Beaver89

That’ll make it easier to find mine then!

I remember nothing of that set except arriving a bit late during even better than the real thing which had a butterfly visual on the screen and the perpetual sideways rain that lasted the entire rest of the set. The single most miserable set of my time at the fest. And I accidentally saw Kesha!

Other needs no help in being windswept and bleak. (No aspersions on the artists!) We’ve always been in [redacted as not telling our secrets] at the pyramid so not Ben an issue but makes sense it falls away further back

Why would wind be bad? I guess for the outside stage sound systems? I’ll take windy and chilly over wet and muddy!

If you find someone has squatted in your tent, it’s your own ruddy fault for buying yet another F&B 4.1. Accidents happen! In all seriousness, as others have said vigilance over valuables or using the lockups is wise. Your tents will be fine especially before everything kicks off! The number of empty tents set up by friends before they arrive is sizeable. …crap we were supposed to be doing that this year… oh well they can sort themselves on Thursday! Oops!

We left London! Back to my family a bit early to avoid the strikes. Oh it is really starting to feel real now!!! I can hardly contain it. 1 more day of work tomorrow, a trip to Lilley’s on Tuesday to get supplies then up early on Weds to get in the queue! I know every single one is special but I feel like this one will be one for the EXTRA special list. You know that euphoria of being back at a gig after 18 months out? Now compare the feeling of a gig to Glasto. Yea. That! LET’S GO!!!

Stone Circle / Kings Meadow. Sunset will be about 9:30 and the fireworks shortly after that. Get up there with a couple of drinks in hand from about 8:30/9pm to soak in the atmosphere. During the day, the green fields and healing fields are usually active, otherwise wandering about reacquainting yourself with the place and sitting with a drink is the usual routine!

Have just set out from London towards Somerset! We have trainers, walking boots and wellies; T-shirts, anoraks and warm jackets. We are ready for anything. It looks to me like it’ll be a vintage year no matter what. Sun, rain, mud, dust - the lot! Let’s be honest, if it does rain, is there anywhere you’d rather stand in the rain than the farm? (No, not standing in the rain is not an option). And who doesn’t love that bizarrely sweaty smell that comes off fresh ‘mud concrete’. Whatever happens we know it’ll be “the best yet” and our souls will all feel better for having had the best weekend of the last 3 years. I’m on team positive with crazyfool. Can’t wait!!! The above is how I really feel. But as it’s the weather thread on the cusp of relative certainty: WE’RE ALL GOING TO DROWN THEN BOIL AND OUR LEGS WILL FALL OFF!!!

PS I can't be the only one who thought of this on reading the thread title right?

Festival 9 for me after a 6 year break due to the ticket gods not favouring me until this resale. I'm not really big on Christmas but when I get to go to Glasto, that's my Christmas - I kinda love the fact they are exactly 6 months apart too. Christmas has been un-cancelled for me and I can't yet believe it's happening. I think it'll take until I get on the ancient bus from Bath and West, see the first Glasto font sign, fight through the turnstiles with my backpack, grab a programme and tote for it to start to sink in. Seeing the Pyramid again is going to be emotional. The first round at the cider bus will be joyous Best bit is my Dad and his wife have listened to me harp on about the place since I was 18 and they know how special it is to me. They got tickets in October 2019 and feared going without me in a twist of irony. They sweetly offered about three times over the years to transfer them if it was possible. Now I get to share it with him for real. We have so many newbies coming this year so the vicarious fresh experience is going to be strong and frankly after being away for so long some of it will be for real even if for the most part it will be a homecoming. My eyes appear to have started watering writing that... damn hay fever... I'm unlikely to make it to the meet because, well, you now how it is. However if I can, I will, as it'll be great to put some faces to avatars/usernames. Otherwise if on Wednesday you see a guy wearing a t-shirt with his own face on it, say hello, and I'll tell you the story that goes with it. (just need to find it...)

Memory has faded somewhat as their last fest was 2015 but I seem to remember they applied for 2016 but weren't given a slot having been in the Other field for years and years. So 'bullying' as I phrased it is a bit strong but I've a vague recollection of some other drama to do with it but I don't know now. I know there were grumblings when they got moved from Other adjacent to the bank of stalls on the same side the year before. Thinking about it you're going to get drama if you name your stand after a soap character. To those saying they looked rank... its a chip butty with cheese and bacon as options. I admit they didn't look the best and are beige on beige but they were perfect festi fuel if you needed a carb injection. Far from my fave, mind.

