Festival review by : Ian Spooner, Family and Good Friends

Glastonbury Festival 1999

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

Well what a festival.

1998 was my first and I thoroughly enjoyed it. As far as I was concerned it couldn't have been better organised and everything was amazing. Yes the mud was horrific, but no one could be blamed for that.

This year I thought I would take the whole family. My friends and my family arrived at 1000 on Wednesday morning and prepared the campsite. From the start to the finish when we left about 1500 on Monday afternoon everything went brilliant. The crowds were incredible, and I don't know whether it was luck or judgement, but I didn't see one bit of trouble the whole weekend. The only thing I found difficult was trying to squeeze in everyone I wanted to see, with a lot of the top bands being on at the same time. But I did manage to see Queens of the New Stone Age, Blondie, Fat Boy Slim (at a distance) and REM on the Friday. Shack, Death in Vegas, Underworld and the Manics on the Saturday and what a line up on the Pyramid stage on the Sunday: Corrs, Lenny Kravitz, Fun Lovin Criminals and last but no means least Skunk Anansie and as with all the bands I saw none disappointed me and they all got the crowds going showing in some cases that they were as amazed to be there as we were to watch them. As well as seeing all the bands we also managed visits to the Circus, Theatre, Cabaret, Tipis and everywhere else for that matter.

The whole weekend was spot on. The little bit of rain we had only served to settle the dust and afterwards there was still grass to sit on! My three children aged 10, 8 & 6 just couldn't believe it. It blew their minds and like the rest who went are already thinking; 9 months and the tickets will be on sale.

Like everyone else I would like to pass on my condolences to Michael Eavis for the sad loss of his wife Jean and thank him for an incredible weekend and I hope to be there next year.