glasto-worker

sorry to hear you two were unlucky - I had not a clue it was ticket day - a ticket system I have never used. try to get a confirmed place before the next resale {spring 2023} as places really get snapped up dead quick its best to look at previous years Volunteer posts on Efest as there is a lot of links {they may not still be active but its a good starting point} from various organisations large and small - I even recall a post that was posted a few days before Glasto - they were looking for 3 or 4 people and basically the next 3 or 4 people who contacted via direct message would get it so its amazing how useful some of these posts can be. I became a Volunteer even before the World Wide Web was invented so there was no web sites where a person could apply for a Volunteer job - it was all by speaking to people ' face to face ' and half the problem was knowing who was in charge - #took me 2 years # but I have stayed with them for 34 years.

Well - that would be a good idea - except ' some idiot set up the Production Crew WI-FI but wrote down the wrong password ' { he had buggered off to another event } all weekend people played about with the password but no one got in Including a Network Controller { who is a expert on WI-FI }- if I owned a 5G phone I would be laughing { they had excellent reception } but my 4G phone { with Three } only ever connected very late at night { and even that connection was very sloooow } - 100% it was that unexpected extra shower unit that screwed me up + the fact that some people pitched their tents on the ' clearway path ' when we were at the bar and that hid my team mates very distinctive tent + it did not help because it was a new Crew site - its split in two so there was loads of room for tents in section 2 so there was no need for anyone to camp on the clearway path of section 1 - anyway if I ever get a 5G phone I will bung on ' What3words ' thanks.

even after 43 years I got caught out - not really lost as I knew where I was but ' I could not find my Bloody tent ' We were using a new Crew site - we arrived on the Tuesday had a drink in the crew bar but I kept bumping into people so did not leave until after 3am - All my Team was camping beside each other and the one nearest the path had a very distinctive tent and just to make certain I had switched on my UFO Camping light { 28 LED's } which was hanging inside the tent so my tent could be spotted in the dark from a distance - walked back to discover the area was Floodlight { they had not been there before so must have been fitted when we were in the bar } so could not spot my tent. what really baffled me was I had lined up my tent to the last shower unit so I thought all I had to do was stick to that line and I would find it ## Unknowing to me ' they had brought in a extra shower unit ' so that screwed up my alignment !!! ## I was on my way to production to get them to cut the Floodlights when I ran into another Organiser who I knew was camping near me so I walked back with him. its only when it was daylight when I spotted the extra shower unit. so next year may fix a strobe to my tent.

Thank you for letting us know - very kind of you. Very sad - one of the few posters who would contact me by e-mail ## although I have not got a Clue - if he approached me or if I approached him { I have had 2 stroke's so ' dates and memory is not a strong point ' } ## and I cant even recall the last time we had a drink. he will be greatly missed. RIP William 🍺

not sure the year { sorry but they all tend to merge into decades } but likely to be in the 80' as I had more time to wander !!! not a Huge marquee so I expect it was a traders marquee - anyway ## something behind it it must have had a ' sound and light system ' ## and we were standing at the rear - god knows the field or why we were standing there. may have been standing round a fire anyway when the ' sound and light system ' fired up - a very powerful strobe was illuminating the small marquee at the front ## and it was at that point ' we spotted a Couple shagging ' { well in silhouette } with the music I doubt they could hear us clapping - but then the bloody strobe blew a fuse ## and our view was over ##

I only found out who ran the Rastafarian Cafe ' by posting on here some years ago ' - would loved to have got some shots inside but ## as there was a lot of dealing going on { customers and the staff } ## I doubt I would have made it + as it was near the back of the market area I reckon lots of people missed it run like a Yardie Shebeen with floor to roof speakers - not a place you could sit and have a ' drink and a chat ' as you could not hear anyone speak. I have not got a clue what it was like during the day but late at night it was a adventure { if you had the balls to walk in } - if you were not stoned when you walked in ## you would be stoned when you walked out ## even if you did not smoke any joints. if I am correct 'Police moved onto the Glastonbury Festival site in 1989' so certainly there was no Rastafarian Cafe after 1987 I quote from ITV ## The 1989 festival brought with it more complications with the local council over the granting of the festival's licence. In a bid to ease concerns from locals, police were brought into the organisation and planning of the festival for the first time. ## I am sure there was some random cops about before 1989 but not in the numbers we see now - does not bother me either way. ---------- I agree there was a fair number of biker Encampments - some even used ' Police do not cross tape ' which I always found funny. will try out your negative code - thanks. below is the shot as we left Notting Hill Gate {London} in 1986 - there was 4 adults in the car + camping gear + bevy - god knows where the hats came from - I was the only driver - Mini made it back

