When did various stages/areas appear?

[gooner1990]

Not sure if this has been discussed before..

Wandering round the site this year...I was thinking about when various stages appeared and why they are called so.

I think the only major changes since I first went in 2004, have the dance tent becoming a village and the Park stage being introduced.

Can anyone fill in when other areas were new? I know some of my mates say that the site was heavily changed from 95 > 97

Thanks!

[Greenish]

certainly the queens head and the leftfield have floated around (leftfield started at the other end of holts, moved up to where the queens head has been the last 2 years, missed last year, and 2010 was back in holts, but at the other end!) .

the circus moved 2 years ago from the field with the cabaret tent in it, to nearer the market area.

the theatre tent has changed it's name a number of times over the years.

hopefully someone else will fill in the first and last year of trash city.

all i miss is the nutters cafe and wise crone cafe!

[hoils]

First year I can remember a small Lost Vagueness was 97 - the first of the 2 really wet years I think. It was on a very small scale and were camped pretty much exactly where Strummerville is nowadays. As we pitched up on Thursday afternoon (Thursday afternoon and getting a space in that field! Them were the days) a kindly hair man from a caravan next door lent me a spade ( a spade! Them were the days etc etc) to dig a trench behind the tents so that we didn't get washed away in the deluge.

Before that I remember the field that is the Unfair Ground being the Experimental Sound field in 92. Where Underworld played their first ever gig, if legend is to be believed. Too say that field was full on would be a slight understatement. 72 hours of non-stop madness.

What else? Again in one of the 2 really wet years (possibly 98?) the New Bands tent arrived, situated at the South West bottom of Holts.

The Jazz Stage in 92 was pretty much exactly where the Greenpeace ship climbing frame is nowadays. Not sure when it moved to West Holts, possibly 94?

The old NME (now t'Other) stage was at a different angle facing towards Pennards (possibly in another field?), first year I can remember it being it its current position was 97. By 98 it was reportedly sinking into the mud and the vast majority of Friday's bill was cancelled to deal with the ensuing chaos. I blame Mark and Lard.

The old Pyramid was also at a different angle up until it burnt doen in 94. Pretty much face on to Row Mead rather that pointing up to Big Ground.

[eFestivals]

What else? Again in one of the 2 really wet years (possibly 98?) the New Bands tent arrived, situated at the South West bottom of Holts.

I'm pretty sure that's wrong - in my mind it arrived in about '93, and was originally at the top of Holts.

The Jazz Stage in 92 was pretty much exactly where the Greenpeace ship climbing frame is nowadays. Not sure when it moved to West Holts, possibly 94?

I think that was the WOMAD stage not the Jazzworld stage.

The old NME (now t'Other) stage was at a different angle facing towards Pennards (possibly in another field?), first year I can remember it being it its current position was 97. By 98 it was reportedly sinking into the mud and the vast majority of Friday's bill was cancelled to deal with the ensuing chaos. I blame Mark and Lard.

the first year I went ('86), the second stage was in a completely different place, I think roughly where the Queens Head is now (or perhaps in the next field in the direction of the green fields).

[eFestivals]

the circus moved 2 years ago from the field with the cabaret tent in it, to nearer the market area.

there's been circus tents of some kind in that position for many years.

[fatyeti24]

im glad you mentioned the original location of the New Bands tent - i was sure it was aroung Holts somewhere (i remember trecking up there in the mud to see a newly-solo Ian Brown, so that must be 97 or 98. my mate Adam got the gig temporarily stopped by climbing up the poles inside the tent to do monkey inpressions at him) but whenever i mentioned it my mates they were convinced it had always been where the JP is now.

i thought i must have imagined it, so thanks for settling that one for me!

i think the cinema used to be at the bottom of Kidney Mead iirc, and the big old Dance Tent first appeared in 95.

[5co77ie]

im glad you mentioned the original location of the New Bands tent - i was sure it was aroung Holts somewhere (i remember trecking up there in the mud to see a newly-solo Ian Brown, so that must be 97 or 98. my mate Adam got the gig temporarily stopped by climbing up the poles inside the tent to do monkey inpressions at him) but whenever i mentioned it my mates they were convinced it had always been where the JP is now.

i thought i must have imagined it, so thanks for settling that one for me!

i think the cinema used to be at the bottom of Kidney Mead iirc, and the big old Dance Tent first appeared in 95.

[5co77ie]

Pyramid Stage

The Pyramid Stage plays host to the highest profile acts on the bill, at the bottom of a natural amphitheatre, it has many big screens to see the action and is the main stage and the most well known of Glastonbury Festival's stages with its iconic pyramid shape. The stage is actually now in its third incarnation. The first Pyramid Stage was constructed by Bill Harkin and his crew in 1971 from scaffolding, expanded metal and plastic sheeting.

