So...do you remember your first time?

[henry bear]

1983. Me and a mate had decided to go. We came home from school on the Wednesday and got a lift to one of the sliproads joining the M4, from where we started hitch-hiking. After about 10 minutes a car stopped and we jumped in. The driver excitedly proclaimed that he’d just stolen the car. He seemed otherwise ok and I think we got dropped off on the Severn Bridge services. We must have had 3 or 4 lifts before we got anywhere near Pilton.

Eventually we got to the festival site. The festival signs looked very much as they still do. We walked towards the main entrance and veered off to the left. I should point out that we had no tickets and not a huge amount of money. I expect my mother would have packed sandwiches and pop for me (in retrospect, I expect she’d been worried sick). We’d been told where to go by people who’d gone before. There was a fence, but no superfence, and the fence they had didn’t by any means surround the whole site, so we dodged what little security there was at the time, and got onto the site by hurdling a hedgerow. We followed the lights and made it up towards the farm. We bumped into a couple of more mates and erected our tent, in the dark. We were camped somewhere between the farmhouse and the Pyramid, a position similar to @glasto-worker‘s photos.

What an eye opener the following day. Much like it is for first-timers now, but with fewer restrictions. Drugs everywhere. I recall a hot-knives stall in plain view, to the left of the Pyramid Stage. Music-wise, 1983 wasn’t up to much at all. On the Friday Marillion were subbing, and the headliner was Melanie, who’d had a couple of hits over 10 years previously with ‘Brand New Key’ and a cover of ‘Ruby Tuesday’. She was supposed to be playing the RAH on this visit, but that got cancelled due to poor ticket sales. That was the level of headliners we were at then. Saturday’s headliner was UB40, and on Sunday King Sunny Ade, who’s music nobody knew. Musically the highlight of the weekend was Curtis Mayfield, but back then the emphasis was much less on the acts. 

You used to see a lot of Michael. I recall going into the farmhouse to use their phone - I think there were one or two phones we could use, one of which was inside. Jean and young Emily were there in the kitchen. 

It was a beautiful weekend weather-wise. On the Monday we hitched back, and it took a lot longer as we had lots of competition. It was, as it is for a lot of us, a life-changing experience. The music wasn’t always to my taste but I loved the place. Feel a bit guilty about free-loading though!

[blackdog]

1983, got there on the Saturday & had a ball. Hitched to Stonehenge Festival from Glastonbury! Didn’t go for another 24 years but only missed 1 since 

[Kizzie]

8 hours ago, glasto-worker said:

 
I cant find  1979/1981/1982 - not even sure if we had a wrist band ' but I do have the tickets { in a box somewhere }  but I came across these - 1987 was the last year I attended as a Punter and I have huge collection of Crew wristbands since then.

 

 

1981 - no wristband, an ink stamp on your hand.

[henry bear]

20 minutes ago, blackdog said:

1983, got there on the Saturday & had a ball. Hitched to Stonehenge Festival from Glastonbury! Didn’t go for another 24 years but only missed 1 since 

I did that in reverse in 1984. We got to Stonehenge (would be the last one) on the solstice, watched The Enid and Hawkwind and then made our way across to Pilton. Glastonbury had been an eye-opener, Stonehenge was off the scale...

[Mardy]

1993. Was monkeying about in and out of work in Thanet. Small little thing in the news section of Meldody Maker or NME asking for volunteers. had to send a cheque for the ticket price, 58 quid to the charity, Ploughshares, i think it was. Didn't have a chequebook, or even a bank account I think, so persuaded my Mum to do it. Lot of cash back then.

 

Got the ticket back in the post

 

 

 

 

Meantime, I was working on a farm near Robin Hoods Bay, and seeing a girl from Newcastle. Arranged through her, and a mate of mine from home to get a lift to the farm in a Transit van that was coming donw from Newcastle. Had to be on a certain layby on the motorway at 10.30 a.m. I'm standing there with my duffle bag when the van pulls up, a lad I know jumps out, opens up the back of the van and I get it to find 8 Newcastle drug dealers there, going down to the farm to make some cash for the weekend. Tooled up, big fucking knives etc and bags and bags of pills, weed etc.  Anyway, we got on just fine and the journey down and the weekend was a bit of a blur. Fucking tremendous though. Hot knives for breakfast. The Orb setting the Saturday night on fire. No recollection of any other bands that weekend.

