Green Gathering

[elfweirdigan]

The Green Gathering (1st weekend in August) looks like really coming back into its own this year, its third on the glorious rolling site at Chepstow (stunning views, woodlands, Welsh borders, easily accessible from M4 & M5).

The website is being regularly updated: www.greengathering.org.uk/; latest info is in the March Newsletter; Twitter account is active and tweeting out all kinds of interesting info on green & counter-cultural issues: @gathering_green

Tickets are £100 at the moment, available from the ticket shop on the website (the cost will go up nearer the time of the festival).

For a festival that's 'beyond hedonism', that's about how to live like you're at a festival all year round, there's nothing else with the longevity and history of the Green Gathering. The authorities tried to kill off this kind of festival when they cancelled the Big Green at the last minute a few years ago, but the people involved are resilient, they're back, and the Green Gathering is growing again.

Edited March 6, 2013 by elfweirdigan

[elfweirdigan]

What's on at the Green Gathering:

Green Forum - interesting folk - activists, poets, green politicians, maverick farmers, eco-villagers and more - share their knowledge and engage festival-goers in debate; then late on, the Forum turns into a stage. At all times of day and night it doubles as a cafe and cider bar. Top chai to be found here!

Small World Solar Stage - live music, dancing into the wee hours, a cafe too.

Campaigns - get involved in the anti-fracking movement, save bees, help radicalise Wales, buy some tat from Tat for Tibet, home educate your kids, join the Transition network...

Permaculture - learn how to work with nature rather than against it. And enjoy eclectic company in the spit 'n' sawdust real ale bar.

Crafts - traditional skills to try out include blacksmithing, foraging, willow weaving, stone carving, costumery, knitting... Master crafts(wo)men to watch and rustic wares to buy.

Tipi Field - there's something very peaceful about a tipi circle, even right in the middle of a festival. Sit by the campfire, join in a sweatlodge ceremony; you can even hire your own tipi (or a yurt or bell tent).

Renewable energy showcase - explore solutions: solar panels and wind turbines, LED lighting, pedal power... charge your phone by bicycling, learn to solder a circuit to make your own DIY low energy lighting installation.

Healing - herbal medicine, massage and more esoteric healing arts, most available to try for a donation.

Ethical markets - quirky wares; handmade, recycled and fairly traded; many bespoke and unique items.

Earth Energies - dip into the big marquee or sit in the stone circle for a dose of mysteries and philosophy...

Wood-burning sauna and showers, by donation.

Huge, frenetic kids' area and a teens' zone too. Under 11's go free, 11-15 year olds get half price tickets.

Additional stages - there'll be three or four (or possibly more) smaller stages scattered around the site; music in every corner...

Circus and band news coming soon

[elfweirdigan]

Entertainment news is being released gradually; so far there are just a few teasers on the Green Gathering website (see bottom of this post). I've also heard rumours of circus performances and 'mystery guests'...

From personal experience I'd say that some of the best gigs at the Green Gathering are those you stumble across in a small tent in a wooded grove at midnight and you don't even know who you're listening to until much later.

It's probably worth mentioning that there's usually a distinct lack of the things that make many better-known festivals so excruciating: mayhem to get in, long waits for the loo, massive queues for food and outrageously-priced bars... the Green Gathering manages to avoid most of that, which makes the whole atmosphere so much more relaxing.

As well as bands there'll be charismatic speakers in the Green Forum, including Natalie Bennett (Green Party leader), Hector Christie (highly engaging maverick farmer), performance poet Danny Chivers and activists from Frack Off, Spinwatch and No Dash for Gas.

Here are those musical teasers:

Martha Tilston & the Scientists: "Captivating, exquisite, insightful & fun; a singer-songwriter of folk without schmalz; protest songs without cliches... and her legendary band."

Seize the Day: "English acoustic band with global roots... veterans of the festival scene and of the radical frontline, having played at Glastonbury and the Big Chill as well as at road protest camps, anti-nuclear blockades and in Palestine."

