Bad Glasto?

[HOT JON]

2005 was my first year

the storm was the biggest one i've seen

i didn't have wellies until really late on (can't remember when) on the weekend

used black plastic bags tucked into my shoes until then

got trench foot

couldn't feel my big toe for about a 6 months - a year after

none of that made any difference; all the good experiences outweighed any momentary bad feelings and it was 'king AMAZING

i'd forgotten all about the rain by the time brian wilson was playing surfin usa in the blazing sunshine

[gingergeorge]

My first ever Glasto was 1997 when I was just a nipper and totally unprepared for the weather with my cheap Millets orange plastic kagoole. My borrowed tent fell down in the mud, all my money got wet and I was semi-abandoned by the people I was supposed to be meeting up with and only found them after about six hours of waiting by the meeting point because one of them happened to be walking past by chance. (They had decided they couldn't be arsed to go find me. Nice) After that things could only get better.

I have only ever been to one Glasto where I didn't have to wear wellies and I think that was maybe 1999? Not sure. 2007 was way too much for me because whilst at times it felt like heaven it also felt like hell too often.

It put me off and I didn't go last year... I was worried that Glasto was over for me, but the desire to go returned full force with that year out! Hooray!

[farewellandgoodnight]

The rain and mud can put a damper on things. It's fine usually but when you can't sit down anywhere or even walk comfortably without getting stuck in the mud it can be a bitch.

The Stone Circle is one of the things that makes it for me and it's no fun sitting in the mud getting wet there at four in the morning.

Doesn't ruin the festival but in 2007 I would've happily gone home a couple of days early.

[sdaveak47]

1998 I got raped by a hippie nearly put me off for life..thank god for the superfence

[r0cky]

2007 on the other hand was a f**king mission. Especially on the Sunday. There was no where to chill, nowhere to have a sit down - and it was an exhausting effort to do anything.

[bella1977]

7am Monday morning 2007. Stood weeping under a wonky gazebo that offered no shelter from the driving rain, with a luke warm brew, soaked to the skin and caked in mud . . . . no longer on speaking terms with the ex, contemplating a silent, muddy, 6 hour drive home and moving out. Utter misery. Vowed never ever to return to Glastonbury again . . . . . . .

2 years on, counting sleeps, buying cider, looking for the trusty old flag pole, spending far too much time on efestivals, boring the tits off anyone who isn't going, doing a little too much whooping, planning planning planning, agonising over clashes, dreaming of Brothers bar ...........soooo much making up to do after 2007. I will restore my faith in the magic !!!

[redmosquito]

1998 I got raped by a hippie nearly put me off for life..thank god for the superfence

[travelling mr pastry]

Oh well, it'll never stand up in court

[mcmenace]

2007 was as close as I came to having a bad Glastonbury.

I was wandering around on the Thursday evening already half-cut and ended up in the Stone Circle watching fire-eaters. It was the year the Stone Circle had those decorative portaloos, and dip-stick here thought it would be nice to climb on to the top of one and take a photo of the site. As I was climbing back down, I slipped and fell backwards off the loo. I put my hands out to cushion the fall, hit the ground and had the most horrendous shooting pains in my forearms.

I went to first aid who thought I'd just badly bruised my arms, they 'kindly' gave me some surgical gloves filled with cold water to try and reduce the swelling and pain and then sent me on my way. I then spent the entire weekend unable to use my arms - I couldn't dress/undress myself, undo my trousers for a pee, lift my drink to my mouth or anything. But I tried hard to ignore the pain; watched all the bands I wanted to see and swallowed pain killers for fun.

Anyway, the pain and swelling still hadn't subsided by the Thursday after I came home, so I went to the hospital. They x-rayed my arms and I'd broken both of my wrists I ended up having 4 weeks off work and both of my forearms in plaster.

All this and the worst weather in the history of mankind. Needless to say, I'd had just about enough by Sunday afternoon and for a fleeting moment considered never ever going to Glastonbury again. I did though of course coz I absolutely love the place. I just tried not to do anything as stupid last year

[glasto_mongrel_2008]

Having nowhere to sit down sounds like a nightmare, but how did people sleep when it was the flood years, or didn't they?

[scaryclaireyfairy]

an amusing story about that miserable sunday night. my mate and i found unused, virgin turdises at the far end of lost vagueness through welly-deep thick mud. they still smelled of air freshener and everything. we grabbed one each, skinned up and sat chatting through the walls like a confessional booth for half an hour while we warmed up and got a bloody seat at long last!

when we emerged we furtively said 'we shall never speak of this!'.

whoops!

[Edi M]

Well there was the year 1999 we got to car at 5am for an early return only to find not one but two tyres had been slashed. Two!! We couldn't even use the spare.

Still the four hours sitting in the car waiting for the AA man, just meant another fours hors before we had to return to reality.

Then there was the year (2004? 2005?) got my bag nicked. Containing both mine and my boyfriends mobiles plus 4 beers.

But that just gave us the freedom to do what we wanted and not worry about trying to find people Did miss the beer though

2007, not only was the weather horrendous but we had to be on a National Express coach at 6am so we had to pack the tent up at about 7pm and spent the night wondering the site. Which isn't quite as enchanting when it's a quagmire.

Still the goods always outweigh the bads. Wild horses wouldn't keep me away

Edited to say: Just realised that scaryclairyferry has already used the wild horses expresion. I'd change but can't think of an alternative expression.

Edited June 11, 2009 by Edi M

[Golden Green]

Done Glastonbury '94 lovely sunshine (Rage, Levellers, senser) - Superb!!!

