Glasto from the eyes of a Coachella vet: tl;dr and TMI edition

[shakermaker113]

What else to say? Frank isnt done with the review yet. And shouldnt you be packing for tomorrow?

ha. when I wrote that I was stuck on a train that was running an hour longer than scheduled. I was trapped in a car with some imbeciles that made me feel ashamed to be human. I resorted to posting unnecessary cynical remarks on the message board. and I don't leave until friday morning. I haven't packed a thing.

/derail.

I love the write-up. isn't it great that we have two glastonbury threads now?

[WizardIsAboutToDie]

Boourns, I agree with everyone else--this travelogue is fantastic, I love the realism.
You've got real stones for going solo, just so much more stressful with the little things, but makes you tougher I'm sure.

I did Leeds a couple weeks ago and I'm embarrassed that I didn't rough it at all; I think it probably subtracted from the overall experience when I read your stuff. Look forward to more!

[Boourns]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone. Part two of Thursday coming up within the hour.

[kitt kat]

OH MY GOOD GOD. THIS LOOKS DELICIOUS. Is that a tomato? And toast? And fucking EGGS?

[suprefan]

ha. when I wrote that I was stuck on a train that was running an hour longer than scheduled. I was trapped in a car with some imbeciles that made me feel ashamed to be human. I resorted to posting unnecessary cynical remarks on the message board. and I don't leave until friday morning. I haven't packed a thing.

/derail.

I love the write-up. isn't it great that we have two glastonbury threads now?

Im sure we will have 5 more if and when the line up comes and it is as huge as hyped.

[Boourns]

For some reason the tomato at the hostel was more like a big pile of lumpy ketchup. But that photo...the sausage and toast are making me hungry.

[HandBanana]

I cant fucking stand eggs, but I would eat that one.

[HandBanana]

Do they fuck with pancakes at all over there?
I wonder.

(and yes, I know about crepes)

[Boourns]

I don't recall seeing any, but then again, I rarely do breakfast unless it's midnight at IHOP.

[Boourns]

Thursday (part 2)

After a failed nap attempt in my tent, the rain ends, leaving the ground surprisingly free of mud. I begin to wish I had spent my £10 on something besides Wellies, but I throw them on and head out to explore the non-musical aspects of Glastonbury. People have been telling me for years that I could have the greatest weekend of my life at Glasto without watching a single band, and I just have to see if this is actually true. I grab a decent, but lukewarm strawberry and mango smoothie for £3 and head south to the Park area, which has a stage where Animal Collective and various surprise guests are to perform later in the weekend.

The Park

Upon arrival at the Park, I find myself instantly impressed. I am greeted with a sufficiently epic archway, gigantic wooden flowers, and a gigantic sand sculpture of Michael Eavis’ face. Unfortunately, the area is quite far from my tent and most of the other stages, so I resign myself to the fact that this is likely my only stop here the entire weekend. And how do I make the most of my time? Taking a nap, of course. All the stress and lack of sleep from the past two weeks began catching up to me at the worst possible time.

Hmmm, where to go?


Ribbon tower.

While looking for shade, I see the Ribbon Tower, which is exactly as it sounds: a tower with ribbons hanging from the top. It is quite tempting to climb the tower and check out the view from the top, but a massive queue deflates my interest. Eventually I settle for a shaded area called the Stonebridge Bar. The festival grounds are actually scattered with bars all over the place, and is a refreshing change of pace from the American festivals because people have the option of leaving the shade and watching bands with a beer or four in hand. I imagine that Glastonbury would not have lasted very long if drinkers were forced to do so only in designated, fenced-in areas like at most American festivals. Unfortunately, I cannot engage in this particular activity. To keep up with the theme of everything that can go wrong happening all at once to me, I began my vacation with a sinus infection and have been on antibiotics since arriving in London ten days prior. I debate skipping my medication so I can try some cider, but then I remember what happened both times in Prague when I did the same. Then I remember that cider costs around four times what a beer costs in a Czech restaurant and sigh sadly.

Michael Eavis is the king of Glastonbury..

