Jenjie
23-06-2008, 07:38 PM
Next weekend sees the biggest music event of the year for the UK, as an estimated 170,000 people descend on the muddy fields of Glastonbury for its annual Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts.
This year the festival - held on Worthy farm in Somerset, south west England - caused controversy after the three headline acts were revealed as indie legends The Verve, rock 'n' rollers Kings of Leon and rap mogul Jay-Z.
Upon hearing that Jay-Z was to take one of the prestigious slots, outraged Oasis guitarist and rock 'n' roll traditionalist Noel Gallagher - who headlined the festival in 2004 - stormed against his inclusion on the bill.
Noel ranted: "If it ain't broke don't fix it. I'm sorry, but Jay-Z? No chance. Glastonbury has a tradition of guitar music and even when they throw the odd curve ball in on a Sunday night you go 'Kylie Minogue? I don't know about that'. But I'm not having hip-hop at Glastonbury. It's wrong."
However, as many artists - including The Zutons, KT Tunstall, Duffy and Coldplay - were quick to point out, never has a statement been so narrow minded, ill conceived and ignorant of what the Glastonbury festival represents. In short, Noel couldn't be more wrong.
Growing from a small meeting of travellers and music fans in 1971 to the largest festival in Europe, Glastonbury has indeed morphed over the last 20 years. Had Gallagher confined his views to the main stage billing, he may have been able to make a point. But whereas almost every other festival of its size is staged for purely commercial reasons, Glastonbury's 90 acres are fiercely committed to artistic diversity and range of performance. This is always reflected in the billing.
The controversy caused by Jay-Z's inclusion on the bill is also in line with what the organisers - owner of Worthy farm Michael Eavis and his daughter Emily - were aiming to do with the acts playing the main three stages at this year's event.
Michael Eavis is particularly pleased with the inclusion of the rapper, and reckons Jay-Z's appearance will be "historical." Eavis said: "He's such a truly great artist, but it's also really exciting because Glastonbury has always been about doing things differently and breaking from tradition, which we're doing by headlining with a hip-hop artist."
Emily Eavis added: "I think there are a lot of people who have misread Glastonbury as a rock festival when it's just not. What we had last year was a load of mass-selling artists, which is partly why we needed to shake it up a bit this time round."
Shaking certainly features on the 2008 bill, with old timers like Shakin' Stevens, Leonard Cohen and Neil Diamond included on the Pyramid stage [the 'main' stage], electro noise terrors like Crystal Castles on the Other stage [the second stage] and the likes of reggae hero Eddy Grant alongside world musician Manu Chao on the John Peel stage [the third largest].
Outside of these three stages there are another whopping 19 other venues showcasing talent - from the Salsa Tent to the Theatre and Circus Tent, the Poetry and Words Tent and the massive Dance Village. The Dance Village is the biggest it's ever been in 2008 - made up of seven stages back to back. One particularly kitsch element in this enclave is the 'Silent World' area: a non-stop disco where clubbers are issued with headphones and sent into a silent room to bop along. The dance village is sure to be one of the most popular areas and of the major part of the festival, and guess what? There won't be a guitar in sight. There are also the stalwart Jazzworld and Acoustic stages, designed for the more laid back festival-goer to chill out by - unless Pete Doherty makes an appearance...
Glastonbury is one of the few places where mainstream culture and alternative lifestyles clash, a fine line to balance, but a spirit the organisers are keen to maintain - particularly if the festival's official festival website is anything to go by.
The website states: "Glastonbury Festival is like going to another country - a hip and thrilling Brigadoon that appears every year or so, a mini-state under canvas. British law still applies, but the rules of society are a bit different, a little bit freer. Everyone is here to have a wild time in their own way. At the top of the site is the Sacred Space - Sun-up on a Sunday morning, with drums and torches and chanting and an astonishing measure of joy from the sleepless revellers at the Stone Circle is a glorious sight to behold."
A part of the Glastonbury 'experience' and another side to its diversity is discovering something for the first time. A visit isn't truly complete unless you've checked out a Bavarian nose-flute-orchestra or played the coconuts with a Romanian gypsy travelling band for an hour or two in the early hours of a lost, hazy morning.
As well as revellers 'finding themselves' Glastonbury is a right of passage for bands too. Most bands get paid a fraction of what they could make by playing other festivals (Neil Diamond, who usually charges at least £40 a ticket is a good example), but the prestige of doing a Glastonbury show is usually enough on its own. Glastonbury has represented the high point, if not the pinnacle, of many a band's career - for many Radiohead's performance in 1997 set a new benchmark in performance and hailed a new era for the event.
