limbs have been used in a variety of creative ways, my favourite been in 2013 the acrobats and dancers swinging from the limbs dropping and snatching planted members of the Arcadia audience to the shock of the crowds around them.

The shock and awe is the main reason I keep going back at least once each year, on the night the area seems from another world, The Spider especially doesn’t seem real, and as I’m a sucker for pyramid headliners you can see it blasting fire in the distance behind the pyramid, its too tempting not to head there after a pyramid headliner. I also like the fact the Arcadia crew are always evolving what the Arcadia field and show is. In 2013 I saw the Lords of Lighting and the Fire Tornado there in between the DJ sets, and in 2014 they had the Hand of Man, a giant metal hand that could be controlled by the Glastonbury public to crush cars. I’ve yet to see the Metamorphosis show on my last two visits but have heard its worth missing the bands for.

The other reason I favour Arcadia over the other late night areas is that is has space. Sometimes the South East Corner, especially Shangri-La can feel too crowded and as your getting pushed and pulled about you can miss things. The Arcadia show is that big in scale that its great to get right up close and personal and really feel the heat of the spider, but at the same time the field is large enough to take a step back if needed, get a bit of space but still appreciate the entertainment. There’s also some seating, which a few of my friends on Efestivals says is great as they have existing health problems which means they need to sit or rest up. Arcadia also has one of the meanest Mojito bars on site, made to order which means sometimes its a long wait, but well worth it as their Mojitos pack a punch.

So if your unsure of your plans after the bands have finished take my advice and head to Arcadia at least one night, I promise you wont be disappointed.

 

Things to do at Glastonbury (Part 5)

WOW Glastonbury, just wow !! That Glade announcement was something else, if the announcements keep coming with the quality of the last few then this could well be the best overall line-up the festival has ever put together. The Glade, and especially The Glade stage is a bit like the Theatre and Circus in being a place I can just head to if I’ve got some free time and just know I’ll be entertained. The Glade stage especially is so unique in its setup in the trees with its 3D sound system,  I’ve spent a few Thursday nights there, and seeing Sasha there twice have also been personal highlights. I’m hoping to complete the Sasha hat-trick this year seeing Sasha and Digweed, plus I’m really hoping Rob Da Banks Prince Tribute at the Spike doesn’t create a clash elsewhere for me.

5, See the Sunrise

Glastonbury in some parts is about new and unique experiences. Most of us in our busy day to day lives probably never get to experience the beauty of a sunrise. Personally I’m either working or sleeping in my normal life so at Glastonbury I like to experience at least one sunrise per festival, it really is a stunning experience.

I’ve watched the sunrise walking back from Trash City, dancing at the Heds Party in Silver Hayes, sat chilling outside my tent, but my personal favourite place is up at The Stone Circles. The circles get a bad rap as during the day they are considered a hang out for unsavoury people and teens on laughing gas, no matter what time I’ve visited I’ve never had a problem. Yes, people gather around the stones but during the day, especially on a sunny day, there’s enough space to find your own bit of room and have a chill. The views from the top of the field are especially stunning during the day.

During the night the Stone Circles become a very communal place. Camp fires burn away, music plays and as night turns to early morning people flock to the circles to see the sunrise, its almost a right of passage or something to tick off the Glastonbury bucket list. So take a few drinks, some warm clothes and look for the guys selling the large candles, find a bit of space and light a fire and be prepared to experience one of the most amazing sunrises you’ll ever see.

Word of warning though about seeing sunrise at the circles though. Glastonbury is a big site, like a small city. So if your camped the other side of the festival its going to be very early morning by the time you get back to your tent, and if you’ve been on the go all day the day before, be prepared to right off some of the following morning and early afternoon as you will be happy but tired, this is coming from experience. If your not one for the early hours as your more of a day person, or need your rest each night, Id recommend watching the sunset up near the Glastonbury sign, again a very chilled, communal experience, great for the Wednesday or Thursday evenings when there’s no big bands on.

Therefore if you don’t fancy a long walk in the early hours of the morning, find somewhere closer to your camp, or as I’ve already mentioned spend it in your camp, but please, please, please experience the magic of a Glastonbury sunrise at least once this year.