The second one, a permanent structure which was used throughout the rest of the year as a cowshed and anima foodstore was built in 1981 in the same place as the first using old telegraph poles and surplus box section iron sheets offcast from the Ministry of Defence.

This second incarnation burnt down just before the 1994 Festival. For the next few years a more normal shaped stage was utilised and in 1998 the headlining stage was not officially called the Pyramid Stage, as it did not have its distinctive pyramid shape.

The Pyramid Stage used today was built for the 2000 festival and is a 100ft steel structure was erected with a massive footprint of 40m x 40m - four times larger than its previous incarnation, and is left as a skeletal structure when not in use. The field it's located in can probably hold around 120,000 revellers.

Other Stage

Located behind the main Pyramid Stage about a 10 minute walk away is the Other Stage the second largest of the Festival's outdoor stages and is located on a large flat chalk bottomed field, which means it is prone to surface water in heavy rain, although this is rarely of any depth. The stage is also home to many big names, and is also flanked by big screens.

The Other stage arrived with NME sponsorship in 1992, and the music programme reflected that with a sudden leaning to indiedom. The Stage was called the NME Stage for the last time in 1995, and the 1997 festival was the first to see it given its current name The Other stage.

Acoustic Stage

Offering a mix of an unplugged acoustic mix of folk, blues, and roots. The Acoustic Tent is a huge blue Kyam tent The Acoustic stage is one of the oldest stages at Glastonbury first appearing in 1984 when the event only had three stages, and it has remained in the same place situated in Norman's Close right next to the Kidz field. For real ale drinkers there's the well stocked The Red Flag just beside it.

Queens Head

Called The Crown in 2005, this indoor venue rose to prominance as a Q programmed indie venue in 2007 and starting its music programme on Thursday, where it was located next to the Other Stage, before moving to its current location at William's Green in 2009.

West Holts Stage

Originally the second stage, it first appeared at the festival in 1983, on the southern edge of the site in Glebeland, as a ramshackle collection of tarpaulins offering, and it wasn't to become a proper outdoor stage until 1985. WOMAD were invited to run their own stage in 1987 and added a world music flavour. There was no festival in 1988, and in 1989 the licence was only granted with the condition that only the main stage have amplified music. The stage still located near West Holts returned in 1990 as the World Music Stage before returning in 1992 near the railway track.

West Holts stage first appeared where it is today in 1994 as an area dedicated to broadening the scope of the festival, in 2003 it was called One world Stage for a year before returning to its more recognised name The Jazzworld. In 2010 it was re-named the West Holts Stage. The field can hold 50,000 or so festival goers at capacity.

The music programme has evolved over the years and the stage now hosts a generous helping of jazz and a wide range of World music, and touches bass with many types of funky fusion in between. There's been a lot more hip hop there in recent years, too. The field is also home to the Brother Bar cider bar and some of the finest food stalls at the Festival.

John Peel Stage

Originally called the New Bands Stage, added as a marquee stage to showcase bands in 1998 and located in the south west corner (where Leftfield was in 2010) of the site, with a capacity of 10,000. A year later and it was to be found in its current home in the north west of the site in Woodsies, some found the name New Bands confusing, as it was the tent that was new and not the bands. In 2005 it was renamed to remember the late DJ John Peel.

Dance Village

The first official Dance Tent originally appeared in 1995 programmed by Steve Hillage of System 7, although there had been a 'rave tent' since 1990. In 2005 the tent became a whole village, and included a silent disco offering a six dance venues.

Field of Avalon

The Avalon stage is home to festival favourite acts, the kind that pop at festivals regularly all over the country. The Field of Avalon first arrived in 1992 as the south eastern edge of the festival site. Housing a mainstage marquee, a central amphitheatre offering tai chi, dance, yoga, theatre and circus skills, a Pendragon heritage exhibition marquee, and Wise Crone Cafe offering a late night acoustic stage and vegetarian food. In 1993 it added massage and aromatherapy, and a pyrotheatre at night. The Avalon Stage marquee can hold around 2,500 people at capacity although there is a surrounding field for overspill.

The Park

Arrived at Glastonbury in 2007 and brought with it the BBC Introducing Stage, a permanent Silent Disco, and a silent films tent. Organised by Emily Eavis: home to live music stages, late night bars and cafes, Tipi villages, art installations, stonemasons and craftsmen. At its summit, the Eastern-inspired Ribbon Tower is illuminated from within and stands a full fifty feet tall providing a free panoramic view and map to the entire site, day and night throughout the festival. For 2009 the Tower sat higher and the land behind rolled back further to provide a grandstand of green space to wander, sit back and look out over the Giant Meadow and Glass House below.

Shangri-la

Lost Vagueness, Shangri-La's predecessor began as a tent in 999, and evolved into it's lunacy inspired world until it was replaced by the current Shangri-La in 2007.

Arcadia

Arcadia began life in Trash City in 2008, before getting its own space to house Afterburner Mk2: an explosive multi-level stage.