Come the end of the festival, I have to start working litter picking on the MOnday or Tuesday, so move my clobber down to Goose Hall. we assemble ready to start work and the gaffer asks if we want to work on a tractor crew stacking bins on the Pyramid etc. Jump at the chance. Turns out the other people on the back of the tractor are from my home town, same school as me, but year or two below. Do my shifts, get the cheque back and then we all end up staying on the farm for another 2-3 weeks working with the same crew. Got paid by ME from a proper old school metal petty-cash box at the end of the period. Enough money to get me to the next Festival. and then the next one. Helluva summer, that.

 

[Field of Avalon]

2016 was my first one. Lack of funds, 2 daughters and 6 dogs prevented me from going earlier. I'll never forget standing at the top of the hill of death at ped gate c and seeing part of the site sprawled out before me, really was butterflies in the stomach stuff.

[Nduja]

2    0   1   4  with my gf and a few of her mates. Was interested earlier but never prioritised getting a ticket. Suddenly I found myself in a crew, with a plan. All in. From the moment the ticket was secured and the deposit was paid that all changed and what followed was an incessant 4 year cycle of planning, speculating, getting excited, reminiscing, re-organising, ticket day again...whoah here we go. Our crew has swelled every year by virtue of everyone who has attended coming back for more and new people coming along.

Before the first festival I was thoroughly consumed by the drip feed of festival info. But at that point I hadn't really appreciated all of the norms, had no idea about the thingy. It was great. What I signed up for was just getting better...

First year was definitely one of the best, even if we only really scratched the surface. Friday at the Pyramid was insane from TWOD right up until the lightning struck and then Arcade Fire delivered my favourite headline of all time. Subsequent days weren't a patch in all honesty. I think I let my self get dragged to Clean Bandit (!). Still golden moments all over the place and still incredible.

It took 4 whole days to recover. The dreams.

 

[balti-pie]

2005 was my first. I’d had it on the list of ‘things I really want to do’ since the ch4 coverage started in about 95, but none of my mates really wanted to go and I wasn’t of an age/mindset yet where I’d fancy going on my own. 

I got together with a lass in 2004 that had already been a couple of times, so it was a no brainer to try and get tickets - we drove down on the Thursday and I’m so glad we came in by gate C, because I stood at the top of the hill and my mind instantly blew with amazement at the scale of the place ??? we got in, and she threw a wobbler at carrying bags/it being stinking hot/women. She sat in the shade with all the bags while I legged it with the tent in my arms, and pitched up opposite the Other stage right by the railway line. (It’s a huge toilet block now, but I always seek out that spot and say hello to it!) 

that night of course the heavens really opened, and about 15 yards away from the tent a kind of impromptu river formed, absolutely taking everything out in its way. I had a look around the next morning and everywhere was covered in a good three inches of water on top of a really hard mud floor. I fell in love from then onwards ???????

Edited October 11, 2018 by balti-pie

[elbongo]

2 hours ago, Kizzie said:

1981 - no wristband, an ink stamp on your hand.

Didn't get one in 94 or 95 I'm quite sure ?

Edited October 11, 2018 by elbongo
Probably wrong so I am

[elbongo]

Scrap that. I jumped in, well squeezed through a gap in the fence. More like a hole, a thourghfare even. 

[koj]

I was a bit of a bucket list type the first time. I'd watched the coverage, listened to them go on about it on Radio 1 and told myself I would go one year.

I decided whist watching Jay-Z live on BBC at home in 2008 that I would go for it (even though Jay-Z is very far from my musical taste).

Since then I've only missed one.

