Glastonbury 2023, retold for the one who stayed home.

0:00Miguel Hello and welcome to GlastoCast, the unofficial Glastonbury Festival podcast. I'm Miguel and I'm thrilled to bring you today our long overdue review episode. If you are a regular listener, you'll know that sadly I couldn't make it to the festival this year. So we lined up a couple of special guests who are just as passionate about Glastonbury as we are to join Jessi in giving me a serious case of FOMO. They both run Twitter accounts dedicated to the festival, sharing insights, sparking discussions, and keeping the Glastonbury spirit alive all year round. And we thought it would be great to bring them on the show to dive a bit deeper into their experiences and perspectives. So go grab a can of warm cider and let's get ready to relive the magic of Glastonbury 2023. And we are very happy to have Glastopia and Glastobation here with us. Thank you for being here. How are you both?

1:11Terry I'm very well, thank you. I can't imagine anything worse than having to speak to 3 people about Glastonbury when you weren't there, but I praise you for that. Hello.

1:20V Thanks for having me.

1:22Miguel Uh, something I like a lot of being part of niche online communities, it feels like the early days of the internet, you know, we are addressing people by nicknames. Uh, that was mostly lost after social media. In Glastopia, if I understand it correctly, you do still keep a bit of anonymity with your account to the point you have friends in your Glasto group sending you screenshots of your tweets, but they are completely unaware it's you. Is that correct?

1:45V Yeah, it is. I actually realized, I'm like, you're having a bit of like a World exclusive. Um, yeah, it just, it, it wasn't, it was never meant to be like that. When I set up the account, I just never spoke about it. And then over time, I realized that people weren't realizing, and then they started sending screenshots, and then they started talking about things. And I thought, you know what, I'm gonna see how long, how long this goes for. This might be the reveal, but let's see.

2:10Jessi I was gonna say, is this the big reveal? Oh, bless you. But wait, wait, wait. Well, we're going to try and keep a little bit of the secret still. We're going to refer to you as V, is that correct? Hello, V. That's amazing.

2:23Miguel And Glasturbation, I really don't want to keep repeating your handle throughout the whole episode. So you say we can call you Terry, which—

2:32Terry Yeah, yeah, it's probably a better actual name than Glasturbation, I would think. Only just though.

2:36Miguel Well, before we start talking about this year's Glastonbury, it would be great to hear a bit of your story from both of you with the festival. So V, If we can start with you, uh, when was your first time? What made you fall in love with the festival and how many times have you been since?

2:53V Oh, you know, I'm not one of those who's been like, that's why I always feel like I tell my stories, but I'm like, I haven't actually been as long as so many other people. My first one was actually mud year 2016. I was trying for ages to get tickets. And at the point when I moved to UK, I literally couldn't find any friends that wanted to come with me. We went to other festivals. They wanted to go to day festivals. No one wanted Glastonbury. And then eventually 2016, I managed to force register a friend, register her name, got us tickets. Since then she's also been, and we've been to every year, every year since. And I, I find it quite funny because I remember going in 2016, seeing the insane mud, and I don't remember any of it. It was just so amazing. I was like, I'm coming back. And also I don't care if I have friends, I'm coming back on my own.

3:41Miguel Yeah, I was gonna say, if 2016 was your first, uh, something must have happened there to me to give you the will to come back. So is there any specific moment that you remember when you thought about it like, oh, this is it, I'm coming back every single year now, I wanted to be here all the time every year?

3:59V I, I don't know what it was. I think it was just the expectation that it was going to be like— I've been to a lot of other festivals and we used to do a lot of Roskilde, which is in Denmark, and I think I, I expected the festival to be like a festival, you know, just bigger. But there was something about it. And I think despite the mud, the mud is what I remember the least. I mean, obviously it was very inconvenient at times, but yeah, I don't know. It's like, it is the thing that I remember the least. And just wandering around the site and all the people and like this particular energy that was there, I just felt, I was like, oh my God, I'm so happy. And I do, the only thing I remember like really, really well in terms of emotions is leaving it. We left straight after Coldplay. Sorry to drop the Coldplay. I know a lot of people might not like it. Um, we, we left straight after and I remember standing at the gate. We took a final selfie and I was so sad that we were leaving and I was like, I have to come back. And since then it just became an obsession.

4:58Miguel And, and you think you were, were you prepared for your first time? Again, considering Michael Eavis himself said it was one of the most challenging Glastonburys ever.

5:08V No, no, I remember, you know, me and my friend arrived on the Wednesday, and because you couldn't walk around too much, we found brothers, as you do on Wednesday. We found a, like, a spot on a bench that was completely empty and ended up sitting there for hours, being your first Glasto, not realizing how lethal it is. And meeting some friends at midnight who turned up at the pedestrian gate by the coaches, and we were meant to, like, help them through. And the amount of times I fell in the mud. And literally every time I fell, someone would come from the back and literally just scoop me up. My wellies would remain in there, they would like pull them out.

5:43Jessi And it was just, I don't know, it was, it was a great experience.

5:46V I certainly wasn't prepared for it. Like, I remember coming back to London walking as if I was still literally treading mud. My knees were just like lifting in the air. My body was knackered. My back was hurting, but I was so happy.

5:59Miguel Signs of a good festival.

6:01V Yeah, exactly.

6:03Miguel Of course, now you run a very active Twitter about Glastonbury. So before you went for the first time, did you search for information on blogs, forums, Twitter itself, or how did you do it?

6:13V I mean, I did have some friends that had been, so I was asking them around. I did a little bit, not as much as when I look back at it, not probably as much as I could have done. And I think, I mean, I even remember turning up and asking one of the stewards about a campsite. I can't remember which one it was. And he just looked at me, he was like, You know, you can't get there through this mud. And in my head, I was like, oh, things are so close. I didn't even— we didn't even know where to camp. We ended up actually camping just behind Arcadia. I had no idea where I was. Um, I mean, it worked out great, but no, I just— I wasn't prepared. In fact, you know what, I did read one thing, and there was a guide online. I remember it's a torts guide.

6:55Miguel Torts, yeah, the Bible.

6:56V Yes. I flicked through that, was filled a little bit with panic at how much it was, and then just went, you know what, we're just going to go in and take it as it comes. And yeah, it worked out great.

7:08Jessi Beautiful.

7:10Miguel What about you, Terry? Your first, if there's any specific moment you remember for the first time when it clicked for you and how many times you've been ever since?

7:19Terry I was quite late to the party, really. I live 25 minutes away at the moment. If I could relive my younger years, I would make the obvious decision to go to Glastonbury, which is so close to me. Unfortunately, my circle of friends was more going to bars and things like that, and it was just never the kind of vibe that we would go to a music festival. Thankfully, my now wife invited me with her friends and just said, oh, we're going to go to Glastonbury. You can come and join us if you like. So I gathered a couple of friends and thought, oh yeah, give that a little go. The rest is history, obviously. But that was in, um, that was in 2013.

7:59Miguel Yeah.

8:00Terry Um, I've, I've, I'm lucky enough to have been to every one since. I fear the day that I don't get a ticket, but I mean, uh, yeah, it's, it's just not an option to get to, to fail at that ticket sale anymore. I, I cannot imagine not being there. But, um, I fell in love with it first time. It, it, In a weird way, I knew I looked through the tour guide as well, and I felt like I knew what to expect. And when I got there, it was what I expected, and it was just everything more than I expected, to be fair. And even now, I'm still surprised by what it's like to go to Glastonbury every year. I go there and I think, oh, this is— you're never quite prepared for it, even if you have been sort of 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 times. You're never prepared and your mind is always blown. Yeah, it was, I fell in love in 2013 and that was it for me.

8:54Miguel Yeah, that was a great year. Uh, I'm sure Jessi will talk about more about that, but it was her favorite maybe until last time this year, but we'll hear about that.

9:04Jessi I was going to say absolutely, I was going to say absolutely vintage year 2013. Oh my God, beautiful year.

9:10Terry A lot of people say that as well, don't they? I think a lot of people hold 2013 quite dearly in their heart, don't they?

9:17Miguel But it was your first time camping at a festival, or you have past experience, Derek?

9:22Terry I'd never even camped at a festival. I'd never done anything like it before. I'm not even sure I'd even camped, put up a tent or anything like that. So it was a real eye-opener to, to do it in that way. But like I say, I was prepared and there's no dramas really. It's absolutely exhausting, but, um, If you are a first-timer and you've never camped and you've never been to a festival for a few days before, you're, you're still in good hands because there's that famous kind of community spirit around. You feel safe, usually would feel safe exactly where you are in your campsite and the people around you, you talk to them and they're like your neighbors for 5 days. But, um, yeah, it was a real awakening, but, um, comfortable all the same.

10:08Miguel Nice. Yeah. So, and then you both, I think you both started your Twitter accounts around 2019, beginning of 2020. So it was that just a culmination of getting more involved with the community online and you wanted to be part of it?

10:19Terry For me, it was, um, it was therapy really. It was just, uh, sure, we can all speak about sort of us going on about Glastonbury. Anybody probably listens to this talks about Glastonbury more than their friends. None of my friends need to talk about it all year long. So I created a Twitter account and there's interactions and you can just keep it going and sort of feed the addiction.

10:43Jessi I think that was literally why we started this podcast, isn't it? We're like, we, all of our mates are bored of us talking about Glastonbury. We need it. We need to find our crew and talk to each other and then get the word out to people who care.

10:54Miguel 100%. Uh, and what about you, Vy? What made you start the Twitter account?

10:58V Yeah, I mean, it was literally the same. I wasn't even particularly like a Twitter user before I started this. I think it was just I found myself talking about it. The good thing is my boyfriend is also equally obsessed. So we were talking to each other constantly about it. And then I'd read from all these Twitter accounts and I'd be like, they understand me, you know, they understand my insane obsession. And I just felt, I don't know, I just, I'd rather speak to that community than some other people, just because I feel like I'm getting a little bit, they're probably going to get a bit fed up with me. And it was just, it was equally that, like a lot of people talk about it around the summer or before it's happening. But for me, I was like, I want to talk about it all year round. I think that there are so many times when you want to reminisce and talk and the Twitter community has just been amazing. And I don't think I actually expected it to be anything more than me just having some conversations online, but I think it was lockdown time that made me actually realize how much that community meant, which sounds so cheesy. I know it's like, it sounds a bit crazy, but like, I still have these memories of sitting at home and watching the, um, the Glasto shows on TV and, and talking to so many people on Twitter that, you know, I'd never met, but they just made you feel like there was a part of Glastonbury that was still alive that summer. And that just, I think from that year, oh yeah. I just, I just kept going.

12:23Terry I kind of relentlessly posted throughout COVID and it was, I was trying to sort of be as positive as I felt about sort of going back there. One day it will happen and all of that. But yeah, it was a good, it was, Twitter was great for COVID times. It's really good to just keep the conversation going and post some videos and things like that. It's really good.

12:44Miguel This reminds me when I sort of did the pitch about the podcast, I actually did a whole document and I shared with Jessi and I think one of the pages said like people want to consume Glastonbury all year round.

12:58Jessi I think, Miguel, I think we should share that document at some point. It was so cute. He basically made this like PowerPoint presentation essentially, or like a big PDF document that he sent to me and Rob and was like, these are my ideas about starting a podcast. It was so cute. Anyway, for another time.

13:13V I would love to see it.

13:14Miguel Well, it's great to have people who are as crazy as we are about Glastonbury and maybe everything else. Uh, Vy, are you— you're not in UK at the moment, are you?

13:23V No, I moved to Sweden 2 years ago. Yeah. So last year was my first traveling.

13:29Miguel Uh, what's— wanted to mention, you're probably our first international guest. Thank you for sharing your story. And I think, uh, let's dive right into our review, shall we? And to kick things off, I'm going to go right into it, uh, as I want to get a feel from each of you. So I want all of you to complete the sentence, my Glastonbury 2023 was... Uh, we'll start with Jessi. Why not?

13:54Jessi Um, this isn't— I, I can use more than one word, right? Yeah.

13:59Miguel Briefly, or a few words. There's no other rule here.

14:02Jessi Okay. My Glastonbury 2023 was my best Glastonbury so far, and it overtook 2013 because it was absolutely phenomenal. Too many words, but there you go. It's, it was, is taking the top spot as my favorite Glastonbury ever.

14:19Miguel Amazing. Okay, wow. I want to hear more about that. But let's see what Terry has to say.

14:24Terry Mine was just as mind-blowing, difficult, and incredible as everyone I've ever been to. And that includes 2016. Just, they're all incredible in their own special way, every single one of them. But yeah, this year was very hot and very difficult. I found it really difficult, but nonetheless, Just as enjoyable as the others.

14:47Miguel A lot of topic for discussion there. And Vy, your Glastonbury 2023 was?

14:51V Uh, it was probably up there with my favorite, if not like top 2. And it was the first Glasto since I've gone where I've actually been there since Tuesday. So I felt like I had a completely different Glasto this year, something new. So it was a new Glasto to discover. Which is amazing.

15:13Miguel Let's go from the start here, really. So how's your preparation for the festival? If you get nervous or anxious the days before it? Uh, you just said that you got there on Tuesday, so what happened differently this year?

15:23V Oh God, you're saying days before? I'm like, my preparation starts, my nerves start. Like, well, you have pre-October nerves and then the post-October to June. Well, I, so we actually left on Friday to the UK and it's, um, Mainly because last year when we traveled, my flight got canceled. So I got absolutely paranoid in, in Sweden I wasn't going to make it. So this time we went Friday, got to UK, picked up our camper van because I was in a camper van for the first time ever. And man, and that meant we took the camper van on Monday to just probably about 5 minutes away from the site and then set off early Tuesday morning to enter the camper van field.

16:03Miguel amazing about all the other festivals where you're camping in the regular campsite.

16:07V Yeah, I've only ever done regular camping before, so this was, this was the first time in a, in a campervan. We had some friends that did it last year, said they absolutely loved it, and I thought, you know, coming from abroad, I'm like, let's just, let's just give it a go. You don't have to bring as much from home. And then, yeah, a new experience, which was crazy for me because I'm like, it feels like all those years you go and I'm like, oh my God, there's a Glasto that I feel like I haven't seen that I'm getting to experience this year, which was amazing.

