It's not about the music

[moremi]

Last year was my first glaso at the grand old age of **, i got blasted for saying its all about the music, and i did go just for the music,but i must admit i enjoyed many other things while there. i'm there again this year and while i still go mainly for the music i will look futher now and enjoy more of the atmosphere... I still can't get into the wierd stuff going on, but thats proberbly just me,having done it all before in the 60's,its a festival like no other and needs exploring...Myself i am happy just to chill out to the music,and a few beers

[Mardy]

it's the only place/time where you never think about being anywhere else or what else you could be doing. That's pretty f****** special.

[paulo999]

"t's the only place/time where you never think about being anywhere else or what else you could be doing."

I know what you mean. But there's one thing...

In 2004 I bought a Guardian on the Saturday. There was some good coverage of the festival, and I got a warm feeling about reading "the outside looking in". The 2005 Saturday coverage in the Graun was a bit pants, and so after that I stopped bothering. But I do like the idea of being able to peek into the real world, just to see what they are seeing of 'us'.

When the beeb, during the England World Cup game in 2004, cut to the Pyramid Field, that was a sweet moment. "Hello! We're HERE".

(and like most of us, there was brief "oh" when Englad lost, then 60 seconds later... 'kin ell, we're at Glastonbury!)

Edited April 3, 2009 by paulo999

[grumpyhack]

It's that wonderful moment of excitement when your ticket arrives.

[BlackHole2006]

It's getting there and thinking "I'm home now"

Its about being who you are, because going to work everyday and paying a mortgage doesn't allow you to do so fully.

It's because my spelling is terrible at 11 o clock at night.

It's being with people who are exacly like you, and finding out that your not alone.

It's about the cheering at 6 oclock at night on the thursday when everybodys tents have been put up.

It's about having the time of your life.

Cheers,

BlackHole2006

[Kyelo]

Without the music Glastonbury wouldn't exist. All these wonderful things you all speak about wouldn't either. The music is what keeps the place ticking.

[grumpyhack]

Without the music Glastonbury wouldn't exist. All these wonderful things you all speak about wouldn't either. The music is what keeps the place ticking.

[KingKolo]

It's the complete freedom you get as soon as you get through the gate.

The relaxed attitude to bringing your own drinks.

No f######g arena's where you take your (plastic) glass/bottle.

Non stop entertainment around the clock, to satisfy your craving for late night "missions"

And the sheer number of new friends you make in 5 days.

Edited April 9, 2009 by KingKolo

[Craigston]

for me it's about

*girls in short skirts and wellies

*weeing in a bottle in your tent but missing the hole and weeing on your sleeping bag

*having your toilet paper get wet and your finger going through and up your bum when wiping

*putting a girl on your shoulders and underestimating her weight/your alcohol consumption and dropping her in the mud

*dying for a shit during your favourite band and not wanting to leave and when you finally do make a run for the toilet it being too little too late and shitting yourself.

*chucking shitted undies down the longdrops

all these things happened to "a mate" last year...

[mcmenace]

What a great thread - I've come over all excited and emotional reading through this.

For me it's about being able to leave the real world for 5 days.

It's about listening to great music - old and new.

It's about walking along the old railway track with thousands of people and hearing whoever's playing on the other stage, but being able to just walk down a little tunnel off the track in to the forest of the Permaculture Cafe, and not be able to hear a thing.

It's about sitting at the Stone Circle and seeing thousands of like-minded people bimbling about and having the time of their lives.

It's about sitting on a bike and peddaling my butt off to power the instruments and microphones in the Mandala tent, while a tibetan buddhist chisels away at the statue he is making in the corner.

It's about being the happiest I've ever been, and every year being the best yet.

I'm just grateful to have a ticket to the best and greatest festival on God's green earth. Roll on the 24th June

[disasterplan44]

Being able to strike up conversation with anyone and everyone

[Mr Benn]

What a great thread - I've come over all excited and emotional reading through this.

For me it's about being able to leave the real world for 5 days.

It's about listening to great music - old and new.

It's about walking along the old railway track with thousands of people and hearing whoever's playing on the other stage, but being able to just walk down a little tunnel off the track in to the forest of the Permaculture Cafe, and not be able to hear a thing.

It's about sitting at the Stone Circle and seeing thousands of like-minded people bimbling about and having the time of their lives.

It's about sitting on a bike and peddaling my butt off to power the instruments and microphones in the Mandala tent, while a tibetan buddhist chisels away at the statue he is making in the corner.

It's about being the happiest I've ever been, and every year being the best yet.

I'm just grateful to have a ticket to the best and greatest festival on God's green earth. Roll on the 24th June

[samirocks]

its the attitude of everyone who goes, no one judging for 5 days which enables folk to do what they like which most wouldnt normally do outside the festival gates.

pure excitement in the run up to the festival

getting a cooked breakfast from the OH on ticket day to get me up and ready for a couple of hours of pure chaos

its camping and opening the first beer on Wednesday morning

its meeting random people

its breakfast and tea in a tree

its the biggles on thursday

its the stone circle at sunrise

its dancing with friends and strangers at 3am in the jazz tent

its buying crackling for tea and not being asked where i got it from

warm cider....hmmmmm

dancing to rockabilly at shangrala

getting stuck in the mud and discovering you've fractured your ankle on wednesday night and the kindness of folk willing to give me piggy backs

its the feeling of going through the turnstiles and the feeling of home....

