Festival review by : Angie

Glastonbury Festival 2000

Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th June 2000
Worthy Farm, Pilton, nr Glastonbury, Somerset, England
£89 including booking fee and postage

Daily capacity: 80,000

This was my 6th or 7th (I've lost count) Glasto expo and it has to be said it just gets better, and better, and better. I know lots of people are complaining that the festival spirit is dying at Glasto, but I have to say I don't agree, it's what you make it. I've also heard complaints about the line up, but as I always say Glasto isn't about the bands that play it's about the vibe.

We arrived on Thursday lunch time and we whizzed into the car park and through the turn styles with no problems at all of queues. Yes we experienced the dodgy characters leading upto the turn-styles but no more than any other year.

I love arriving at the festival before the proper kick off, gives you a chance to get your bearings and suss out what's new.
Thursday night is the night I love to eat from as many stalls as I possibly can and as in all years I wasn't disappointed. Even though it rained on Thursday our spirits were not dampened. By Friday night we we were aware that the crowds were getting to scarie proportions to a point whereby I decided that Sat night I would't be anywhere near any of the main stages.
Managed to explore the Glade, didn't find the Tunnel. Sat night was too packed but avoided all busy areas. Explored the Healing Fields and the Green fields and met lots of weird and wonderful folk.

I found the new ticket system very restrictive, I like to be able to wander in and out of the site as I desire. Found myself constantly worrying that I'd loose my passout ticket, with the IV stamp of previous years I'd had none of these worries. Plus this pass out system didn't perturb those characters from selling their stubs and getting people in at a cheaper price, all it did in fact was make those characters more money as previous years they charged £10/£20 to get people in, this year they could charge £40 so it just made them richer.

I overheard lots of conversations of tent thefts and muggings but luckily I didn't experience any of them, nor did I feel threatened at anytime. In fact I found the atmosphere a really happy one. There were the usual dodgy looking characters selling their wares as we danced, to which I'm always amazed that anyone chances buying off of. Plus there were the throngs of people clambering over the fence to get in, but to me this is what Glasto is all about. I think I'd hate it if they turned Glasto into some totally secure unit.

I read in someone elses review that they had thought that the toilets were the best they'd ever been. I too got excited about the toilets right up until Saturday night when I couldn't find a decent one anywhere, could someone please tell me why people find a need to -
a) shi*e all over the seat
b) rub shi*e all over the walls
c) shi*e over the floor.
If everyone left the toilets as they wished them to be found then the whole toilet expo would be a more pleasant one. Plus they didn't seem to be empyting them that often.

All in all I had an excellent Glasto and I'm looking forward to 2001.

review submitted by
Angie