Who was the first act you saw at Glastonbury?

[RichardWaller]

Alright, this is from their Jazz World stage set, can't find owt on youtube from them opening the Pyramid. Worth bearing in mind that before Glastonbury I'd only done two Leeds and you get bugger all like that there. I don't think I could've asked for a better introduction really, stood there as a 19 year old first timer with a clean slate, not really knowing what to expect from the weekend and then these.. I knew it already from walking around the site on the Thursday, and that was just added confirmation that this place is different.

[Northern Soul]

I’m only a newbie. The 1st headline act I seen was FATM on the Friday 2015, I’m pretty sure we caught the last tune or 2 of The Libertines before her, god knows what I seen on the (albeit) limited offerings of the Wed and Thurs as I’d have been in a terrible state, being new and exciteable and full of all sorts of all the classes of drugs. It’s that kind of farm?. 

[chrislfc]

Kasabian Other Stage 2004 - first act on.

[jackarmy]

Maximo Park - Queens Head on the Thursday in 2009

[ian the worm]

Thursday 2008 I arrived on site via Red Gate around 4:30pm due to Eastern road closures and was somehow allowed to drive my 106 from Pyramid to Acoustic back stage bar where I was booked to be both sound engineer and barman. I had a walking escort past the cider buss and through the market place and EVERYONE in the whole world was looking at me.  I felt 50% star 50% idiot. 

At 5pm I was informed that I was working an extra shift, starting at 6pm and that I had to sound rig the stage first.  First act was sax playing Nik Turner off of Hawkwind.  I didn't get my tent up until about Friday afternoon and didn't sleep till around Saturday sometime.

[The Red Telephone]

First act I can remember seeing were The Beastie Boys in 1994

[Northern Soul]

8 minutes ago, ian the worm said:

  First act was sax playing Nik Turner off of Hawkwind. 

As a sound engineer did you ensure that his Silver Machine was up and running??. 

 

[The Toad.]

Some nonce..

 

 

(Rolfy)

[Stokesy10]

Two Door, Pyramid, 2011. Absolutely brilliant as well and started my love for them!

[mashedonmud]

Can't remember the year, can't remember the acts. It was an extremely long time ago. I sneaked in as a fresh faced teenager and I survived to go again. That's all my memory is giving out at moment. ?

[ian the worm]

5 minutes ago, Northern Soul said:

As a sound engineer did you ensure that his Silver Machine was up and running??. 

 

Why of course!!!  Interesting fact: his 2008 model looked rather like a floor tapping tambourine 

[Northern Soul]

8 minutes ago, ian the worm said:

Why of course!!!  Interesting fact: his 2008 model looked rather like a floor tapping tambourine 

Well, floor tapping tambourine, silver machine, same thing when you was dropping loads of acid in the 60’s???. 

[sparkythetortoise]

14 minutes ago, ian the worm said:

Why of course!!!  Interesting fact: his 2008 model looked rather like a floor tapping tambourine 

I rarely miss an appearance of the lesser spotted Turner, and they do all tend to blend into one, but I'm struggling to recall this one. Could you put my OCD addled mind at rest and tell me what stage he was on?

[priest17]

38 minutes ago, jackarmy said:

Maximo Park - Queens Head on the Thursday in 2009

Same... sort of... might have caught a glimpse of the top of one their heads before deciding it wasnae worth it.

[Sasperella]

On the Friday (so the official start of the festival) it was Blondie, but I had to leave after one song to go and be sick and have a lie-down after a very very overly excited booze fuelled Thursday night. Thus, I definitely saw some small things on Thursday, but I don't have a clue what any of it was  I distinctly remember trying to see David Morales tribute to Frankie Knuckles at the Glade but it was absolutely rammo and we couldn't get anywhere close. Whatever we saw instead was grand though

[Crazyfool01]

not 100% sure but it was 2002 and im guessing a pyramid act so think it was probably these as I would have been pyramid orientated a bit more in those days 

• Shibusashirazu Orchestra

I

[Mr.Tease]

2003 Friday morning went to hear Pete Yorn or Yawn or something on t'other (I think to avoid The Darkness who were opening the pyramid) . Dire, boring, made me suddenly lower my expectations of the weekend ahead! 

Fortunately loved every other act I encountered: Asian fun foundation, ozomatli, skatalites, Beth orthon, rem, radio head, Love, flaming lips, Jimmy cliff, dohl foundation, jazz Jamaica, the roots, buena vista social club. Think grandaddy, kanda bongo man and my morning jacket also played--my favourite year for lineup! 

[Crazyfool01]

1 hour ago, RichardWaller said:

Alright, this is from their Jazz World stage set, can't find owt on youtube from them opening the Pyramid. Worth bearing in mind that before Glastonbury I'd only done two Leeds and you get bugger all like that there. I don't think I could've asked for a better introduction really, stood there as a 19 year old first timer with a clean slate, not really knowing what to expect from the weekend and then these.. I knew it already from walking around the site on the Thursday, and that was just added confirmation that this place is different.

just seen your post above ... im thinking this was mine too

 

[Johnnyseven]

1998, the first act I can remember was The Warm Jets on The Other Stage. It was pissing it down, the crowd was miserable apart from me and my mate Carl who were jumping and splashing in the mud and having a jolly old time. The band dedicated a song to us, it made our day.

[Johnnyseven]

5 minutes ago, Mr.Tease said:

Asian fun foundation

Please tell me this is the name of a real band and not a mistaken version of Asian Dub Foundation.

[Doug85]

Either Beans on Toast or Tankus the Henge. I wish i could remember which way around it was but I was hammered.

Both were fantastic

[kagey]

1994 - Spin Doctors, World Party and Blind Melon on the Pyramid
 

I will never forget how far and high up the guitarist managed to throw his guitar into the crowd and sweltering dusty heat of the day,
I then went on to drink half a bottle of Mezcal and was apparently seen surfing on top of the Levellers tour bus before being knocked off by a tree branch ?
The Levellers rocked my world that night headlining the Pyramid

Edited November 14, 2018 by kagey

[Hugh Jass]

1 hour ago, chrislfc said:

Kasabian Other Stage 2004 - first act on.

Ditto.

[ian the worm]

27 minutes ago, sparkythetortoise said:

I rarely miss an appearance of the lesser spotted Turner, and they do all tend to blend into one, but I'm struggling to recall this one. Could you put my OCD addled mind at rest and tell me what stage he was on?

Back-stage Acoustic Bar. These days known as a crew bar. 

[Avalon_Fields]

The Darkness, opening up the Pyramid stage in 2003. Front row (Not that there was a huge crowd). They were, for a brief time, fun and entertaining.

Immediately followed by Inspiral Carpets and Echo & The Bunneymen. 

Saw all 3 headliners, REM, Radiohead & Moby, loved them all.