The Glade

This an open air dance arena with capacity for 4000 first opened in 2000, the area was devised when Michael Eavis was dismantling an imprompyu Megadog Rave in the early nineties. It's positioned near the old railway track, amongst the trees in the southeast corner of the Other Stage field.

[Pinhead]

Cinema screen used to be at the bottom of Big Ground in 1994, surrounded by tents. Remember this as was camped nearby and watched Star Trek on there whilst quite stoned from my tent.

The current stage in the Pyramid Field (the Pyramid MK3 I suppose), is technically the 5th stage design to grace the field, since the first 1970 stage was a short lived crude rectangular affair and there was also a temporary hemispherical style one there from 1994 to 1999.

[eFestivals]

The New Bands (John Peel) used to be where the Leftfield was this year.

not quite - it was more in the position of where the Elemental Tent was this year, tho tighter against the hedge on the railway track side of the field.

[eFestivals]

The 'ancient' () stone circle appeared around 1990.

[gooner1990]

Thanks all Some interesting replies.

Just out of interest Neil, have you missed any Glastos since your first in 1986?

[emmaroid]

By 98 it was reportedly sinking into the mud and the vast majority of Friday's bill was cancelled to deal with the ensuing chaos. I blame Mark and Lard.

Edited July 22, 2010 by emmaroid

[eFestivals]

Just out of interest Neil, have you missed any Glastos since your first in 1986?

nope, I've been at each one.

The memories fade tho, so it gets difficult to remember which exact year it was for many things.

[Pinhead]

I think this was 1997 not 98. Placebo were the first band on the stage late Friday afternoon if I remember correctly.

Wish I could remember who was cancelled due to sinking stage. I have a feeling Sneaker Pimps were one of them.

[cornelio]

98 that was. And u remember it getting stopped from people climbing the poles inside. My ex passed out right in the middle of the tent from being so wet and then hot I think. Very wet weekend! Good show that was though.

im glad you mentioned the original location of the New Bands tent - i was sure it was aroung Holts somewhere (i remember trecking up there in the mud to see a newly-solo Ian Brown, so that must be 97 or 98. my mate Adam got the gig temporarily stopped by climbing up the poles inside the tent to do monkey inpressions at him) but whenever i mentioned it my mates they were convinced it had always been where the JP is now.

i thought i must have imagined it, so thanks for settling that one for me!

i think the cinema used to be at the bottom of Kidney Mead iirc, and the big old Dance Tent first appeared in 95.

[redmuz]

The old NME (now t'Other) stage was at a different angle facing towards Pennards (possibly in another field?), first year I can remember it being it its current position was 97.

Edited January 9, 2011 by redmuz

[Dark Star]

im glad you mentioned the original location of the New Bands tent - i was sure it was aroung Holts somewhere (i remember trecking up there in the mud to see a newly-solo Ian Brown, so that must be 97 or 98. my mate Adam got the gig temporarily stopped by climbing up the poles inside the tent to do monkey inpressions at him) but whenever i mentioned it my mates they were convinced it had always been where the JP is now.

[Guest blackcockerel]

The Other Stage nearly sinking was definitely 97, my first year, and yeah the New Bands tent arrived in 98

[bhafcseagull]

certainly the queens head and the leftfield have floated around (leftfield started at the other end of holts, moved up to where the queens head has been the last 2 years, missed last year, and 2010 was back in holts, but at the other end!) .

[glasto-worker]

That gig, along with Blur and Bob Dylan, was what prompted me and a couple of mates to buy our tickets to our first Glastonbury. £83.00 it was, and we had to queue up at our local music shop to buy them.

----

It may be my memory fading/the incessant rain that day

[Milbert]

Re the old NME stage, I definitely remember it being positioned at the bottom of a more sloping field than the current Other stage site, sometime in the early/mid-90s. Don't remember the specifics back then because I hopped the fence on Friday night with nowt but the money in my pocket and stayed for a couple of days till the cash ran out. Yes, yes I know. I was young and have since bought a ticket every year etc etc.

[robith]

nope, I've been at each one.

The memories fade tho, so it gets difficult to remember which exact year it was for many things.

[fatyeti24]

Re the old NME stage, I definitely remember it being positioned at the bottom of a more sloping field than the current Other stage site, sometime in the early/mid-90s. Don't remember the specifics back then because I hopped the fence on Friday night with nowt but the money in my pocket and stayed for a couple of days till the cash ran out. Yes, yes I know. I was young and have since bought a ticket every year etc etc.

Edited January 11, 2011 by fatyeti24

[Milbert]

Another short-lived stage I remember from the late nineties was the Smirnoff Ice dance "thing". Wasn't a tent, more a raised hardfloored portable building. It was between the Other stage and dance tent. Think it was only there a couple of years, and was like going into a town centre nightclub and thus a bit out of character with the rest of the festival.