Another legend gone. They were the perfect stamina filler. I think I've had one every time! Oh well, happy retirement to the owner. Surely well deserved. First the growlers got bullied out, now this, someone's going to tell me the fish curry place has gone next...

Not quite getting these out yet but liking the way it is going. Do the broader chat - no year is ever 100% perfect. Not in times I've been anyway there is always some rain or its a bit too hot or something. I'll take dry over hot every time though regardless of the heat. What we ideally want though is overcast but dry at about 20C... so a British summer eh! I really can't be bothered to take the wellies and need to decide by Sunday morning!

Judging by the tent trends this year this could stand to be almost as useless as "I'm stood by a flag" 😆

Leaving it up and stretching it is a genius idea - thank you! Unfortunately we travel westwards at the weekend thanks to the train strikes so unlikely to have an opportunity but that is definitely the issue we faced on the middle pole. It took us two hours as we were both dying of hay fever and our hands were sore from our attempts. We were also trying to watch videos for some tips but reached the conclusion brute force was the way. Haha I would but I think (hope!) I'll be at a bar by then! Honestly, just find a neighbour to help. We found it was not exactly easier but at least possible with both of us, both hands and a lot of strength. I would suggest leaving it to the young one but you may be sleeping in an extra sleeping bag layer if you did that!

It's happened most years I've been there so the 2004 chat is nonsense. It will make a glorious and continuous return this year. It'll be remarkable if the acts can get a note in sideways!

Ah just the thread I needed! Some very good ideas in here which I shall be exploring. Wanted more ideas beyond the biscuits, maltloaf (soreen) and haribo I usually take. I don't take too much as prefer to eat what is on offer but a few things for the campsite are always needed - much like the boxed cider we take too.

Test run completed on our 4.1 F&B poles on Sunday. Should have taken 15 minutes (love that its one piece plus poles and pegs) but it took us 2 hours and eventually both of us brute forcing to get the centre pole into both sides. Unsure either of us (or many people in general) could do it solo. Anyone else experience this or got any tips to make it easier? Regarding light in the tent, certainly wasn't truly blackout like in the store but an awful lot better than a non-blackout tent. Seemed cool enough inside but it wasn't up for long and not in direct sun for most of the time. I figure some reflection and darkness is better than none. Hoping it holds true to the promise come next week!

E I E I... and on the farm there was a band... etc. etc.

Ah great, thank you.!

Would you like a tiny air pump and 3-brightness lamp for all your air bed, vacuum bag and seeing-what-the-fuck-you're-doing-inside-your-F&B needs? I got you: https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08GQXHJVX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1. It's smaller than you think and they make a slightly larger one too (which was the size we were expecting the tiny one to be). A word to the wise, neither will blow up the quechua air bed base as they are too small but excellent for normal airbeds and SIMs. Not a bargan per se but a natty piece of kit

To date an old version of the Thermarest Trail Pro has been the best upgrade I made a few fests ago at the emphatic recommendation of a friend. For those seeking a single, lightweight, relatively compact solution - I recommend it. The new ones are even thicker so even better for ground clearance. Going plush this year with upgrades that will hopefully see us through the next decade or more. Not only have we joined the 4.1 F&B crew and treated ourselves to new sleeping bags but the main excitement is that we have got ourselves a decathlon air bed base each and using our current SIMs (for me the aforementioned thermarest) to top it (It's adding up money wise and that Ultim Comfort one is heavy). Taking the manual air pump will be a bulky faff but it will be worth it I'm sure. Couldn't find any battery pumps that could go to 6 PSI so if anyone has a tip there, let me know. I've found the lack of sleep to be a killer in festivals past and now I'm older and have a few health considerations, good sleep is a must if I'm to get the most out of our favourite place on earth without keeling over at the wrong moment. I'm actually looking forward to the sleeping set up as much as the fun and games of the fest for the first time rather than worrying about lumpy ground and hips falling through a deflating SIM with a fall in temperature, and not being able to get to sleep because its light or hot. Biggest worry will be over-sleeping and missing something I think! Who needs glamping, eh?!

You know its close when the announcement thread dwindles and the weather thread heats up! Let's Gooooooo!!!! NFR NFC

4.1 poles ordered today. Am I allowed in the club now? We toyed with the idea of the 3 man ones (Especially those umbrella tech ones! So cool!) as they are so much smaller and lighter but decided to take a longer term and more weather flexible view and put up with lugging it.

My 2186 day wait is 2165 days through. I’m so excited!!! (first ticket success since 2016)