[sime]

It's everything everyone else has mentioned plus, I'm a naturist and so it's so nice for me to have the freedom to camp, wander around and watch bands all while nude with nobody caring

Edited April 9, 2009 by sime

[Sparky]

i have a psychological complex whereby i always convince myself that i could be doing something better with my time.

i don't feel this at glasto.

[Sam Crawley]

This thread is so lovely! I've collected up all the suggestions and sent them in one big list to my Glasto virgin friends to get them excited

To me it's..

The beauty of dozens of Chinese lanterns floating over the site at dusk from the Stone Circle

Watching people play Buckaroo with their friend who had dozed off, stacking up empty cups on his head

Dancing around like mad with friends at gigs

Asking everyone you meet for their tips as to what to go see, throwing away your plans and doing something else

Wandering around the site with cider in hand on the Wednesday when the grass is everywhere

Those flags fluttering in the wind, trying to control how many photos you take of them!

Yummy yummy food everywhere, Goan Fish Curries, Giant Yorkshire puds, tasty Bacon Sandwiches, Yeo Valley Glasto yoghurts..

The buzz all night, non stop action, especially when going straight through till dawn

The pain of clashes, knowing that you'll have to choose between two great experiences, but you can't have both

That beautiful tranquility in the "quiet hours" between about 8 and 10, when often a morning mist hangs over the site and almost everyone is snoozing..

The excitement of going through the programme, like a kid in a sweet shop, wondering how you'll ever survive the whole fest

The happy warmth you feel going home, filled with love and excitement to last you till next year...

[Chazeboy]

This thread is so lovely! I've collected up all the suggestions and sent them in one big list to my Glasto virgin friends to get them excited

To me it's..

The beauty of dozens of Chinese lanterns floating over the site at dusk from the Stone Circle

Watching people play Buckaroo with their friend who had dozed off, stacking up empty cups on his head

Dancing around like mad with friends at gigs

Asking everyone you meet for their tips as to what to go see, throwing away your plans and doing something else

Wandering around the site with cider in hand on the Wednesday when the grass is everywhere

Those flags fluttering in the wind, trying to control how many photos you take of them!

Yummy yummy food everywhere, Goan Fish Curries, Giant Yorkshire puds, tasty Bacon Sandwiches, Yeo Valley Glasto yoghurts..

The buzz all night, non stop action, especially when going straight through till dawn

The pain of clashes, knowing that you'll have to choose between two great experiences, but you can't have both

That beautiful tranquility in the "quiet hours" between about 8 and 10, when often a morning mistHangs over the site and almost everyone is snoozing..

The excitement of going through the programme, like a kid in a sweet shop, wondering how you'll ever survive the whole fest

The happy warmth you feel going home, filled with love and excitement to last you till next year...

[mazza]

back to the top

you know why we can we can

peope say what did you do we did

now try and explain to non festie folk

the car ride to site

the tent erecting

the program

i may have a holiday in benidorm

cough because i know where im going

to piton

[grumpyhack]

this is when i always, say christ sake its raining, not really realising the complexities of mist

[Laura_Babs]

For me its about 5 days away from it, without the internet, without newspapers (I try my best to avoid copies of the Guardian), in beautiful surroundings, in a place where I feel really relaxed and safe and can just unwind with fabulous food and a bottle of strawberry Brother's.

[dj267]

I live in Glastonbury town. Alongside all the other things listed here, for me:

At night, standing at the Stone Circle - behind me (a long way off) I can see the lights of my home-town, and in front I can see the lights of the festival, and just feeling my heart bursting with pride that it's MY place that has done all this, for all of these people.

[Okky]

It's Glastonbury Festival.

[grumpyhack]

I live in Glastonbury town. Alongside all the other things listed here, for me:

At night, standing at the Stone Circle - behind me (a long way off) I can see the lights of my home-town, and in front I can see the lights of the festival, and just feeling my heart bursting with pride that it's MY place that has done all this, for all of these people.

[Sam Crawley]

A bump of one of my favourite threads on the board..

And it's about the excitement of the ticket arriving!

[sunnyshoes]

I got goosey bumps reading this thread! Its funny reading how other people feel like they're home when they get there as thats how I always feel but its hard to describe to other people.

My favourite things are the cheers when the sun comes up, that Friday one year when it was really raining and thundering and at one point the sun came out and a cheer went round the site, when you just know that there will be massive bands on the main stages and there will be some people dancing in front of a completely random tiny band having the best time ever, dusk with the Glastonbury mist and the smoke, the Friday when you're watching bands drinking cider and you know the rest of the country are at work, that Im taking Mini-Shoes and knowing he will have an amazing time, and the magic - there is definitely magic in the air - no doubt about it.