Glasto Victories

[fatyeti24]

Having enjoyed perusing the 'one you wish you'd been at' thread, lets spin it around.  Which festivals were you at where you got it right, intentionally or otherwise, and saw something that went down in festival history, or just something cool you and your mates still fondly remember?

For example, in 2015 I happened to be walking by West Holts just as Roy Ayres - who'd been on my list but I'd forgotten about by the day - began playing Everybody Loves the Sunshine.

I'm no Bowie fan, and in 2000 would have been elsewhere were it not for a compromise with my friends, so I saw what was on of the great gigs of his later career.

1997 - seeing out a wet festival to watch Daft Punk headline the dance tent.  I'd never have thought then that that would be their only appearance at the festival.

Perhaps most of all 1994.  The whole thing.  It was my first, at 16 years old.  I didn't know much about Glastonbury (it wasn't on TV before that year) but had an older step brother who went in '93 and took me with him in '94.  He assured me I'd love it.

As an extra from that year I hung around at the NME stage after watching Bjork and sort-of accidentally ended up watching Orbital - my first experience of live dance music and a gig that usually ranks pretty highly in the Glasto all time lists.  I was a raver after that!

 

I'm sure there are many more in the efests hive.. let's have 'em!

[Wilfko]

Getting to The Park for Foals not so secret set a mere 30 mins before they started and being three rows from the barrier. It was unreal looking around park and seeing the park hill full to the brim.

[TheWizard62]

In 2011 I went to the Spirit of ‘71’ stage in search of Steve Hillage. Only their timings were indeed something out of the 70s so I sat down and waited..and waited. Then on stage came Noel Harrison and sang the most exquisite version of his song ‘Windmills Of Your Mind’ from The Thomas Crowne Affair to an audience of about 20! It is still up their in my all time top 3 Glastonbury moments - unexpected, iconic and achingly beautiful. He did a version on the TV from backstage but his band version was so much better - check the backstage version out on YouTube! He died 2 years later and I’m so glad I wandered into a Glastonbury moment! 

[mazola]

Chic on West Holts. Everything about it was perfect, from the crowd around us to the amount of spandangled I was. It felt like everyone was having the time of their lives and dancing their arses off.

Was the first time I'd seen them, seen them a couple of other times since and it's pretty much the same show, but that night was something special.

[Watergirl]

I loved it at the time, but in hindsight I am even more pleased I saw Leonard Cohen at Glastonbury. Beautiful show, and the only time I have seen him.

Another sort of victory was being in a brilliant spot for the Stones, still my favourite headline set of all I was at. I was just behind the pit barrier for Primal Scream, in a spot with great view and sound. I was going to meet friends further back up on the hill to watch the Stones together, but then I decided to stay put my position was just too good to move. 

[Wanderlei]

Glasto 2008. I lost a contact lens in my tent on the Friday night. Looked everywhere with my torch but couldn't find it. Next morning, not only did I find it, but it was still usable after a good rinse. Victory was mine.

[e_p]

Walking past the Pyramid to while the Waterboys did Whole of the Moon, and to then be out of earshot of any of their other stuff. 

[LeeHC]

26 minutes ago, Wanderlei said:

Glasto 2008. I lost a contact lens in my tent on the Friday night. Looked everywhere with my torch but couldn't find it. Next morning, not only did I find it, but it was still usable after a good rinse. Victory was mine.

😨 you are a braver man than me!!

[Divein]

Going to watch Jagwar Ma in John Peel in 2013 on the basis of listening to them once or twice and seeing lots of hype about them.

That kicked started a very excellent but all too brief love affair with them and they are linked to a few of my favourite Glasto memories.

Others are wandering on my own to see the gaslight anthem in 2009 and we know how that finishes. As well as going to the Park in 2010 for the secret set.

A more recent one is committing to watching all of Stormzy instead of ducking out to watch some of Interpol. 

[Wanderlei]

33 minutes ago, LeeHC said:

😨 you are a braver man than me!!

I thought it was beyond saving. It was folded, completely dried out, with dirt on it. But with the help of plenty of solution, bam, the tables were turned and the victory was all the sweeter for it.

Of course, my left eye has since been removed due to the infection, so if you see me with my eye patch on at Glasto, buy me a pint.