Done 98, rain, mud, did I mention rain? oh...it was also a bit muddy, but not to forget it did also rain. I was also ill in 98 so coupled with the weather, it was hard going.

I have not been back since, however Im convinced this year will be dry/warm so I will be doing some dodgy dad dancing to Madness and the Specials

[LusciousLucy]

97...bad for quite a few reasons...

- on verge of breaking up with boyfriend...strike 1

- boyfriend and chums couldnt be arsed to walk any further from drop off and we camped UNDER THE PYLON IN BIG GROUND!

- peed it down Day 1, then drizzled for rest of fest

- mud was worst ever, went from wet, to goo to glue

- watched Chems concreted into the ground for 2 hours

- buzzing from drizzle on pylon made one just a TAD stir crazy

- and here's the best/worst part...missed Daft Punk because...

our lovely Liverpudlian smacked up, theiving scally neighbours (utterly true, no stereotyping needed...they ticked every box!), we witnessed them raiding every single tent within view for the most part of Sunday afternoon. Got utterly fed up with this and went to report them. About 5 hours later, through the darkness we finally see reflections of light coming off about 30 fluoro yellow rozzer jackets, yay the police are finally here...start to question aforemention scallies, rozzers can do BUGGER all about all the bags and possessions found in the tents!!! WTF!??? all are male pretty much so why arfe there som many bags containing female possesions you ask???, dont arrest any of them! , but do manage to take all the scallies smack stash off them...again no arrests, tell us the witnesses that no statements are going to be taken and f**k off again...by this time have completly missed Daft Punk...<<< worst part for me anyway!

but the story doesnt end here...here is where it actually turned into something far more amusing...

scallies are now very upset cos they have no smack left but then one bright(?) spark remembers there is a wee stash under one of the tents. Clever little bunnies spark up the spoon...IN A TENT THAT HAS JUST HAD A GAS CANISTER CHANGED IN IT!!!

FIREBALL EXPLOSION WAS VISIBLE FROM THE STONE CIRCLE 1.5 MILES SOUTH!!!

We, stood by our own little (very controlled) fire yards from all this, are a hundred times more worried about our sleeping friends in the tent directly next to fireball and do little to help the 2 scallies who are now covered head to toe in melting 200+c plastic except hit them over and over again with a large yellow sowester to put out the flames of the melting plastic all over the two guys, as screaming scally girlfriends freak out screaming 'do something'...a LOT of effort went into the strength of the strikes of the sowester! Lots of angry tirades between the two parties such as 'you deserve everything you get after everything you have done to all the people in this field today'! and so on...

needless to say this finally shut the theiving bastards up and gave them all plenty of time to think about all the hurt and upset they had caused to so many people in that field that day! No idea what happened to the 2 blokes who probably ended up with some quite nasty burns injuries but...I am sorry...it's harsh to say but...bad things happen to bad people in recompense for doing bad things to others!

And NEVER camp under a pylon...very bad juju!

Edited June 11, 2009 by LusciousLucy

[Rufus Gwertigan]

I don't mean to kill the happy excited mood by asking this, I'm just curious. Has anyone had a bad Glasto ? By bad I mean one that you regret going to. If so, did it put you off for future years?

[travelling mr pastry]

I have been to a few festivals, and the only one i regret going to was Reading 2005. At one festival last year, I got my tent robbed and my wallet nicked, and I won't tell you openly what happened to me at Sunrise the other week (hey read my review ).

End of the day, it takes alot to put me off, and when I am at a festival, I am more laid back....

[Rufus Gwertigan]

link to review please

[Runner]

needless to say this finally shut the theiving bastards up and gave them all plenty of time to think about all the hurt and upset they had caused to so many people in that field that day! No idea what happened to the 2 blokes who probably ended up with some quite nasty burns injuries but...I am sorry...it's harsh to say but...bad things happen to bad people in recompense for doing bad things to others!

[mandypants]

Fribbing Hell Lucy Serves the thieving twats right though

Runner, it will come, as a fellow divorcee, karma will come

[Rufus Gwertigan]

I'm a strong believer in Karma. What goes around does indeed come around.

I'm now sitting back and waiting for something to happen to my two timing, lying bastard of an ex husband

Peace party people x

Edited June 11, 2009 by Rufus Gwertigan

[ukslim]

i'd had enough after the rains of 2007

[krisskross]

needless to say this finally shut the theiving bastards up and gave them all plenty of time to think about all the hurt and upset they had caused to so many people in that field that day! No idea what happened to the 2 blokes who probably ended up with some quite nasty burns injuries but...I am sorry...it's harsh to say but...bad things happen to bad people in recompense for doing bad things to others!

[mandypants]

Can I just say. I believe in Karma, but at Bearded Theory a close friend, that hadn't spoken to me for nearly 4 years asked "Why are you angry". I realised I wasn't angry, and that was that. I don't particularly care what happens to my ex, she has her life and I have my own rather full and amusing life. (I now work at around 10 festivals a year ) Yes there are court issues over kids blah blah blah, but I don't think of it now.

I don't give a flying f**k what happens to her, it is my actions and my life that is important.

Sod it, I have gone all serious

[LusciousLucy]

Runner, it will come, as a fellow divorcee, karma will come

[Rufus Gwertigan]

I'm there now, over 6 years later, but it still made me smile when crap things happened to my ex during that time of adjustment from married to singledom. I'm not angry now, but hearing that he'd bought a money pit of a house with the woman he left me for, then him having to take on a cleaning job to pay for it all certainly felt pretty sweet to me