Your most controversial Glastonbury opinions

[Bradders]

As much as people like to trot out the full name, Glastonbury is a music festival*, not a Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts. If they want it to be the latter they’d have to put a lot more effort into all the other aspects of performing arts.

*+ some mates of mates doing a bit of comedy and circus acts.

[Beerqueen]

26 minutes ago, stuie said:

It’s actually a decent experience led festival. I’d not seen that page on the website and in my opinion, it’s not necessary and makes it look pretentious.

We went back to the car for more stuff and didn’t have a problem. I think that’s just for when gates are mega busy.

The alcohol on first entry only policy is at most festivals. 

Is that right?  I've never come across it at any festival I've been to (but must admit I tend to go to the same ones over and over again).  I've always been able to come and go to the car as often as I like and bring back whatever I like each time, not occurred to me that it would be otherwise.

[Beerqueen]

10 minutes ago, Bradders said:

As much as people like to trot out the full name, Glastonbury is a music festival*, not a Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts. If they want it to be the latter they’d have to put a lot more effort into all the other aspects of performing arts.

*+ some mates of mates doing a bit of comedy and circus acts.

Having recently read the 50th anniversary book, it seemed to be a way to get round opposition to the festival to call it that and have a Theatre and Circus headlining the Pyramid.

[Lithoniel]

Just now, Beerqueen said:

Having recently read the 50th anniversary book, it seemed to be a way to get round opposition to the festival to call it that and have a Theatre and Circus headlining the Pyramid.

cirque du soleil would bang on the pyramid though.

[Homer]

5 minutes ago, Beerqueen said:

Having recently read the 50th anniversary book, it seemed to be a way to get round opposition to the festival to call it that and have a Theatre and Circus headlining the Pyramid.

When did this happen? Sounds like the 80s to me (Maybe I should just get around to reading the book).

[Leyrulion]

17 minutes ago, Bradders said:

As much as people like to trot out the full name, Glastonbury is a music festival*, not a Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts. If they want it to be the latter they’d have to put a lot more effort into all the other aspects of performing arts.

*+ some mates of mates doing a bit of comedy and circus acts.

It's called that because the Council at the time wouldn't allow another music festival. So Michael rang the planning officer (who I think he said was near retirement) and assured him it wasn't a music festival but a "festival of contemporary arts". Licence got approved and the name stuck.

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

Perhaps that’s how they could’ve got round the Pangea issue, The Glastonbury festival of performing arts and Heavy Plant fair. 

[Bradders]

7 minutes ago, Leyrulion said:

It's called that because the Council at the time wouldn't allow another music festival. So Michael rang the planning officer (who I think he said was near retirement) and assured him it wasn't a music festival but a "festival of contemporary arts". Licence got approved and the name stuck.

I withdraw my controversy.

[waltere]

9 minutes ago, Homer said:

When did this happen? Sounds like the 80s to me (Maybe I should just get around to reading the book).

I believe 1990 (and yes you should 😛)

[Beerqueen]

9 minutes ago, Leyrulion said:

It's called that because the Council at the time wouldn't allow another music festival. So Michael rang the planning officer (who I think he said was near retirement) and assured him it wasn't a music festival but a "festival of contemporary arts". Licence got approved and the name stuck.

Yes, that's how I remember from the book.

[Leyrulion]

2 minutes ago, Beerqueen said:

Yes, that's how I remember from the book.

BBC sounds did a great abridged podcast of the book that had the story in it.

[Twiggy553]

53 minutes ago, Bradders said:

As much as people like to trot out the full name, Glastonbury is a music festival*, not a Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts. If they want it to be the latter they’d have to put a lot more effort into all the other aspects of performing arts.

*+ some mates of mates doing a bit of comedy and circus acts.

The comedy, improv and circus are amazing! Spent much of 2016 there (forced by the mud) and it’s been a staple of my weekend ever since

[Wanderlei]

13 minutes ago, Twiggy553 said:

The comedy, improv and circus are amazing! Spent much of 2016 there (forced by the mud) and it’s been a staple of my weekend ever since

The spoken word tent is very underrated. Buddy Wakefield was brilliant there a few years back.