Edited April 20, 2022 by Wanderlei

[Mardy]

1 hour ago, fatyeti24 said:

 

As an extra from that year I hung around at the NME stage after watching Bjork and sort-of accidentally ended up watching Orbital - my first experience of live dance music and a gig that usually ranks pretty highly in the Glasto all time lists.  I was a raver after that!

 

I'm sure there are many more in the efests hive.. let's have 'em!

Was exactly my thought when I started reading your post, then you mentioned it. Yeah, Orbital in 94. That's the biggie for me. And a performance by Heathcote Williams in 93 or 94 too.

[bexj]

2003, i think before the days when the full line up was released, making the Thursday of the festival my job to scour the programme for unusual nuggets.  For some unknown reason my husband joined in this year... And luckily he spotted Love with Arthur Lee mid afternoon on the Other Stage.  He was a massive fan of Love and so we spent a dreamy afternoon listening to those classic 60s sounds.  It was the 1st of many Love gigs before Arthur sadly died in 2006. 

[The Nal]

Was in dire need of a late night plopsie one year and the bogs everywhere were a fucking disgrace. 

Made a judgement call and headed to the jacks at the Acoustic field. So clean. Was just missing an attendant with a mint. Bit of a walk like but I was mega chuffed.

 

[Bradders]

1 hour ago, Divein said:

Going to watch Jagwar Ma in John Peel in 2013 on the basis of listening to them once or twice and seeing lots of hype about them.

That kicked started a very excellent but all too brief love affair with them and they are linked to a few of my favourite Glasto memories.

Had a similar relationship with Jagwar Ma. They played live in Stonebridge at about 2am that year in a period where I basically thought they were the best band in the world. Loved it.

[Mardy]

funnily enough, I dug that Jagwar Ma album out the other week and gave it a spin. Yeah, they were very special for a few months

[phillyfaddle]

2008. Grabbing some noodles at a stall on the edge of West Holts and stumbling into the biggest rave EVER at Eddy Grant’s set. Played all the hits, loads of encores. Crowd wouldn’t let him go. Security escorted him off as he was running over into into Big Boi’s time slot. AMAZING. On the way out, met an elf sitting in a bin. As you do. 

[Joshuwarr]

Final night of a very muddy and wet Glasto 2014 and my friends and I decided we'd finish the weekend with MGMT headlining the John Peel stage. We just had the best time and danced as much as our knackered bodies would allow. Overheard someone say "I wish I was on what they are" ...which of course was nothing, we were just living the moment. Funny how random sets like that can just stick with you

[TheSheriff]

Kool & The Gang West Holts 2011 was a perfect Sunday night headliner for me and my mates we partied the night away.

[dondo]

3 hours ago, bexj said:

2003, i think before the days when the full line up was released, making the Thursday of the festival my job to scour the programme for unusual nuggets.  For some unknown reason my husband joined in this year... And luckily he spotted Love with Arthur Lee mid afternoon on the Other Stage.  He was a massive fan of Love and so we spent a dreamy afternoon listening to those classic 60s sounds.  It was the 1st of many Love gigs before Arthur sadly died in 2006. 

I was thinking exactly the same. 2003 was my 1st Glastonbury and I think i hit the perfect balance of bands during the day/evening/night with the mate I went with and late night stuff with people I knew from another forum (yes other forums areavailable).

I was (embarrassingly) unaware of Love but as soon as this started 

I was blown away and managed to see them a few more times over the following years.

It was a great Saturday on the other stage with Libertines, Love, Coral and Super Furries. Then off to the Glade and other places before sunrise at the stone circle.

Given I met my now wife the week before makes 2003 a great year for me

[paulshane]

So many it's hard to remember, the biggest one is managing to get tickets for the last 20 festivals 🙂

 

but being at the front for Underworld on the Other stage in 1998, then at the front for Underworld at the Pyramid in 1999 and then at the front for Underworld at West Holts in 2016 has left me with some great memories 🙂

 

seeing some random band at the Bandstand on a Wednesday evening do a 20 minute 'Dueling Banjos' was astounding

 

cycling round the site at 6AM on saturday 2019 after staying up all night partying with friends took my breath away (literally, I was fucko-ed 😄 pic I took, much to bemusment of passing litter pickers: )

 

Bowies set

 

Roger Waters, with the surround sound speakers - mind blowing

 

Hopefully more to add to the list this coming June 🙂

 

 

[irnkrtn]

Bowie.

