Festival review by : Chadney Hawkes

Glastonbury Festival 1999

Friday 25th to Sunday 27th June 1999
Worthy Farm, Pilton, nr Glastonbury, Somerset, England
£83

Mad, Mad weekend. Friday, spent most of the day baking with the rest of my lot around some of the tents, everyone wanting to move, to go for a wander or to find shade. No one could muster the effort though or the will power to make the move until it all got on top of us and moves were made in all directions. Ended up playing with corn beef whilst watching some crazy, crazy people trying to subdue a gas canister that had gone wild. Went for a trek and ended up surrounded by TV cameras. Went to be serenaded by the Beautiful South who were great and then hung around to see R.E.M. This led to calls of "Rampant Arse Nerves" and "Rapid Eye Liner" by some long haired kid in a bin bag.. Both a little wide of the mark, but still couldn't hide the fact that R.E.M seemed to be on stage for three months. Then went to the dance tent to find that it was shut. Decided at this point to take in Enter The Dragon. Classic movie, and uncut as well. This only spoiled by some fella so annoying and so easily amused it was frightening. At every appearance by big Bruce himself, the aforementioned oddity of a man cried out "Ahhh, Brucie Bonus!!" in a Les Dennis-style Chinese accent. Got a hot dog, didn't sleep. Great first day.

Saturday, felt a bit rough. With no sleep on the Thursday or the night before and with very little food, I'd developed a worrying pain in the belly, which I put down to no food and too many Nelson Mandelas. Decided to wolf down some Southern Fried Chicken and then cabbaged in the Acoustic tent for most of the day. Entertained the Main Stage just in time for Underworld just as the walnut whips came into play. Got to the Jazz World Stage in time for Orbital, but luckily didn't miss that freaky White Boat that seemed to come from nowhere, pumping out some crazy whacked out tunes, complete with the characters on stilts to dazzle and entertain the out of it masses. Amazing sight, only happen at Glastonbury that sort of stuff. Wandered for what seemed like ages, getting more and more intoxicated until everything was a blur, sound, sight smell and touch just one big blur and I was loving it. The night ended eventually making it back to one of our lots tents and taking a well earned five before deciding against walking back to my own place, and getting my head down for the first bit of kip in two days.

Up early doors on the Sunday and went for some breakfast. Managed to get to the Main Stage in time for the tribute to Jean Eavis. The impeccable serenity of the minutes silence couldn't help hit home to every one of the thousands that had turned out . For me, it was as though the whole of Glastonbury had stood still in respect and remembrance of Mrs Eavis that morning, the quiet so complete.

Today, the body had started to give out signs that it had took a bit of a battering so relaxed all day infront of the Main Stage. Took in the succession of high profile bands, apart from I suppose that Yohtu Yindi who I hadn't seen much of on Top of the Pops in the past, but still did a job for the kid lying in the sun doing nothing, slowly turning redder and redder. Couldn't take in anymore Nelsons and couldn't face the JD so drifted through the day with the aid of coke and B.L.T baguettes. Took in Texas, the Corrs who although each containing special young ladies, seemed a bit bland. Things didn't liven up until Lenny Kravitz took the stage who I thought played a storming set. Enjoyed Fun Lovin Criminals, but now body and mind had suffered to much and so drifted off to bed after some more chicken and chips.

All in all, special festival, as good as my first one last year but with the added bonus of the guest appearance of the Sun making it all the more jazzy. Big thanks to everyone involved with the staging of such an amazing three days of unbridled freedom and unique entertainment as the work going into the organisation and then the implementation must be phenomenal, but surely is well, well worth it. Read today that the fella who fronts the Beautiful South told the crowd at T in the Park that "this is better than Glastonbury". Leave it out mate, who's this guy trying to kid?