A press photographer took this pic in 2009, on the Thursday evening when we arrived, conjures up such memories every time I look at it:

[Cooter]

1987 for me, got a lift with my mates after I finished work at 11pm at a Shell petrol station in Sevenoaks, Got pulled over at a police road block 3 miles from the festival and spent the Friday night playing football in the police compound car park near the Bath showground while my mates spent the night in the cells. Saturday morning we arrived in the festival, had a great time, Sunday morning we were summoned to Shepton Mallet courthouse along with a few hundred other people, all off their heads including us!

Other than that I remember being bored by Elvis Costello, loving Black Uhuru, trying to find Hawkwind, seeing lots of people with light up yoyos in the darkness and buying a "I love sheep shaggin" tshirt from the market at the top of the pyramid field.

Monday morning I woke up in a Ford Fiesta still wearing my Shell petrol uniform.

Edited October 11, 2018 by Cooter

[blackdog]

2 hours ago, henry bear said:

I did that in reverse in 1984. We got to Stonehenge (would be the last one) on the solstice, watched The Enid and Hawkwind and then made our way across to Pilton. Glastonbury had been an eye-opener, Stonehenge was off the scale...

 

14 minutes ago, Cooter said:

1987 for me, got a lift with my mates after I finished work at 11pm at a Shell petrol station in Sevenoaks, Got pulled over at a police road block 3 miles from the festival and spent the Friday night playing football in the police compound car park near the Bath showground while my mates spent the night in the cells. Saturday morning we arrived in the festival, had a great time, Sunday morning we were summoned to Shepton Mallet courthouse along with a few hundred other people, all off their heads including us!

Other than that I remember being bored by Elvis Costello, loving Black Uhuru, trying to find Hawkwind, seeing lots of people with light up yoyos in the darkness and buying a "I love sheep shaggin" tshirt from the market at the top of the pyramid field.

Monday morning I woke up in a Ford Fiesta with my Shell petrol uniform still on.

I also saw The Enid & Hawkwind & your dead right, Stonehenge was on a completely different level

[guypjfreak]

No but looks like I'll remember my last lol lol 

[scaryclaireyfairy]

2003 and I was pretty much a bucket-lister. I'd wanted to go for years but travel and money were an issue. I had a grown-up birthday in '03 and I knew Radiohead were playing so I was finally going and nothing was going to stop me. I told one mate she was coming with me (she did not protest) and another nearly bit my arm off when I asked if she'd be interested.

We were vastly under-prepared but at least the weather was kind. We strolled in Thursday evening and camped in Pennards. I have fragments of that weekend jangling around in my head but it's more colours and feelings than bands. I kept getting lost not ending up where I originally intended. That still happens a lot.

Next year is, I think, my 10th.

[Respectfatfrog]

2009 partner at the time asked on the off if i wanted to go thought sod it yeah why not, no planning no expectations. 

On the thursday morning went for a walk on my own found the brothers bar got 3 for ten was smashed within half an hour think it was about in the morning 

[ourkid1984]

I'm so pleased for anyone who manages to go. I've only gone once before in 2016. Although I am gutted I didn't even try before then even with years of watching and listening to coverage and wanting to go I am so happy to have gone once and even happier that I'm going again next year. 

My 1st ever festival was IOW the year Travis replaced Morrissey and apart from seeing some decent bands and having good memories with mates I didn't really enjoy it anywhere near as much as I had hoped. I didn't go to any other festival for a few years and then decided to try Rock Wertcher. Went back there a few times after that gave me love for festival's and then continued to go to a few other European festivals. Started to reconsider smaller British festivals so went to a few and loved those as well. On here I remember reading that Sziget was the European equivalent to Glastonbury so went there, had a great time and so decided I had to go to Glastonbury. 

In the meantime my dad had never been to a festival but had always wanted to go to Glastonbury. I used that as an excuse to go and first year of trying went with my dad and my girlfriend (now wife). Went by coach on the Thursday and was anxious hearing all the reports about the state of the ground and time getting in. The anxiety went as soon as I had my first sighting of the festival. The journey that took longer than most of our travels to European festivals all seemed worth it. My dad who is in is mid 50's wants to go to as many as he can and completely hooked, was gutted when we missed out last year but was still just as delighted to have been once. 