16:32Miguel At any time, do you consider that you wouldn't count this year because you moved, or?

16:36V Oh no, no, honestly, I would. I actually started a new job this year, and one of my things was, I was like, if they don't give me the holiday, I won't accept the job. Like, I, you know, this, this is the priority, so no chance. I was like, I will travel forever.

16:53Miguel At what point you mentioned that to your new, new employer?

16:57V Very, very early. In the introduction, I think.

17:02Miguel It made no sense, but they were fine with it.

17:04Jessi Yeah, exactly.

17:05Miguel And Terry, how is your preparation? I mean, you're so nearby, uh, but do you get nervous, anxious? Do you start packing very early, or you just think, I can just go home anytime if I forgot something?

17:18Terry Um, no, well, it's really not an option to just go home either. A lot of people say that. Some people say, do you, do you go home and sleep after the festival, and that's not a thing really at Glastonbury. But, um, yeah, I'm in the immediate, maybe 2 months, the excitement really ramps up. I think it's when you start seeing everything on the webcam and things start popping up and things like that. That's when it really feels like it's around the corner. That's all excitement. And then in the final few days, I must say, I'm— the overriding emotion is probably nerves for some reason.

17:54V Yeah.

17:54Terry I think it's because it's so important. As pathetic as this might sound to most people, maybe other than us, it's so important and it's such an important week that I feel nervous. I don't want it to go wrong. I don't want the— I want the weather to be right. I want to make the right decisions on who I see and things like that and the way I spread my time around friends and everything like that. So, but still excited all the same. And as for the preparation, well, I pack the night before and that's my preparation. Absolutely none. Just get the beers and then pack my clothes the night before. And yeah, it's pretty straightforward for me.

18:33Miguel What time you leave to join the queue then?

18:36Terry I was going to be joining my friends in the camper field with V, but I thought that I was going to be able to get into the camper fields on a Tuesday night and just walk on down to the site. And just pitch my tent up. And I thought I would be able to be amongst all the people, like the crew people on the Tuesday night, which is really naive and really presumptuous. But, um, I read it wrong. I paid the money for the campervan ticket and then found out maybe 2 or 3 weeks before that that's not the way— not the way it works. So essentially I would've been, um, going in the field and then probably not sleeping all night and, um, ruining my sort of first day at Glastonbury. So, um, In the end, I left. I got picked up from my house at 3:30 in the morning, um, and we, we sort of slogged it in that way. I had 50 cans of Thatcher's Haze on my back. That's 50, 5 crates on my back, which I did last year, but I evidently, I forgot how hard it is. It was, even though it was 8 o'clock when the gates opened, I'd been Dragging that thing all the way through the queue and everything. Obviously it was absolutely exhausting.

19:51Miguel Did you still have 50 by then?

19:53Terry Oh no, I was probably down to about 40 by that point. But, um, for anybody listening as well, a really good tip when you've got loads of stuff with you and it's not a wheelbarrow or anything— there was a hero, and I'd never seen this done before, who, when you're snaking in and out of the queues and everything, he was just lifting all of his stuff over the over the gate and then walking the length of the, the row and then walking the length of the row back after that.

20:17Jessi Nice.

20:18Terry So, so you leave all your stuff there and you don't even have to do the Dragon. The unfortunate bit is there's still about 3 miles more of Dragon to come after that.

20:25Miguel So, uh, where did you camp in the end?

20:27Terry I camped, um, if you're looking out on from the stage of the Other Stage, I was to the right. So I was kind of between Silver Hayes and the Other Stage. Which was a really, really good location for the kind of thing I like. I like the late night areas. Might touch on it later, but I'm kind of going off the whole sort of southeast corner thing. So yeah, I kind of, I wanted to be around Silver Hayes because the lineup looked really good and turned out that was a real sort of positive because it was good for late night, but in the morning, The Other Stage doesn't open till 11 o'clock, and it's surprisingly quite relaxed actually around that area.

21:09Miguel And V, what did you think of doing campervan compared to doing the regular camping?

21:15V I mean, I was— I realized as we turned up that, because we had never done a campervan ever, like I'd never been in a camper, and I've realized as I turned up how badly prepared, like people set up the most incredible settings. It's like they had everything there. Whereas for me, I was like, I bought like, you know, it's like chicken sausages, like those little like fridge raiders basically. So I was like, oh, I get to, I get to put something in a fridge. Bought that, loads of cider and beer, and was just super excited that I could get dressed standing up. So I was like, I felt like my criteria was fairly low compared to everyone else's, but. We were lucky we got in really early. So my main worry was how far you actually have to walk. So like, would I be, you know, never having been outside the area, I was like, am I gonna have to walk really far? But it was really good. Like, I loved— I mean, the Tuesday in the campervan field is just something special, sitting there on that hill watching the site before anything's opened. It was just like— It was like a completely different magical experience. You just want to go in, but it's also amazing to see them test everything and the lights and stuff. And then that area coming in was also amazing from like Theatre and Circus. I haven't really— unfortunately, I just haven't really done that properly ever. I just get stuck where the music is. But in terms of the camper van field, I mean, it was amazing. I have to say that I think if I could, if it wasn't for the fact that I'm desperate for tickets, I always go for Coach Sale. It just gave myself an extra chance. If it wasn't for that, I probably would stick to campervan from now on. I think I've, it's that extra little luxury that made me last more throughout the day. Sleeping in a bed. I mean, it was, I was like, I can stand, I can sleep in a bed. I don't have to go outside at 3, 4 AM to the toilets. I've got inside. Yeah, it was, it felt like the most insane luxury.

23:17Miguel Plus the chicken sausages.

23:19Jessi Yeah, and the chicken sausage.

23:21V You know what, at 4 or 5 AM coming back and having a bit of like guac dip with crisps and chicken sausages, you know, amazing. I—

23:32Terry yeah, that wins the most random food combination at Glastonbury, definitely.

23:37V Well, you know, 4 AM cravings is like, give me anything.

23:41Terry Yeah, I, I had Pringles. I think a lot of people do it, but I had Pringles in the tent ready to come back to. just sort of shoveling them into my mouth when I got back. It was— that was my strategy.

23:51Miguel And Jessi, how was your arrival this year and setting up camp?

23:55Jessi Yeah, of course. I mean, it was so interesting listening to these 2, and, um, I'm sure we could go on about this forever, but I just want to say, Terry, I, I totally get you on the, like, anxiety beforehand because, like, Glasto means so much to me. And then in the, like, week or 2 beforehand, I, I get all like But what, what happens if I, you know, what if I spend a whole day hungover and miss things? Or like, what if I don't see this friend and then they're mad at me? Or whatever, I don't know. Or I just build it up so much over the year. And obviously the, you know, podcast is a huge part of that in a good way, but it does mean a few days beforehand I can't sleep because I'm just constantly thinking about, I need to do this, I need to do that. But yes, my arrival. So, uh, as we know, I had the same Incredible, uh, opportunity that I had last year. So, um, my boyfriend puts the lights up. Uh, he works for a company that provides Greenpeace with the lights for free, and obviously he comes to put them up for them on the stage and in the tree as well. So he arrived on the Friday before Glastonbury and starts work straight away. He drove our campervan down, uh, and we were parked in Greenpeace crew again, which is between sort of the Greenpeace field, West Holts, and Left Field. It's kind of that bit in the middle there. And then I traveled down by myself. I couldn't— I, I didn't want to take one more day's annual leave, so I traveled down on the train on the Saturday. And yeah, I basically, uh, I always feel guilty talking about this, but I got to live the life of, uh, a lady of luxury, let's say, or A lady of leisure, that's what I wanted to say. And yeah, so for the Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, I just got to enjoy the site. I was sat by my campervan reading the book. They sort of say, you know, it's still a building site really, so you can't— they discourage you walking around too much, specifically into the areas. You can kind of walk around the main walkways, but, you know, places are sort of closed off for you to go into. But Yeah, it was really nice. We walked up to the Pyramid Field and we got to see the NHS kind of painting that they'd done on the, on the ground, the big sort of, uh, drone picture you might have seen that says, we stand with the NHS. So we got to see that before anybody had stomped on it, so that was nice. They, you know, we got to just walk around and walk around the park. I actually did an interview, uh, with the director of Silver Hayes, which was awesome. Um, that was a previous podcast that's come out to now. Uh, and I was supposed to do another one with Shangri-La, but bless them, they were far too busy. Um, so yeah, I, I just got to enjoy 4 days, uh, before the festival started and do a bit of exploring and do a bit relaxing. And it was just lovely, honestly. It, it was just nice to have that time to just exist on the farm and, you know, see it all come together and stuff. I did again feel guilty of everybody rushing around working, trying to get things done. Um, so I, I, you know, wasn't too annoying. I didn't want to go and, you know, make people too angry with me just standing around with a drink in my hand. So I did a lot of staying by the campervan, and, uh, and I was doing, you know, bits for the podcast, and I was doing bits for my blog and stuff just to pass the time. But it was really lovely in the evening to go to the crew bars and things. And yeah, just lovely sunsets. It was beautiful. So Yeah, we had the same glorious setup as last year. And V, completely get what you mean. I, I mean, obviously if I had to go back to camping, I would do it. As in, like, if, uh, you know, at some point this luck with Ben will probably run out and we— he won't be doing the same thing. Um, and obviously I would still go back to a tent and do it, but the luxury of having an actual bed, and as you say, being able to— I mean, our fridge is tiny, but as long as we keep restocking it, you still normally have 3 or 4 cans in there that are cold, and we were able to make ourselves bacon sandwiches in the morning and stuff. So yeah, honestly, it just makes all the difference. Good night's sleep, hey?

27:53V Yeah, as you say, like, as there's, there's still always that FOMO, I find. But I think that's with whatever, wherever you are, whatever you decide to do, you have that FOMO. And I was like, oh, but I feel like, you know, people that are camping I missed that as well. So you— I think no matter as much as you try everything, you're always going to have FOMO about the other one.

28:14Jessi Yeah, of course. And I spoke about this last year, but I, I definitely do get FOMO because it's just me and Ben in our area, and all of our friends that are a big group— um, slightly smaller group this year because there was a wedding from one of our friends who decided to have a wedding during Glastonbury, and it meant that— I know, I know, she Have a great day. I'm not sure if I told this story. Well, yeah, I'm not sure if I told this story yet before. I always forget because it's so long between, uh, when we record these episodes. But she, she told me about it in like May 2021. She sent a text to the group, like our girls group, and was like, girls, really excited, I've booked a date for my wedding, 23rd of June 2023 or 24th of June 2023. And I literally immediately went back to her within 30 seconds. I was like, I'm really sorry, darling, I'm not gonna be Oh dear. And she understood it from me, but some of the other girls were bridesmaids and, you know, some of the other group felt bad about saying no. But I think she knows my obsession is, is more than theirs. So, so anyway, the group was slightly smaller, but, um, still like there was, you know, 15, 16 of our friends in Big Round again. And again, I, I would always choose the luxury of the camper van and the good night's sleep, but I did have the FOMO of waking up and having those morning chats And, you know, passing someone an orange juice carton or like asking what they did last night or what are the plans for the day. It's a bit harder to coordinate when you're not sat there in the morning, if you know what I mean. You have to do it all by text and make sure you try and find them and things, but still worth it.

29:47Terry It sounds like you guys had a very different camping experience to my one with your fridges and everything. I need to get on board with this.

29:56Jessi You do, you do. Campervans are such a win. Yeah, and, and V, it's interesting to hear you say the walk wasn't too bad. And I, I guess my question to you is, because I would, I would campervan out in, you know, normal ticket holder campervanning, um, but I've always been put off by the walk, as you said. Because you went so early on the Tuesday, did that mean you have a— you had a spot closer to the gate? Like, did they fill you in from the gate, or— because that's always my worry, is that like I would get there early and actually I'd be in a further away field than someone who arrived later or something. I don't know. So I'll be interested to hear how it, how it all worked.

30:34V Yeah, I mean, that was my biggest anxiety after we decided to do campervan. So then I was like, what is this hill everyone are talking about? You know, the cardiac hill. What's this hill? Am I going to be able to go up? What if it's really muddy? Am I going to be able to go up then? What if I'm really far away? Like all of these things. And, and on the Monday night, it was amazing. We met loads of people nearby and I was asking everyone, you know, when did they plan to go in? The official thing is 12. Are they going in a tub? Like, what are people doing? And then we actually sat on the E-Festival's forum and tracked to see when the first people were going to go in. And the moment we heard that people were entering the field, we were just like, we're setting off. Um, so yeah, so they— it was surprisingly easy to get to. Like, it wasn't too much traffic, and we got in and they literally filled from I mean, from the pitches that were at the top of the hill. So all we had was, we had one area in front of us, which is usually reserved for, like, for, um, I think it's maybe crew, but it's also like disability areas and for people that need to just have obviously quick, easier access. And then we were behind. So all we had to do was just walk down that hill. I mean, it was from the gates to the campervans, maybe. 10 minutes, if that.

31:51Jessi Perfect. Yeah, that's really good to know.

31:53V So it was amazing. I mean, the campervan is huge at the area, so obviously if you end up further back, it's a bit further to walk, but not terrible, I wouldn't say. It obviously comes with you having all the other things that you just have to— yeah, you can't have everything, I guess.

32:08Jessi Yeah, and I was going to say that. I think, Terry, when you were describing your camping location I've done, that's Oxelers, I think, or some people call it Oxley— Oxleyers? Oxleyers? Oxleyers? Oxleyers? Anyway, um, I think, yeah, Oxleyers. Yeah, uh, I camped there once a very long time ago in 2011, and I actually really enjoyed it. As you said, like, it— even at 11 when the Other Stage started, you could just sort of sit on your chair outside your tent and be like, oh, this sounds nice. And it was a nice kind of backdrop for getting ready for the day. But, um, I have heard on a muddy year it can be a bit of a nightmare, but obviously on a year like this year it was I'm sure wonderful to be there.