[Twiggy553]

1 hour ago, stuie said:

It’s actually a decent experience led festival. I’d not seen that page on the website and in my opinion, it’s not necessary and makes it look pretentious.

It was a brilliant festival, the way the site is decorated and the lineup was quality.

just a bit of an Instagram crowd… the looks of scorn i was getting were delightful 🙂 we had a lot of fun trolling people.

one of my favourites was <subtle like i’m trying to score> “excuse me, do you, er, do you know where I can buy any hashtags?”
 

(We did also meet some really lovely people i must add)

Edited April 19, 2022 by Twiggy553

[Wanderlei]

6 minutes ago, Twiggy553 said:

It was a brilliant festival, the way the site is decorated and the lineup was quality.

just a bit of an Instagram crowd… the looks of scorn i was getting were delightful 🙂 we had a lot of fun trolling people.

one of my favourites was <subtle like i’m trying to score> “excuse me, do you, er, do you know where I can buy any hashtags?”
 

(We did also meet some really lovely people i must add)

😂 Might have to borrow that one.

[Clarence Clemons]

3 hours ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Second time I’ve upvoted this meme today

[Clarence Clemons]

4 hours ago, Deaf Nobby Burton said:

I think they’re the best type of fancy dress, it’s almost better if it’s so obscure that only a few people get it it but the ones that do really appreciate it. Not that obscure, but I went to a halloween party as zombie Alan Patridge once, anyone who hadn’t seen AP were just completely bewildered. It was also around the time Appropriate Adult had aired and one of my mates went as Fred West 😅.

That’s great, would have loved to see it. 

[kingbadger]

4 hours ago, Deaf Nobby Burton said:

I think they’re the best type of fancy dress, it’s almost better if it’s so obscure that only a few people get it it but the ones that do really appreciate it. Not that obscure, but I went to a halloween party as zombie Alan Patridge once, anyone who hadn’t seen AP were just completely bewildered. It was also around the time Appropriate Adult had aired and one of my mates went as Fred West 😅.

I did Alan Partridge Zombie back in 2017 I think it was. Nobody in our group got it, went out in Bethnal Green and bumped into someone else who had done the exact same thing. Never seen two people wearing a shower curtain and bathmat look so happy to see each other.

[clarkete]

6 hours ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Maybe if you're watching at home, but it has bugger all impact if you're actually in front of El Pointo.

Same, I've never seen any of them doing it in the crowd and rarely if ever watch the coverage back so don't see them myself.

I'm old enough that I remember radio 1 roadshows at Weston etc, but in my day they were strictly that - they were just on the radio and not shown on the telly

[clarkete]

4 hours ago, Lithoniel said:

cirque du soleil would bang on the pyramid though.

That's a lot more sanitised than the madness they had in 1990 when Circus Archaos headlined the pyramid.

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/theatreblog/2010/mar/23/pierrot-bidon-archaos-circus

[MaxPower]

7 hours ago, Twiggy553 said:

It was a brilliant festival, the way the site is decorated and the lineup was quality.

just a bit of an Instagram crowd… the looks of scorn i was getting were delightful 🙂 we had a lot of fun trolling people.

one of my favourites was <subtle like i’m trying to score> “excuse me, do you, er, do you know where I can buy any hashtags?”
 

(We did also meet some really lovely people i must add)

You sound like you were being pretty insufferable tbh no wonder you were getting some looks.

[TheGChild]

Their approach to lineup reveals is nothing but a series of frustration and disappointment. There I said it!

[timbrass]

On 4/13/2022 at 11:44 AM, balti-pie said:

Remove all mobile phone reception over the entire festival area, except for two windows of access between 8 and 8.30, morning and evening. There's a festival going on, put your bloody phones down and enjoy yourself. I will reluctantly allow mobile phone usage for cameras, but you cant post anything to twitter or instagram or any of that nonsense. 

(the windows of access are to appease anyone who needs to be contactable for whatever's happening out there in the real world, the rest of us should exist on rumour or conjecture and maybe Cliff Richard will actually die this year, like he did every year before widespread smartphone ownership) 

Ban all Smartphones.  Only allow Nokia/Alcatel feature phones.

[timbrass]

Keep the cows on site and let them trample and crap wherever they like.

[e9t3]

Has anyone mentioned the Stanley Donwood artwork being ugly?