Despite being regarded as one of the highest musical points of the decade, Michael Eavis had to persuade Coldplay to headline in 2002, just before their second album 'A Rush of Blood to the head' was released. The band didn't feel they were in any way big enough for such a slot and were very nervous about their performance. A year later, the LP was on its way toward its present 10 million sales - establishing the band as one of the biggest groups in the world today.
On the subject of anthemic indie rockers, playing a headlining slot for the first time this year are recently reformed The Verve. The band split for the second - and supposedly final - time in 1999 soon after reaching their commercial peak with the anthemic 'Bitter Sweet Symphony'- a song made for a festival crowd if ever there has been one. That the band never got to give the songs from their last album 'Urban Hymns' their full due live makes their set this time around all the more special. The Verve's performance is already being tipped to go down as a landmark in Glastonbury history.
The Verve have a certain tone they are hoping to strike with their festival closing slot and frontman Richard Ashcroft recently said: "We're really looking forward to playing at night for the first time when you can witness the full twinkling makeshift city experience at its best, the new tunes particularly are perfectly suited to that environment. Playing Glastonbury's a great opportunity to bring yet another aspect of The Verve full circle. We played twice in the early '90s which was great - we felt there was a uniqueness to those performances."
Kings of Leon will also be headlining for the first time after working their way up through the ranks, from appearing in the New Bands Tent (now the John Peel Stage) in 2003. The Kings' sound has also grown with the band, evolving from their early raw garage rock to the southern fried stadium friendly sound of their 2007 album 'Because of the Times'.
Also sure to cause a great deal of clamour, talk and possibly enough controversy to usurp Jay-Z, is the first major performance on British soil this year for Amy Winehouse. The performance is sure to be in contention for the most watched - even if it is just to see if she slips up, break down or fails to appear altogether - and could well be a make-or-break show for the troubled young star. With American record bosses reportedly concerned about her recent poor performances, there's a lot riding on a successful show for the 24-year-old. However, it remains to be seen whether she will be well enough to play her scheduled Saturday night slot following her recent hospitalisation.
The full line up is far too long to list here, but one thing is for sure - no matter what you like, even if its not music - and especially if it is mud - Glastonbury has something for everyone that will make the festival special and the visit unique, whether its your first trip in 2008 or you're a veteran returning for your twentieth year. So don't forget your wellies, make sure you put your tent up before it gets dark and let's all hope it doesn't rain.
By Andy Tillett
http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/entertainment/Glastonbury-52993.html
This year the festival - held on Worthy farm in Somerset, south west England - caused controversy after the three headline acts were revealed as indie legends The Verve, rock 'n' rollers Kings of Leon and rap mogul Jay-Z.
Upon hearing that Jay-Z was to take one of the prestigious slots, outraged Oasis guitarist and rock 'n' roll traditionalist Noel Gallagher - who headlined the festival in 2004 - stormed against his inclusion on the bill.
Noel ranted: "If it ain't broke don't fix it. I'm sorry, but Jay-Z? No chance. Glastonbury has a tradition of guitar music and even when they throw the odd curve ball in on a Sunday night you go 'Kylie Minogue? I don't know about that'. But I'm not having hip-hop at Glastonbury. It's wrong."
However, as many artists - including The Zutons, KT Tunstall, Duffy and Coldplay - were quick to point out, never has a statement been so narrow minded, ill conceived and ignorant of what the Glastonbury festival represents. In short, Noel couldn't be more wrong.
Growing from a small meeting of travellers and music fans in 1971 to the largest festival in Europe, Glastonbury has indeed morphed over the last 20 years. Had Gallagher confined his views to the main stage billing, he may have been able to make a point. But whereas almost every other festival of its size is staged for purely commercial reasons, Glastonbury's 90 acres are fiercely committed to artistic diversity and range of performance. This is always reflected in the billing.
The controversy caused by Jay-Z's inclusion on the bill is also in line with what the organisers - owner of Worthy farm Michael Eavis and his daughter Emily - were aiming to do with the acts playing the main three stages at this year's event.
Michael Eavis is particularly pleased with the inclusion of the rapper, and reckons Jay-Z's appearance will be "historical." Eavis said: "He's such a truly great artist, but it's also really exciting because Glastonbury has always been about doing things differently and breaking from tradition, which we're doing by headlining with a hip-hop artist."
Emily Eavis added: "I think there are a lot of people who have misread Glastonbury as a rock festival when it's just not. What we had last year was a load of mass-selling artists, which is partly why we needed to shake it up a bit this time round."
