Green Man 2022

[OddRon]

That was the same time frame I was referring to where we were told to go round a different way by security, disgusting behaviour. 

[SighMo]

Does anyone know who replaced Brian Destiny on the FO at 1230 on Friday? My friend posted some pics he took on Instagram and the band asked him to take them down as it wasn’t them. 

[SweepingTheNation]

14 minutes ago, SighMo said:

Does anyone know who replaced Brian Destiny on the FO at 1230 on Friday? My friend posted some pics he took on Instagram and the band asked him to take them down as it wasn’t them. 

CIEL.

[SighMo]

Just now, SweepingTheNation said:

CIEL.

Ah thanks. Was it announced at the time?

[SweepingTheNation]

11 minutes ago, SighMo said:

Ah thanks. Was it announced at the time?

I think GM retweeted the band tweeting about it on Thursday night as well as their own daily morning programme changes tweet. Neither Brian Destiny nor Unschooling appear to have announced their pulling out themselves.

[Mambonumberfive]

Hi while we’re on the subject of who was the band. Who was the female vocalist for Gotts Street Park, Saturday? I arrived part way through - was it even Gotts Street Park or had they been switched? I was there waiting for PPC but thought they were good.

[staffop]

Greenman 2022

 

Another beautiful festival overall but chinks in the armour seem to be appearing. 13th now I think (poss 14) and been going since my 2 daughters were pups. They’re all growed up now and came with their partners which is surreal. So lovely to see them all having a great time (first time for their partners) and nice to be able to send them to the bar now for a change...

 

Arrived for Settlers just as morning rain arrived, usual niggles with wifi not working and ticket exchange etc but was set up just in time for the deluge

 

Rain was torrential and bitterly cold for some of the afternoon but we’d already set up so could observe whilst sheltered with a pint of Mango Growler (or two). That said, Greenman is the only place I know where there can be blue sky and sunshine whilst also simultaneously chucking it down

 

Gentle Good had cancelled due to Covid unfortunately, but Gareth Bonello had curated a great day of music. Highlights were No Thee No Ess  and Katell (K-Tel!) Keineg on the main stage. Lowri Evans on Acoustic stage was lovely as was Cara Ludlow. More music in the afternoon would be nice at Settlers but appreciate I’m asking a lot

 

Ended up watching the Pride film about Gay and Lesbian support for the collieries during the miners strike. Sounds over earnest, possibly, but was life affirming and revelatory. I had a tear in my eye by the end

 

Tuesday was a bit damper overall but nothing to spoil the mood. Food offerings were great. Urban Indian terrific, Settlers Bar/Cafe, very good (albeit pricey) but didn’t try the pizzas due to the queues. I do think a couple more food outlets would be nice as we’re there for a week

 

Music was nice throughout Tuesday but no specific highlights jumped out. Finished off with Silent Disco - much fun as always and great to be able to see the colour coded channels on the headsets

 

Cashells were amazing as ever, offering the best selection of meat, cheese and veg, plus amazing sausage rolls and warm scotch eggs. Steak sandwich was a winner too. They even brought in some sparkling water when I asked for it - top notch all round

 

Had to leave site Wednesday but arrived back early evening. I’d never seen Settlers so busy as it had to accommodate all the early birds who’d arrived due to the train strike. Was still great though and lovely to be back with the family. Can’t recall any music as too busy catching up

 

One of the pleasures of Settlers is everything has already been set up, so Thursday is now a day for kicking back and soaking up the atmosphere. Lovely to have the whole site opened up for the first time - hope it’s not the last

 

 

Thursday:

 

Gentle start, enjoyed potty mouthed Gretel Hanlyn, also enjoyed Papur Wal and El Goodo in Walled Garden. missed much of the other music due to catching up with friends but caught a bit of Allergies plus Metronomy who were great and finished off at Chai Wallahs until closing

 

 

Friday:

 