32:45Terry Oh, it was a dream, especially the 8 o'clock wakeups from the roaring hot sun on the canvas of my tent. It was lovely. I mean, it gets so hot, it's unbelievable. We've all been there, but 8 o'clock, I was literally sweating. And then at that point, you need to try and get dressed horizontally as well and get yourself out of that tent to get some breeze and everything. It's not ideal. It's, it's a far cry from the showers and such like that you guys probably encounter.

33:18Jessi I know, sorry, I sound mean, but you, you had the normal experience. Believe me, I've been there, done that. But, um, yeah, and, and I would do it again, that's what I'm trying to say. But, uh, have you come home and like immediately invested in one of those Fresh and Black tents and stuff?

33:31Terry I've, I've seen about them, yeah. Or just putting the foil thing over the top of the tent, the, those big sort of tent-sized You know, it's not full, but it's reflective. I did see those. I made a little mental note of those, but obviously if I buy one of them, it will absolutely chuck it down all, all week next week, next year.

33:51Jessi Wow.

33:53Miguel Uh, thanks for, thanks for sharing everyone. Uh, there was a lot of talk about FOMO and of course I didn't go this year.

34:00Jessi Oh, sorry.

34:00Miguel No, but I must say I was fine with it. Uh, I was dealing with it better than my friends, I guess, because people were constantly asking me. Uh, if I was okay, or some of them believed until the very end I would, I don't know, fly into the festival on a parachute or something like that.

34:18Terry Yeah.

34:20Miguel So I showed up as a surprise. Uh, they, they thought of doing a separate group because they didn't want to keep talking about the festival while they were there. And they did that, but in the end they added me into the new group anyway. Uh, so that was a fun experience. I was fine with it because it was, it was mostly a conscious decision to take a sort of a break with various reasons that I'm not going to get into it. So if I had tried for tickets and I didn't get that, then I would be dealing with strong feelings of sadness and FOMO because I chose not to go. I think I was okay with it and it was interesting to experience that. I saw a bit through the BBC and I actually did a lot of, I assisted my group that was there because I kept reading about it on forums online and looking for news or rumors and sharing, uh, the lineup from the crow's nest in the morning and everything like that. So I was that character for them. I was still, I was still like a shadow on top of the group there.

35:23Terry You were stronger about than me, Miguel.

35:25Jessi I know, it sounds like madness to me. So you'll be back, I know. But were you basically— who's— what's the character's name in James Bond that sits in the end like basically runs the operation. Is it M or is it Q? I can't remember. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Were you basically Q at home Googling everything and then going, guys, this is what you need to do today?

35:45Miguel Exactly, kind of like that. Like, so they were saying, talking about it, saying, no, that's not gonna work. If I was there, if I was there, I would do differently, but you do you. But I was still very annoying. But I know I hold back a lot of comments, actually. A lot of things I was— I just thought mentally, let them have fun. But yeah, 2014 was the year, the only year I couldn't get tickets that I actually tried and failed. And then I ended up volunteering and it was my best year. So, but I remember when the sale ended and I didn't have tickets, I was, uh, yeah, I was depressed. It was very, very bad. But this year again, uh, because I had like such an amazing run of 11 years and a few editions of the festival and I was fine with it. And actually made me quite excited to come back next year, you know, so it kind of reignited maybe a feeling that I need to be there. And I think that's a part of the review today. I want to hear some of the things, how it was this year compared to last year. We're going to get into some discussion about that. But I probably— the next question to get us started to talk more about the festival itself is if you have any highlights from Wednesday and Thursday. Can I start with you, Terry?

36:58Terry Yeah, well, um, on the Thursday in particular, my— it's sort of become a thing now for a couple of years running, but Eats Everything's History of Rave. It just seems like, um, a lot of the festival want to gather there for sort of '90s tunes and all that, proper tunes. And it's right before, um, what's that thing called, you know, the What's the—

37:25V Baggy Mondays.

37:25Terry Yeah, Baggy Mondays. Yeah. So there's 2 things in a row there. They're kind of Glastonbury staples becoming anyway. And in the case of Eats Everything, that sort of kicks everything off for me. Wednesday, I did find, I don't know why, but I did find myself kind of, I actually met Vee on Wednesday when I just—

37:45V I was gonna say, I was surely one of your highlights on Wednesday.

37:48Terry Oh yeah. I didn't have that loaded. I should have said that.

37:52Miguel Yeah.

37:52Terry No, but we, yeah, but, um, it was a funny one on the Wednesday for me. Everybody's is different, but usually on a Wednesday it's, um, it's a bar crawl. And from memory, I thought it was sort of music everywhere, but I found myself looking for music a little bit. So the day, it was a really, really good day. It's not, it's not a downer in any way whatsoever. But, um, Wednesday was a little bit different and I couldn't really get sort of off the ground. But Thursday, Thursday sort of more than made up for it. It was, um, the, the sun was shining. It was, I mean, the bar crawl carried on that day. It was my latest night, I think. I think I was sort of in bed at 6 o'clock in the morning and then I was expected to be up again at Friday. But well, obviously 8 o'clock with the sun. Um, but yeah, Wednesday and Thursday, really, really, they were just really, really nice. I tend to chase sort of the hedonism a little bit throughout. So Wednesday is definitely a more relaxed day than sort of Thursday is. There's a lot more sort of programmed for Thursday, but nice chance to enjoy the southeast corner while it's not so crazy on the Wednesday because they do put quite a bit on around there. So it's a good place to go, good chance to see everything around there without all the hustle and bustle of sort of post-midnight kind of thing.

39:09Jessi I was going to say, Terry, wait a minute, you saw me on Wednesday as well, didn't you?

39:14Terry Was that Wednesday? I don't know what day that was.

39:16V Yeah, that was Wednesday.

39:18Terry I bumped into you in the southeast corner.

39:21Jessi Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. As we were talking about it, I was like, I'm sure that was when I bumped into you. So yeah, it was definitely the Wednesday.

39:26Terry This is— I've never done a podcast and, uh, this is going really well for me. I've already undermined the day I met him with you and said it was just a bit average.

39:36Jessi No, I actually love it. It's totally fine.

39:40Terry I mean, it's still the 5th best day of the entire year, the Wednesday, along with the Or rather, it's Thursday, Friday, you know. But, um, yeah, it was always amazing. But, um, I'm always looking for sort of the music and everything, and I found that was a little bit less this year maybe. But, um, I probably went to the wrong areas or something. I don't know what was different, but, um, seemed a bit different to me.

40:02Miguel I, I left last year thinking, is my memory just different? Because I, I remember Wednesday being stronger. But there were apparently— there was some reason last year, and I felt like this year from seeing what my friends did, it felt like it was more back to normal. Uh, Jessi, did you notice anything on that?

40:20Jessi Right, I was gonna say this is—

40:21Miguel I—

40:22Jessi it's somewhere in between for me because, um, so there was nothing on the lineup for Wednesday apart from a few bits in Theatre and Circus area. There was literally— everyone was like, nothing's going on. Um, we, you know, did our classic thing of sitting in West Holts, um, with lots of friends. It was absolutely baking down with sun, so We moved to Greenpeace and sat under the shade of the tree for a bit, but then we did what you did, Terry, and that's when I bumped into you. We sort of thought, right, well, let's just go and have a look at Shangri-La and Southeast Corner and see what's going on. And that, like, The Common wasn't open, and Shangri-La, when we first got there, they hadn't opened the main bit. So you could go in Platform 23, which used to be a crew bar, but this year was the first year it was open, um, to everyone basically. And that was open, had music on. And then while we were sat in there, we noticed that they'd opened the gates to the rest of Shangri-La, uh, and we went in there. And so the Truth Stage, they didn't have anyone on the Truth Stage, but they had in front of the stage, they had a sea shanty band set up, um, and it was amazing. It was just, uh, maybe a band of like 9 or 10 people, all with instruments. And they had some speakers go. It was like, um, we're just gonna chuck a couple of speakers and plug them in. It was not It wasn't on the stage and it wasn't using the stage sound setup, um, but it was super good fun. And then we had a little wander around again just to look at all the little bits of Shangri-La. Lots of them weren't open yet, um, and when we came back, they were driving the Arcadia Bug into the Truth Stage area, which is like their mobile. It's on like the back of a big army truck and, um, it sort of drives very, very slowly and gets into position and then the back kind of opens up like a big pair of wings essentially. Um, and in on it is like a DJ stage, and it's, um, I think it's hooked up with mini rigs, so it's got all like this mini rig sound system, but it's still pretty damn loud. And yeah, they drove the Arcadia Bug into Truth Stage, and then we stayed there for a bit and had a dance. It was great. And then from there we just kind of wandered around, but we, we managed to find music, but it was in the like pubs and what I call them pubs, you know what I mean? But like the bars and the pubs, there were a few sort of mobile sound setups. Like West Holts Bar had a band on, like in the sort of tented bar area. So there was stuff going on and it didn't feel busy at all, like compared to last year. Like the Wednesday almost blew me backwards because I, I, the obviously the change from going nobody's here to everyone's here. Um, I didn't feel that so much this year. I didn't feel, um, speaking about the Wednesday specifically, I didn't feel like I was, you know, fighting for a space on the path or like walking like a penguin or anything. But Thursday was then busier. So now whether there were more people turning up on Thursday because, you know, people were like, I won't take an extra day off work. Um, we talked about this in last year's podcast. We said it felt like every single ticket holder came on the Wednesday last year. So maybe this year some people did come on the Thursday and Friday. Um, the Thursday did definitely feel busier, and that's when they had a few opening things like on at The Glade. Uh, I think maybe Avalon, but I can't remember. Um, But we went to the opening of The Glade on Thursday, um, for Girls Don't Sink, uh, who I'm not like a super fan of, but I was like, it'd be good fun, and I do like The Glade. But that was probably the time where I was like, wow, this is, this is borderline last year busy again, because it was one of the few things on, I think. So yeah, it felt to me like Thursday was, was, was pretty busy, but again, because it had so few things on. But Wednesday felt nice and chilled for me, and I did find some music. The one thing I will say, and we'll come on to this when we talk about Friday, Saturday, Sunday, is that my overall review is that there definitely— it definitely felt less hectic and scary this year compared to last year. That last year there were multiple points where I was like, oh my God, I feel like I'm in a crush. Not quite, but like pathways and things were crazy. And I even said that even in the middle of the day last year, if I tried to walk from Greenpeace to the Other Stage, just that, um, pathway that goes from West Holts to the Other Stage past Left Field, it all times of the day it was edge-to-edge rammo and you had to walk really slowly. You couldn't power walk through or anything like that. I definitely found that this year the pathways were much clearer. There were a couple of really busy moments, but even the— I, I did the Churnups, AKA Foo Fighters, and then I went to Fred again afterwards and everybody was talking online about That's going to be the biggest migration of the festival. It's going to be horrific. You know, everyone's going to go Foo Fighters and then Fred again. Um, and I did that and we had to stop on— my mates were like, I need to stop for a wee, I need to stop for a drink. And I was like vibrating with anger, like, guys, we just need to get there. But actually, you know what, even with stops and things, it really wasn't that bad. So I know, Miguel, your biggest, uh, thing last year was that it felt too busy for you. I can say that It's not back to— it didn't mentally feel like as chill as I remember. And again, my memory might be skewed, but I remember it being in kind of your 2014s, 2015s. But it definitely— I, I felt so much better and safer and calmer this year than last year, is all I can say.

45:42Miguel Well, yeah, Jessi, I was going to actually introduce this topic later on, but I guess we might as well just talk about it, uh, right now. Uh, for— I I read a lot of people commenting online and comparing last year to this year. I feel like last year is when we saw some strong discussion online about the festival being too crowded, and there's a lot of people were supporting that, supporting like saying that they felt the same, others saying it was just because we were used to crowds again. Uh, we discussed some theories back in on our review episode last year. I think, uh, from what I saw online, it felt like this year the logistics and organization of the festival was slightly better, but I feel like it's Overcrowding is still a problem. And my view this day is that maybe Glastonbury has been saturated for some time, but they didn't know because people were a different generation and they experienced the festival in a different way. And now that the people who are lucky enough to get tickets, they want to make the most of it. So every year you have people arriving as early as possible, and every year you have more people staying awake. Until the early hours. And those are the 2 moments where the festival is really not fully on, which is Thursday and Wednesday and the after hours. And then if every year you have like more people who got tickets wanting to be there for those times, it becomes a little bit hard to manage. And could be that the festival should have stopped selling more tickets a few years ago. And it was only working because people were approaching differently. And now it feels like it's a problem that is really hard to solve because if next year more and more people who got their tickets for the first time or people who've been one or two times but they haven't experienced the after hours or someone who arrived on Friday and now they realize we need to come on Wednesday because I want to be closer, it's really something that it becomes really difficult to manage unless they expand or unless they sell less tickets. What do you guys think about that?

47:42V Yeah, I mean, I would say last year is the year I felt it the most. I think Jessi mentioned it earlier, like, I remember the path from just the path that you take from West Holts, like at the back of West Holts up to, um, up to the Greenpeace area. It was just like, it was a constant crowd. That's the year I've noticed it the most. But, and I thought first it was just the first day because there's not much on, but it was just, it was busy everywhere. And there were moments definitely that year where I felt there is a crush. I remember trying to get into Arcadia and just going, no, you know what, I'm, I'm, I'm not even gonna try. I'm just gonna go elsewhere. I would say this year that I didn't find that, and I, I thought that personally that it was much better. I also think the addition of Silver— well, not the addition, but I do think that the remake of Silver Hayes did loads because it drew such a big crowd away from just feeling like at the end of the night you have to go to the southeast corner. There was more stuff happening elsewhere on the site, which I think was great. And like Tara was saying, like, for me, that area was— I mean, I'd personally rather spend my nights there than go to the southeast corner. I think having those extra pockets of things happening across the site than just the southeast corner definitely helps. I mean, I did go there this year because again, like I mentioned, FOMO. I feel like I have to go there. But you do see over in that end that it is still incredibly crowded. And maybe it is, like you say, a younger crowd and people are happy to be out later and they want to make the most out of it. But I think there were significant improvements this year. I'm hoping that that means that it keeps going that way. Because I would love to think that they can keep the amount of people that they have so that as many people as possible get the chance to go and just try to maybe not necessarily have to expand it, but have things on multiple— like on Thursdays, well, have things on elsewhere than just Glade. That Glade for me is the one part that I would say I don't understand how it's sitting down a Thursday with such big acts when you've got that crossing and it's just, it just creates such a block.

