Glastonbury 2022

[Doctor J]

10 hours ago, Misdee said:

Individual performances aside, is it just me who is sick of the " Glastonbury fascism" instigated by the BBC that seems to be getting more total with each event?

 

The endless hyperbole about how "amazing","historic""incredible" ect the festival is getting to be more than I can bear. "The Greatest Party On Earth" ran the headline on the BBC website yesterday. 

 

The naked truth is that Glastonbury is a triumph of mediocrity. It's a propaganda event, not, as we are being bullied into believing, a cause for  compulsory celebration. The BBC pay an absolute fortune for the rights to broadcast the festival and they are desperate to justify this questionable expenditure at every opportunity.

 

Anyhow, I thought the BBC were supposed to be impartial and represent differing perspectives and opinions. But not when it comes to Glastonbury, it seems. The only disparity allowed is  just what degree of life- changing awe and amazement we are experiencing by vicarious participation.

 

No wonder the Quentin's running the BBC are nervous if this is the best they can come up with to try and stave off their seemingly inevitable emasculation at the hands of Nadine Dorries and her vengeful Tory masters. 

 

Sadly, Glasto has become bread and circuses for post-post whatever-it-is Britain and it's not likely to lose its totemic stature in any forseeable future. Judging by what I have sat through over the weekend, if this is all that British people have got to look forward to then would it really be so terrible if a hostile foreign power were to subjugate this country once and for all?

 

The BBC would have been far better occupied commissioning an extended series of Antiques Roadshow and undertaking a brutal purge of everybody associated with Match of The Day.

 

And yes, Diana Ross was abysmal.

 

 

 

Is this not the modern world? Everything is the best thing ever. Everything is so crammed full of profound moments you'll run out of skin once you start getting tattoos about the iconic memories you simply need to trigger. Make sure you let everyone know, too, with an array of carefully taken selfies to show how in the moment you were, living your best life out loud! Hey, PREMIER LEAGUE will be back soon, don't miss a second of it! YOLO!

[mikel]

11 minutes ago, Doctor J said:

Is this not the modern world? Everything is the best thing ever. Everything is so crammed full of profound moments you'll run out of skin once you start getting tattoos about the iconic memories you simply need to trigger. Make sure you let everyone know, too, with an array of carefully taken selfies to show how in the moment you were, living your best life out loud! Hey, PREMIER LEAGUE will be back soon, don't miss a second of it! YOLO!

Agreed. The BBC in particular is becoming like an endless version of Blue Peter. Talking down and dumbing down presentation as If we are all 7 year olds and need to be told how great something is, and told how much we are enjoying it. I can make an informed judgement thank you. Dressed myself too.

[Woodinblack]

11 hours ago, Misdee said:

The endless hyperbole about how "amazing","historic""incredible" ect the festival is getting to be more than I can bear. "The Greatest Party On Earth" ran the headline on the BBC website yesterday.

 

I did think it was odd that the news said 'the end of the best glastonbury ever'. I would have thought the best glastonbury ever was in the thoughts of people who were going and their experiences, so it couldn't ever be 'the best'. I would say the best ever was 1983, and it actually couldn't be beaten as I won't ever be 18 again.

[ubit]

I always remember The Reading Festival was the biggie and Glastonbury was always thought of as a folk festival. At least in the early 80's and before. Its quite interesting to see how the lineup has changed from folk/rock to pop over the years

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glastonbury_Festival_line-ups#1980

[Woodinblack]

Not exactly big, but reading was the music festival, glastonbury was the hippie festival that also had the bikers and hippies that had come down from the stonehenge festival.

The music part got more important in recent years.,

[Misdee]

43 minutes ago, Doctor J said:

Is this not the modern world? Everything is the best thing ever. Everything is so crammed full of profound moments you'll run out of skin once you start getting tattoos about the iconic memories you simply need to trigger. Make sure you let everyone know, too, with an array of carefully taken selfies to show how in the moment you were, living your best life out loud! Hey, PREMIER LEAGUE will be back soon, don't miss a second of it! YOLO!

You've just hit the nail on the head.

 

The BBC do exactly the same thing with the FA Cup, which they have also paid way over the odds to broadcast. Every year they can't wait to get Dan Walker to tell you how native tribes in the Amazon will be getting out of their hammocks at 4am to tune their shortwave radio into The Greatest Knockout Cup Competition in the World Ever. At the end of two weeks of trailers, preambles, interviews and endless punditry you get to watch  an understrength Leicester City eke out a 2-1 victory over Dagenham and Redbridge. If that doesn't make you proud to be British I don't know what will!

 

(If the BBC was really interested in reporting about football matters they would be investigating the Deep State conspiracy intent on destroying Leeds United. Lizard people living in tunnels under Whitehall are trying to sell  LUFC's best players for peanuts and are using invisible magnetic rays to help opposing teams score against them. You read it here first!)

