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So...do you remember your first time?


Peroni
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My first in 2011, I more or less took it in my stride (and had a belting time i'll add), and I've actually become more awestruck with the place in the following years. Don't know if anyone else had that feeling, or if i'm just weird!

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6 hours ago, Flysheet said:

90 was muddy as hell the first two days till it dried out, certainly not hot. 92 was scorching as was 93. 

Can’t remember the weather in 89...

 

89 was indeed a scorcher pretty much from start to finish, and yep 90 was chilly and wet and a bit miserable all through I thought. Twas a long time ago though eh? :huh:

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2000 as a 14 year old I was put on a train at Preston by my Mum to Bristol on the Friday. My Aunty picked me up in a camper at the station, as a teacher she couldn’t go on the Monday/Tuesday working for Oxfam with my uncle and older cousin.

 

I’ll have to ask who suggested I went, it wasn’t me but I’ve been around aging hippies all my life. My parents, family and family friends have been going to festivals since late 60’s/early 70’s. I doctored my passport to say I was under 12- not that we were ever asked. Set my tent up outside the fence in either family or Oxfam’s area. I only stopped using said tent last year!

 

Remember a few things, always loved camping & seas of tents must have interested me looking at my pictures. Chemical Brothers Friday night on the Pyramid? Lasers and visuals. Younger cousin and mates from Bristol smoked weed but were not prepared, always hanging about trying to hook up with dealers. Rizla tents full of lads. First time I had poppers, brought some home and my mum pouring them away! Beat boxers in the dance village. Nine inch nails (not my thing). Buying one of them massive candles for Bowie, my late uncle’s favourite artist, walking back to the pyramid a couple of older scouser “er let’s look at that lad” took it off me and walked off! Driving home in the camper, with my uncle buzzing whilst eating kippers!

 

Ive got pictures of the quality of the fence, no wonder there were that many punters in the festival in 2000. There were holes very close to the Ped Gate. I’ll try to dig them out.

 

Been clubbing and many dance events from around 2002 but took until 2015 to get to the farm again with my (now) wife and a few mates....blew me away. Partied hard Wednesday to Sunday. The late night stuff, bands who I would not pay to watch at gigs but enjoy, T & C area- just good vibes.

 

Failed for tickets 2016 (dodged a bullet with the weather?) back with my best mate in 2017 and had a blast. 

 

Back again next year, sorting out the logistics of getting our baby boy on site for a coupe of days...

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On 10/12/2018 at 4:44 PM, fred quimby said:

That reminds me of the stall in the 80's and maybe early 90's that used to sell bootlegs of all the acts (well maybe not all). So you could see a great set and then an hour later go over and you were able to buy it. Most were very good quality and some from the mixing desk.

Still got some in a box!

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On 10/13/2018 at 7:14 AM, Kizzie said:

89 was indeed a scorcher pretty much from start to finish, and yep 90 was chilly and wet and a bit miserable all through I thought. Twas a long time ago though eh? :huh:

It was indeed. 

A very different time and not one that many of today’s generation of festival goers would recognise!

One of the oldies on here (or used to be) Mighty Upsetter, was riding his motorbike down the left hand side of the pyramid field in the swampy mud in 90 and came off. He ended up sat there whacking the footrest with a rock to try and straighten it out. Things were more edgy, anarchic and slightly less organised in those days! 

Do you remember Circus Archaos doing the stage show on the pyramid after the main act?

 

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My first was 2000. I was 21 and went with some uni friends, spent all our money on the tickets (when so many jumped the fence) so was  skint and training for a marathon at the time - the three of us stayed 100% sober all weekend, which was a very weird experience. 

Loved the chems. Beyond that I can remember a young Muse and even younger Coldplay on the Other and largely spending the rest of our time at the new bands/John peel where the highlight was Elliott Smith. Camped at the bottom of hill - (lucky) idiots. The fact that my friends persuaded me to leave early on the Sunday and miss Bowie was the single worst festival decision of my life. I had a good time but don’t remember anything about the healing fields or early lost vagueness... just it feeling a bit dangerously full and gangs of kids. 

