It’s 6am, I’m donning a bum bag, glorious red wellies, a pinstripe t-shirt, some denim shorts, and an anorak. Armed with my brick phone, disposable cameras, and travel snacks (priorities), I clamber onto the coach. Half asleep, I get buckled in alongside my welly clad friends. Ella wears a baggy black festival dress and mac, and Carys sports a 90s windbreaker, a white loose knit vest, and black leggings. Looking fab and feeling comfy, we brace ourselves. We’re off. Destination: Glastonbury.
Five and a half hours later, we arrived! As we joined the (mahoosive) queue for wristbands we see a diverse bunch of people: amongst the family groups and friends I spot individuals of all ages, from Glastonbury veterans, to people who appear to be fellow newbies. There’s a sense of ease pervading the crowd. Wherever we’ve travelled from, we all know that for a few days we’re free to simply enjoy music and other parts of the festival we discover.
Setting up the tents wasn’t actually that much hassle. Carys was pretty much an expert, single handedly assembling one, then going on to help me and Ella to with the other. A coffee, tin of spaghetti hoops (how are they so delish?), a fruit cider and lounge in the sun later, we went to explore!
We made it to the iconic Glastonbury sign. From the hill we could see colour everywhere, tipi tents, stages, stalls, and masses of people set against a countryside backdrop.
We soon found The Green Fields section; a network of fields dedicated to embracing nature and traditions whilst looking forward to a fairer and more sustainable future. I dosed off underneath a wondrous rainbow hippy tent and I’m also going to boldly claim that here I consumed the best falafel and pitta known to humanity.
Over the weekend I saw an eclectic mix of music and entertainment. I barely drank and didn’t do drugs, but Glastonbury was a surreal blur of a series of highs. The place is a euphoric wonderland. As you hear the tunes, see the eccentric styles and people, smell the food (and the odd festival toilet block, let’s be honest), you happily ride the laid back wave with friends and strangers alike.
Acts of Note:
· Florence and the Machine: fantastically eccentric, a brilliant stage presence, and spectacular vocals.
· Lionel Richie: Generations gathered to hear Lionel’s classics in the middle of the afternoon. A big thank you to the lady who lifted me up to spot and reunite with Ella in time for the performance!
· Young Acts: SOAK- this 16 year old Irish singer plays experimental folk, and well, is pretty darn good at it. The Jacques- noted as Libertine approved, this Bristol group of two sets of brothers played to a smaller audience, and didn’t disappoint with their edgy Britpop/Grunge Rock performance.
Not just music:
· I saw a 2.15am screening of The Rocky Horror show the The Pilton Palais cinema tent. It was the first time I’d seen the cult film, and it was weirdly wonderful! The sign language interpreter was wearing a corset and stockings, hard-core fans were shouting at the screen, and when the time warp came on the tent erupted into dance.
· Feminism without borders: This was a fascinating Intersectional feminism discussion, chaired by writer Reni Eddo-Lodge where black voices and queer voices were heard.
· Hare Krishna tent! Relaxing vibes and FREE FOOD. There was curried vegetable deliciousness. Enough said.
Unconventional sightings:
· A middle aged man wearing only a union jack thong, with a can of beer in each hand. Bizarrely brilliant.
· During Lionel Richie’s set I witnessed a magnificent crowd surfing feat as a girl travelled via rubber dinghy to get closer to the front.
Practical points:
· Eco-friendly compost toilets aren’t that bad! You get used to it pretty quickly.
· Showers—you seriously don’t need to bother. Just take baby wipes. Bask in your natural stink, it’s fab.
The Highlight for me…
Patti Smith, the 68 year old Rock Goddess, delivered a bad ass show. Smith brought the DALAI LAMA to the stage and got the whole crowd to sing happy birthday to him. The Dalai Lama praised Smith for her performance and his message to ‘’live with compassion’’ stuck with me. There’s a mood of social justice and love at Glastonbury.
I loved my first festival experience. I was washed out when I got back home, and certainly felt like I needed to recuperate for a few days after, but it was 100% worth it.