49:55Jessi Yeah.

49:55V in like a blockage in that area. But it's also because there's not much else on, so you put on the big names and people flock there, like Williams Green last year with Mel C. Um, yeah, I think if they can put more things on across the festival at the same time, that would definitely help. And I'd love to just keep the amount of tickets. I mean, it makes the chances higher for me as well to get one.

50:16Jessi Completely agree. I'm sorry to jump in, but you were, you were so eloquent with that and said it exactly how I wanted to say it. I think I'm sure Terry will expand on this as well, but having Silver Hayes, the level stage was incredible, and people were being pulled to all 3— or well, let's say 3 corners of the site, maybe not 4— but people were really, really spread out. And it was only— I think crowd control was good. And people moan about the clashes, but clashes mean that people are spread out, and therefore it's not going to be as scary. You know, we all I don't know if you guys went to Elton, and we'll sure we'll come to that, but that was amazing for me. And we got there early enough that it was fine, but I've heard some horror stories about how crazy it was towards the back. Um, and it's, it's when you have an act like that that everyone is going to flock to, that's when it causes problems. And I think they managed that a lot better this year, apart from the Thursday. As we're saying, Thursday is the one that needs some work, but the rest of the festival, I felt like people were spread out a bit more. And I did notice there were more stewards. I don't know if you guys agree with me. It felt like people were being directed better, or like they would, if somewhere was getting a bit busy, they would close, close a bit off and make you go around to spread people out and stuff. So yeah, Terry, what do you think?

51:31Terry It's a difficult one, isn't it? Because, um, like, they added the 7,000 people for last year and this year, and I think that's clearly the point that it shows, doesn't it? Is we've That's where it really becomes really, really busy. But it's difficult to know why they've added 7,000. Is it because they just want to allow more people in, or do they need that revenue to sort of keep up with the show they put on and everything? But I don't know. I feel like they should just remove those 7,000 again, even though that reduces my chances of a ticket and such. Like, I just think there were times it did feel a little bit dangerous on that railway track in particular. And when you're leaving, there's not much they can do about it. But when you've got 100,000 people leaving Elton John and there's not really much you can do, you have to be in a bit of a bottleneck. But it was a real shame because I'm all about the dance music and I found it really disappointing that I didn't want to go to Arcadia because it was just crazy all the time. It was so disappointing. And I didn't want to go to the southeast corner, and I didn't even bother going there after that Wednesday, actually. And you'll see the sort of lit-up signs saying southeast corner's just closed. And I just think, why should I even bother heading there at the end of the night when I'm probably not going to be able to get in anyway? So it does feel like it's reaching a bit of a point where something needs to be done. And it goes a little bit further with There were a lot of people— excuse my language— a lot of people pissing all over the place as well. I noticed that. That's, uh, they really want to crack down on that, but they probably can't even provide the, the amount of facilities that they, they probably need to put on for that amount of people. But, um, there were positives about it all though. It's true what you say, V, about, um, pulling people towards Silver Hayes. And I, I, that was my That was my sort of winner of Glastonbury this year. That was the thing that I came away with thinking, that was so good. It was a real improvement on— I've not really spent much time around there for some reason, but this year it was a really, really nice sort of place to go. It's far quieter. You weren't involved in those bottlenecks and those big queues that you get along the sort of the spine of the railway track. And it was really, really refreshing. So hopefully not too many people are listening to this for—

54:00V Terrible, terrible midday.

54:03Terry Yeah, don't bother.

54:06Miguel I think, uh, regarding the 7,000 tickets and why they added— I think this is why I mean that I think Glastonbury was already sort of, uh, saturated a few years ago, but it didn't feel like because people were just doing it differently and they thought we can add a little bit more tickets here, we can sell more tickets. But now that the people are approaching it differently becomes hard to control. I think it's fair to say maybe it's the first social media generation, and now there's a different way of consuming everything, and now there's less secrets. Uh, there's, uh, before you used to have just blogs or maybe, uh, some forums of Glastonbury. Now apparently there's even a podcast about it. Um, kind of just taking, uh, being aware maybe part of the problem here. But, but I think that's what I mean. Maybe it was already A lot of people a few years ago, but we didn't know because people would stay more in the campsites, people would enjoy more of the circles or the green spaces. And now everyone wants to be there as early as possible and everyone wants to stay awake until late. And if they don't have the license or the means to open more of the festival, then suddenly you have 200,000 people for a festival that the capacity is actually way less than that. So it's really And as you say, some changes might be needed. And I think it's time to do some hard choices, uh, maybe similar to when they put up the, the big wall. And I think maybe that will be some hard decisions to make for future editions. And I don't know exactly if people discuss ways of trying to solve. I'm not sure we're gonna jump into that now, but I think that's the gist of it for me now. I think the fast flow has been overcrowded for some time now. We didn't realize because people were approaching differently, and now we see it. And it's becoming very challenging and difficulty and sometimes dangerous.

55:57Jessi Hey, look, I'm gonna just jump in here and put a slight positive spin on this because I, I think for me this year, like I said, it felt much more well-organized for me. And granted, I'm a veteran and I know what I'm doing and I know how to get around the site and I have an inkling of what things are gonna be busy when and what things aren't, right? But I spent a lot of time in the southeast corner. Um, I spent a little bit of time in Arcadia, and when I went, granted it was Sunday night, but it was super empty. I went from Elton to Arcadia thinking, oh God, this is going to be awful, and managed to get almost up to the leg. And, you know, it didn't really fill in that much to me. We still had loads and loads of space. Um, maybe that was just a Sunday night and everyone after Elton went to bed. Let's see. But there were moments in, like, particularly Shangri-La, because I find that they batch let people in, you know, they hold people back with a gate and then they let a batch in and then go. There was a couple of times in Shangri-La it was kind of, I'm gonna have to wiggle my way through this crowd and walk around the back and things like that. But I actually spent a lot of time there and, uh, and it— I didn't feel nearly as bad as last year. Miguel, I queued for NYC Down Low and I actually queued and it didn't take that long. And like, all, all of the things that I moaned about last year really weren't that bad. But I will say that I have a slight bias because, well, I had the opportunity to retreat to Maceo's, unlike most people, which is the crew bar in Block 9. So there were a couple of times we went to see Forte at Icon, and, um, again, everybody said that was really bad, but we left quite early, maybe not that early, but we maybe got there half an hour before he was due to get on. Um, and we got basically right down the front. And here's a small little fun story for you. We stood there for, as I said, we stood there for maybe 20 minutes before Forte was due to come on. And then my friend next to me said, oh, they do, um, like a, a visual audio show at Icon, and it's just before Forte. I was like, brilliant, amazing. We're gonna see the, you know, the best of Icon and, and what they can do with this incredible projection mapping. So the show started and we were all watching it and then, um, I don't know why, but my eye just sort of went to the left of us and I clocked a guy sort of stood less than a meter and a half, uh, probably directly in front of my boyfriend. And I was looking at him and I was like, I know that guy. I know that guy. And then the lights came on a bit more. And I just saw his profile, and then I nudged my boyfriend, and I was a bit drunk at this point, and I was trying to do it quietly, and I was like, Ben, Ben, I think that's Fortet in front of you. Fortet is in front of you. To Ben. And Ben was like, what? And I was like, in front of you is Fortet. And then he, he went, no, it's not. And then we swapped places, and he looked, and he went, oh my God, it is. And then he literally, because he's got more, um, cojones than me. He like tapped him on the shoulder and was like, Kieran, oh my God, amazing, lovely to meet you, are you excited for your set? And he was, uh, Forte was always like a bit entranced by the visual show, and he was like, yeah, yeah, I'm really excited about it. And then he looked at his watch and went, oh fuck, I need to be backstage. And then we saw him walk off to this little door that was like in the wall of Icon and show his wristband and go through with his with his partner, but it was so funny. Anyway, there was loads and loads of space there at that point, and then, um, we were there for most of it. And I have to say, when we tried to leave— we tried to leave about 15 minutes before the end of his set— and it, it was when we started walking backwards, we were like, oh, it's busy back here. Um, but still, I, I guess my point is, is that, uh, maybe I'm in the minority, and I'd love to hear from people on Twitter as well if anybody's got any opinions on this, but, um, I definitely found it much easier this year. And I know, Miguel, we said last year— and I keep referring back to previous podcasts, I hope people don't mind— but last year we said we made decisions based on things like the crowd and, you know, just making it easier for ourselves. This year I feel like I've made a happy medium, like, as in I still made those decisions thinking, okay, Fortet's on in a bit, we should probably leave now. But I didn't feel like I was denied anything because the— because we couldn't walk there in time or because the crowd was too crazy. Like, everything with a tiny bit of planning and going, okay, this thing that I want to see or do is on at this time, I know it's going to be very popular, I'll leave an extra 15 minutes earlier than I would have— that was all you had to really think about. It wasn't like, okay, If I'm gonna see something in 4 hours' time, I should probably get into the southeast corner now and just get a spot. It wasn't, it wasn't quite that bad, and that's what it felt like it was last year.

1:00:58Miguel All right. Okay, great. Well, we had to get this subject out of the way, this difficult subject of being, of being, bringing some critique into the festival we love so much, but we had to touch on it. But moving on, actually moving back because we never heard from you, V, about your highlights from Wednesday and Thursday, apart from meeting Terry? Do you remember any other moments or anything you want to share?

1:01:22V Um, I think, you know what, previously I felt like there are so many artists that I always want to see, and like, for me, I genuinely listen to every single artist that comes on the posters to find stuff. So when Thursday and the other days hit, I have so much that I want to see that for me, Wednesday really is about making sure that I spend as much time as possible with my group and like actually get some time in with my friends so they don't get annoyed if I'm like going off to other things. Um, and this year we were good at not just ending up at Brothers and sitting there for hours, even though I love that. We actually ventured around loads of different areas. Obviously, Materia and Avalon, went to the cider bars, went to West Holts, and just did loads of different areas. Ended up eventually up on the hill for the sunset, and then we actually just spent time down in the park area outside Stonebridge. So it was— I would agree that it wasn't as much happening on the Wednesday, but for me it felt like it was a, it was a good Wednesday. It was one where it was like just taking everything in. It wasn't too hectic. And yeah, just spending time with, uh, with everyone. Because then when Thursday came, we all ended up at Girls Don't Sink, Into Example, um, and made our way over to like the, um, over to Levels. Eventually we were at Guilty Pleasures at 11 outside of the Rabbit Hole, which if we're talking busy, that was insanely busy because of that poor little tent at Guilty Pleasures. But we felt usually that's my— because that's the one thing I did miss, Williams Green this year. Like Thursdays for me used to be Williams Green. Yeah, they would— I would kick it off like over there and I felt the moment I had music over Williams Green, it felt like, oh, here we go, it's starting. And so we felt, you know, we'll go to Guilty Pleasures. It was more people trying to guess what song was playing and then everyone was singing outside of the park area without actually hearing anything. But yeah, it was, uh, I think, yeah, it was just trying to like take everything in. And Thursday was great with the music. It was, as we said, like quite busy obviously in the, in the area, but it was just amazing to be able to like walk around. spend time in the areas that I usually don't when everything starts on the Friday.

1:03:35Miguel Perfect. Yeah, I think it's a good time to talk about the changes then. I'm quite happy to hear the feedback you guys are sharing about Silver Hayes because I was betting it was going to be the winner for this year as well. And there's also, of course, yeah, Williams Green. And then we had Carhenge. What's that all about? Did you go there? And what else was new was Arcadia had a slightly bigger field maybe. Who wants to If you continue then, V, what did you go to? Silver Hayes? What do you think about Levels and about Carhenge and Williams Green?

1:04:09V Yeah, yeah. I mean, obviously because I came from the campervan field, we were all— we were going through the Carhenge area every morning pretty much to get in. It was amazing to see, like, I see why they've done it in a way because it's, it's a great meeting point. It's also a great area for when everything is really busy for people to find somewhere to find maybe a little bit more relaxing time and sit and chill. I personally love discovering new artists. I used to love going and seeing the smaller bands that were on at Williams Green, which I think it was maybe a little bit more of. Like, BBC Introducing was very good this year, and they tried to put on more across the other stages. But I personally felt that I missed Williams Green. Um, you know, Carhenge was incredible to see, but for me it was like enough seeing it once and that was it. I didn't feel like I had to venture back into that area, which was, yeah, a little bit of a shame because I, I missed that type of music that, that was on at Williams Green. Um, Silver Hayes is just, for me, amazing. I mean, one of my favorite stages this year is Lonely Hearts Club, from last year as well, but this year I just thought the sound, the, the, you know, the lights, the stage itself, the artist— Terry, you gave me the recommendation for Ben Burmer, one of my faves. from this year. So like, I loved Lonely Hearts. So yeah, I definitely spent more time over at Silver Hayes.

1:05:29Miguel Uh, yeah, I think you're completely right about Williams Green. It was also one of my favorite areas of the festival, exactly for the reasons you mentioned. It felt like it was a corner you can go to get away a bit, but at the same time it will have some good food, have a stage, and there was some maybe indie bands playing or some indie music and just some sing-alongs in the evening who also maybe will take Uh, some people out of the, the other after-hours areas or people who don't want electronic or dance or whatever. So yeah, I was quite surprised when they announced the change. And, uh, what about you, Terry? Any, what can you add to this?