I had a good time but the fact that I didn’t return till 2011, and did just about every other festival in the mean time, shows it didn’t make that much of an impression.

After getting a ticket for 2011 I came on here and got caught up in the whole magic of the place. It was a completely different experience exploring for a 2nd time, intoxicated, chems again plus Radiohead and Pulp secret sets and SO much more, music and non. Haven’t missed a year since including volunteering to make sure I made it one year. Will do the same to avoid missing one in future. My favourite place on earth.

 

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On 10/12/2018 at 3:25 PM, Matt - Ed Banger Records said:

I was taken by my parents in 1993, although I don't remember all that much of it apart from watching Bram Stokers Dracula in the cinema field

The screen was outdoor at the bottom of Kidney Mead (so you actually camped there as well) and they used to keep the films going well into daylight given the sun comes up about 4am! Remember, vaguely mind, listening to the dialogue on one film even though you couldn’t see it!

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2004 was my first year, always wanted to go.

had my friend trying for tickets, i think it was evening buying, i was watching Jools Holland at the Albert Hall and legged it across London, tubes to take over....it took 18 hours to get tickets.

 

Magical place & time. Never felt a connection to anything as i did that weekend.

Glastonbury blues for months after. Been going ever since as a recycling crew. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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15 hours ago, Flysheet said:

The screen was outdoor at the bottom of Kidney Mead (so you actually camped there as well) and they used to keep the films going well into daylight given the sun comes up about 4am! Remember, vaguely mind, listening to the dialogue on one film even though you couldn’t see it!

Nice reminder. Lots of young uns my age watching films in the cinema field after dark with a few blankets. Was the screens surround or the projector a funny shape?

 

I do not remember it feeling dangerously busy in 2000 though, maybe I just thought that was the norm at festivals. I regularly travelled to watched football as a youngster, where there was still a fair bit of pushing, shoving and tight spots.

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8 hours ago, milly16 said:

2004 was my first year, always wanted to go.

had my friend trying for tickets, i think it was evening buying, i was watching Jools Holland at the Albert Hall and legged it across London, tubes to take over....it took 18 hours to get tickets.

 

Magical place & time. Never felt a connection to anything as i did that weekend.

Glastonbury blues for months after. Been going ever since as a recycling crew. 

 

 

2004 was a good year, wet but good, damp but good,

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On 10/12/2018 at 2:08 PM, grumpyhack said:

My claim is that I went to Glastonbury-2 and Glastonbury -1 - the Bath Blues Fest in 69 and then the Shepton Mallet Festival in 1970, which mutated into Glastonbury proper.  The two events were attended by Michael Eavis and were said to be part of his inspiration for Glastonbury.

Image result for bath blues festival 1969 poster

Image result for shepton mallet festival poster

Shepton Mallet was one of the the first big UK festivals after Woodstock and featured many of the Woodstock bands.

Green with envy barely covers it...sure would have loved to be at those...and the IOW fests the same year. 

Lee

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2010 was my first.

Work colleague had teased me about going to WOMAD the previous year suggesting I needed to 'man-up' and go to a proper festival like Glastonbury. As many others have expressed with their first experience the 'scales fell from my eyes' and I vowed that I would have to go to every subsequent Glastonbury if fit and able - being 48 years young in 2010.

Thankfully managed to keep to my vow thanks to the tickets gods but more lately relying upon resales. Each one has been brilliant and still fills me with awe particularly when looking across from top of Park. 

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My first time was 1983. 35 years later I certainly can't remember it as well as some of the people that have posted here, though!

What made me go? The previous year a bunch of us went camping in Glastonbury, and really liked the place...certainly the Tor was a big reason to choose that area over anywhere else we could have gone. In 1983 (age 20) we decided to take the plunge and go for the festival, having heard from a few people it was worth checking out. I had only just moved into my first flat with my mate, so it was an extension of being able to do whatever we wanted now we were actually earning a wage. Although I'd been to a couple of big events before (Dylan at Blackbushe, Led Zep at Knebworth), this was my first proper 4/5 day excursion. 