 

 

Regardless of what  actually transpires in reality, the BBC are going to push the party line that Glastonbury is a national event that enjoys an overwhelming consensus of approval.  It isn't and it doesn't.

 

It's five years now since Jeremy Corbyn addressed the crowds at Glastonbury and tantalised them with his vision for a fairer Britain. The gathered throng lapped it up and went back to constituencies to prepare for government. Instead of revolution we have had more Tories,more Glastonbury, more football and more misery, most of which but not all of which has been self- inflicted. That is the gap between the rhetoric and reality.

 

Malcolm McLaren was right when he said that it is better to be a flamboyant failure than any kind of benign success. Glastonbury is a benign success.

 

[Leonard Smalls]

2 minutes ago, Misdee said:

the BBC

To be fair, it's not just the BBC!

Perhaps it's hyping Glasto - but that's because it's got it and wants to attract viewers.

But all media are guilty of hype. But that's because it works. Folks hear the excitement and want to be part of it; instead of investigating for themselves whether it's the best ever, they believe it in advance, and continue to believe.

And there is that horrible trait of celebrities to uncritically big up other celebs - after all, they wouldn't want to be dissed back and potentially lose work! While Wiley is very guily of this, it's Corden who's the worst offender because not only is it "X is great", but "X is great, and he's my mate and I'm better than you cos he's not your mate".

I find it best to take most stuff with a pinch of salt and a wide perspective.

[Jah Wibble]

On 25/06/2022 at 21:21, theplumber said:

I have a Fender Vintera in Blonde,which is discontinued now. Also had the Seafoam green one like the one in the show.Plus I have the 50's Classic P bass in fiesta red. The Vintera is Dakota red!

Welllllllllll the internet is a bit of a mad space isn't it?? I've just been chatting to Joshua Crumbly on instagram, he's playing a american pro 2

I thought it was Vintera also (I was wayyyy in the back when I saw them in London last week)

Jesus it's amazing you can get in touch with people and ask them, back when I was a yoot I would have never have dreamed of contacting someone directly.

 

p.s. I'm digging the Dakota Red

[jazzmanb]

14 hours ago, Sibob said:

So you liked it then?

 

Si

It helped him with his thesis . Fancy a channel trying to big up their footage to attract viewers .How very dare they . I've always found it something a lot of people watch and 5 people can have had 5 different weekend watches .Like a big Later episode . Without getting heavy its people playing music to other people .No one is dragged there . The bits i've watched on i player have been excellent 

[chaypup]

21 hours ago, nekomatic said:

 

Right now I’ve got Burna Boy on, I didn’t know him before and it looks like a lot of fun to be honest. 

Burna Boy was great.

 

Lots of amazing bassists playing all weekend, everyone seems to have gone gospel chops mad. Kojey Radical and Angelique Kidjo's bassists were especially good. 

Though I normally love Snarky Puppy they didn't seem to put much into their performance so I wandered off for an ice cream 4 tracks in. 

Edited June 28, 2022 by chaypup

[chaypup]

On 27/06/2022 at 10:37, BreadBin said:

Roisin Murphy was amazing. 

Loved the New Orleans procession style beginning 🙂

I don't know if they showed it on the telly footage but they did the same at the end too

[yorks5stringer]

A couple of thoughts re the bigging up of Glasto, Football, Cricket, Tennis et.al .

 

1. How can everything be 'iconic'?

2. FOMO

[nekomatic]

Cor blimey there's some grumpy gits on here isn't there. I've just watched Róisín Murphy's set and it was brilliant from start to finish, a great show from a proper bang up rock star with plenty of bass action to boot. If this sort of thing is typical for Glastonbury then I'm thinking I ought to go one of these years.

[spongebob]

I think it's a shame how many of the festivals have lost their 'alternative' side.

 

Glastonbury looks to me to be a glorified pop festival, bit like the V festivals. 

 

Looking at line-ups of festivals through the 70s and 80s, and when I came up, the 90s, they certainly weren't aimed at the pop crowd....the pop world was a separate entity. 

 

My main gripe of many of the acts....pop, rock, folk, whatever, old and new, was that there was such a large factor of dullness. Lacking in edge. I wanted someone to jump out the screen at me!

 

Maybe Nicky Wire had it right...at least he caused a reaction (and a ban at the time as well?) Agree with him or not, but can you imagine anyone daring to say such today? He'd probably earn a corporate cancelling! 

[Dad3353]

55 minutes ago, nekomatic said:

Cor blimey there's some grumpy gits on here isn't there...

 

Colour me grumpy; I don't mind. I chanced upon this Róisín Murphy, doing a song called 'Incapable', and that was the impression she left on me. Details..? Why not. Daft 'dance' steps, little depth (to me...), lack-lustre 'singing'; I felt no 'presence' nor emotion. She may be a mega-star for all I know, but I saw no 'brilliance'. Never mind; she probably wouldn't like what I do, either, soooooo... 