While napping, I am told by security to scoot against the wall so nobody trips over me, despite there being dozens of square feet of empty space between me and anyone else. Shortly after falling asleep, I am awoken again by security questioning a girl sitting next to me because her ID “looks fake.” He then runs off with the questionable ID, and I ask the girl what bands she wants to see, and she lists Lady Gaga, to which I reply “are you sure you’re really nineteen?” The security guard never resurfaces, so Ms. Gaga for Gaga and her friend take off in search of him and the identification of questionable validity and that is the last I ever see of any of them. I wonder how difficult it would be for people to meet at a specific time and place at this festival, and imagine that running into someone you know would be highly unlikely, unless you know a lot of people.

Cider in a clown tent.

Feeling slightly refreshed, my next destination is the legendary stone circle. Unfortunately it is not the right time of day to enjoy a hippie drum circle, but the place still has incredibly positive energy. I relax and check out the view of the grounds from the circle and am reminded for the hundredth time that the sheer scale of this festival is overwhelming and I will never get to see everything. Accepting this bittersweet fact, I check out a nearby statue of a dragon.

Stone circle.


Rawr!

When pigs fly?


Breathe into glass/Run to my side/Dripping signs of life.*


So much to see.

After having my fill of the view from the stone circle, I move on to the next area, which is the arts & crafts field. I cannot believe such a thing exists at a music festival and is so massive? Glassblowing, pottery, knitting, sewing, making jewelry; you name it, they have it. I wait for a few minutes to make a clay pot since it is one of the cheaper things available, but soon I realize that anything I make will just break in my suitcase on the way home, so I move on.

Fun for all ages.


Insert Amy Winehouse joke here.


How to get the world to stop making nukes? Doodle on underwear!


Flower Power!

Next I find myself in the Healing Field, which is full of tents offering a wide variety of services. Holistic healing of the body and mind is a popular theme, as are massages. One tent offers a gong bath for a fee, while another advertises itself as a witches’ coven. Since Glastonbury is a festival where everyone but me is drunk or high or both, it is only fitting to have a tent for 12 Step meetings. Disappointingly, I do not see anything that appears to be a front for Scientology. Not having money to spare, I do not take the bait and actually engage in any of the services offered. However, just walking around has some sort of healing effect on my mind and body.

After some brief time surrounded by various pleas for peace in the Green Futures field, I find myself in the area around the currently inactive Jazz World stage and notice that it is dinnertime. I go for a second helping of La Grande Bouffe since they have another booth that just happens to be next to me at the time. Finding a clean place to sit is difficult due to thousands of people sitting around drinking cider from the nearby Brothers Bar. Did I mention that the field is completely filled with empty cups and other rubbish? I realize that not being a disgusting litterbug is another futile gesture because the trash cans are overflowing and the recycling bins are filled with all sorts of things that do not belong.

Rubbish.

*the original caption was "Blow some Glasstonbury"...

[Boourns]

TICKETS ON-SALE OCTOBER 4 AT 1AM PST! 50 pound deposit required to reserve. FUCK.
http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.u...om-4th-october

[Boourns]

Interview with Michael Eavis:
http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.u...re-really-high

Hello Michael, how are things going?
Well, we're obviously heading for the 40th anniversary of Festival next year. People are very interested in this 40 year thing. Everywhere I go, people are asking about. The expectations are really high. So we have to deliver on that. We're trying to get the best headliners in the world.

I'm sure Radiohead will be strongly pursued since their headlining sets were so legendary, and I have a feeling they will end up being there. So a legends act (Rolling Stones, U2, Bowie?), a more contemporary act (Muse? Daft Punk?) and a more modern legend to bridge the generation gap (Radiohead) is what I'm guessing.

[sonofhal]

I finally got my registration done today.

[sbessiso]

TICKETS ON-SALE OCTOBER 4 AT 1AM PST! 50 pound deposit required to reserve. FUCK.
http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.u...om-4th-october

DSFJ DSOOP FEIOWJWQRJQWADK QOJDWO9RU90QRVMNRVU392W9

I'm 99% sure i'm going to do the deposit. Is it really happening?!?!