1:06:05Terry I could hardly add anything to that actually. He's covered literally everything, all of my sort of opinions. The Williams Green thing, I, I, I mean, if you're gonna change it, I, I don't know, maybe offer an alternative, but there wasn't really something that was, that was That, and so many people loved it. So it was a bit of a strange decision. But, um, the Carl Henge thing, I was the same with that as well. It's really good to look at, but, um, I'm kind of always looking for a beat somewhere. I'm looking for the music or I'm looking for, you know, something theatre and circus that's sort of interesting or whatever. So, um, yeah, it's really nice. It's a really nice addition. Um, but yeah, as I say, the whole sort of my own personal champion of Glastonbury was the way that Silver Hayes was done. And yeah, the Ben Burma thing was just amazing. It was the best thing I've seen this year. That was on the Lonely Hearts Club. And I mean, so many things have to come together to make it sort of your best thing. But I mean, that one in particular, that performance in particular, the sun was setting and the music was right. It was, everyone was sort of in a really good mood. And that was how that whole area felt. I don't— Silver Hayes feels completely new to me this year. It feels like it wasn't even there. It's passed me by so many times. I don't know if it was the location of where it was, but, um, this time around it was kind of home to me, so I loved it. Yeah.

1:07:34Jessi Yeah. Um, I, I— the Williams Green thing, I think the thing is, is that I think they struggled with it being a tent. And obviously, as you say, it was super popular, but I think there must be something to do with sound levels and its location that would mean they can't really do like an open-air version of it. So I think Carhenge was supposed to be, as you say, like a meeting point, people to sit and, you know, grab some food, maybe chill with their friends, that kind of thing. But I did see some videos of some music on there. Like, I follow the Carhenge Instagram account and Maybe it was just at certain times and they had like, so like a drumming band one night and then they had, like, I'm sure they had a DJ, but maybe I'm completely imagining that. But I'm sure if I look through the videos, I'll have a look, but not all the time. But I think there was some music on there at some points to try and slow maybe the crowd walking to the southeast corner. They were like, oh, should we stop here? Maybe they did it for that reason. Silver Hayes. Now I, Spent a bit of time in Silver Hayes, um, before the— I spent quite a lot of time before the festival opened. I had a proper good explore, obviously, when I went over to interview, uh, the director Tom. But it felt massive to me. I don't know what you two feel, but I have been— I have been there before, but I've not been there that often, same as you both. But I think the fact that they got rid of the sort of, you know, they had the long tent that was kind of like a V-shape but spread out. I can't— I think that was originally called Silver Hayes, the venue, if you see what I mean.

1:09:12Miguel Was that Sonic? Sonic Stage?

1:09:14Jessi Oh, Sonic. Yeah, yeah, they called it so. Yeah, that's it, they called it Sonic. Um, because they got rid of that and then Levels was like this big open Boomtown-esque, you know, stage. It just, it just felt— the whole space felt so much bigger. And Miguel, they had like— again, you may have been there and tell me that there's been there for years, but they had these like shaded areas with Um, hammocks and stuff. So they had chill spaces as well, and there was no sort of sound bleed I noticed when I walked through. And we spent a bit of time there on Saturday afternoon, but I'm— I have to be honest on this podcast, I can't lie. I was so excited to go there after speaking to Tom, and I did not go there enough. Once again, I think it was like you say, it's the location. It's, it's the far corner from me and Greenpeace, basically. Lots of my friends spent lots of time there and said it was amazing. But again, it was just one of those things that passed me by, you know, when you have those Glasto regrets, that was one of mine that I didn't spend enough time in there. But, you know, walking through it and seeing it before it opened and then just hanging out there Saturday afternoon when it was so hot and I just needed some shade and stuff, it was a really just, yeah, the vibes were excellent in there. And it didn't ever feel too busy, as you say, the times that I was there. So yeah, I really enjoyed it.

1:10:34Miguel Excellent. What about anyone spend some time at Woodsea?

1:10:37V Yeah, we did quite a lot. I mean, I was going to say Woodsea stage is one of my favorites. And we, back before we did campervans, we would always park open bushy, which was amazing because it meant that I could actually start my day. every day over there. A little bit longer trek this time around, so I didn't make like the 11 o'clocks, but I did make the one after. Um, but yeah, I saw some of my favorite bands this year were over on Woodseas. I have to admit, like, the, the area itself, as in the Woodseas area, I don't actually know how much was there before. I don't feel like I explored that area well enough before. I think you go from like seeing the acts to then maybe venturing off down towards like Silver Hayes, Other Stage, But we did go through there, and that was actually one thing I found a good little segue to get from that area to Pyramid was walking through the Woodsease Field, because then you go like from the tents and you end up at Pyramid Field from the top. So you beat the crush at the bottom. And that is when I explored that area way more. And I mean, it is amazing in there, but it's just, yeah, it's just not something somewhere where I end up being in the day, so to say, otherwise other than the tent itself.

1:11:49Jessi Oh, great.

1:11:50Miguel Let's talk about now the festival is fully on. I have a series of quick questions and we're gonna go through them and you can all tell me how it was for you. So we're gonna start with the headliners. Uh, what was your favorite headliner? It doesn't have to be the Pyramid, but let's call it the closing acts of any of the stages, wherever you chose to be at the end of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Who do you want to highlight, Terry?

1:12:16Terry Uh, I mean, I can't go through this podcast without mentioning the Elton John one. Would, that would be the one that really was kind of mind-blowing, I think. I'm, I'm very much a casual Elton John fan. I know the words to loads of his songs and all of that. Like just your average kind of, yeah, he's got a few tunes and all of that. I went there like a lot of, a lot of people probably felt the same as me. Oh, I better go cuz he's gonna bring out guests. It's gonna be a big deal. He's a legend and all of that kind of thing. But, um, that, I'm not, I mean, I'm not a spiritual person at all, but there was something really odd about that night. It was amazing. It, it wasn't just, um, his performances and everything. It was, it was more than that. There was a whole sort of vibe in that field and there were the sort of flares sort of hanging in the air. The moon was up there. The pyramid was lit up really nicely. It was his last UK gig apparently. That for me, um, possibly the best headliner I've ever seen. And I've enjoyed the music and the performance of other people more, but I think after sort of 10 years of going, I think that's the one that's, that trumped all the others to me, to be fair. It was amazing. It was something else.

1:13:29Jessi Fantastic.

1:13:30Miguel Who else, who else was there? Vi?

1:13:31V Yeah, I mean, I, I think you've put it so well. I don't know what it was about That set, I couldn't agree more. It just felt something magical. There was at one point when I think it was just when the first Rocketman chorus started, someone further down from us just fired off a little rocket into the sky.

1:13:51Terry Perfectly timed as well.

1:13:53V It was so perfectly timed. We all stood there and like there was this atmosphere and then there's just this, yeah, this firework rocket that flew into the sky. I mean, We— so many of my friends that were there, I'd say the same, they're not huge fans, but everyone came out of it saying there was just, there was just something there. And it was truly like, it felt magical. It felt, you know, when you're trying to describe that Glastonbury feeling when you know and you're like, right now it's here. That's how it felt, that whole set. It was just amazing. So yeah, I mean, that has to be the highlight.

1:14:23Jessi Yeah, I'll, I'll jump in and say, literally, you two just talking there, I got like the shivers again just remembering it. It was, I'll agree, it was genuinely, uh, something about even like the clouds behind the Pyramid Stage and like where the sun was hitting them. And then at one point he had all the rainbow lights, which obviously I'm hoping was a nod to like Pride and things like that. But just the timing and the lighting and the crowd around me at least was so lovely. And I, you forget, I knew Every single song. Like you say, I think I'm a casual Elton John song, but there wasn't one song that I was like, oh, what's this? Apart from, I think, you know, he brought out a couple of guests that he was sort of spotlighting and they sung, you know, something a little bit more lesser well-known. But in general, every song. And I, I think I cried just a couple of tears, not full-on bawling, but like, you know, I was just looking at it going, this is just what— it felt like my entire body was vibrating. And I don't know why. It was just one of those moments where you go, I'm just so glad I was here and I'm so glad I'm sharing it with you. Like I was, I think I said that to my friend so many times. I was like, I'm just so glad that I'm here experiencing this with you. Um, yeah. And it was, yeah, absolutely amazing. So completely, completely agree. It was just a moment and everybody was experiencing it and was 100% present. That's what I would say.

1:15:48Miguel And when you say everybody, it was everybody.

1:15:52Jessi Oh yeah.

1:15:55Miguel But I'm sure that maybe because you mentioned with Jessi how clashes are important and that night it felt like everyone was out and jumped. But I'm sure whoever chose to be at the other stages had an amazing time because usually when that happened, I experienced that before in the festival many, many years ago before Glastonbury when I didn't go to the headliner where everybody was there. I went to see the other band and it means you are just there with hardcore fans and usually the band feels that. And they give like an amazing performance. And from what I could read on comments online on the other headliners, that happened. So it's also good, you know?

1:16:28Jessi Yeah. Queens of Stone Age is one of the sets I watched back like immediately as soon as I got home and it looked amazing. Like it was weird to see the crowd so small, but like you said, I think they really, really went for it. Queens of Stone Age, like it was an annoying clash, but I'm glad with my choice. But also that did look like an incredible set. And I was going to say that also my boyfriend did not go to Elton John and he went to Genesis in Block9 just to see Dan Shake. And he said, uh, it was literally him, his friend Naomi, and 3 other people at Genesis for that thing. Um, so I mean, I tried to persuade him to come to Elton John, but I'd played my one— Ben's not really a Pyramid headliner guy. He hadn't been to one in years. And I played my one you must come with me to a Pyramid headliner card for Guns N' Roses the night before. So, um, who also, honorable mention, were incredible. Lots of people who watched at home said they sounded awful, and I think it, you know, not to, you know, I'm not hoping that whoever was in charge of his mic got fired, but like in, in the field they sounded incredible. But on the BBC footage, his mic just, it, it, you couldn't really hear him very well and it was very in and out. But in the field, he Sounded amazing, and I was loving having some rock and roll on the Pyramid. I very, very much enjoyed it. So that was— and obviously I talked about this before, but Lizzo first, Guns N' Roses second. I was feeling very satisfied with my life, and I'd persuaded Ben to come to both of those with me, which is not his vibe at all. But he enjoyed Lizzo. It turned out he actually knew some of the words, but mainly because I've been playing it at home, I assume. Um, and then yeah, Guns N' Roses he enjoyed as well. So both of those were You know, my Saturday night was, well, very satisfying. I was very much enjoying it.

1:18:18Miguel Fantastic. And now, is there any standout performance or unexpected highlights? Still talking about music, could be maybe an act that you didn't plan and you were stopped there and you were like, you had a great time, or it could be like you were passing by a smaller stage and you went in and you saw someone that you maybe don't even remember the name. Was there any moment like that, Terry?

1:18:42Terry Texas is one. I didn't expect to like Texas very much, but, um, I got to Texas to see— was it Texas on before the Foo Fighters? Was that right? Was it—

1:18:52Jessi was it right?

1:18:52V Yes, yes.

1:18:53Terry And I got— but I only saw this— I only got there for maybe the last quarter or something, but it was absolutely bangin'. Obviously, they probably benefited from the Foo Fighters being on after them.

1:19:03Miguel Yeah.

1:19:04Terry But the atmosphere, I didn't— I did not expect that. When you look at Texas on paper on the lineup, You think, ah, they're, they're all right, they've got some tunes or whatever. But sometimes you can turn up to something and it's one of the best things you've ever seen. Um, they were definitely one. Um, Lightning Seas were another one that, um, I was already a fan of the Lightning Seas from sort of years ago, but, um, that was really, really good, really good vibe. But, um, I can't escape sort of Ben Burma on the, on the Saturday night. It was, it, it's a real shame it's not televised or anything like that, and there's no way I can ever look back at it because you sort of gain something more. Yeah. When you see it back. But, um, that was certainly one. Um, but the— a very honorable mention for— I can't believe I've not even mentioned him yet, but, um, Fred Again.

1:19:51Jessi I was waiting for you to say that. Come on. I was like, when is he— he's gotta mention Fred Again.

1:19:55Terry Uh, yeah, I know. I mean, the funny thing about that is, um, I wasn't overly, overly aware of him. I was— I knew his songs, I knew everything, but it's not like I was playing them all the time. And then, um, being there was really, really good, but it's a strange way to do it. But when I got back and I watched it back, and then I watched my own videos I'd taken in the crowd, and I saw how good it was, I've fallen in love with sort of what happened after the event kind of thing even more. I just think it's incredible. And if anybody sort of is a bit skeptical about dance music or anything like that, it's a really, really good one to get on iPlayer and, and sit and watch it. It's incredible. So yeah, those are the ones that I didn't necessarily think were going to blow my mind, but they did.

1:20:39Miguel And Vy, did anyone surprise you in a way you didn't expect?

1:20:43V Um, I mean, Terry mentioned Ben Böhmer. I think I was expecting a lot, but I was just blown away by how good it was. And literally ever since I came back, I was like, I need, I need to do that again. But then I'm worried that it's not going to feel as good as Glastonbury felt. So I'm like, I really want to see it again. That was like a massive highlight. I, um, I also saw an incredible band at Woodseas called Wonder Horse. Um, I had listened to like some of their music before. Um, they absolutely blew me away. They were one of those bands where I feel like you watch them on that stage, you see how good they are, and you think they have to— they have so much potential to be so huge that I feel like, you know, when you see someone, you go, you feel a bit privileged seeing them at the stage where they are now early in the morning, starting off your day like that. That was That was just incredible. I also ended up by accident— I think I was, I was waiting for one act— ended up inside BBC Introducing for one of the acts that were part of the Emerging Talents competition called Blur. And it was quite empty when I got there, I think because it was a little bit of time before they started. So I ended up front row. By the point they started, I just saw— like, kept seeing this BBC Introducing camera in my face thinking, oh my God, I look like a superfan because I'm like front row. The tent filled up at one point. They were so incredible, like, brought so much energy. At one point they jumped in, had a huge mosh pit. I'm trying to get— move away, can't get out. So I'm in the middle of this mosh pit while they're getting up on people's shoulders and stuff. And it was just— it was just incredible. So they're a band that I was also thinking, I'm, I'm so happy to have seen them, um, at this stage right now because, because they were just incredible. I mean, Fred again is my biggest FOMO. I didn't go there.

