Festival review by : Chris Roberts

Glastonbury Festival 1999

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

It all started on the long trek down to somerset, stopping at services and seeing fellow festival goers making there way to glastonbury. You knew you were in for somthing special, and how special it was. People think of glastonbury and think of bands but it's far more than that, and with the site being so large many people never get to see the whole site in the couple of days that you're there for. I think by far the most enjoyable part of the fesitval for me was sitting in the sun outside the open air circus stage. This was a very bizzare place, with acts in many cases being supurior to thoose on the far over subscribed cabaret tent but only being watched by a crowd of 30 at best. This was made worse when the seats were declared unsafe and people thought that sitting on the ground was beneth them. There were many great acts appearing here, the most namely being Herbie Treehead, Suzie Sunshine and mildred hodiddle (Spinning balls on her nipples).

Of course I also saw a few bands but i seem to be on my own when i say that CAST were by far the band of the festival. By now they're old hat at the festival/gig scene and played a truly memorable set. It was during this sat night that i my tent was stolen but i was having such a good time i didn't even know till 5:00am on sunday morning... I'd have to say that the main bands were not as impressive as you'd like to think i saw R.E.M. who were one of the reasons i wanted to go to the festival this year. The songs were good but it was like listening to them on CD, unfortunatly micheal stipes has the stage presence of a microphone stand. Don't get me wrong R.E.M. are one of the best bands of the decade but this was not what i had hyped it up to be in my own mind.

Overall the festival was great and i will definiatly be going again and again and again, lets hope the weather stays nice....