In early for the usual Bloody Mary and set up a base at the Mountain Stage with a restorative bacon and egg roll

 

John Francis Flynn was lovely but found it hard to give him the focus he deserved on such a big stage

 

Mdou Moctor were one of my treats of the weekend as was Cassandra Jenkins

 

Saw a bit of WITCH but I find it hard to appreciate the Far Out unless I go in deep. That said Viagra Boys smashed it

 

Enjoyed PSB, great setting for them, but found Kraftwerk failed to suck me in. 3d visuals seemed gimmicky and the crowd thinned noticeably after a while. I heard lots of people raving about them afterwards though so it’s always subjective

 

Loved Cate le Bon afterwards, missed Scalping, then wandered randomly and settled into Chai for the last burst - £12.50 for an Usain Bolt is taking the piss though surely?!

 

As ever, stayed to end and wandered back crabwise sporting a big grin

 

 

Saturday

 

Bloody Mary, obvs, then no real recollection of anything until Pictish came on who were as charming and fun as ever. Loved the weird head costumes things

 

Popped into Cinema tent for the film quiz which was fun (albeit poorly organised due to them only expecting a few people and hundreds turning up)

 

Frazey Ford was sublime

 

And loved Katy J Pearson, everyone had a huge grin on their face

 

What about that huge bomber that flew over, dipping it’s wing as it did so - jaw on the floor!?

 

Arou Aftab were great in Walled Garden, but probably busiest I’ve seen it and it felt uncomfortably claustrophobic

 

Caught end of BCNR who I love, but were very different since singer left. Not worse, just different. It will be fascinating to see where they go next, but I’m sure it’ll be good

 

'Kids' and famalam found the ‘secret’ cabaret/drag tent and stayed there for most of the evening - they just loved it there. They revisited the next night but the shows were the same as before, so adding a few more acts could be a winner

 

Arab Strap, are, well Arab Strap, and middle age men singing about getting pissed and chasing women pales after a while. I think I prefer their solo work now TBH

 

Beach House were sublime and Bicep smashed it

 

Off to Chai for another night cap - my bones were starting to feel it though

 

 

Sunday

 

How can it go so quickly (and I've been here for a week!)

 

No Kedgeree - boooo!

 

Carwyn Ellis/Rio 18 on MS was my find of the week - what a lovely way to start the day, just loved it. Not often Welsh/Brazilian Bossa nova is played with a huge orchestra!

 

Was really looking forward to Katherine Priddy but didn’t leave much of a memory in the end - my bad no doubt

 

Gruff/Imarhan were great but not a necessarily a 20th birthday treat, then was torn between Steven Baboo in Group Listening and Valerie June. Former won as I like anything he does and it was suitably sublime. Caught last bit of VJ and I just wished I had a time turner - seems unfair the way clashes work sometimes…

 

Murder Capital were great in FO, saw a bit of Ezra who is always amazing but headed over to see Ty who I’ve not seen before - sucked me right in

 

Swerved Kiwanuka  and stayed for Parquet - bouncy, gnarly fun as ever, but I got distracted by the amazing balloon trapezes so missed the last few songs

 

The greenman itself  (one of the best) burned with a flaming bow and thus another one bit the dust

 

Saw a bit of Nia Archives from the periphery but daughters' told me the front was full of teenagers on Ket (that’s what Reading/Boardmasters is for surely?) but finished off with KOG at Chai - just phenomenal

 

Security guard presence was obtrusive again but makes sense after reading the news. That said, a young couple were sitting outside by the tree in the dark, minding their business inconspicuously rolling a spliff, when a guard came and made them hand it in, along with their stash. Seems heavy handed at best - live and let live surely?