I agree there is some super shots ' but ' pre digital' is part of the Problem ' She has used 1 from the 70's and 4 images from the 80's but there was others she did not use because I could not say which specific year it was - all I knew they were not taking 1980 or 1988 { the two years it was not held in the 80's } - I can work out the others by the people in the shots as 1983 - 1986 taking using a Nikon F2 {professional SLR Camera} even although it costs a bomb it did not have a ' date function ' so my 35 mm negatives don't have a actual date. some year { as it will take me a good year } I will go though my huge collection and will print some of the 35 mm negatives - many in B/W { such as below } photo taken in the Pyramid field about 5.30am 1986 as we were wandering past and there was a large collection of motorbikes. Bud { The guy in the photo } wanted to sit on the bloody thing but as we were only inches from the tents I certainly was not going to take on a mob of bikers. I am sure we had come from the Rastafarian Cafe {inside the market area - a huge marquee } run by a team from Bristol - the only cafe with 1 or 2 Bouncers at the door - never closed - did not sell many hot drinks but lots of alcohol { I am sure they did not have a licence } - they were there a few years but one year they were gone and never to return { as far as I am aware }

That site is larger than it looks - its linked at https://www.myglastonburystory.com/archive its run by Emma https://www.myglastonburystory.com/about she had a exhibition on recently https://www.myglastonburystory.com/exhibition and she also posts on this site from time to time

even although the map may claim ' camping only ' or ' camping and car parking ' it was a lot more flexible than that - to be honest I don't have a clue when they started clamping down because after 1987 I was in crew camping so it did not affect me - as for the other have a read at https://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/the-wonderful-world-of-west-holts/

My Mistake - I had a quick look ' on a ticket site ' and it came up with Reading for September so it may mean your venue in Bristol has sold out. I have looked at his official site and I can see he is ' all over the shop ' + a few gigs in Norway and even the USA . I am amazed he has so many gigs must say the ticket price is very reasonable.

So that must be his concert in Reading - have a good night

Over time ' most bar names were changed ' with a few exceptions and as the festival expanded some were moved about and there was others added. below is a photo from 1986 and as you can see it was tiny - have not a clue of its location.

it was the last time I bought a ticket - weekend was £21 - cant find 1987 map but I believe this is 1989 so its close enough. my big memory {and I have extensive photos of it {well the 35mm negatives } was the Mutoid Waste people driving round in a ' Skull truck ' - they were all over the place that weekend with that truck. if my memory is correct the Mutoid Waste people first showed up in 1986. Some of the exhibits they ' were using welding torch on site ' - No way would health and safety allow that now. main highlight was Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians on Friday 19th June and Richard Thompson on Saturday 20th June mainly dry but some wet periods got muddy in some areas

packed my camping gear { including my tent mallet - I reckon I will need it this year } - due to the tube strikes it means getting to South London on Monday staying with a friend { who lives close } overnight and she will drop us at the Crew coach pick up point Tuesday morning - Once we get all the tents up we will go on a wander out to a few Crew bars Never really keen on a Scorching Glastonbury { such as 2010 } - it slows me away down so tend only to come out in the late evening. sun hat and sun cream already packed. Hope you all have a Good Glastonbury

well spotted - just a shame the guy was blocking the view of the bar as I may have been able to work out its location.

Silver Hayes is Closer but time and day is also important and also weather conditions. + we have no idea if the layout will be the same as 2019 - wait to the 2022 map comes out and then ask again.

Love the links - well done - will go hunting later I was nowhere near the shooting but it was all over Security radio on that Saturday Evening - bar was roughly 1/2 between the Pyramid and the Acoustic area. Any incident near any Bar and the message is sent to every other Bar and for a short period the Tent Manager {the boss of that Bar} Closed the bar I was working in - time for a smoke out the back and then the all Clear message came though and the Bar was reopened again ## Big Note here - Not every bar closed ## Bar Security { real name 'Specialized Security' although most people call them Scottish Security - the mob you see at the barrier of the Pyramid } was on high alert although most Customers I doubt would have knowing anything had happened. but by the Sunday there was loads of people claiming they had seen it - I doubt they had. A news report of it

When the new map comes out ' look at that general area ' as you may discover that Dairy Ground { Crew Camping } is not like 2019. a good proportion of it was used by the WBC for 10 or so years and various Security Companies but I know for 2022 the WBC Crew Camp will not be in that area so it may be occupied by other crews or it may go to general camping. In the past {well in the past 34 years} previous Crew Camps that had been used as WBC Crew Camps all over the site are mainly now general camping {or VIP Camping in one area} so its very possible that may happen again. A shot from a previous year - the shape has not changed in 10 years .

as you will know it was stuck there at least two days before someone decided to set it on fire - I have photos { well 35mm negatives } of it being burnt out. I kept well away as it could have gone up like a bomb.

