Which was your best year and why?

[gooner1990]

Our nipper was due to arrive the week of the festival. She arrived on the 18th June so I watched a lot of it while feeding her her bottle.

Missing this year too (unless we get lucky in a competition?. The reality is just starting to sink in. Hoping to make up for it with Bearded Theory.

Must have been wierd missing one having been to so many in a row?

One of my mates I go with is missing this year as his daughter is getting married the same weekend (he wasn't amused!!) , he'd done all of them from 1997-2014 !

[glasto-worker]

Just to detract from the theme for a moment, I'm really intrigued how bad the weather was in 05' and 07' in how debilitating it was.

I've been in 11, 13, 14 and apart from the storm last year and a bit of a mud in 11 the first 2 days, I've never had it too bad.

Can anyone enlighten me to the conditions, any funny stories etc?

problem is not many people will agree with me because the odds are they were not there but taking into account everything I would say 1985 was far worse than any later year at least for mud - sure there was lots of rain but seeing the Glastonbury site was far smaller then the main area that flooded in 2005 was outside the Glastonbury boundary so none of us would know what it was like.You wont find many photos due to the fact that good cameras were expensive then and I know that I kept my SLR in my car as there was no way was I going to risk it falling into a mud hole and never to be seen again.

I know that all my friends never went again as 1985 just turned them right off and they looked at me as if I was crazy when I did mention that I was going back.

I have never been to a Glastonbury where once a person fell in the mud they had to be towed out by tractor unless their friends had been carrying a handy rope.

it was murder to get about and it was a huge challenge to get back out again.

some shots from 85 http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/glastonbury-festival-1985.html

[the beadle]

I've only missed three Glastonburys I think since 1982 but the best ever for me was 2010 brilliant weather and a whole bunch of legends including, Stevie Wonder, Dr John, George Clinton, Jerry Dammers Spatial AKA (with a surprise appearance by Arthur Brown doing Fire) and Jackson Browne (who was the only disappointment), plus loads of newer stuff. Oh yeah and U2 couldn't play as Bono had broken his ego bone or something. Just go to the website and look at the list and weep if you weren't there, here's to this year, see you at the Cider Bus, midnight Wednesday. Chin chin.

Edited May 8, 2015 by the beadle

[Kanye's Cock]

problem is not many people will agree with me because the odds are they were not there but taking into account everything I would say 1985 was far worse than any later year at least for mud - sure there was lots of rain but seeing the Glastonbury site was far smaller then the main area that flooded in 2005 was outside the Glastonbury boundary so none of us would know what it was like.You wont find many photos due to the fact that good cameras were expensive then and I know that I kept my SLR in my car as there was no way was I going to risk it falling into a mud hole and never to be seen again.

I know that all my friends never went again as 1985 just turned them right off and they looked at me as if I was crazy when I did mention that I was going back.

I have never been to a Glastonbury where once a person fell in the mud they had to be towed out by tractor unless their friends had been carrying a handy rope.

it was murder to get about and it was a huge challenge to get back out again.

some shots from 85 http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/glastonbury-festival-1985.html

Great photos these. feel free to keep these coming.

[Gnomicide]

This year will only be my 5th so I'm pretty much an amateur compared to many on here. I don't think I have a specific favourite though, little bits of each add up...

2010 was my first, so many highlights; seeing the site for the first time, getting to know the place, the weather, Hold Steady, Toots, Slash, Ray Davies...

2011 went on my own but the line up that year was brilliant

2013 back to a going in a group, not the greatest line up but one thing stood out, Ladies and Gentlemen - The Rolling Stones! I thought I was passed being completely blown away at a gig but they topped everything I've seen before or since. The perfect storm of my one of favourite bands in my favourite place with the worry they could be shite but turning out to be incredible. Midnight Rambler! Satisfaction! Tumblin' Dice! Symapthy! It was mind blowing.

2014 back to travelling alone again but camped with other solo travellers off here and has a whale of a time, again a stunning line up with Metallica, Plant, Manics, Elbow, Anti-flag. Loved it.

For those of you looking for a good sign, I'm going with mates again and the line up looks a bit meh at the moment. This is a repeat of 2010 & 2013 so we can expect bloody marvellous weather.

[Wanderlei]

2008 - it was my first. Although my best singular moment was in 2009 (Neil Young).

[blackdog]

1983 the first & best for me! although this year will definately be the best if i bag a ticket!

[Miathedog]

Been to 2000, 2005, 07, 09, 10, 11, 13, 14

and 15

I'm so glad 2000 was my first and I got to experience it before the super fence. We rocked up on a whim and paid a fiver to get through the fence and the rest is very hazy but it blew my mind and culminated in Bowie. Overwhelming amount of people, wild edgy feeling, and mobile reception useless. I remember trying to meet friends was almost impossible and at one point we found close friends in the pyramid field only to lose them again irrevocably when they went a few feet away to get an ice cream. The constantly shifting sea of people meant you could never keep your bearings for any time at all.

2005 was so much fun, great friends, mostly great weather, we were lucky with the floods and found it all pretty exciting.

07 was pretty grim but cider got me through it. Did stop me going in 08 which I did regret. The bus disaster zone on Monday early am was truly awful after such a difficult festival.

09 was magical especially Neil Young.

10 was great but I found the heat difficult at times.

11 great friends and a magical night in Shangri La

13 and 14 had our baby son with us for the first half which was wonderful in a very different way - and we got the weekends off when we dropped him at my parents. He will be nearly three this year and we plan to do the same again. Looking forward to spending Thursday in the sandpit at Green Futures again and exploring the Kidz field.

Can't wait!