Things to do at Glastonbury (Part 4)

A few days since my last post and Glastonbury keeps hitting us with the announcements. Proving that there really is no pattern Shangri-La was announced on a bank holiday Monday, which I think may be a first for the festival. I’m glad to see Shangri-La getting a revamp this year, I think its design had become a little repetitive and stale. I know it had put my off the SE corner as I’m an Arcadia man personally as I like the fact you can have a bit of space or a sit when the mood takes. There have been rumblings online that the revamp will include a more spacious design, and I’m interested to see The Truth Stage and The Gas Tower in action.

As for the announcement again Glasto has shown why its the best and most creative festival in the country, if not the world ! Who else would put Napalm Death and So Solid Crew on the same stage. Me and the wife will definitely be spending some time in Shangri-La this year as Craig Charles and DJ Yoda are on our ever growing must see lists.

4, Visit the Theatre and Circus Fields

I’ve mentioned in previous posts that Glastonbury is really a lot of mini festivals all held under the Glastonbury banner with each area having its own unique identity and feel to it. While a lot of the areas are predominantly music based one of my favourite go to areas to have a break from the music and a change of pace is the Theatre and Circus Fields. Over the past few years these fields have been our go to destination if we haven’t got any must see musical acts, with the plan always been to grab a cocktail and just see what’s going on, upon arrival the fields are usually buzzing with a unique, crazy, fun energy unlike any others at the festival.

In the fields there’s the big top stage which hosts amazing world class circus acts day and night. There’s also night time shows in the fields themselves which are supposedly spell binding. My favourite part of the T&C fields are the walkabout acts, some odd, some crazy, but most are unbelievably funny. The tea ladies, the hugging trolls, the lobster men and the cricket umpires are a few that have brought me to tears over the years.

The attention to detail and entertain in these fields is what amazes me. The fact that not only are there multiple tents of entertainment, walkabout acts, an outdoor circus and some smaller tents but also an outdoor trapeze shows how much value Glastonbury wants to give to its ticketholders. Over the years I have seen contortionists, escape artists, acrobats, robots, and still walkers from futuristic worlds all amaze me with their skills.

Also don’t be afraid to explore, I’ve seen amazing dance troupes just be wandering into some of the smaller tents over the years and in 2015 saw by chance Phil Jupitus and his chums performing a live rendition of Whose Line Is It Anyway by walking into a tent just to get out of the rain, it was hilarious.

So if you find yourself with no must sees music wise and a few hours to kill but still fancy some amazing entertainment head over to the Theatre and Circus Fields, I promise you wont be disappointed.

Things to do at Glastonbury (Part 3)

 

Unless you’ve taking kiddies to Glastonbury and are in awe of the Kidz Field announcement yesterday, the big news over the last few days is who is opening the Pyramid stage on the Friday this year.

Hacienda Classical will be kicking off proceedings Friday morning and me and the wife are super excited for this. Our yearly tradition of seeing the Other stage opener has been thrown out the window after this announcement as there is no where else we are going to be. I was a bit too young for the Hacienda but my first clubbing experiences in my home town of Hull were frequenting house and dance clubs, my favourite “Room” would have a club night once a month called “Rewind” were the DJ’S would spin nothing but club classics, and having checked out the Hacienda Classicals recent setlists I have a deep affinity to a lot of the songs they play so Friday morning is shaping up to be very special. I’ll be grabbing an early one Thursday night in preparation as getting to the Pyramid from Gate A that early is not easy, but I do expect to see a few people who have pulled all nighters thinking it was a wise idea after a heavy Thursday night. If your going to see this Friday morning and recognise me from any of my photos on social media come and say hi, I love the random conversations with strangers at Glasto.

3, Experience the Food and Drink

Not only is Glastonbury a filled with great music, theatre, performing arts, politics and spoken word, for those of you who don’t know its actually one of the best food and drink festivals out there. With each visit the amount of food I take gets less and less, to the point this year were it will consist of a few cereal bars and snacks, as the food and drink variety and quality the festival offers each year is mind blowing.

I love waking up each morning to the smell of bacon and sausages frying from neighbouring camps but it takes a lot of work to bring the extra kit in, I now much prefer to save up a bit extra and eat out at the festival. The strawberry and nutella crepes with a nice big coffee in 2013 being one that springs to mind when I think of great breakfasts at the festival.