1:22:28Jessi It looked so good.

1:22:30V I, I wasn't there. Um, we were over on Pyramid. But yeah, I don't know, you always have FOMOs. I think you always have to remember, like, there's a, there's a reason you made a decision for, for doing something on that day. And you know there's something else happening, but you have to be happy with, like, knowing that the decision you made was right at the time. Um, but yeah, I'd say, I'd say those were some of my, like, biggest surprise Um, after how good they were.

1:22:55Miguel That's great. And Jessi, what was your unexpected highlight?

1:22:59Jessi Oh, um, I'll try and keep it short because I have so many. Um, but, uh, so on Thursday, I, I completely forgot to mention that on Thursday we went to the Sportsbanger mega rave, right? Which is, um, it was a— what, what's the new— it was called the Gas Tower. What was it called? Nowhere. Nowhere. So in Shangri-La, it was at Nowhere and it was roasting hot. And we went there for— it started at 2. We were there not much longer after 2. Similar to UV, we were like at the front row basically, but off to the side. We stayed there for 4 hours in the glaring sun, but it was so fun and so good that we just, we just danced and drank water and danced and fanned ourselves and danced. But we were having such, such a good time. It was so much fun. Um, Sportsbanger is like a guy basically, and he is sort of a bit of a political speaker but also is like an emerging DJ, uh, promoter, I guess. Or like, you know, he really champions emerging DJs and stuff. Um, and he's got his own brand. You can buy his t-shirts and things. And, um, just to give you an idea, like, so he One of the DJs he got on stage was referred to as DJ Deaders, and it was a woman probably about my age, sort of early 30s. And he said that she's a teacher and she had just sent him a mix 2 months ago, was like, hey Sportsbang, I just want to send you a mix, hope you like it. And he invited her to play at Glastonbury, and she'd never played in front of a crowd before. And she just— when, you know, when you can just tell someone is having the best moment of their life, and she played some Like, the tunes were incredible. And yeah, so we were there for 3 and a half, 4 hours on Thursday, and it was so, so good. We had such a good time. Um, and the, you know, we were knackered after it because of the sun, but that was a real, real highlight for me. And then I guess on to big names. I was just having to quickly look through my photos to remember. Definitely the Foo Fighters, Into Fred Again. Afternoon was just so glorious. Both, like, seeing Foo Fighters— I was saying to my friends, seeing them in the afternoon, the annoying thing was it was only an hour set because it's obviously an earlier slot in the day, but it was just so different. I've seen Foo Fighters a couple of times, but it's either been in a dark venue or they're headlining and it's, you know, only sunlight for half an hour before it goes dark kind of thing. It was just such a vibe to hear And they, they played because they only had an hour. It was, you know, they played all the hits basically, and then they finished with, um, Avalon and obviously dedicated it to Taylor. And it was just so lovely. It was just a really nice experience, and all of my friends just screaming along because we know all the words. And yeah, it was lovely. And then Fred again. Yeah. Oh, just— I'd seen him the week before, uh, 2 weeks before at Parklife, and that was incredible, but Something about the Glastonbury crowd just made it extra amazing. I completely agree with you, Terry, when you say if you're a bit like, oh, dance music, who's this guy? He's just, you know, he's just a guy with a laptop. When you watch that, you realize he is not just a guy with a laptop. And firstly, he's the most humble, lovely, likable person you can think of. Um, and then when you watch what he does, he's got so many different— I guess they're instruments, but different, you know, things in front of him that he plays in different ways. They're all played, you know, some is like a pad, some's like a, um, a keyboard, and then all these kind of bits. And the fact that he does it all live, it's not— there's definitely no just press play and walk away situation. It is, and it's fantastic. And the visuals as well, and the sun setting, it was wonderful. Um, and then I had one more. Um, oh, The Hives, like, opening on Saturday.

1:26:52Terry Oh my God, yes.

1:26:53Jessi Hives were so fun. I've seen them before, and I said to my mates, they're going to be a laugh, but He, the lead singer of The Hives, they're, um, they're Swedish, right? Am I right? They're Swedish.

1:27:04V Yeah, yeah. I was like, how could I have forgotten about The Hives? One of the highlights.

1:27:08Jessi Yeah, they, they opened the stage and like the singer is so funny. He, he— I say to my friends, he, he walks the tightrope of being hilarious and an asshole. Do you know what I mean? Like he could fall one way or the other, but he walks right down the middle. And you fall in love with him. He, like, his stage persona is very arrogant. He was like, he was saying things like, um, and you know, welcome to the Hives and all the other bands that are cooling down for us afterwards. The things like that is just, it was like entertaining and so, so good. And again, really, really good vibes. Um, and you forget that they've got quite a few bangers as well. Um, yeah, I guess that's my I'm sure I had one more, but that'll do. Yeah, I had— honestly, I— everything I picked— something you said a minute ago, V, like, you have to make choices. Last year, I feel like my choices were made for me. This year, I made choices, and yes, there were a couple of things that I missed, but all of the things that I did do, I know were absolutely the right decision because I had a fact— there was nothing that I was standing there going, oh well, I'd rather be somewhere else. It was everything just was Incredible. Oh, and I have to say, Miguel, sorry, I have to, I have to finish with this because Fatboy Slim at Greenpeace was incredible at 3 PM, the TBA slot that was there. And then my heart almost exploded when my boyfriend did his set in the Greenpeace tree. That was just one of the, you know, I, I should probably say it was my highlight. Sorry, Ben, it probably was Elton, but Stop playing me. I was just like bursting with pride, like To be fair to him, there was barely anybody there. It was like us, like his group of mates, considering the field half an hour before had been— they'd had to close the entrance to the field because it was too busy and it was Ramo. And that Fatboy Slim set was amazing, and I got to meet him and Norman Cook. You're a legend. It was great. Um, and my boyfriend was then absolutely bricking it because of how many people were in the field, and he was on directly afterwards. But lo and behold, obviously after Fatboy Slim, lots of people left to do their, I'm guessing, final tent stop before going to Elton. Felt like what most people were doing, um, because it was half 5 that, uh, it was 5 o'clock, sorry, that, um, Fatboy Slim finished. So that was— it felt about the right time that people, everybody, everybody dissipated basically. But still, just to see him up there having the best time, and you know, he did, uh, people were walking through and dancing and stopping and going, oh, this sounds great and stuff. So It was just so lovely to see him living his dream and playing on the tree.

1:29:48V It was very cute.

1:29:48Terry And did you ask Fatboy Slim on the pod?

1:29:51Jessi I did. Oh my God, why didn't I do that, Terry?

1:29:54Terry Unbelievable.

1:29:57Jessi I think I was a bit starstruck. He was, he was out, he was in Greenpeace, um, they have like a green room crew area like behind the stage, and he was out there and he— I'd said to Ben, my boyfriend, I was like, I would love to get a picture with Fatboy Slim. And he was like, yeah, but just be cool, be cool. And I was like, yeah, yeah, of course I'm gonna be cool, I'm gonna be cool. And I saw him sort of walking down and he was like talking to someone and smoking a cigarette. And, um, he finished his conversation with that person and then went to sort of walk past me. And I was like, this is my moment. So I stopped and I was like, really, really sorry, Norman, I just want to say like huge fan, really excited for your set, um, love you. And that was it. And then I just said, can I have a picture? So I was all proper starstruck not saying anything. And then, you know, Ben took my picture with him and was all cool and casual like, I'm not gonna say anything. And then I, I just said to him before he walked off, I was like, oh, by the way, Ben here is, uh, playing after you on the tree. And he was so cute. He was like, oh, don't worry, mate, I'll warm them up for you. They'll be nice and ready for you when you start. It was just so— he was so lovely. So yeah, it was a nice moment as well.

1:30:59Miguel Uh, well done, Ben. And yeah, Dave Grohl not only turned up to play Foo Fighters song, but he was all around the festival. trying to be the Chris Martin of this year's festival, I think. I think it was a really strong set from the television. I must say, I think I didn't watch many sets live, but I did watch Foo Fighters and I fell a bit in love with that. It was really strong. And I think the limited time did help with keeping Dave Grohl's mouth shut and just play the hits. And speaking of rumors, I think we, we skipped that when we were talking about Elton John. There was all sorts of wild talks about the guests that he would have, and then we had what we had. Well, what do you think about the guests?

1:31:48V You know, I am a huge Gabriels fan. Like, they were one of my favorite bands that I saw last year at Lonely Hearts. So when he came out, I was like, this is amazing. And I kind of thought that he was going to, um, Then with the others, I think Rina, for me as well, I was like, I did expect her. The only one I expected that I was quite surprised wasn't there was probably Dua Lipa. But at the same time, I was like, we do have Elton on stage. So, you know, and, and it's like, as cool as it is and you want to see as many artists as possible, at the same time, I thought it was quite amazing that he also took the stage to give it to you. others to help them in the— in their career. I mean, it's an amazing thing, but he is Elton. He can do it, right? He could do whatever he wants.

1:32:33Miguel Because yeah, uh, when I was watching, I was like, what's going on here? Because I, I'm perfectly fine with everyone else because they come to play Elton John's music. But then there was a moment where this guy just came to play his own song. And I mean, yeah, props to Elton, but at the same time, it felt like he brought the moment down. I don't know. I don't know how he felt at the time. Being in the field. Uh, what do you think, Terry?

1:32:56Terry It was funny though, everybody around me was going, bring Britney on, bring Britney on, and all that.

1:33:01Jessi It was—

1:33:01Terry everybody's expecting Britney Spears, which was really far-fetched in the circumstances. Um, but, um, yeah, it would have been nice to see those people, but he delivered without needing to bring anybody on, let alone the people that he brought.

1:33:15Jessi Yeah, I was gonna say, um, all of my group were expecting Britney, and we'd also heard rumors of Eminem because obviously Elton John and Eminem are like really good mates. I was like, that would be— I, I was just thinking about it and I was like, before he came on, I was like, Elton John has the opportunity to literally— what's the term— like break the internet or like shut down news for 3 days if it— depending on the guests he chooses, you know what I mean? To be like the wildest combinations you could think of. It was what we were expecting. And definitely we were expecting Dua Lipa, definitely same as you said, me. But You know what, all of the guests, and like now thinking back, it was like he has always been a champion of new music, like his stuff on Apple Music Radio, I think it was they were doing. I think he would always bring on new artists and it was like such a cool thing to do. So yeah, I totally appreciate it and I think he did the right thing. But yeah, all of us were a bit like, okay, when's he gonna bring out the big guns?

1:34:16Terry That's Britney.

1:34:17V Yeah.

1:34:18Miguel Well, which kind of going back to the turn-ups also, I think that was great to have a headline size act earlier on. But it would be great if more bands would accept like a lower or earlier slot. And I feel like this will help the festival in terms of crowdness because the Pyramid Field can take a lot of people. So I don't know if for that to happen, it will always have to be with this, uh, all the mystery surrounding, but I think it would be fantastic if it could have more of that happening. What do you think about that?

1:34:48V I can't believe earlier that I forgot to mention it, like one of the biggest highlights, which is how lucky are we to just have Foo Fighters playing in the middle of the day? It's like that, the fact that they were there is just so incredible. But I do think that it's also a testament of who they are. You know, they're happy to do that because they probably love being there. And doing that. And I mean, if, if Glastonbury was able to do that every year, that would be incredible. But it's like, I do remember standing there in the field when Foo Fighters came on, and as literally up until that moment, there was still a part of me that was like, well, I can't believe it's them because it's just too big. They were probably up until this year and Elton my all-time favorite headline at Glasto. It's like, they're just incredible. But it's, it is, I think, also you have to, I guess, be that artist that's happy to take that slot. And I don't— I'd love to think that there are many out there that would, but I don't know how many in that size are happy to do that.

1:35:47Jessi Yeah, completely agree. I think there was, like I said, there was something about that afternoon, you know, that's what the Legend slot is all about, isn't it? Like having somebody huge on Sunday afternoon tea time, as they call it, you know, in the sunshine, sing-along. It's so good. If they— I don't know, that maybe Glastonbury is a big enough festival that they could do something like this. They could say that every day there's 2 headliners, one on at 4 PM and one on at 9 PM. Do you know what I mean? And those 2 headliners have an hour and a half each, or 2 hours each, or whatever it might be. And as you say, it would give people a chance to clear the field and, you know, or like drag people into the Pyramid Field, free up everywhere else, and then Everybody kind of switches around, especially if it was 2 quite polar opposite artists. Because I really found like the Lizzo to Guns N' Roses thing was really interesting to me because Lizzo was packed, super packed, and we were about level. We managed to get into the sound desk because we got there early, and then everybody let— literally everybody left. And I was like, oh my God, this is going to be really embarrassing. Nobody's going to be here from Guns N' Roses. But there was an hour gap, and lo and behold, 15 minutes later it started filling up again with a completely different type of person, and then it was really busy again. And I think that kind of getting people to move and cycle and having those genre changes would, you know, almost really helps that kind of crowd control management timing thing. And yeah, I think the Foo Fighters Doing that. You're completely right, V, when you say it's only certain bands. You know, we've talked before about how we— there's certain bands we'd love to play, but they're all about the money and the status. They don't really understand that if you play Glastonbury— well, actually, if you play Glastonbury, it is about this. It's a status thing, like, look. And it's, uh, you know, the, the, uh, sales of your album, you would assume, would go up massively after doing it and stuff like that. But some bands are like, no, I don't play a gig unless I'm paid £4 million. Fleetwood Mac. So, you know, they're just never going to play. But Foo Fighters is obviously that kind of band that go, you know what, we'll take an earlier slot and we'll do something different and we'll change it up. And if more people did that, I think that would be awesome to have like an afternoon headliner, basically a legend slot each of Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Yeah, but I think that'd be super cool.