The only act I remember seeing from that year was Melanie! Must have seen a few more, but we spent half the time getting off our faces.

Henry Bear's mention of the hot knives stall made me laugh... a few years later we came across one being run by a couple of kids, they looked about 9 years old!

Since then I went to nearly every Glasto until 2003 (my last time)...the only one I missed was 1987 - I saw Bowie at Wembley that year instead. Sure had some great times, the weather always being a factor. 1997 (sticky glue-mud) and 1998 (rain) were a bit of a drag, followed by 1999 & 2000, probably my favourite years of all.

Hoping to make it back one last time in 2020, but I'm not getting my hopes up...amazing to think how easy it used to be getting in back in the early days...

Lee 

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On 10/12/2018 at 4:44 PM, fred quimby said:

That reminds me of the stall in the 80's and maybe early 90's that used to sell bootlegs of all the acts (well maybe not all). So you could see a great set and then an hour later go over and you were able to buy it. Most were very good quality and some from the mixing desk.

I remember that stall.  I had a copy of RATM on the Pyramid, which sadly 'disappeared' at a house party later that summer.

On 10/13/2018 at 2:27 AM, Tyonks said:

My first in 2011, I more or less took it in my stride (and had a belting time i'll add), and I've actually become more awestruck with the place in the following years. Don't know if anyone else had that feeling, or if i'm just weird!

Yep, me too.  The logistics of the place blows my mind.  Just how do you throw a near-week long party for the better part of 200,000 people?  And keep them all fed and watered and disease free?  I mean, I've been a lot and I still can't work that shit out!

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6 hours ago, fatyeti24 said:

Yep, me too.  The logistics of the place blows my mind.  Just how do you throw a near-week long party for the better part of 200,000 people?  And keep them all fed and watered and disease free?  I mean, I've been a lot and I still can't work that shit out!

The inside of Michael and Emily Eavis' brains must look something like this. It' s the only logical explanation

 

 

53036632-physical-vector-seamless-pattern-with-formulas-plots-equations-handwritten-with-chalk-on-a-grey-boar.jpg

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I can remember dropping my hubby off at the festival in 2007 during the worst thunder storms I’ve ever known, I carried on down to visit family in Cornwall, all the way thinking he’s going to make me pick him straight back up if the weather doesn’t clear up, but he stuck it out and spent the next 6 years trying to talk me into going with him, I just didn’t fancy it ! Anyway I gave in and joined him in 2013 and could of kicked myself for not listening to him sooner, we went in 2014 too but due to family circumstances missed the next couple of years, luckily got tickets for 2019   , there really is something magical that pulls you back every year and I can’t explain it ! 

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My first was 2009. I was mad into gigs and had wanted to go for years but was too young/couldn't afford it (I was 16 when I saved up from my weekend job and made it in 2009). I bought the tickets in October, then in December my favourite band in the whole world announced they were getting back together, then they announced they were headlining Glastonbury. That was quite lucky. 

Remember watching Ferris Bueller's Day Off in the cinema tent during the thunder storm, and not knowing if Michael Jackson was really dead. 

I had a real job convincing friends to go with me at 16/17/18 so my group's actually got a lot bigger over the years, and our group for 2019 is the biggest yet. I guess people are more bothered about festivals in their mid-20s than their teens.

Can't wait to go back. 

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1997 was my first. Went down with 3 uni mates - we were all novices, a couple of Reading fests for the them and for me a couple of Phoenixes (94 & 96), but nothing could prepare us for what what lay ahead. 

We had no idea where to camp & ended up in thick of Pennards - amazing luck for four newbies - it’s got to be the best place to camp for atmosphere, energy, sheer 24 hour non-stop shenanigans... that said I don’t remember much! But we made some good friends and were given sound advice by lovely people all around us.

Music-wise, I remember Cast, who spent an hour dodging mud, Beck who stopped the mud due to his sheer brilliance, the Pumpkins who didn’t utter a word but played with utter arrogance, and then the Prodigy, invited onto stage by Dennis Pennis. 