If you stay clear of the run of the mill burger, hot dog and noodle stands that frequent the main stages and travel a bit further afield, then amazing food stalls are aplenty at Glastonbury. Over the years I’ve tried an array of amazing dishes from Cajun Gumbo at Crayfish Bobs, Goan fish curry, and Goat curry in West Holts, the later followed by the most amazing fried to order banana fritters with cream. I’ve had amazing mezes at the Park, cooked to order stone baked pizzas at The Glade, unbelievable chicken kebabs and onion bhajis in Silver Hayes. The key to great food at Glastonbury is knowing what to look for.

Rule number one for me is buy from places that cook to order, I don’t want to eat a burger that been sat out for god knows how long. I look for places that look authentic and that even when there’s no queue the people who are working there look busy as they are prepping food, if you’ve got a bunch of people stood with their arms folded behind a stall, chances are the foods not that fresh.

Don’t be scared to take a walk. As I’ve said, some of the best places are a bit further afield from the main stages like the Pyramid. That being said if you are a fan of the pyramid your best spot for amazing grub is The Williams Green Food Market, that’s where my personal favourite Cray Fish Bobs can be found but there is a wide assortment of culinary delights there, I’ve had some amazing curries there over the last few years. West Holts is a great spot for food you may not have tried before and even though its a bit of a hike away from the music you cant go wrong with The Green Fields for unbelievably fresh and tasty food.

Look for queues, there’s a reason why some food vendors have long queues, its because their food is made to order so it takes a while to fulfil each order, but its also because word has spread or that stall has a reputation from previous years for doing great food. Annie Maes Mac and Cheese springs to mind has having a great rep, and after sampling it at Latitude last year I can see why, they offer 3 or 4 toppings to the mac and cheese but after sampling 3 last year they are all delicious. No, I didn’t go there 3 times ! Myself and my family bought three different types between us. Again if the staff behind the stall haven’t got a sweat on, there’s no queues, and have a look of boredom on their faces, chances are the food aint that great.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

That’s the food covered, now onto the important stuff, the drink. Glastonbury is very unique in the fact that both campsites and areas are all encompassed in one, once your in your in, no checking into the arena each day. Due to that comes the unique pleasure of being able to carry your own drink around with you each day, which comes in handy when watching bands or being in areas like the Stone Circles where bar service isn’t available. It also keeps the spends down and is another reason why Glasto is a cut above the other festivals in this country, it isn’t about bleeding you dry of your hard earned cash.

That being said though I like to treat myself to a few cold ones or cocktails throughout the day and at Glastonbury you really are spoilt for choice. Just check the map and you’ll see there are numerous bars on site, some are just like the bars you’d find at other festivals with the sole purpose of serving up alcohol, a bit lifeless but they serve a purpose. A lot of the bars however are actual temporary bars, some are tents, some actual structures, each with their own unique feel to them, and most have a full line-up of entertainment day and night. These bars can be great if your at a loose end as you can walk in and suddenly your watching something you would never had planned to see.

My personal favourite bars are The Bread and Roses, Rock the Kasbah and the Glade Lounge, each have a different and own unique feel to them, and there’s always DJ’s or live music playing in most of these. The Stonebridge bar up at The Park is pretty legendary for its Baggy Mondays indie night on the Thursday and has had Steve Davis, Jarvis Cocker and Super Hans DJ there over the past few years.

The array of drink choices at Glastonbury compared to other festivals is also staggering. Cider drinker ? Try the Cider Bus, which also has a great cocktail bar, Real Ales ? There’s the real ale tent near the Acoustic Tent. What if Gins your tipple ? There’s an amazing Gin Cocktail bar in the Theatre and Circus Field, Wine ? Try the Pennards Organic Wine Tent for that, they also do an amazing hot rum punch. But what about Rum ? Try the Rumshack in the common or for Rum Cocktails the cocktail bars next to The Blues in Silver Hayes. For Mojitos you cant beat the Mojito Bars in Arcadia or Glasto Latino and for killer cocktails id recommend The Rocket Lounge. Glastonbury really does have it all covered and if your not a drinker or need something to give you a pick me up from the night before there are some amazing fresh, made to order, smoothie stalls on site.

The featured picture is me indulging in some amazing curry in 2013, I was one happy chappy.  If you recognise me this year come say hello, I love a random conversation with strangers at Glasto, its part of what makes the festival what it is. Glastonbury is about feeding your mind body and soul, and if you didn’t realise before reading this its also about feeding your face. Plus Glastonbury is a marathon, not a sprint, its a big place and sometimes people don’t realise how much energy they are exerting getting around it. So please remember to refuel and indulge in the great food and drink the festival has to offer.