Frank, how were the illegal substances there? Were people walking around selling them? What did you encounter? Oh its not for me, my friend wants to know

And are you sure its 1AM PST? Does that mean its on sale 10pm oct 3rd for me????

[fatbastard]

Printed everything right now. More night time reading.

[LooseAtTheZoo]

TICKETS ON-SALE OCTOBER 4 AT 1AM PST! 50 pound deposit required to reserve. FUCK.
http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.u...om-4th-october

So, what time will I have to go on seetickets.com in order to reserve if I am in New York?

Also, tipis are 850 for 6 people...how many people were thinking about going?

[ShyGuy75]

Wow, I had no idea this review was going to talk me out of going all together. So far though, it has. We'll see if the awesome that you write about later makes up for it though. It's gonna be hard unless all the crazy rumors about the lineup for next year are true though.

This years lineup did little to nothing for me.

i told you in the previous glasto threads that you wouldn't like it. you have to be prepared to be in the worst conditions possible for 6 days with no shower. you have to know going in that it could downpour for 6 days, which would make it so uncomfortable you would most likely cry and go home. the physical grind of walking into the farm to find a camping spot would knock someone like you out for days, and that doesn't even factor in the marathon of walking that you will have to do while the fest is going on. you thought i was just kidding with all of this, but i wasn't.

[ShyGuy75]

I love the write-up. isn't it great that we have two glastonbury threads now?

i love it also. mmmmmm......la grande boufette...

a wealth of information also exists here:

http://www.coachella.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11984

[sbessiso]

ohhh who has the patience to read through 13 pages

[fatbastard]

It came out to 60 pages when I printed everything. I shrank all of the pictures to shorten it from 72.

[unknown]

Frank, I love your photos! Glasto looks like a blast with so much awesome art and all kinds of stuff to keep you busy. You haven't even gotten to the music yet! The ribbon tower, dragon, and that pond with the ?? what is that? and the white lantern looking things? that shit looks fucking SICK.

[betao]

DSFJ DSOOP FEIOWJWQRJQWADK QOJDWO9RU90QRVMNRVU392W9

I'm 99% sure i'm going to do the deposit. Is it really happening?!?!

Frank, how were the illegal substances there? Were people walking around selling them? What did you encounter? Oh its not for me, my friend wants to know

And are you sure its 1AM PST? Does that mean its on sale 10pm oct 3rd for me????

Not quite.

1 AM PST = 4 AM EST.

set yr alarm clock.

[JustSteve]

I asked in the other thread too, but Boourns do you know anything about taking rail in?

Further, will there be a place for me to attempt eating the fabled "British Fry Up"?
(pictured below)



I kinda dont even want to, but I feel morally compelled to.

a hostel i stayed in in ireland had that for breakfast every morning...included in the lodging cost. it was the best way to start every morning!

[betao]

we want moar! we want moar!

[shakermaker113]

FUCK i've got to register. tonight.

be warned -- I think last year they cut off registration for a period beginning a few days before tickets went on sale. so don't stall.

[faxman75]

you thought i was just kidding with all of this, but i wasn't.

Thank you and DON'T YOU EVER FUCKING PRESUME MY THOUGHTS AGAIN.

[MarkO]

OH MY GOOD GOD. THIS LOOKS DELICIOUS. Is that a tomato? And toast? And fucking EGGS?

Not to derail the thread but any good Irish or English pub here should have a fry on the menu if they serve food. This is a full Irish from Fado's pub in Seattle.

[sbessiso]

Not quite.

1 AM PST = 4 AM EST.

set yr alarm clock.

Oh fuck yeah! Silly mistake!!!

The night before is my FINAL killers show of the year so might as well just pull an all nighter!

[ELECtROjan]

i found the worst part about food in the UK is that the refuse to cook any meat under "medium" so everything meat based had the flavor cooked out of it. One of the waitresses said it was because of the Mad Cow scare a few years back... That and I hate mayo and they put it on everything so that was kinda annoying

[amyzzz]

I hate the word mayo. "mayonnaise"