What is the "spirit of Glastonbury"?

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

9 hours ago, Supernintendo Chalmers said:

Treating people how you in turn wish to be treated. Kindness, friendship, compassion, unity, solidarity, barriers broken down, free expression without judgement, tolerance, celebration. 

Sadly, the things society forgets for the other 360 days of the year. 

I'm convinced the "Glastonbury Blues" is less about the missing the festival and more the realisation that the things we enjoyed together in those fields in Somerset are rarely replicated in real life. 

But seriously, this. 

9 hours ago, Crazyfool01 said:

Rum 

And this.

[Avalon_Fields]

9 hours ago, Supernintendo Chalmers said:

Treating people how you in turn wish to be treated. Kindness, friendship, compassion, unity, solidarity, barriers broken down, free expression without judgement, tolerance, celebration. 

Sadly, the things society forgets for the other 360 days of the year. 

I'm convinced the "Glastonbury Blues" is less about the missing the festival and more the realisation that the things we enjoyed together in those fields in Somerset are rarely replicated in real life. 

Couldn’t put it better. Every year I’ve been I’ve experienced this. 

[Twiggy553]

Doing it your way

[sime]

It's history 

[Neil]

Surely Michael eavis defines that to a large degree, perhaps with his hard-nosed farmer manner.

[Skip997]

18 minutes ago, sime said:

It's history 

This!

[rubenz]

There are a few things that make Glasto different and add to the atmosphere and Glastonbury spirit for me.

The site location is a big part of it. You become totally immersed in a different world and different way of living for a few days. For example at Reading you can see the outside world from the festival site but look around at the farm and its mostly countryside. It feels like you are in a different place physically and mentally and it becomes its own functioning society and ecosystem  which you are part of for a few days.

Maybe humans at heart can be mostly nice, respectful and friendly when they leave the stresses of the outside world and come together with a shared purpose for a few days.

There are rules in place but Glasto has become a very safe place and is pretty much self policing in that you don't see too much in the way of trouble or bad behavior (tent burglars not withstanding)

I think some of this is down to the mix of people of different ages and also from all different corners of the UK and the world. You get the energy of younger crowds but also the older Glastonbury veterans who can bring a bit more of a sensible vibe to proceedings. (Big generalisation I know but you don't get the Leeds/reading blowing up toilets and setting fire to stuff type behavior!) 

Without sounding like an old hippy a few trips to the farm can change peoples way of thinking and they can carry this to the outside world and maybe make some positive changes based on their experience.

So really for me its about trying to be nice and respectful to others and creating a vibe of positivity where people can lose the cynicism that can build up in the real world leading to people acting in a generally sound fashion.

Can make it quite hard to make the transition back into real life though

(Along with the sleep deprivation/drug booze comedown!)

 

[sedra]

It’s hard to capture that spirit in words but it’s something special- the reason we all try to get tickets, the utter disappointment when we don’t. The excitement in the build up like Christmas for a child. The thrill of seeing the temporary city laid out in front of you as you arrive. The familiarity for those of us who have been many times and the wonder of it for those who are new. Knowing that for 5 days despite the weather or crowds, you can find a bit of peace, happiness, freedom and friendship. 😃
And gin. 

[gooner1990]

11 hours ago, balti-pie said:

For me it’s in those little two minute chats with a complete stranger - in the queue for a toastie, by the sink, waiting for a band, next to you in the circus tent, awaking from a nap above the letters and discovering a little set of people three feet from you, and having a chat to em about anything and everything - and then as quick as it started, off they pop or off you pop with a ‘have a good festival’ and you’ll never see em again but they’re a good’un and you can just tell, straight off the bat. Just little interactions with decent people from everywhere. 

[Xeph1995]

It's hard to put into words but everyone that's been knows that there is a certain something in the air. 

Everyone I know who goes has been going every time they get a ticket, which they try for every year.

The farm is certainly a special place. 

The first time I went even just walking around the site and soaking in the vibes on the Wednesday evening, there was just a feeling I hadn't experienced before at other festivals tbh. 

Edited May 27, 2023 by Xeph1995

[4AssedMonkey]

Glasto is what society should be like. Friendly, accepting, patient, open minded, collaborative, helpful and creative. The first time I went changed me for the better and opened my mind and eyes. I’ll always love it for that and would recommend everyone experience it at least once. 

[balti-pie]

2 hours ago, gooner1990 said:

Fuck yeah. Phones can go on airplane mode and be used as a camera and pedometer only! 

[Xeph1995]

 

42 minutes ago, 4AssedMonkey said:

Glasto is what society should be like. Friendly, accepting, patient, open minded, collaborative, helpful and creative. The first time I went changed me for the better and opened my mind and eyes. I’ll always love it for that and would recommend everyone experience it at least once. 

