top 5 glasto moments

[Leedspete]

Wasn't there sound systems within the shopping areas in those days? I have a vague recollection of a very tall stall area that was covered during the day so you couldn't see what it was, and then at night was uncovered to reveal the full height was all speakers,blaring music out.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

Very happy days.

[russycarps]

drugs for breakfast were ESSENTIAL in those days

[BlackHole2006]

In no particular order:

1. The Flaming Lips whole set (2010)- I've been a huge fan of The Flaming Lips for absolutely ages and I am completely obsessed with them, I have a book on them, a documentary and a live DVD, I love everything about them and the ideas behind their lyrics and music. When I saw them play Glastonbury last year it was an aural and visual experience that I will never forget in my life, I never thought I would get the chance to see them live anywhere let alone my favorite place in the world and for me The Flaming Lips set was complete musical epitome. The best live show that I have ever seen in my life so far.

2. Stevie Wonder (2010)- It was the end of my favorite Glastonbury of all time, I was with one of my closest mates through the years, Stevie Wonder came on the stage rockin' the keytar. The rest is history.

3. Badly Drawn Boy (2009)- A bit of a personal one for me, the first artist that I actually really got into and I heard disastrous stories of him acting like a twat in live shows and I have had experience after this show of him actually swearing at the crowd, but on this rare occasion, he was calm, he was collected and he absolutely nailed it.

4. Manu Chao (2008)- 2008 was my first Glastonbury and I knew that I really wanted to see Manu Chao but didn't have a clue what to expect but it was incredible, the first time that I actually realized where I was and what the festival was all about.

5. U2 (2011)- I know that this set isn't the most famous set here but for me it was just one of those right place at the right time things. The weather may have been bad that evening but I was the right type of drunk, I was with a close mate and U2 were just the most perfect thing for me. Quality stuff.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

drugs for breakfast were ESSENTIAL in those days

[Roonwilldo]

Blur 2009.

I had seen them a few times before and was expecting a good (but hardly life-affirming) gig. What I got was the most incredible atmosphere that I have ever experienced at a concert. Hearing Tender still brings back goosebumps.

[Pinhead]

Are we talking about 'the' Lucy . . . ?

Anfy - I know Madness fairly well - what were they like and what happened when they 'kidnapped' you and you all went to see The Beat?

1. Blur / Pulp 1995 / 1997 - those were the days - used to be young enough to spend a whole day at the barrier in front of the Pyramid back then,

2. Those imprompu parties and gigs in the Greenfields back in the late 90's,

3. The first 'Casino' in what was then called the 'Weird Beard' field (after Roy I suspect), later becoming Lost Vagueness,

4. Any of the Levellers gigs since '94 - Pyramid, Avalon, Jazzworld, Glade etc.,

5. My first Arcadia / Shangri-La . . . . .

And many more obviously, but those just spring to mind right now. God I love that festival.

[grumpyhack]

I have the same five top Glastonbury moments every year:

Getting through on T Day and actually booking a ticket

The day the postie delivers it and opening the envelope and holding it

The first sight of Glastonbury Tor as we start approaching the site

The first Glastonbury ciggie after we've set up camp

Walking through the turnstiles and actually getting onto the site.

Although it's the same every year each of those moments brings a tingle and whoop of excitement.

[dottycat2205]

Stevie 2010 What a moment

Elbow 2011 Fantastic performance

Chemical Brothers 2011 Amazing set

Madness 2009 First glasto and to see one of my favorite bands of my youth gave me my first MOMENT at Glasto

Faithless 2010 We Come one Amazing end to the set

2013 cant come quick enough!!

[Spindles]

1. R.E.M - 1999, when the opening bars of Walk Unafraid cut through, my legs were basically giving way with exhaustion, having not slept in days, just reinvigorated in a moment and giving me an energy which continued through the night.

2. Underworld - 1999, I'd not dragged my ass to a festival in a few years and a televised performance I'd seen had convinced me that I HAD to see them live. I was far from disappointed.

3. Elbow - 2011, Stood in that beautiful late afternoon/early evening sun with my kids while Guy Garvey gave it his best children's entertainer impression playing with the crowd. Truly the happiest moment of the last few years of my life.

4. Backstage - 2000, having hopped over the fence we randomly found our way backstage on the Friday night, swapped a biro with a security guard for letting us onto the rear of the pyramid just as Macy Gray was coming off so we could walk into the main backstage area with her and her band and then spent the rest of the night getting wasted with C-List celebs.

5. Prodigy - 2009, afterwards everyone slated it, but I had a great time, the intro to Invaders must die still gives me goose pimples and was a great end to what, for me, was a disappointing year.

[Wanderlei]

Hello!? Neil Young, anyone?

[russycarps]

Am I the only person who thought Elbow were miles better in 2008 than 2011?

Their best show of all was in 2002 though. Ace that.

[amfy]

@pinhead - kidnapped is stretching it obviously! We always refer to it as kidnapped by madness simply because it had taken us ages to get into shangri la and then we ended up out of there again so quickly. They were just blokes. They said The Beat were on in the next field and had we ever seen them and I' seen the beat for my hen night only a few weeks earlier. Then we just set off, and then lost them as soon as we got there.

I was just a bit surreal, but at the time I was sure it was them, not in a starstruck way, just like it was completely normal to find yourself chatting to a couple of madness and go off to see another band with them

[Scotdy]

_{1 - Pulp in the park made me very happy this year}

_{2 - Underworld 1999, King of Snake still brings a smile to my face today}

_{3 - Jimmy Cliff, many rivers to cross, saw him three times over the years and is my glasto tune}

_{4 - Doves 08 I think - Headlined the JP tent}

_{5 - Watching Stevie Wonder whilst stood next to Emily Eavis. Im not a big fan of hers but when her dad was on stage her happiness was infectious. Was also stood next to Maxi Jazz who was like a kid in a sweet shop...}

Edited November 26, 2011 by Scotdy

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

I don't really know anything about Emily Eavis. What would there be to dislike about her? Genuine question.