1:38:08Terry Call me a cynic, but I think there's a little bit of both in there. I think, um, I'm sure I'm not the only person to think this, but I feel like that was a 1-hour sort of promo slot for their album, potentially in return, and their tour, potentially in return for a headline next year. Um, because the dates are right for them next year, aren't they? The dates are right for the Foo Fighters. I, I think there was, there's a bit of a, you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours kind of thing going on there. I don't think many people will complain about them headlining again either, would we?

1:38:40Miguel No.

1:38:41V No, I mean, I've heard that. I, I don't know, for some reason I'm thinking, is it a little bit too early for them again? But I mean, I can see it. As you said, no one would really complain.

1:38:51Miguel No.

1:38:52Terry Yeah, they're quite sort of bulletproof, aren't they?

1:38:55Miguel Yeah.

1:38:55Jessi And I mean, come on, how many times have Coldplay headlined? Everyone's bored of that, or is that just me?

1:39:00V Yeah, their calendar lines as well.

1:39:03Jessi Oh God. Oh dear. Well, that's one night I won't have to go to the pyramid. No, I'm Um, yeah, so no, I do agree with you, Terry. Like, I do think there is an element of that, but I also think that Foo Fighters, obviously they're getting over the devastation of losing one of their key founding members. And they— I can't quite remember that, but had it been a full year? I'm not even sure. So I think this was almost like a little, you know, dip our toe into a big gig that they hadn't played since that happened, see how they're received, you know, which was obviously always going to be positive. But, you know, I'm sure they probably had some anxiety about maybe it won't be. But, um, but yeah, so I think it's a bit of both. But I, I very much enjoyed it, and once— I would love for it to happen again, as you said, Miguel.

1:39:46Miguel Yeah, all I could think while watching is I wouldn't want to be Alex Turner right now. They had to put up a headlining show after, and especially with the whole— they had to cancel a gig a few days before, they announced that he had some— uh, he wasn't feeling that great, but in the end it happened. And I did write down here in the notes, Arctic Monkeys, great or dull? Terry, you can answer that for us.

1:40:08Terry Well, I didn't go to it actually. I didn't go to Arctic Monkeys, but I did watch it back and it was interesting. It wasn't— it's so easy to just say play the hits and everything, but it wasn't only that. They played the hits, but I don't know, everything was at a slower tempo. He had no kind of rapport with the audience. And this is just me watching on TV, so it's a completely different sort of perspective. But I was sitting there watching it and I was sort of fast forwarding through stuff and just thought, this isn't sort of what— this isn't the Arctic Monkeys from the time that I was into the Arctic Monkeys kind of thing.

1:40:46Miguel I feel like it's the whole thing that it was just another gig in their tour. And that's like, uh, I feel like it's a miss. People expect that you should do something extra for Glastonbury, and if you don't, someone else should have taken that spot. I think that's how I—

1:41:01Terry Yeah, I totally agree.

1:41:03Miguel Yeah, yeah.

1:41:04Jessi How did it feel in the field, V? You just said you were there.

1:41:07V I don't know, I always find it hard when, when you get your opinion on something like this because it's like music is so different. We have friends that went that absolutely loved it. Um, I, I personally thought the setlist they brought was brilliant. It was just something about the pace, which as Terry was saying, like it It felt slower. And maybe it's, you know what Pyramid can bring and you know the energy that a headliner can bring Pyramid. And they are, for me, the type of band that a lot of people have waited to come back to Pyramid. You know, they are like the proper indie band headline Pyramid and that you've seen how they've done it before. And that, for me personally, that just the energy was missing. Like, and you could, you could sense that in the crowd where we were, at least, like, it felt that something was missing. They didn't give enough for me to the crowd. And I've never seen it before that when they fin— when they finished, it was a bit of clapping and then people left. So it just, I personally, I will, I will say I found it disappointing. Um, and I just feel like there are so, I've seen so many headliners who are not just headliners, like acts at Glasto, that even when they have the smaller slot, they show how much they appreciate where they are. And for me, it felt that— I don't know, it's almost like they, they didn't give anything back to this crowd that had waited for so long for them to headline. They just did— they didn't give enough.

1:42:36Jessi So they felt a bit going, going through the motions.

1:42:38Terry Don't you just love it when it feels— when you can sort of sense that they, they love being there and they appreciate what they've got in front of them and Yeah, it's from the, from the footage anyway, it didn't seem that they were in that way.

1:42:49V Yeah, like I think the Glasto crowd is the best crowd you can have. Like, it's like if we've mentioned highs, right? This is a crowd that wants to get going. They want to be part of the act. If you get emotional, they get emotional. If you're energetic, they're energetic. Like, it's the best crowd you can have for that, I personally think. And they're so supportive. Like, we saw the whole Loose Capaldi set is like This is a crowd that's there to lift you even higher. So even till the end of Arctic Monkeys, for me, it's like everyone sang till the very last minute, but I just don't feel like you gave that crowd what they kind of deserve.

1:43:23Jessi Yeah, I— that's what I was saying. I watched it back and it really felt like they were just, as Miguel said, just another date on the tour, going through the motions. Play the songs, cool, thank you very much, you know, end of situation. That's— and, and Just echoing what you've all said, like, I very quickly— and I'm sure the whole Glasto crowd does very quickly— pick up when someone really appreciates and understands the, you know, the, the magnitude of what they're doing. They're like, oh my God, I'm playing Glastonbury! For a lot of people, that is literally the pinnacle of their career. And yeah, I just— I, I— same as Terry, I only watched it on the TV, but it just felt like Alex Turner was very like You know what, whatever, just play the gig, get the money, see you later, have a good time.

1:44:07Terry Perfect example of that is, um, you know when you go to something you don't expect to like it at all, you're only going there to see friends, it's not your thing, and you'll sit through it and everything. There's never been a better, better example of that when I've warmed to somebody who's been so appreciative as, of all things, Miley Cyrus a few years ago. It was amazing. She was so happy to be there and When you see that, it's really endearing. And then there's the opposite side with sort of Arctic Monkeys. And I think it happened with like The Who, wasn't it? The other year or something. I wasn't there, but they were really, you know, I think they were just complaining about stuff at the crowd or something like that. Maybe I'm remembering it wrong.

1:44:46Jessi Yeah.

1:44:47Miguel And on that subject of appreciating or understanding the festival, then we have Lana Del Rey, which which I feel like could have been a highlight of the festival if it had happened as planned. So I think it's sad that she actually maybe had a very well-produced show planned, but she just didn't show up in time, which is just, again, as we say, time is precious thing at Glastonbury. If you decided to be there to see that artist and that happens, I feel like it's very disappointing because it gets you on high, right? because you just start thinking every other places you could be right now while you're waiting for her to come on stage. Did anyone— was there by any chance?

1:45:30V Yeah, I was there.

1:45:33Miguel Sorry to bring those feelings back then.

1:45:37V Yeah, I was like, oh, is my reading correct? Yeah, well, the thing is, right before Lana, I watched Ben Barmer. Like I was saying, this is one of like my highlights of the year. I couldn't be happier in that moment. And we said, um, let's do that, let's head over to Lana. Like, when I listen to Lana at home, to her music, I love some of her songs. I think she has incredible songs. Like, um, but I did fear watching back some of her, like, her previous Glastonbury performance, that I'm like, I'm not sure I'm gonna like her live. But let's give it a go. We arrived over there, and I mean, the crowd was incredibly patient because we just stood there waiting, right? I think she was half an hour late. And then for the first part of the set, it was— she was just having her hair done. Like, I didn't know, like, no one could actually figure out, is this part of the set? Maybe she's just an incredible actress because I couldn't tell. It was like, you know, I wasn't sure. I was like, is she late because of the hair? And then It was just a little bit too slow. And I can't comment on the whole set because one thing I've learned from past years is there is so much going on. If you find yourself in a position where you're like, oh, I'm not sure this is for me, then I have stayed for things and then regretted just not leaving before. Now I'm just like, I'm going to give it a go. If I don't like it, just leave. There's other things on. So we actually decided to just leave Lana. Some of our friends that stayed, I think they liked her, but yeah, it just, it just wasn't enough for me. I mean, it was, it was so slow. At one point they closed so that you couldn't go up on the railway track because so many people were leaving. So you have to go like all the way around.

1:47:22Jessi Yeah.

1:47:23V Yeah. All I remember is the hairbrushing.

1:47:25Miguel Yeah, it's the same. But I, from what I could read, she's been getting late to all her gigs recently. But also she's been getting raving reviews at the same time. So I don't know if it's done on purpose, is to sort of create some sort of aura around the whole persona. I don't know. But she played Hyde Park just a few days after, or just a few days ago, and again she got really great reviews. But so it's an interesting one, is like, is she bad for Glastonbury, or will she get another shot and maybe even bigger? Who knows?

1:47:59Jessi But I don't know, I'm gonna put my unpopular opinion in here, but for me, there is no— like, Lana Del Rey is the biggest vibe kill for a Saturday night. Like, don't get me wrong, I love her music, but there was no way I was going to stand in that field and listen to her beautiful, but, you know, like, uh, really slow melodic— I was like, it's Saturday night, you could— there is— I would be anywhere else on site except there. I would, I, I would have gone to a BST gig, don't get me wrong. If— I mean, obviously the tickets are like hundreds of pounds and BST is, wow, expensive. But it, you know, it's the kind of thing that if a mate invited me to, I would have gone to. But, uh, Glastonbury Saturday night is precious to me and there's no way I would have been there.

1:48:43Terry I'm totally with you on that one as well.

1:48:45Jessi Good.

1:48:45Terry You've been drinking all day, you're— you've been drinking all day, you're having the best time, the sun's just gone down, you're, you're pissed, and then you listen to all these sort of dreary love songs. I don't know. I said it on Twitter, I think, and lots of people sort of coming back at me saying about her album sales and all of this. And I just thought, okay then, that's fine.

1:49:07Jessi That's what I mean, mega unpopular opinion, I realize. And like I said, I like her songs and her voice is beautiful, but— and obviously she wanted to be headliner of this, you know, that's— she obviously was very clearly adamant about being headliner. But if she'd have been like a 7 PM West Holts, maybe she would have— she wouldn't have done West Holts, but do you know what I mean? That would have been like a really nice thing. But there's no way at 9, 10, 11 PM I want to be listening to that. Sorry, I'm gonna get so much hate for this, I can see it now.

1:49:40Miguel But I'm with you, I'll back you.

1:49:42V Yeah, I was being diplomatic because I have felt it on Twitter when I expressed my one opinion, so She was beautiful. She sounded lovely. It just wasn't free.

1:49:51Jessi Great.

1:49:53Miguel Well, we, as we always say, we can keep talking for hours, but we should start considering to go towards the end. As we know as well, Glastonbury is not just music. There's so much more going on. And not just in terms of non-music performers such as the circus area. You can also take part into workshops, activities, and wellness and yoga. You can get a massage, you can carve a spoon. Did you do any of that, V?

1:50:21V I mean, you are so right. It's like the— and I do always find when you go through those areas, I'm like, I wish this festival was a whole week so that I can actually do a lot of the other things.

1:50:30Jessi Preach, preach.

1:50:31V Whereas music is so big that I'm like, I, I get stuck with that. I would love a few days just to actually explore Healing Fields, Greenpeace area, and everything else. Like even going up to Strummerville, you know, going to areas where I don't feel like I get enough chance to go to. Um, so no, I'm trying to think. Not really this year. I think the, the closest we ended up towards more like unexpected things is like there's a great little tent next to the Rabbit Hole where you can go in and just grab a random instrument and people just play and sing and create their own little bands, which is brilliant.

1:51:07Miguel Like the jam bar kind of thing?

1:51:09V Yes, like especially like that at 1 AM. Highly recommend. And then the Avalon karaoke nights, I just love as well. When you've got this person that's sitting on a keyboard or a little piano playing songs and just anyone can come up from the crowd and sing along. That's, that's, I mean, it's probably—

1:51:28Terry I never knew about this.

1:51:29Jessi Oh God.

1:51:30Miguel Yeah.

1:51:31Terry Oh my God.

1:51:32Miguel You know what? There's a video of me that circulates amongst my friends from Jessi's the night That I went too hard on a Wednesday and I kind of lost everything.

1:51:41Jessi Oh yeah, I— the night that you were absolutely obliterated at about 7 PM that night, is that the one?

1:51:49Miguel Yeah, so it continued. That was 7, but then I continue, and then there's a video that a friend of mine did of me because I was at this sort of jam bar at the piano and sing-along. But anyway, I digress. But there's a— there's a— it's a good place to go, Terry. Yeah, find the sing-along bars in the evening.

1:52:05Jessi Amazing.

1:52:06Terry Next year.

1:52:07Miguel Uh, did you, did you partake in any activity or any known music highlights, Harry?

1:52:13Terry I mean, I'm— I don't want to sound like a simpleton, but if I'm in a good state of body and mind, I'm, I'm looking for music. So the only times— and this is no bad thing— but the only times I generally go around maybe healing fields and things like that is when I really need a break from it all. You know, there's that kind of hour out of the day where you Think, oh my God, I just need to sit somewhere or relax. But I'm, I'm, I'm too, I'm too simple to be going to all the things where people are making the crafts and things like that. I mean, I'm chasing the, the highs too much, I think. But it's, it's really great. Like I, um, on the Sunday this year, I spent the morning in the Theatre and Circus because I needed a bit of a lower, a lower vibe than sort of beats around me all the time. So, um, And, and those kind of, those kind of times, it's perfect to sort of explore the other stuff when I want to take it down a little bit. But, um, again, that's no bad thing at all. It's— I'm really pleased that that's there for me to just sort of explore and go into the sort of cabaret tent and all of this that they've got there. So yeah, I, I don't seek it, but I go to it when I need it.

1:53:22Miguel Uh, Jessi, I think you mentioned Power Balance Yoga a few times. Yeah.