Being front row for REM in 1999. Still probably the most overwhelming evening of my life!

Elliott Smith in the New Bands Tent

Going up to see MIA open the Park stage officially in 2007, but then she never turned up. Lily Allen stepped in and I was really put out but also knackered after a day of rain and mud so thought I would just stay. She was brilliant, I was a complete convert.

Public Enemy playing to a tiny (esp. by their standards) crowd during The Rolling Stones and definitely one of my best ever gigs at Glastonbury.

Snoop Dogg in the sunshine

Definitely Leonard Cohen

Amy Winehouse

That ridiculous back to back you can only get at Glastonbury of a career defining Bruce Springsteen set on a Saturday and then 24 hours later THAT Blur set. 

Just so many when you start listing them!



 

[dizzymoo]

6 minutes ago, paulshane said:

So many it's hard to remember, the biggest one is managing to get tickets for the last 20 festivals 🙂

 

but being at the front for Underworld on the Other stage in 1998, then at the front for Underworld at the Pyramid in 1999 and then at the front for Underworld at West Holts in 2016 has left me with some great memories 🙂

 

seeing some random band at the Bandstand on a Wednesday evening do a 20 minute 'Dueling Banjos' was astounding

 

cycling round the site at 6AM on saturday 2019 after staying up all night partying with friends took my breath away (literally, I was fucko-ed 😄 pic I took, much to bemusment of passing litter pickers: )

 

Bowies set

 

Roger Waters, with the surround sound speakers - mind blowing

 

Hopefully more to add to the list this coming June 🙂

 

 

Underworld were transcendent in 2016... before the floodwaters overwhelmed West Holts!

Father John Misty at The Park in 2015, perfect weather and 'Chateau Lobby #4', perfect song

Lizzo in 2019, just joyful and made even better by the guys in front of us who had really practiced their dance routines!

[paulshane]

13 minutes ago, dizzymoo said:

Underworld were transcendent in 2016... before the floodwaters overwhelmed West Holts!

 

it was an epic gig 🙂 I try not to take pics during gigs, but this was after they had finished 🙂

 

[Olshansky]

Lamb, Avalon in 2004 - was my first time in the UK, my first ever festival, my first lamb show, and it had been my birthday that week.  During that set it just all came together and it was maybe the first time in my life I remember crying from joy. 

Sea of Bees - The Crows Nest in 2011.  I just really enjoyed their set and made point to see them in NY when they came a few years later.  Glasto provided a conversation starting point, and all these years later Joules and Amber have become real close friends.  

Radiohead 2017 Pyramid - Yes I loved the set, but that's not the reason I chose this.  A year prior I posted a photo I took at a Kae Tempest gig (in nyc) to instagram and tagged them and Hinako (keyboards) in it.  Hinako loved the photo and wrote me a message asking that I send her a copy, which I of course did.  All in all, a very brief exchange.  Now, back to Radiohead in 2017 -  my friend and I decided to watch Radiohead from near one of the sound boards - with our backs to the soundboard rail it felt less crowded and provided a nice bit of air too.  And who was inside the rail? Hinako of course.  We locked eyes and she came running up to me and says "You're the one who sent me that photo a year ago in New York!"  I couldn't believe she remembered, let alone knew what I looked like. We spent the whole set hugging and singing along and laughing-  basically became instant friends.  We try to have dinner every time we are in each other's city.  

Idles 2019 Park Stage - I've been a fan since the beginning and have seen them play shows with less than 50 people there.  To see them on that stage, with Joe all emotional too, made my heart swell like 50 times its size.  One of my favorite gigs ever.  

Snap! - WOW! Stage 2010 - I was never a huge fan of the band, but as it was the thursday why not check them out? They had SO many hits. It was extremely crowded, and so I made my way to what looked like a gap in the crowd and what did I find?  There was a couple having actual sex on the floor.  That's why there was a gap in the crowd. I will never hear "The Power" the same ever again. 

Mary J Blige - 2015 - I was watching her set when I got a text from home saying that gay marriage was finally legalized in the states.  She was singing "No More Drama", which, lol.  

Plenty more moments, but these are some big ones for me 

 

[Dave_c]

Unpopular opinion but choosing to see Coldplay in 2016. Not a fan and wasn't bothered but it was ace.

Leaving my other half and mates at the Killers after 5 minutes in 2019 and going solo to see Chems instead.