And then the Saturday I remember nothing except for Radiohead - that set will live with me forever - which made being back there last year to witness them 20 years on, almost to the day, really special.

The weather was shocking but I didn’t care. I went back the year after when the weather was even worse & I loved it more. I wasn’t prepared for the sun on my third trip back in 99 & got burnt stupid. 

Since then I’ve only missed few, due to having young kids, but next year will be my third in a row & 14th in total. I approach each ticket sale now thinking if I am unlucky, then fine it’s about time someone new had a go, I’ve had a great run. But I am still desperate to be there - last year’s was one of the best, a bloody riot, and I CANNOT wait to get back. 

It may have changed over the years but there’s still no place like it. Long live glasto!

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First time was 2008. Me and a mate were went for a Little Chef Olympic Breakfast about 1-2ish as we did pretty much every Saturday at the time. We're both big Hip Hop fans and were gutted that Jay-Z was going to be playing about half an hour drive down the road and we weren't going to be there. So we thought to ourselves, fuck it, may as well drive down and see if we can get in some how. 

So that's what we did, drove right up to the festival gates and quite quickly realised there was no where to park near by, drove past it and every side street was blocked off by stewards for what seemed like ages, eventually there was a side road we parked down, but even there, every car had a Glastonbury residents sticker in the window. We ignored that and parked up. We were so far away now that you couldn't even see the festival, just knew what direction it was. We walked for ages through, fields, bit of woodland and country lanes, the sun was out we had a few smokes, it was lovely.

Eventually as we got closer we started seeing stewards, usually in pairs, just sat in high vis jackets, the first couple we tried to bypass, but as we got closer and closer it was apparent that we were going to have to walk right past them. So we just tried to look relaxed, gave them a wave and a friendly 'hello' and they gave us no trouble at all, just said hello back and let us walk on. After a long while we ended up in one of the car park fields, and we headed to one of the pedestrian gates, security was driving by us in their 4x4's and we made no effort to hide despite just having t shirt's on and no wristbands, but they didn't bother us. 

We got right up to the gate, even bought an ice cream each and sat down against the fence, wondering how the hell we were going to get in. We contemplated making a mad dash through the gate and beyond, but neither of us had the balls for that. we tried phoning a few mates who were in the festival to see if they could get us in, to no avail.

Then randomly some bloke asked us if we were waiting for Sophie, to which we replied no, but then he spotted we had no bands on and asked if we were trying to get in. He said he had some staff bands that you could just slide on and you'd get straight in, no questions asked. He wanted £80 each off me and my mate, and said he would go away and come back with the bands. Both me and my mate were sure it was a scam, but as the bloke said to us, 'how else are you hoping to get in?!'. We didn't have £160 on us but gave him all the money we had (£35ish each i think), as he assured us there was cash machines inside. He told us to sit between some cars so security didn't throw us out and said he'd be back. Sure enough, to our surprise he did return, he had one band that i couldn't get over my stupidly big hand, the bloke was worried i'd break it, so my mate put it on and went in. 

That meant i had to wait on my own for what seemed like an eternity, eventually i got a call from my mate, he was in! So sat and waited, and sure enough, our mate returned, got a band on me and i nervously walked through the gate. Met up with my mate, gave the band back to matey boy, and we were in!! 

Both of us were buzzing at this point, couldn't believe we actually got in! It was about 8/9ish at this point, which is that magical time as the sun starts going down, couldn't think of a better time to get your first taste of the festival. I was completely awestruck by the place, the people, it was amazing. We met up with a mate in there who got us to the cash machines, had a few pints and watched Jay-Z, who i thought was calss, can still remember his little video he had before he came on and how he came out playing Wonderwall.

Stayed for a whirlwind 24 hours and left before the headliner Sunday as we had along walk back to the car and both had work the next day (Pretty sure The Verve headlined Sunday, and was a bit gutted i didn't see them in the end).  Anyway, fell in love with the place in those 24 hours and have been back for 2009 (got a ticket the day before the festival off some bloke on here, Liam Stafford from Liverpool i think, legend), 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017 (Sunday ticket) and thank god, have a ticket for 2019.