It's a place you can see people from all walks of life get on with no issues, I once saw in one day a wedding? The woman had a dress on I'm unsure if the wedding actually took place there or if it was just the after party who knows. Families with little kids and then a bunch of people on copious amounts of substances all within a radius of 15m and no one cares. 

Edited May 27, 2023 by Xeph1995

[Hugh with a P]

This sums it up for me ...

 

[Franky]

15 hours ago, Supernintendo Chalmers said:

Treating people how you in turn wish to be treated. Kindness, friendship, compassion, unity, solidarity, barriers broken down, free expression without judgement, tolerance, celebration. 

Sadly, the things society forgets for the other 360 days of the year. 

I'm convinced the "Glastonbury Blues" is less about the missing the festival and more the realisation that the things we enjoyed together in those fields in Somerset are rarely replicated in real life. 

Couldn’t put it any better. So I won’t. 

[gooner1990]

1 hour ago, Hugh with a P said:

This sums it up for me ...

 

Terrible speller as well. 🙂 

[DeanoL]

Acceptance, inclusiveness, open-mindedness, a celebration of our differences.

Hence my point: if you find yourself thinking other people are "doing it wrong" then you've missed the point.

If the festival was just full of people enjoying it the way you do, it'd be boring as fuck. And that goes for however you enjoy it. And yes that even includes the Pyramid chair crew, the flag wavers, the Instagram photo-takers and so on...

Because the cool girl who does charity work overseas in Africa and was telling you stories about it in Shangri-La last night? Earlier that day she was in a camping chair in front of the Pyramid because she has recurring back issues but loves Lizzo. And just before you met her, she grabbed a selfie of herself outside Bez's Acid House and put it on Instagram because she enjoys it but also she uses her Insta to drive fundraising for the charity she works for.

People are complex and contain multitudes. The Glastonbury spirit is embracing that.

[Watergirl]

Lovely thread. I am out of up votes!

Another quote that sums it up well.

Edited May 27, 2023 by Watergirl

[Skip997]

2 hours ago, Watergirl said:

Lovely thread. I am out of up votes!

Another quote that sums it up well.

Noel Gallagher who doesn't care about who's headling.
 

Quote

 

Saying that the festival was "built on a tradition of guitar music", Gallagher said that the scheduled appearance of a rap star on the central Pyramid stage could be the reason why tickets for the summer festival had not yet sold out.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," he said. "If you start to break it then people aren't going to go. I'm sorry, but Jay-Z? No chance."

Gallagher added: "Glastonbury has a tradition of guitar music and even when they throw the odd curveball in on a Sunday night you go 'Kylie Minogue?' I don't know about it. But I'm not having hip-hop at Glastonbury. It's wrong."

 

 

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

 

[Another eforum account]

When you sit up on the hill, one night and see the festival unfolding across the valley in front of you ~ the twinkling lights, the thrum of people, the cheers & yells and the drums beating. I think of all the communities that have met & celebrated on the land at midsummer for millennia before me and think about all those that will collect together in the future. And we’re here, just a speck fleeting in time. There’s this thing, a feeling I can’t describe ~ then something catches your eye and your off into the night…

[clarkete]

On 5/26/2023 at 10:20 PM, Skip997 said:

I'm going to regret this...

Anyway, off you go..

Plenty of answers above more eloquent than I would ever be, perhaps that's due partially to misspent youth. 

I think the spirit could literally speaking be tequila. 

There's invariably someone in your group that will be stopped by an (often pretty and hippyish) lass who's selling shots from a bottle. Said friend will suggest it's shots all round and the evening will go either up or downhill from there. 

Sadly you rarely encounter the folks selling cookies these days to balance it out. 

[waltere]

15 hours ago, Xeph1995 said:

 

It's a place you can see people from all walks of life get on with no issues, I once saw in one day a wedding? The woman had a dress on I'm unsure if the wedding actually took place there or if it was just the after party who knows. Families with little kids and then a bunch of people on copious amounts of substances all within a radius of 15m and no one cares. 

I watched the fireworks on the Wednesday night a few years ago with one of my best mates on a load of acid to one side of me, and a woman with a baby the other side. Neither of those people were "out of place".

How many (or should that be few!) other places are there where that would be the case?

[Watergirl]

On 5/27/2023 at 8:49 PM, Skip997 said:

Noel Gallagher who doesn't care about who's headling.
 

 

That was 2008.  He is obviously older and wiser now. People can adjust their opinions.

Edited May 28, 2023 by Watergirl