My friends { mainly from London } went with me 1979 - 1981 - 1983 - 1984 but were well upset over the Heavy Mud in 1985 so very few wanted tickets to 1986 but I was able to get more back in 1987 which by Sods law was another year of the Mud - I am still in contact with a few ## and I know out of that group of friends ' None ever Visited again ' ## I am sure they think I am completely Nuts to keep going back. 3 photos from 1987 - B/W is not my photo but it gives a good idea of what it was like - that was a hired van but they tried to drive it though the crowd { next field to the Pyramid stage } why I don't have a Bloody clue but it upset enough people so the Van was attacked and the next day it was burnt out - I wonder if they got their deposit back !!! You will Note ' No photos from 1985 ' - at the time I owned a semi pro Nikon F2 SLR { worth a fortune } and there was no bloody way was I going to lose that in the mud - so no images from 1985. its a shame as some I am sure would have loved to have been a Volunteer but after 85 and 87 they were not prepared to return to Glastonbury.

some year before I retire { from being a volunteer } I will wangle a place on the WBC set up crew so will get access two weeks before the gates open see photo { from 2009 } - most were staying in Portakabin's {at the back of the mess tent} and Campervans just so I can get some good shots of the whole build up. The first thing they set up is the Cherry Picker { that contains the radio equipment and wi-fi } hence how I knew that was the crew site { that was a new location that year } I have seen bars been set up before but I have never been there weeks before.

well done - After which also check out The Tow and Hitch (Arcadia Crew Bar) I believe was open from Thursday 20th June 2019 to all festival crews so 6 days before the Gates Opened. May look empty but as time marches on does get busy. + there is various crew bars all over the place { always ' check with Bar staff ' as some issue their own bar pass which you may need once the gates open }

The Bread And Roses should be displaying the prices Monday 20th of June - its the only main bar that opens days before the Gates open - shot from 2011 ' the day before the ticket holders could enter.' The prices will be the same in all the main bars.

they had been asking me how I was able to get Volunteer places but I could not remember the web address of Festival Medical Services { or the correct name } but lucky enough a friend dropped in to ICU so she could take my phone outside and reach my Efest account as I knew I had sent that link to someone via Private message. I am sure its a bog standard question they ask ' just to distract the patient ' so you don't spot all the needles going in - I am glad my Consultant was able to track them down and pass on the message. ## if they had given me a bit more time I am sure I could have roped in some of the Surgery team as well ##

You would not think so if you saw me now - I have the Flu {possible Covid} The Big question that always gets me ## last time asked Tuesday 20th of June 2017 in the ' Pre Operating Room ' at Royal free which was packed and someone asked me where I would be if I was not having a artery bypass operation ? and I said ' well actual I would be down at Glastonbury today' - Now there was 2 Doctors and 3 or 4 Nurses ## and None of them had ever been to Glastonbury but they all planned to attend sometime in the future ## and then the Killer Question !!!! how many times had I been ? - would be dead easy with no gaps but impossible to calculate within a few seconds I think I said 30 ' and I was out like a stone ' But I did get a message to that anaesthetics team Via my Consultant a day or two later as none of them was aware about https://www.festival-medical.org/ so you never know you may run into some nurses or Doctors at Glastonbury from the Royal free London { Hampstead }. seeing how difficult it is to get tickets { I imagine as I have never bought a ticket since 1987 } I am amazed that some people who have not worked at the event can clock up so many events. My last Drink I had in June 2017 {pub opposite the Hospital - Monday 19 June 2017 } - I had not a clue I would have the operation the very next day { it had been cancelled 3 or 4 times } My friend Oli {from Iceland} flew in and came to visit so we went for a quick drink - Oli pushed me out on a wheelchair and we sat down on a bench - by the time he arrived at Glastonbury on the Crew Coach Tuesday I already had the Operation but ICU has a block on phones so I could not send a message to my Team that I had survived. { and they also did not have TV's in ICU so I missed the whole live Broadcast }