 

 

 

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i have really loved reading this thread, thank you Peroni for starting it.

The first time at Glastonbury really is amazing and there are some really great stories on here from recent converts to the real stalwarts especially Glastoworker - thank you so much for those brilliant photos and the hand drawn site plan from the very early days, what an absolute pleasure to see those ?

I went to my first in 1994 ( or that is the year we have narrowed it down to ...  they do kind of merge in to one after so many). Me and then boyfriend had been in Jumbo records in Leeds and had passed by Cavendish travel on the way out where they had a list of coach trips in the window. Glastonbury festival was listed and we both fancied it. We went in and bought tickets for about £56 or something, then went and bought a tent !

We travelled down  a few weeks later on the Thursday coach and in those days the coach drop off field was blummin miles from the pedestrian gate. After a long walk with our kit we finally walked in . I was completely blown away by the size of the festival (and it's twice the size now ! )

I couldnt believe the atmosphere and the sheer pleasure of the whole weekend.

We have been lucky enough to go to every Glastonbury since. lt's amazing that a place where I have spent just one week a year feels like home every time i go back, that is a real testiment to the way Micheal and his family have run the festival, and welcomed us to their farm and home each year.

We started taking our daughter in 2002 when she was 8 months old and that felt like a whole new experience, not so hedonistic anymore but the Kidz field was a revalation ! fantastic for a parent with a hangover ?? but seriously the atmosphere and sheer kindness in the Kidz field is absolutely what this festival is all about.

We have clocked up 20 in a row now, and my daughter has clocked up 14, every one of her lifetime. I feel very lucky indeed, it really is a special place and time that weekend after the summer solstice in Somerset.  We got a van about 5 years ago which is sheer luxury although I do slightly hanker after being inside the perimeter fence.

 

 

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10 minutes ago, tigertoo said:

i have really loved reading this thread, thank you Peroni for starting it.

The first time at Glastonbury really is amazing and there are some really great stories on here from recent converts to the real stalwarts especially Glastoworker - thank you so much for those brilliant photos and the hand drawn site plan from the very early days, what an absolute pleasure to see those ?

I went to my first in 1994 ( or that is the year we have narrowed it down to ...  they do kind of merge in to one after so many). Me and then boyfriend had been in Jumbo records in Leeds and had passed by Cavendish travel on the way out where they had a list of coach trips in the window. Glastonbury festival was listed and we both fancied it. We went in and bought tickets for about £56 or something, then went and bought a tent !

We travelled down  a few weeks later on the Thursday coach and in those days the coach drop off field was blummin miles from the pedestrian gate. After a long walk with our kit we finally walked in . I was completely blown away by the size of the festival (and it's twice the size now ! )

I couldnt believe the atmosphere and the sheer pleasure of the whole weekend.

We have been lucky enough to go to every Glastonbury since. lt's amazing that a place where I have spent just one week a year feels like home every time i go back, that is a real testiment to the way Micheal and his family have run the festival, and welcomed us to their farm and home each year.

We started taking our daughter in 2002 when she was 8 months old and that felt like a whole new experience, not so hedonistic anymore but the Kidz field was a revalation ! fantastic for a parent with a hangover ?? but seriously the atmosphere and sheer kindness in the Kidz field is absolutely what this festival is all about.

We have clocked up 20 in a row now, and my daughter has clocked up 14, every one of her lifetime. I feel very lucky indeed, it really is a special place and time that weekend after the summer solstice in Somerset.  We got a van about 5 years ago which is sheer luxury although I do slightly hanker after being inside the perimeter fence.

 

 

congratulations on the ticket sucess and another great post to add to this thread ... good luck with the future ticket sales and have another amazing festival 

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10 hours ago, tigertoo said:

i have really loved reading this thread, thank you Peroni for starting it.

 

I've loved it also...been awesome hearing all of the stories and how people have experienced their first one.    Just goes to show... it doesn't matter why you went in the first place.... but once it's in you...it's hard to shake!

Also what an amazing thing to share for so long with your daughter... just amazing!

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