Shaking certainly features on the 2008 bill, with old timers like Shakin' Stevens, Leonard Cohen and Neil Diamond included on the Pyramid stage [the 'main' stage], electro noise terrors like Crystal Castles on the Other stage [the second stage] and the likes of reggae hero Eddy Grant alongside world musician Manu Chao on the John Peel stage [the third largest].
Outside of these three stages there are another whopping 19 other venues showcasing talent - from the Salsa Tent to the Theatre and Circus Tent, the Poetry and Words Tent and the massive Dance Village. The Dance Village is the biggest it's ever been in 2008 - made up of seven stages back to back. One particularly kitsch element in this enclave is the 'Silent World' area: a non-stop disco where clubbers are issued with headphones and sent into a silent room to bop along. The dance village is sure to be one of the most popular areas and of the major part of the festival, and guess what? There won't be a guitar in sight. There are also the stalwart Jazzworld and Acoustic stages, designed for the more laid back festival-goer to chill out by - unless Pete Doherty makes an appearance...
Glastonbury is one of the few places where mainstream culture and alternative lifestyles clash, a fine line to balance, but a spirit the organisers are keen to maintain - particularly if the festival's official festival website is anything to go by.
The website states: "Glastonbury Festival is like going to another country - a hip and thrilling Brigadoon that appears every year or so, a mini-state under canvas. British law still applies, but the rules of society are a bit different, a little bit freer. Everyone is here to have a wild time in their own way. At the top of the site is the Sacred Space - Sun-up on a Sunday morning, with drums and torches and chanting and an astonishing measure of joy from the sleepless revellers at the Stone Circle is a glorious sight to behold."
A part of the Glastonbury 'experience' and another side to its diversity is discovering something for the first time. A visit isn't truly complete unless you've checked out a Bavarian nose-flute-orchestra or played the coconuts with a Romanian gypsy travelling band for an hour or two in the early hours of a lost, hazy morning.
As well as revellers 'finding themselves' Glastonbury is a right of passage for bands too. Most bands get paid a fraction of what they could make by playing other festivals (Neil Diamond, who usually charges at least £40 a ticket is a good example), but the prestige of doing a Glastonbury show is usually enough on its own. Glastonbury has represented the high point, if not the pinnacle, of many a band's career - for many Radiohead's performance in 1997 set a new benchmark in performance and hailed a new era for the event.
Despite being regarded as one of the highest musical points of the decade, Michael Eavis had to persuade Coldplay to headline in 2002, just before their second album 'A Rush of Blood to the head' was released. The band didn't feel they were in any way big enough for such a slot and were very nervous about their performance. A year later, the LP was on its way toward its present 10 million sales - establishing the band as one of the biggest groups in the world today.
On the subject of anthemic indie rockers, playing a headlining slot for the first time this year are recently reformed The Verve. The band split for the second - and supposedly final - time in 1999 soon after reaching their commercial peak with the anthemic 'Bitter Sweet Symphony'- a song made for a festival crowd if ever there has been one. That the band never got to give the songs from their last album 'Urban Hymns' their full due live makes their set this time around all the more special. The Verve's performance is already being tipped to go down as a landmark in Glastonbury history.
The Verve have a certain tone they are hoping to strike with their festival closing slot and frontman Richard Ashcroft recently said: "We're really looking forward to playing at night for the first time when you can witness the full twinkling makeshift city experience at its best, the new tunes particularly are perfectly suited to that environment. Playing Glastonbury's a great opportunity to bring yet another aspect of The Verve full circle. We played twice in the early '90s which was great - we felt there was a uniqueness to those performances."
Kings of Leon will also be headlining for the first time after working their way up through the ranks, from appearing in the New Bands Tent (now the John Peel Stage) in 2003. The Kings' sound has also grown with the band, evolving from their early raw garage rock to the southern fried stadium friendly sound of their 2007 album 'Because of the Times'.
Also sure to cause a great deal of clamour, talk and possibly enough controversy to usurp Jay-Z, is the first major performance on British soil this year for Amy Winehouse. The performance is sure to be in contention for the most watched - even if it is just to see if she slips up, break down or fails to appear altogether - and could well be a make-or-break show for the troubled young star. With American record bosses reportedly concerned about her recent poor performances, there's a lot riding on a successful show for the 24-year-old. However, it remains to be seen whether she will be well enough to play her scheduled Saturday night slot following her recent hospitalisation.
The full line up is far too long to list here, but one thing is for sure - no matter what you like, even if its not music - and especially if it is mud - Glastonbury has something for everyone that will make the festival special and the visit unique, whether its your first trip in 2008 or you're a veteran returning for your twentieth year. So don't forget your wellies, make sure you put your tent up before it gets dark and let's all hope it doesn't rain.
By Andy Tillett
http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/entertainment/Glastonbury-52993.html