Edited June 28, 2022 by Dad3353

[tegs07]

7 minutes ago, spongebob said:

I think it's a shame how many of the festivals have lost their 'alternative' side.

 

Glastonbury looks to me to be a glorified pop festival, bit like the V festivals. 

 

Looking at line-ups of festivals through the 70s and 80s, and when I came up, the 90s, they certainly weren't aimed at the pop crowd....the pop world was a separate entity. 

 

My main gripe of many of the acts....pop, rock, folk, whatever, old and new, was that there was such a large factor of dullness. Lacking in edge. I wanted someone to jump out the screen at me!

 

Maybe Nicky Wire had it right...at least he caused a reaction (and a ban at the time as well?) Agree with him or not, but can you imagine anyone daring to say such today? He'd probably earn a corporate cancelling! 

It has just grown into a far larger, far more organised event that appeals to a very large demographic. So far I have watched Idles, Khruangbin, Roisin Murphy, Bonobo, St.Vincent,Big Thief, Billie Eillish and a bit of Leon Bridges.. something for everyone there.

 

Its never going to be the same as the old days. I can remember wandering down to the local HMV about a week after the tickets were released, no one queuing and paid in cash. It’s just a very different festival. Still great that people are enjoying it and being exposed to music they may never otherwise listen to.

[FinnDave]

I've been to Glastonbury Fayre/festival only once - mid 70s, no name bands, no tickets, no security - just a few hundred stoned hippies making music to entertain each other. I preferred the 70s Stonehenge festivals held over the solstice (Glastonbury is always the week after Stonehenge as most people drifted from one to the other). I think I saw some of Zorch playing and probably Here & Now who played most of the free festivals in those days. Maybe Nik Turner as well - it's a long time ago and there were many other small festivals back then - Deeply Vale & Ruthin come to mind. I've probably forgotten more than I remember now, must have been something in the water

[nekomatic]

When I was in London in the early '90s I did a bit of volunteer bar work for the Workers' Beer Company at events like the Fleadh and so on. They did the bars (or some of them) at Glastonbury too and the opportunity came up to sign up for that. Would have had camping in a staff area with hot showers. But I was a bit of a wallflower and was nervous about not knowing anyone so I let it pass. I still kick myself.

[FinnDave]

When I went to the free festivals in the 70s, I hitch hiked there from Stockport - small world.

 

[Barking Spiders]

If I were in a famous band I'd want to be playing on the main stages at Glasto and other huge festivals and working the crowd into a frenzy. I've now watched quite a few sets from last weekend (more like part of them) and I don't see the problem. I think for younger peeps, pop's in a pretty good place right now, better than it has been in years. For myself I prefer something more bangin' like The Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, Basement Jaxx etc who I have seen at previous Glastonburys. The only big name, loosely of that ilk, were the  Pet Shop Boys, one of the limpest acts of all time

[mike257]

4 hours ago, spongebob said:

I think it's a shame how many of the festivals have lost their 'alternative' side.

 

Glastonbury looks to me to be a glorified pop festival, bit like the V festivals. 

 

 

 

Having been there over the weekend working with a few bands, I'd say that the alternative elements are still very much in existence. There's so many stages across such a huge site, and unlike most festivals that are one big centrally managed entity, there's whole corners of Glastonbury operating in their own little independent bubbles. There's still the hippy gatherings, independent traders, weird and wonderful happenings in tiny tents, niche artists, debauched club nights, family friendly areas, and who knows what else. The mainstream TV coverage is focused on the handful of bigger stages with the more recognisable artists because that's what most people will tune in for. What I saw whilst dragging my tech box on the mammoth walks between stages was that there's a huge breadth of things going on there behind the obvious headline grabbing stuff. 

[Nail Soup]

Last night I watched the set by Black Midi......... totally amazing.

Although they in the alternative/indie landscape the music is more informed by experimental jazz.

Not normally a fan of jazzy music, but in this case it works really well.

[Nail Soup]

Three bands whose records I've enjoyed over the years: Jesus and Mary Chain, Primal Scream, Supergrass.

PS and JAMC did competent but somehow boring sets.

However, Supergrass really hit home to me..... supertight band with a much better back-catalogue than I thought.

[Leonard Smalls]

22 minutes ago, Nail Soup said:

Black Midi

Hadn't even noticed they were on!

Shall have a look - they're somewhere between Sonny Sharrock and Girlband, for those that like that sort of thing...

[Nail Soup]

Really enjoyed Amyl and the Sniffers. Great band - in particular Amy is a great lyricist.

Now there a band who know to drop the "C" word in true Aussie style! It features a lot in Amy's lyrics and between song banter. The bass player pitched in with a few in a heartfelt attack on the US supreme court too.