[Miathedog]

Will be going to 15, meant to say! Don't know how to edit on a phone

[Vanderlyle]

2007 1st time and year on year thinking it was losing it's shine slowly but surely, last year 2014 I really enjoyed and not sure why. Think it was not being arsed about who I saw. Or maybe it's the 7 year itch.

I'm pretty similar. I think it was slightly dropping year by year for me as I became older, less able to hit every day/night as hard, more hungover etc etc.

Last year was weird. I sorted out hayfever for the first time in my life (which is a REAL drag when you're trying to have fun, when you're hungover etc). So I felt better. I went with a g/f for the first time, and found it far easier to relax, do a little less, spend 45 minutes having a drink and watching something random in the Avalon.

Maybe it's a lame acceptance of being older, but taking it slower, feeling fresher, not being so obsessed with doing everything possible... made me really enjoy it again.

Apart from that, 2008 and 2011 stand out. 2008 for Leonard Cohen who I never dreamed I would see at Glasto, and 2011 for a Friday that went something like Annie Mac, Beardyman, Wu Tang, BB King, Radiohead, U2. Maybe U2 was a mistake, but seeing that range of music, all legends in their own right, in one single day, was incredible.

[Ryan1984]

2003 was my first one so will always be special - and had good headliners in the shape of Radiohead and R.E.M. Doves finishing the festival on the Other Stage was also pretty amazing.

2009 had Blur so again is high on my list but I think the glorious weather (I'm much happier in heat than mud!) in 2010 just makes that my favourite...

[**claire**]

problem is not many people will agree with me because the odds are they were not there but taking into account everything I would say 1985 was far worse than any later year at least for mud - sure there was lots of rain but seeing the Glastonbury site was far smaller then the main area that flooded in 2005 was outside the Glastonbury boundary so none of us would know what it was like.You wont find many photos due to the fact that good cameras were expensive then and I know that I kept my SLR in my car as there was no way was I going to risk it falling into a mud hole and never to be seen again.

I know that all my friends never went again as 1985 just turned them right off and they looked at me as if I was crazy when I did mention that I was going back.

I have never been to a Glastonbury where once a person fell in the mud they had to be towed out by tractor unless their friends had been carrying a handy rope.

it was murder to get about and it was a huge challenge to get back out again.

some shots from 85 http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/glastonbury-festival-1985.html

Love the photo of the dog doing a poo at the end!

[tezshields]

I'd have to pick the year Neil Young & Springsteen headlined. I dodged Blur for The a Prodigy too. A very strong finish on all nights for me really.

[glasto-worker]

Great photos these. feel free to keep these coming.

Love the photo of the dog doing a poo at the end!

spotted a blog of 85 at http://www.shewan.co.uk/music/festivals/glastonbury/glastonbury85.htm

and other years at http://www.shewan.co.uk/music/festivals/glastonbury/index.html

I have seen something similar before and without knowing the people its near impossible to know if the person was there but this one does contain some facts that are in fact accurate - in itself it does not look much ' I dashed down to the CND shop that used to be off the City Road and bought our tickets - £16 each ' In fact I also used to buy tickets from that same CND shop which was very close to Old Street Tube Station and City Road.

Sadly sometime later they closed that shop - people reading this now would think - ' well no problem as my phone will show me where they have moved to ' except there was no mobiles in those days { smart or not } - no Internet so when something moved ' it was not all that easy to find them '

I have no clue how I did find them - they moved to near Pentonville Prison or close which was a right pain in the arse to reach.

But still it was handy walking in buying the tickets and being handed the tickets there and then - no standing about using a whole bank of computers and praying the site stays up.I reckon they moved in 1986 so the last ticket I ever bought was in 1987 - paid £21 - 87 was another muddy year but not as bad as 85.My first WBC stint was in 1989 and was well disappointed to discover that volunteers were not issued tickets so ending my ticket collection.

[eFestivals]

spotted a blog of 85 at http://www.shewan.co.uk/music/festivals/glastonbury/glastonbury85.htm

and other years at http://www.shewan.co.uk/music/festivals/glastonbury/index.html

blimey, that's a website I've not seen for a while.

When I started the Glastonbury website that preceded efestivals, Kevin Shewan's website was one of the very few other websites that mentioned Glastonbury. I remember I exchanged quite a lot of emails with him, tho I can't remember what about now.

[Avalon_Fields]

Definitely 2008 for me, our group hit a peak of friendship and love, we dressed up and did lots of crazy things, the weather was good, saw 20 odd bands (Highlights Manu Chao, Amy Winehouse, Balkan Beat Box), and I was a little tearful around Sunday with the Verve playing and it was coming to an end.

Second best, my first year, 2004, for the amazing 'wow' factor of your first time and maybe my fave line up (REM, Moby, Radiohead, Supergrass, Yes, etc)

[glasto-worker]

blimey, that's a website I've not seen for a while.

When I started the Glastonbury website that preceded efestivals, Kevin Shewan's website was one of the very few other websites that mentioned Glastonbury. I remember I exchanged quite a lot of emails with him, tho I can't remember what about now.

many years ago I ran into a site claiming that the author had been to all the events held at The Phoenix - not only did I work them all I also helped out with the Mean Fiddler Production office but the pages on that site had got certain facts mixed up - using the incorrect facts I was able to trace it back to a few music papers who had used the official running order that was sent out in advance but were changed on the night due to certain factors so you have to wonder if these reporters had dragged themselves out of the VIP Area so I am very weary about sites that claim such and such when there is no proof they were actually there -

its very clear that Kevin Shewan was there at the ones he claimed.

Sometime in the future I will scan in all the Programme's as I have a full set from 1979 - they were very thin until 1989 { it may look nothing special but its double the width of a A4 sheet whatever that is called } - well worth £2 - can anyone recall it ?