Samuel J: "A Cornish-born musician with his own style of acoustic/ hip hop/ electro production blended with deep melodies and moving vocals."

Never heard of any of them? Doesn't matter, just take a leap and land in a lovely rolling green field on the Welsh borders in early August

[elfweirdigan]

Just confirmed for the Green Gathering: Political Cartoonists Kate Evans and Blue Lou.

Cartoon Kate (aka Kate Evans) is "probably the best green cartoonist of our generation" and is hooking up with Blue Lou, who's won awards with her political-cartoon-and-fine-art-fusion, as seen in The Guardian and New Statesman.

These two fab, controversial artists are bringing their exhibition to the Gathering and will also be running cartoon-drawing workshops.

[elfweirdigan]

...and some more Green Gathering acts...

The Holly Ebony Band "rousing, evocative, beguiling... subtle and summery soul, blues and folk"

Duncan Batey - "Somerset performer of 'epic acoustic' songs" - with Caelia Luniss on violin

Cosmo Guitar - "a one-man folk-punk-hiphop phenomenon"

Legendary Snug & LoveShack DJs from the wild North, playing swing, funk, punk, disco & Northern Soul, sometimes all at the same time, late nights in the Green Forum.

Libby Lawes "making dancefloors wiggle & stomp with Hippypunk, Breaks, Progressive/House & Ambient sounds" (mixcloud)

They'll be joining...

Seize The Day ("the authentic voice of protest today")

Martha Tilston & the Scientists ("captivating, insightful & fun")

("acoustic/hip hop/electro production with deep melodies & moving vocals")

Newly confirmed for the Craft, Campaigns and Earth Energies areas there's blacksmithing, wood and stone carving, pottery, baking, renewable energy education, low impact living, upcycling, home schooling, fire-making, bushcraft, foraging, dowsing, meditation and storytelling.

And Jedi training for kids...

(plus loads more the young 'uns; and under 11's go free)

More info & tickets: www.greengathering.org.uk/

[elfweirdigan]

Just back from Glastonbury and only holding at bay the post-Pilton blues by dreaming of the Green Gathering... if you loved the Green Fields, you'll probably love this. Loads more bands, DJs, workshops etc have been announced since I started this thread, check out www.greengathering.org.uk or on twitter @GatheringGreen

Weirdigans Cafe & DJs are teaming up with the Speakers' Forum / Brixton Tea Party crew this year to create what we think will be a pretty special, mind-expanding, political awareness-raising, dance and discussion space - with authentic chai, homebaked cake and local cider too.

Excited.

[elfweirdigan]

oops, that Twitter should be @Gathering_Green and (shhhhh) there's a ticket promo going on via Twitter at the mo (for next 23 and a half hours!) to get £90 tickets (which I think is £30 off the gate price).

[Cornflowerblues]

I have two adult tickets for Green Gathering https://www.greengathering.org.uk/and can't go. Its at the bottom of Wales and looks fab.

Tickets are selling for £115 but I am looking for £80 each ono.

Please contact me if you have any queries.

Charlie

[elfweirdigan]

So, did anyone go?

We did and it was gorgeous - such a beautiful site, amazing speakers and stalls/workshops, some seriously good music, great cider & a splendid kids' area. The main 'Green Forum' was heaving Thu, Fri & Sat nights with crazy-dancing people & a real good variety of bands and Djs, from folk to punk, ska, Northern Soul and dance. Chainska Brassica, Martha Tilston, Seize the Day, Libby Lawes & the Glitzy BagHags had everyone leaping about. Daytimes there was archery and crafts, plus great info on social justice campaigns, low impact living, environmental issues and radical politics.

If you went, the Gathering is asking for feedback so as to improve things for next year: http://surveymonkey.com/s/92YDYVS

Edited August 31, 2013 by elfweirdigan