31 replies to this topic

[grumpyhack]

I was going to say it's the people.  We have a 'gang' of five who go every year as a lads week away and it wouldn't be the same without them.  We also meet up with a gang of women friends and some of us also go to other festivals together but they're not the same as Glasto.  So it's more than just the people.
On balance I think it's the late night sitting around the tent putting the world to rights conversations we have that seem to be engendered by the spirit of Glasto.
For a couple of years my daughter Lizzie came with us and we would spend the wee small hours discussing the state of the world and her plans for the future.  From those festival conversations emerged her decisions to go to uni to study politics, to do a masters in International Development and this summer she's heading off to Cameroon in west Africa to help run a project working with orphan children.  That's what Glasto is about.

[Taija]

Bluearsedfly, on 27 May 2011 - 11:11 PM, said:

Used to be 100% about the music. As I have grown older and this my 20th Glastonbury, it is about just being there with my closest friends I have and having the best 5 days of the Year.

20th?! Wow, that is amazing. I bet it's quite cool to be able to see all the chances that have been happening (and hopefully they've been good)

[sparkythetortoise]

Taija, on 26 May 2011 - 06:10 PM, said:

I thought it would be nice to share stories from the slightly mundane to the extremely soppy!

After a twenty year break I start going to festivals again. After the deluge of 2005, and waiting for two years for a dry one, its 2007 and I've just had what remains my grimmest Glastonbury yet. I'm sitting in a MacDonald's somewhere off the A4 and I'm cold and wet and extremely fed up, with a broken down van in the car park, seriously doubting the sanity of this return to festival life at my advanced time of life.

My mate,who persuaded me (against my better judgement) to go in the first place, is trying to shake me out of my mood. He puts forward what remains for me the single most compelling reason for attendance.

"What else are you going to do that weekend?" he says

The sun has shone down on me every Glastonbury since

Edited by sparkythetortoise, 28 May 2011 - 09:22 AM.

[Bluearsedfly]

Taija, on 28 May 2011 - 09:05 AM, said:

20th?! Wow, that is amazing. I bet it's quite cool to be able to see all the chances that have been happening (and hopefully they've been good)

Yes it has been, try not to bore people with the standard it's not like it used to be line! It has changed which it had to in order to evolve and survive IMO. Have some fantastic memories of the old style Glasto but I am sure the 2011 model will be the best yet!

[Taija]

sparkythetortoise, on 28 May 2011 - 09:19 AM, said:

After a twenty year break I start going to festivals again. After the deluge of 2005, and waiting for two years for a dry one, its 2007 and I've just had what remains my grimmest Glastonbury yet. I'm sitting in a MacDonald's somewhere off the A4 and I'm cold and wet and extremely fed up, with a broken down van in the car park, seriously doubting the sanity of this return to festival life at my advanced time of life.

My mate,who persuaded me (against my better judgement) to go in the first place, is trying to shake me out of my mood. He puts forward what remains for me the single most compelling reason for attendance.

"What else are you going to do that weekend?" he says

The sun has shone down on me every Glastonbury since

That's a lovely story! Good that you don't regret making a comeback to the festival circuit (;

[Taija]

Bluearsedfly, on 28 May 2011 - 09:22 AM, said:

Yes it has been, try not to bore people with the standard it's not like it used to be line! It has changed which it had to in order to evolve and survive IMO. Have some fantastic memories of the old style Glasto but I am sure the 2011 model will be the best yet!

I bet it is quite different, yeah.. And a bit bigger too! I would have loved to have experienced it back in the day.. But alas, I'm a bit too young to have accomplished it. My first was last year, and I think it was a delightfully sunny first time

[sjp61]

I had been talking about going for years but never got around to it until last year! Now I will be going ( If I can get a ticket!!) every year I can while I can still breathe!
Nothing prepared me for what I experienced in that fenced utopia in Somerset! I had the absolute time of my life! ( and I am 'knocking on a bit')
June 22nd can't get here soon enough for me!!

[redflower]

I watched the coverage of the horror that was glasto 2005 and thought "That looks awesome"
The 24 hour flight will totally be worth it when we are hanging out in field, listening to all these bands I never thought I would ever get to see.
Also, missed out seeing QOTSA due to an ill timed earthquake, so am stoked I will get to see them them in the most amazing place in the world!

[Taija]

redflower, on 28 May 2011 - 09:46 AM, said:

I watched the coverage of the horror that was glasto 2005 and thought "That looks awesome"
The 24 hour flight will totally be worth it when we are hanging out in field, listening to all these bands I never thought I would ever get to see.
Also, missed out seeing QOTSA due to an ill timed earthquake, so am stoked I will get to see them them in the most amazing place in the world!

24 hour flight?? EARTHQUAKE? NZ, I take it? That's awesome that you're coming from halfway across the globe.. And I thought me coming from Finland was hassle enough

[Lilmiz]

It's the only place i have found in the world where i can truely leave normality and everyday life at the gates, safely tucked away in a bubble of total freedom.  

I will always remember the first night of my first Glasto (2007) standing at the top of the stone circle field looking over the festival, the lights, the buzz, the fire dancers and the feeling of absolute freedom was just overwhelming!

I am quite unsure about what i will do next year as it will be my first year without Glasto.

[redflower]

Taija, on 28 May 2011 - 09:51 AM, said:

24 hour flight?? EARTHQUAKE? NZ, I take it? That's awesome that you're coming from halfway across the globe.. And I thought me coming from Finland was hassle enough

Yep, all the from NZ, totally going to be worth it!

[ghandi]

It's the only place i have found in the world where i can truely leave normality and everyday life at the gates, safely tucked away in a bubble of total freedom.


This!!!!

Also now going with my brother and Nephew it has become a lovely way of just being with them together without our female influences and having a laugh and a beer and listening/ watching great music with like minded people, it's just the best thing in the world. Only to be spoiled upon my return to normality.