[Scotdy]

Cause the flag thing pisses me off, and I saw a interview about four years ago which she said Pink would be a dream headliner for her. There are other things too but this is supposed to be a happy thread...

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

OK. I'm afraid I'm in blissful ignorance about her and the flag thing, other than to assume she thinks it's OK for people to ruin other peoples view with them. I don't know much about Pink either (I don't go to Glasto for the music really) other than to know she wouldn't exactly be called top calibre. Thanks for replying, guess I'm a little wiser.

[JC-Mo'Fucka]

1. Blur

2. QOTSA

3. The Specials

4. Wu Tang Clan

5. Coldplay

[dingbat2]

Am I the only person who thought Elbow were miles better in 2008 than 2011?

Their best show of all was in 2002 though. Ace that.

[russycarps]

2008 other stage was indeed better than 2011, not least because they were still new to a lot of people there and they experienced something great. 2008 queens head was infinitely better than other stage 2008, a gig I think I will never be able to top. Not sure about 2002, I wasn't there but I can't believe that an elbow gig without LOTFWi and SSK songs could be as good as one with -their best two albums IMO (tries to avoid another best Elbow album discussion!). The LOTFW tour was immense, saw them in Norwich and officially the second best gig of my life after Elbow Queens Head 2008!

[Craigston]

1) first seeing the site in 1997 after 4 long years away. Can't remember why I didn't go in '94 '95, or '96 after such a phenomenal first fest?!

2) paranoid android in '97.

3) REM in '99. Can't remember a more passionate performance from any front man at Glasto than Mr Stipe's.

4) orbital at Jazzworld- as others have said, that float piled high with nutters coming down the track in the middle of their set was so surreal but still really made it.

5) Doves at the John peel tent in 2009. At the end when Peel's image winked I really thought I was dreaming. An amazing Glasto moment.

An honourable mention goes to the sheer surprise on hearing music from Thom Yorke's the eraser in 2010 while relaxing at the tent in park home after a long yomp back from seeing the brilliant Turin brakes. Only at Glasto...

Edited November 27, 2011 by Craigston

[Bort]

Blur - Tender - 2009

The atmosphere was unreal. In all my years of attending gigs and festivals in America, I had never seen anything like this. Everyone just said fuck it and let loose and lost themselves to the music. "Tender" was the best part, of course. Singing along for ten minutes while arm in arm with complete strangers, and then again during the encore breaks, and then again on the way back to the tents. Blur, you were missed.

Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood - "Karma Police"->"Street Spirit" - 2010

Same deal as Blur, but with the element of surprise. I didn't watch any of the Park guests in 2009 and didn't really care to when I discovered their identities, so my expectations for this slot were pretty low. Heard tons of rumors that day (Katy Perry? seriously?), but since Thom Yorke was one of them, I figured I'd go a little early because my weekend would be ruined if that turned out to be true, and I missed it. Walked right up to the center of the rail after Local Natives and waited for what turned out to be a perfect, magical set. Best moment was the singalong that continued after "Karma Police", and as Thom and Jonny were about to go into "Videotape", they stopped so Thom could give us a reprise and then opted to close with "Street Spirit". All as the sun was beginning to set. Ah.

Having a chat with Emmy the Great in the Queens Head tent while she was onstage.

Self-explanatory.

Climbing to the top of the Park and then turning around to absorb the view.

The view was so overpowering, it physically knocked me back. And this was my second Glasto.

Getting adopted for the evening by a pack of strangers.

Coming to the festival alone in 2009 was a bit daunting, and as I was departing the Shangri-la, a group of people drawn to my festival flare invited me to come to the silent disco with them. Along the way, word spread of Michael Jackson's demise, only to be debunked as a bullshit rumor (oops). Danced up a storm in the Silent Disco with my friends for the night and worked up such a sweat that it shorted out my headset. Oops.

[rexclark]

Whilst I've only been twice I've still go so many good memories.

1.) The Flaming Lips - Do You Realize on The Other Stage in 2010, a true moment, I still get shivers when I think about it.

2.) Arriving in 2010 after an epic 14 hour bus journey in the heat with no air conditioning. When I stepped off the bus and cracked open a can I realised it was all worth it.

3.) Watching Rolf Harris in the sunshine with my girlfriend and drinking an ice cold vodka and fresh lemonade. I can't remember the last time I felt that happy.

4.)Wandering around Shangri La about 9pm last year, getting to investigate all the small bars and grab a quiet drink before all the madness begun was a great feeling.

5.) Pulp opening up with Do You Remember The First Time at The park this year. Truelly amazing.

Edited November 28, 2011 by rexclark

[thetime]

1998 sunday - muddy, dry mud even worse but was my favorite ever day band wise with bob dylan, tony bennett, nick cave and pulp all in one day...perfection at my favorite festival. no festival as ever beat glasto 98.

1999 - finally seeling hole and courtney love was majestic.

1998 - portishead, they were late but magical.

2008 - think kol were headlinign the friday and I was just wondering around the green fields and a littel outside stage where this comedian and about 20 people all enjoying themselfs to the max..to me this summed up glasto.

jean eavis minute silence - cant remember the year but it was beautiful how it was observed(excpet for one drunken), and it seemed right for her death to be observed aswel.