 

Gutted to have missed:

 

Rhodri Davies

John Mouse

WunderHorse

Modern Nature

Ural Thomas

Balimaya Project

Mary Lattimore

Marisa Anderson/William Tyler

Sugar Candy Mountain

Willie J Healey

Valerie June

All the Woodland art installations

 

 

Gutted Low and Buffalo Nichols had to pull out too

 

Gripes

 

• Much, much busier than before - surely it cant take any more people?

 

• Mix of crowd seemed less chilled than usual and security more obtrusive. The latter may have been related to the awful news about an onsite rape that occurred.

 

• Class A drug use seemed more evident including lots of coke taking and the twattery that is associated with it. Thefts seemed up, as well as 'teenage’ prickery like stealing scooters from accessibility in the early hours.

 

• Surely costs cant keep increasing - £6.50 for a pint and £14 for a small, undercooked cheese and tomato pizza is taking the piss.

 

• On Sunday, much of the food seemed to run out. I wonder if it was due to the extra crowds and lack of understanding about the impact. Kedgeree sold out and the Caribbean shack was closed by the evening. It’s my favourite eatery and queues are usually small. Goat curry rules as ever. Even Usain Bolts had sold out by the evening despite costing £12.50

 

• Lack of branded cups. Trivial but generic stack cups on the 20th anniversary seems a little churlish. Also, £2 per cup seems excessive, mainly because I’m useless. I always end up leaving the one/s I’ve bought back at the van so end up having to buy more

 

• I love Gruff and I love Irmahan but was expecting more for the 20th big surprise

 

Top 5:

 

Mdou Moctar - best looking band of the weekend and amazing saharan blues. Drummer was something else

Frazey Ford - her voice is just special, and I slotted into her groove in seconds

Cassandra Jenkins - woozy and sublime. Her lyrics and voice transported me

Carwyn Ellis - what a fun way to start the last day. Wasn’t expecting it to be so good

KOG - last set of the weekend at Chai - most fun possible with your clothes on etc

 

Overall:

 

• Toilets - I like the compost loos personally. Smell is better and they seem less claustrophobic than the chemical loos. I quite like the breeze around ones nether parts too, but probably shouldn’t admit it. Female urinals seemed well received and much overdue

 

• Weather proved to be wonderful in the end. I must learn to stop looking at the apps as they’re always wrong

• Beer/Cider festival - always great but they do sell out in a heartbeat often, I especially liked the Black Sea Night IPA

 

• It’s Greenman! Arguably the prettiest festival location in the UK as well as the best curated. That said I was surprised how many long time attendees we know said they would swerve next year for smaller events and alternatives such as EOTR etc.That said, i'm sure i'll be back in 2023 because there's no where quite like it

 

 

 

[Skip997]

14 hours ago, staffop said:

• It’s Greenman! Arguably the prettiest festival location in the UK as well as the best curated. That said I was surprised how many long time attendees we know said they would swerve next year for smaller events and alternatives such as EOTR etc.That said, i'm sure i'll be back in 2023 because there's no where quite like it

There's one you clearly haven't been to.

It has none of the issues you mentioned, except the class A's, which if they're the right class A's isn't a problem it actually enhances a party.

[collectivisedfarming]

15 hours ago, staffop said:

John Francis Flynn was lovely but found it hard to give him the focus he deserved on such a big stage

An unexpected highlight for me but maybe would have been better in the Walled Garden.

Agree that Carwyn Ellis was a great start to the Sunday, have been playing his records non-stop since coming back from the festival.

[adequate8]

2 hours ago, Skip997 said:

There's one you clearly haven't been to.

It has none of the issues you mentioned, except the class A's, which if they're the right class A's isn't a problem it actually enhances a party.

do tell?

[Skip997]

4 minutes ago, adequate8 said:

do tell?

Shambala

 

[SweepingTheNation]

One last post, because ITV Wales had a special show at the festival including chats with Fiona, Kae Tempest, Pictish Trail, Carwyn Ellis, Melin Melyn, Iwan Rheon... https://www.itv.com/walesprogrammes/articles/backstage-episode-7