In hindsight I think I went first time as the right time for me as before going to Sziget I was mainly just interested in going to festivals for the music so when I went to Glastonbury I had learned to not worry about missing something if I'm enjoying doing something else. Other festivals have great things about them but combined nothing is as good as Glastonbury so no wonder more and more people are desperate to go. 

[StoneCircle]

3 hours ago, balti-pie said:

2005 was my first. I’d had it on the list of ‘things I really want to do’ since the ch4 coverage started in about 95, but none of my mates really wanted to go and I wasn’t of an age/mindset yet where I’d fancy going on my own. 

I got together with a lass in 2004 that had already been a couple of times, so it was a no brainer to try and get tickets - we drove down on the Thursday and I’m so glad we came in by gate C, because I stood at the top of the hill and my mind instantly blew with amazement at the scale of the place ??? we got in, and she threw a wobbler at carrying bags/it being stinking hot/women. She sat in the shade with all the bags while I legged it with the tent in my arms, and pitched up opposite the Other stage right by the railway line. (It’s a huge toilet block now, but I always seek out that spot and say hello to it!) 

that night of course the heavens really opened, and about 15 yards away from the tent a kind of impromptu river formed, absolutely taking everything out in its way. I had a look around the next morning and everywhere was covered in a good three inches of water on top of a really hard mud floor. I fell in love from then onwards ???????

My 1st too, and we also camped opposite Other Stage in Oxylers. Survived the storm and loved every minute, never missed a festival since!

[The Placid Casual]

First Glasto reminds me of my first E. Pull out unique, still sixteen and feeling horny,

[iaintcool]

First time was 2011. I was living in Australia at the time just about to finish with uni and was in limbo with not knowing what to do with my life after been at school/uni for the past 17 years. I've always loved festivals (even though they're tiny here) I though fuck it,  move to England and do as many Festivals as you can in the summer and go from there. I managed to get a ticket after about 3 or so hours trying by myself with one tab on Firefox and that's all. After getting that ticket I then went and bought ones for IOW, Leeds, T in the Park, Benni, Besitval and Wireless (Pulp day). Was a great summer of festivals and nothing touched how amazing Glasto was. I deceided to stay in England for the next 5 years and went to them all (11,13 and 14) Moved back to Australia at the end of 2014 but flew back for 15 and 17 (missed 16 despite getting a ticket - wasn't financially viable) and got my ticket for 19 which I will 100% be there for.

 

My first Glasto was amazing. I found out my Dads cousins husband was going to I got a lift in with him and met the best bunch of people camping and have been going with them ever since. I've tried for many years to get some mates from here to go but they don't get how amazing glasto is since its really hard to explain everything that goes on.

[glasto-worker]

12 hours ago, henry bear said:

1983. Me and a mate had decided to go. We came home from school on the Wednesday and got a lift to one of the sliproads joining the M4, from where we started hitch-hiking. After about 10 minutes a car stopped and we jumped in. The driver excitedly proclaimed that he’d just stolen the car. He seemed otherwise ok and I think we got dropped off on the Severn Bridge services. We must have had 3 or 4 lifts before we got anywhere near Pilton.

Eventually we got to the festival site. The festival signs looked very much as they still do. We walked towards the main entrance and veered off to the left. I should point out that we had no tickets and not a huge amount of money. I expect my mother would have packed sandwiches and pop for me (in retrospect, I expect she’d been worried sick). We’d been told where to go by people who’d gone before. There was a fence, but no superfence, and the fence they had didn’t by any means surround the whole site, so we dodged what little security there was at the time, and got onto the site by hurdling a hedgerow. We followed the lights and made it up towards the farm. We bumped into a couple of more mates and erected our tent, in the dark. We were camped somewhere between the farmhouse and the Pyramid, a position similar to @glasto-worker‘s photos.

