Avalon is dying

[Skip997]

For sure SE corner in terms of layout and venues has massively changed. As has the vibe during the event, I’d agree less of a community feel, less of a DIY feel. 
 

What I’m saying is that there are still plenty of those characters about the behind the scenes sense of community amongst us is still there 

[CR77]

I LOVE Avalon... had some of the best times there, but one of the big concerns I have is that it's not a TV stage.  So for example we've got Shed Seven heavily rumoured for next year... but (very hypothetically!) what slot do they take / get offered?  Mid-afternoon on Other Stage or headline Avalon?  Do they go for Other Stage for the TV exposure... or Avalon for the atmosphere?  I'd MUCH rather see them headline Avalon, it's a no-brainer... but how do the bands themselves feel?!

 

Ditto other rumoured bands like Cast, Kula Shaker, Supergrass, Ash.

 

Btw, I'm not a big Shed Seven fan, haven't seen them live before, but would probably see them next year if they play and don't clash etc!

[Ayrshire Chris]

The screens installed in Avalon recently have been a great addition. 

[Avalon_Fields]

8 minutes ago, CR77 said:

 we've got Shed Seven heavily rumoured for next year...

I'll add them to our line up page if you know it's a legitimate good rumour?

[CR77]

9 minutes ago, Avalon_Fields said:

I'll add them to our line up page if you know it's a legitimate good rumour?

 

Not sure if it's solid enough... but Shed Seven were asked directly on facebook if they were playing Glasto this year (ie 2024), and they said no, but that they were already in talks for 2025.  And I think they repeated this back in September too, but I can't find it.  Makes sense as they've had a number one album and are doing other dates around the festival, but not Glasto weekend itself.  (Also I have this irrational obsession with the fact that it's the 30th anniversary of the legendary 1995 Glasto, and that loads of bands who played that year should be playing in 2025 - Shed Seven were one of them!)

Here's the original post from May, posted by briddj:

[SticklinchJoe]

It's sad to hear that Avalon doesn't seem to be doing so well. It was one of my favourite areas, but that's going back a few years now.

[Avalon_Fields]

4 hours ago, CR77 said:

 

Not sure if it's solid enough... but Shed Seven were asked directly on facebook if they were playing Glasto this year (ie 2024), and they said no, but that they were already in talks for 2025.  And I think they repeated this back in September too, but I can't find it.  Makes sense as they've had a number one album and are doing other dates around the festival, but not Glasto weekend itself.  (Also I have this irrational obsession with the fact that it's the 30th anniversary of the legendary 1995 Glasto, and that loads of bands who played that year should be playing in 2025 - Shed Seven were one of them!)

Here's the original post from May, posted by briddj:

It’s worthwhile adding them, thanks for the info.

[Sawdusty surfer]

21 hours ago, Pinhead said:

An f**k remember when it was the tipi field now Genosys. When I first ventured up there as a nieve 21 yo into the SE it was a chap with a cocktail bar and loads of crusties and staff. Called the Weird Beard field and sometimes Roy's.

 

Yep, Roy Gurvitz, AKA Weird Beard AKA Roy The Boy. Pretty sure that his first cocktail bar in SE corner was '97 when he was in the field which is now Unfair Ground. Previous to that it was (crusty) crew camping. We were parked up there in '94.

 That set up is what evolved into Lost Vagueness, Roy being the head honcho.

 

Roy had been doing 'unauthorised' bars at Glastonbury for quite some time. I remember that he did The World Cup Bar in '92 which actually had a couple of TVs to watch the games. Unheard of back in those days.He has a history of running bars that predates that as well. He used to run bars at free festivals (when we could still have them, before the Public Order Act) where he usually used to sell Richard's Castle Wine, outrageously strong fruit wine made in Herefordshire.

 

Roy is still on the scene with a very sucessful and rather good big top/marquee etc hire company called Meerkat Marquees.

 

In the unlikely event that anyone hasn't seen it, there's a brilliant film called Lost In Vagueness which shows the rise and fall of LV. Absolutely brilliant viewing and shows how tame the SE corner is these days compared to 20 to 25 years ago. Watch and enjoy!

Edited November 7 by Sawdusty surfer

[Gnomicide]

9 hours ago, CR77 said:

 

Not sure if it's solid enough... but Shed Seven were asked directly on facebook if they were playing Glasto this year (ie 2024), and they said no, but that they were already in talks for 2025.  And I think they repeated this back in September too, but I can't find it.  Makes sense as they've had a number one album and are doing other dates around the festival, but not Glasto weekend itself.  (Also I have this irrational obsession with the fact that it's the 30th anniversary of the legendary 1995 Glasto, and that loads of bands who played that year should be playing in 2025 - Shed Seven were one of them!)

Here's the original post from May, posted by briddj:

 

I see your "in discussion" and raise you a 🤞 and a later 🤐

 

 

___________________________________

[Pinhead]

3 hours ago, Sawdusty surfer said:

 

Yep, Roy Gurvitz, AKA Weird Beard AKA Roy The Boy. Pretty sure that his first cocktail bar in SE corner was '97 when he was in the field which is now Unfair Ground. Previous to that it was (crusty) crew camping. We were parked up there in '94.

 That set up is what evolved into Lost Vagueness, Roy being the head honcho.

 

Roy had been doing 'unauthorised' bars at Glastonbury for quite some time. I remember that he did The World Cup Bar in '92 which actually had a couple of TVs to watch the games. Unheard of back in those days.He has a history of running bars that predates that as well. He used to run bars at free festivals (when we could still have them, before the Public Order Act) where he usually used to sell Richard's Castle Wine, outrageously strong fruit wine made in Herefordshire.

 

Roy is still on the scene with a very sucessful and rather good big top/marquee etc hire company called Meerkat Marquees.

 

In the unlikely event that anyone hasn't seen it, there's a brilliant film called Lost In Vagueness which shows the rise and fall of LV. Absolutely brilliant viewing and shows how tame the SE corner is these days compared to 20 to 25 years ago. Watch and enjoy!

Interesting - didn't know about the World Cup bar. From '94 when I first went we all used to venture up there for some more 'off the wall' fun, though often would get hacked by crusties on Scrumpy Jack or whatever. Have seen the film (on Amazon) - it seemed to end with Roy looking a bit direction-less so pleased he's got another business up and running. He was certainly a legend to work with by the looks of it. I did see him once around LV (might have been in the Church). Loved his love/hate relationship with Michael.

 

[Olshansky]

Avalon would be the perfect stage to pick up some of the would be williams green acts.  would also help it freshen up I think. 

[Ayrshire Chris]

Get Skinny Lister back on the Avalon.  Can’t beat a bit of punk folk to get the tent rocking. 

Edited November 16 by Ayrshire Chris

[mjtko]

First-timer in 2024 here. I spent more time at Avalon than I was expecting to -- I thought the line up was pretty eclectic as I kinda expected it to be more folky overall, but the bookings were very solid and I really enjoyed the vibe.

 

I get that it might have changed a fair bit over the years and is now a bit more "just another stage with a screen" though; agree that some of the acts felt a bit out of place there -- has it started to become booking overspill?