What an eye opener the following day. Much like it is for first-timers now, but with fewer restrictions. Drugs everywhere. I recall a hot-knives stall in plain view, to the left of the Pyramid Stage. Music-wise, 1983 wasn’t up to much at all. On the Friday Marillion were subbing, and the headliner was Melanie, who’d had a couple of hits over 10 years previously with ‘Brand New Key’ and a cover of ‘Ruby Tuesday’. She was supposed to be playing the RAH on this visit, but that got cancelled due to poor ticket sales. That was the level of headliners we were at then. Saturday’s headliner was UB40, and on Sunday King Sunny Ade, who’s music nobody knew. Musically the highlight of the weekend was Curtis Mayfield, but back then the emphasis was much less on the acts. 

You used to see a lot of Michael. I recall going into the farmhouse to use their phone - I think there were one or two phones we could use, one of which was inside. Jean and young Emily were there in the kitchen. 

It was a beautiful weekend weather-wise. On the Monday we hitched back, and it took a lot longer as we had lots of competition. It was, as it is for a lot of us, a life-changing experience. The music wasn’t always to my taste but I loved the place. Feel a bit guilty about free-loading though!

when you wrote '  On the Friday Marillion were subbing ' perhaps you mean it in a different way but ' to the best of my knowledge Marillion was not a late replacement for anyone as their name appeared on the very thin Programme ' - Derek Dick - you may know him as ' Fish ' is a personal friend { I have knowing him long before he left  Scotland } and he certainly did not have that nickname in Dalkeith { where his parents live } or Galashiels { he used to work around there cutting trees down } - but in 1983 it was not public knowledge his real surname - in fact I met him that Friday morning ' backstage ' { I got a note to him and he got me a pass } but if you were there you may have wondered why a small crowd of people started chanting ' Bring on Fish Dick ' - Derek was well puzzled as to how these people knew his real surname and I did not mention that I suspected the people chanting were my friends.The band had been recording at Peter Gabriel's farm house studio then played at Glasto and departed back to that studio later that afternoon - I know he has been back in later years but not to play.

I was also friends with Jean {late 80's early 90's } - Jean and Michael Eavis used to drop in at the WBC Guest bar - she was always more chatty than Michael Eavis - we used to go out the back just for them to get some peace as they were always being hassled over ' back stage passes'

A few more shots ' but not from 83 ' - I am sure others from 1983 will surface { I have boxes and boxes on negatives so not so easy to sort though them } 

anyway your memory was spot on as 83 was a good weekend weather-wise but not all that hot on bands but I had been a big fan of Melanie from the late 60's and had seen her loads of times

1983 stands out as that was the first year they had 'Radio Avalon' 

Mendip District Council issued a Public Entertainment Licence which set a crowd limit of 30,000 but of course there was lots of ways to get in although as we could afford the £12 ticket price we had tickets.

Re where you camped - that area between ' Drug alley ' and the back of the farm was fine in dry weather but some years ' the tents used to slide down the hill ' - I kid you not

we used to camp first field on the left after driving though the gate.

shame there is no time machine .

 

1982

later than 1983

Edited October 12, 2018 by glasto-worker

[sedra]

1984- lived in Wiltshire and a group of us decided to go down for the day on the Sunday. Parked on the top main road and walked down. Someone’s brother was already there so they gave us their wristbands passed over a hedge and we just walked in through the gate. 

1986-was paid to go to take a young person from the care home I worked in, including the tickets Drove in Friday evening and camped up next to car! 

1995- weds to Monday full experience! Lovely weather! 

Next year is my 20th- have only missed 2004 ( year of the ticket nightmares) and 2008( could have got ticket as they didn’t sell out til day before festival but was in Australia) 

summer is not the same now without it! 

[henry bear]

3 hours ago, glasto-worker said:

when you wrote '  On the Friday Marillion were subbing ' perhaps you mean it in a different way but ' to the best of my knowledge Marillion was not a late replacement for anyone as their name appeared on the very thin Programme ' - Derek Dick - you may know him as ' Fish ' is a personal friend { I have knowing him long before he left  Scotland } and he certainly did not have that nickname in Dalkeith { where his parents live } or Galashiels { he used to work around there cutting trees down } - but in 1983 it was not public knowledge his real surname - in fact I met him that Friday morning ' backstage ' { I got a note to him and he got me a pass } but if you were there you may have wondered why a small crowd of people started chanting ' Bring on Fish Dick ' - Derek was well puzzled as to how these people knew his real surname and I did not mention that I suspected the people chanting were my friends.The band had been recording at Peter Gabriel's farm house studio then played at Glasto and departed back to that studio later that afternoon - I know he has been back in later years but not to play.

I was also friends with Jean {late 80's early 90's } - Jean and Michael Eavis used to drop in at the WBC Guest bar - she was always more chatty than Michael Eavis - we used to go out the back just for them to get some peace as they were always being hassled over ' back stage passes'

A few more shots ' but not from 83 ' - I am sure others from 1983 will surface { I have boxes and boxes on negatives so not so easy to sort though them } 

anyway your memory was spot on as 83 was a good weekend weather-wise but not all that hot on bands but I had been a big fan of Melanie from the late 60's and had seen her loads of times

1983 stands out as that was the first year they had 'Radio Avalon' 

Mendip District Council issued a Public Entertainment Licence which set a crowd limit of 30,000 but of course there was lots of ways to get in although as we could afford the £12 ticket price we had tickets.

Re where you camped - that area between ' Drug alley ' and the back of the farm was fine in dry weather but some years ' the tents used to slide down the hill ' - I kid you not

we used to camp first field on the left after driving though the gate.

shame there is no time machine .

 

1982

later than 1983

Great photos. The bottom one must be late 80’s or even 90’s? I took a load in 1984 but sadly have no idea where they are.

By subbing, I meant Marillion were the penultimate act (as I remember it, although there may have been someone on in-between). The only other time I saw them was at the Reading Festival also in 1983, when they were on before Black Sabbath. Don’t remember the chanting, but there’s a lot I don’t recall. One thing I remember of Melanie’s set was a couple of Hells Angels climbing up on stage to present her with a leather jacket. And the green lasers (that seemed to be switched on during every headliners’ sets) that were pointed directly into the audience - amazing, such practices banned now.

[dentalplan]

This another Jarvis Cocker thread?

[glasto-worker]

29 minutes ago, henry bear said:

Great photos. The bottom one must be late 80’s or even 90’s? I took a load in 1984 but sadly have no idea where they are.

By subbing, I meant Marillion were the penultimate act (as I remember it, although there may have been someone on in-between). The only other time I saw them was at the Reading Festival also in 1983, when they were on before Black Sabbath. Don’t remember the chanting, but there’s a lot I don’t recall. One thing I remember of Melanie’s set was a couple of Hells Angels climbing up on stage to present her with a leather jacket. And the green lasers (that seemed to be switched on during every headliners’ sets) that were pointed directly into the audience - amazing, such practices banned now.

You Must Have Been Well Out Of It 

Because Marillion was the first band to play - they may have been pencilled in to play later but they went on first due to Peter Gabriel's farm house studio booking hence why they did not hang about - it was the very first time Derek had been to Glastonbury and he was kicking himself that they did not have to to stay - In 1983 they were not well knowing outside of  Aylesbury { Marillion's home town } so most people there would not have a clue who they were.

so they would have started at either 11.00 or Noon.Did not know they played Reading in 1983 but I only started going either 1988 or 1989.

So perhaps you have mixed up the two gigs as I know 100% they went on late morning or noon time. 

well stage climbing was easy as there was no barriers up and there certainly no security at the front - yes the the green lasers were cracking at that time - I will double check the photo but I would doubt it was later than 1989 { the very first year I was working at it so would doubt I was in that area }

Edited October 12, 2018 by glasto-worker