1:53:26Jessi Um, yeah, so I, I did mention that a few times. Um, I did go this year, but I did not partake despite the fact that my tent, uh, my camper van, sorry, was possibly 60 meters from the Greenpeace stage. So I really did not have far to stumble. I think it's the, the powerball yoga is on at 10 AM every day, right? And this year they didn't let them do it on the Wednesday, uh, sorry, on the Thursday. So they only did it Friday, Saturday, Sunday. So needless to say, I did stumble out of bed and, you know, just just chuck on any old clothes and just go and have a look. But I, I hadn't quite got myself in the zone yet to partake. But as always, she did a fantastic job and it was so funny. There were a group of our mates there and we all went for breakfast afterwards and it was, it was really, really good fun. So Pow Bell Yoga is always a smash and we'll always recommend it if you can get up and get to Greenpeace for 10 AM. It's worth it. And then, God, what else? I went to Theatre and Circus Yeah, mainly because I'd spoken to the guys on, um, the podcast a couple of episodes ago, and they had— just having that conversation with them made me realize how much I'd been missing out on. But so I went to the Big Top, and I actually saw and said hello to Ed Petrie, who was on the podcast, um, and it was great to watch a bit of circus. It's mega what they do in there. Like, it's just Constant. Each act, I think, is around like 20 minutes, maybe 25 minutes, and then they do a whole mega changeover to something completely different. One of the things we saw was a, a guy who was like clearly a Michael Eavis impersonator or spitting image of, and, uh, he came out and did a whole act as Michael Eavis and was like up on a unicycle and juggling things and all this kind of thing. And it was all to the Wurzels songs. So Combo Novice and all this kind of thing. So that was very funny. And I obviously went and saw Oh My God! It's The Church, but the reason I mentioned that is because they were on Sensation Seekers stage, which is actually in the Theatre and Circus area. So it was a slightly different audience and it was actually really good fun. It was a bit more participatory than usual, like lots of people, you know, like they were interacting with the crowd quite a bit more and stuff. So that was good fun. And yeah, actually, just while I think of it, I have to apologize to Ed, and I'll do it on this podcast because when I met him this Glastonbury, the one, um, one of the main negatives was that it's my own damn fault, but I lost my voice on the Friday. So literally Friday, Saturday, Sunday, I was having to like whisper at people like this. And it was bad because I actually— and again, shout out to all you lovely people who listen to this podcast because I had so many people come up and say hello, and it was so lovely. A bit like, um, discombobulating, like when people just come up to you and go, oh, you're Jessi! And I'm like, oh God, yes, I am.

1:56:22Miguel Hello.

1:56:23Jessi Especially if you're a bit drunk. Um, but I have to apologize to everyone because so many people said hello to me on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and I had to say to them, I was like, I'm so sorry, I've lost my voice. And Like, I just couldn't have a conversation with someone. So my usual chatty, you know, can't shut up self, um, had to just sort of hug them and, and shrug and be like, sorry. And a few of them, when I started talking, were like, looked at me confused because they were like, that's not the voice I recognize. I was like, yeah, sorry about that. But yeah, so sorry, Ed, and sorry to everybody else who said hello that I couldn't, I couldn't properly have a chat with. But yeah, sorry, uh, slight diversion there. What else did I do? We went to the Stone Dragon, which was nice, um, and went up to the Stone Circle. I don't normally do that. It is very nice just to sit down and, and be present, you know, just sort of look out on Glastonbury and kind of go, this is a really lovely place to be. But like you guys have said, I'm usually chasing, chasing the next thing and there's never enough time. So it was good to make time for that. Um, I didn't carve a spoon. I didn't go to the crop fields. Or Green Fields at all this year, which I feel bad for. But I did obviously spend a lot of time at Greenpeace, and there's a lot of things on there that aren't necessarily huge big bands. I saw a really great, um, I think they're called the Beatbox Collective. They were awesome, like a beatbox group. Glitterbox on Friday— sorry, that's another music thing, but shout out because that was amazing. It was just all the fabulous Glitterbox dances and loads of disco music and very like queer joy takeover. It's delightful. Uh, and yeah, I'm running out of— I can't remember anything more, Miguel. Um, I mainly was doing music things, if I'm honest.

1:58:04Miguel So, uh, Jessi, another question then for you. So the Rack Shack wasn't there this year, so did you find any other food that you loved?

1:58:12Jessi Yes, actually. Oh, there was a really, really good one in West Holts that I've noticed lots of people are shouting out, and it was, um, Cajun food, and it was called something like Bayou Bar. Um, yeah, did you go as well, V?

1:58:24V I did. It's actually— I found it a few years ago randomly, I think at like 2 AM, or maybe, maybe it was like 1. I hadn't eaten all day and I was like, oh, there was no queue, I'm just gonna grab some food. And since then, every year I'm like, it's one of the best food at the festival.

1:58:40Jessi Yeah, honestly, I'm always in the mood.

1:58:41V I can never remember the name.

1:58:43Jessi Yeah, I, I honestly, uh, we had it on the first day because when you've been there 4 days and then the traders finally open on Wednesday, we you know, shout out to Greenpeace crew catering, it's delicious. But after 4 days of vegetarian vegan food, I was like, I really would quite like some meat right now. Um, so as soon as the traders opened, we like went straight out the Greenpeace gate and, you know, that was directly in front of us basically. We were like, there, that sounds good. Cajun chicken, amazing. And yeah, it was a really hearty sized bowl and you had like, uh, Cajun seasoned fries and then really well cooked and well seasoned, um, Uh, like chicken thighs and then like this incredible coleslaw. And then their sauces were amazing. They were like homemade sauces on the top as well. So, and it was something like £12 for a bowl, which, you know, I thought was pretty reasonable considering the size of it. So that was my biggest find. And V, I'm, I'm annoyed now that I didn't find it before. I didn't realize, I thought it was a new one. So, right, well, that's added straight to my list to go to multiple times. Anything else escape me? Actually, I can't think of anything else.

1:59:45V Sorry, Miguel.

1:59:45Miguel And Terry, anything else, or your diet was Pringles and cider?

1:59:49Terry Um, largely Pringles and cider, but, um, I did, I did have to remind myself to eat. Last year I had a terrible Sunday and I ruined it, and so I had to remember to eat and drink a lot of water all the time. I'm a grown man, but I still have to remind myself. So every morning I went to Eat the Farm, which is near West Holts, which is, um, it's really well priced as well. It's like £6. You get a breakfast burger thing and it's a really good way to start the day. But aside from that, I must say I'm being the simpleton again, but I just went to a kind of generic pizza place or I got sort of, I was really into, there were some really nice places that did duck wraps and things like that as well. I was getting really into that. But yeah, I always intend to go to loads of different places. I see them before and then when I get there, I have a few ciders and then, I mean, I just eat anything. Just like it's a normal Friday night in town or something like that.

2:00:48Jessi Yeah.

2:00:48Miguel Right.

2:00:49Jessi All right.

2:00:49Miguel Okay. So let's talk about the weather. You feel like the new normal really is instead of hoping for no rain and no mud, we should start hoping for like, I hope it's not as hot. Uh, you, Terry, you mentioned you had a difficult time because of how hot it was.

2:01:05Terry It was each— it's each to their own. Some people can just walk around in it all day long. But I can't. And it was so hot. I went to, um, hot chip at, at Woodsy's, which was like 10 o'clock at night. And, um, even then I was boiling hot inside that tent. It was absolutely roasting. But the, the worst of it was when obviously it was sort of between 12 and 4 and it was just absolutely cooking. I was burning all over and it was, it was a little bit unbearable. We're so spoiled. We're complaining about sort of—

2:01:37Jessi Yeah.

2:01:38Terry We're so spoiled at Glastonbury, but, um, so to be complaining about hot sun and nice weather is a bit much. But, um, if it was just maybe 5, 6 degrees less hot than that, it would've been really, really pleasant. But, um, it does sort of hamper you a little bit because you're worried about dehydrating and you've, you're slapping on the sun cream and things like that. But I really can't complain though. It's anything but 2016 is absolutely fine with me. I'm quite happy to wear the wellies, anything. I just don't want a downpour, so I'm really not complaining about this year, even with that said.

2:02:12Miguel And V, you started your journey in 2016 and now you have to deal with the hot. What do you think?

2:02:18V I mean, the thing is, like, I remember leading up to this festival that we were obsessing looking at the weather charts and following like the E-Festival forums. And any moment that I thought that it was potentially like that it could be too hot, I was then reminded at the potential of like insane rain. And instantly I was like, I'm absolutely fine with this. Like, I will, you know, you, you obviously, if you can pick weather, it's— I, you don't want it to be burning hot, but always remember that there is a chance that it can be raining loads. And to me, it's just like, it ruins, you know, there's a chance that it ruins sound and it's not as easy to like sit around. I mean, 2016 was just like impossible to sit anywhere.

2:02:57Jessi Yeah.

2:02:58V Whereas I think like, I personally, the weather that was this year, whenever I reflect and go, Would I take it over rain? I'd be like, yes, yeah. So it was perfect, just like good rain.

2:03:08Miguel Uh, Jessi, you have fabulous costumes and you were still braving and using them despite all the weather, the hot weather.

2:03:16Jessi Yeah, I was. I will say that I definitely did not bother with makeup most days. I had all this like, you know, plan was that I'm gonna do fabulous makeup every day. Absolutely did not. It was too hot for that. I, I, I thought it was okay, like There have been hotter Glastonbury days for me, so it was consistently hot, don't get me wrong. And definitely agree with Terry, if it was like 4 degrees cooler, it would have been absolutely perfecto. But I think we were clever and just, you know, took shade when we needed it, um, sat down when we needed it, like you said, Bee, um, drank a lot of water. And I had you know, I had a fan with me, so as long as I had my fan with me, I was fine. Because it's— I don't know why, but for some reason my face is the thing that gets the most hot. And then a couple of my friends had bought like spritz bottles that they filled with water, and the combination of spritzing your face and then fanning your face was just— honestly, it was, uh, it was what saved our festival, I think, was just being able to spritz yourself in the face with water and then fan yourself cool. But yeah, it was hot. And I would've struggled a lot more if I was in a tent. Sorry, Terry. But I still was able to sleep in till like sort of 10, 11 most mornings because the camp— we had to get up at 7 and open all the sort of windows and flaps to the campervan, but then get back into bed and I could sleep until, you know, I had enough sleep. So it was good. And yeah, agree with Bea, like I would definitely take what we had over a rainy year any day. But it would have been nice, like an overnight rain on like Saturday morning, just to— because yeah, just to sort of freshen things up, I guess, and dampen down the dust. But yeah, I can't, can't complain at all. Had a lovely time and was too hot at times, but dealt with it. I definitely never wore a jacket, like even at night, even when I was out till 4 in the morning. There was a couple of times I brought a layer with me and just absolutely did not need it. I was still warm way into the night.

2:05:14V So All good.

2:05:15Miguel Yeah.

2:05:15V And I mean, on Tuesday we sat up on the hill watching the site and watching that insane level of rain coming away.

2:05:21Jessi Oh yeah.

2:05:22V And that's not— and I was just thinking, oh my God, please don't give us this. Please don't give us this. I think maybe that's why I'm like super grateful for the weather.

2:05:28Miguel Yeah, it would be great if it would be consistent at least, because every year it feels like you need to prepare for doom, either be it muddy or too hot or rain. If you know what you were getting every year, it was easier. But anyway, we cannot control the weather, but we're going to keep obsessing over it. So, uh, guys, let's move on. And it's the last 2 questions. And the first of the last 2 questions is, is that anything— I think, Terry, you said that, and we always say that Glastonbury is always— it feels like you're always learning and adapting and changing and doing things differently. And every year could be a different experience. Uh, is that anything you learned this year that you're thinking, I should approach this differently next time? Gary, let's start with you.

2:06:12Terry For me, it sounds really negative, but it's what I touched on earlier about the late-night areas. And it sounds depressing to say, but the conversation in our group was, let's just sort of be around Silver Hayes and just not even bother with going to those areas because it really was a bit of a vibe killer when you make your way all the way across the site to find the sort of southeast corner is closed. And when you do get there, as much as there is on offer, If you're looking for kind of dance music like I am, you straight away think, oh, Arcadia. And then you go to Arcadia and it's round. And I'm totally fine with it. But if next year I would be fine with just avoiding it and sort of trying different things out. And maybe this is the way it will evolve for me. Maybe this is a good thing. This is the way it's meant to be. And I'll see different things I'm not used to seeing. But I'm comfortable with it, but I do think, um, unless things are different in some way, which is very difficult for them to put into place, I appreciate. I just want to sort of see what I can do. There's an alternative to those places, I think, next year, but I'm all for it though.

2:07:19Miguel That's great. Could be, as I say, could be a change that comes for to bring something good and different for you.

2:07:25Jessi Yeah.

2:07:26Miguel And you, V, anything you want to do differently next year?

2:07:29V Um, I think I think it's more something that I've tried to do like over the years, and maybe this year was the one where I felt I could succeed at the most. But it's just not following or going to things because someone says that they are, you know, this is going to be a huge thing, or because you feel like you need to be there, or because you have to make it there once, you know. Whether that is— I don't know, I'm just thinking over the years I have gone to those bits, whereas I think with the years that have gone, I've been better at just saying, like, this year was the year where I had option A or option B, and every day felt like I could stay at an act that I was at and have one type of day, or I go and see something else that I had on. And just being okay with making a decision in that moment and just going with what you feel is right rather than where everyone else is going, I think— keep on— for me personally, keep on doing that. And that probably follows Tara's point as well, where I go you know, Southeast Corner for me has— over the years I felt like I get more from other areas. Others obviously love Southeast Corner, I'm not saying anything about that, but then not feeling like you have to force yourself to go there. Or if there's something particularly you don't love, like a Pyramid headliner, don't go because it's a Pyramid. Go, go do something else. And I was much better at it this year. I think that's something I want to do even better next year.

2:08:45Terry That's such a good point. That's so true, isn't it? And it's— I think about that all the time. I tell that to sort of the group, just Yeah. Like, just do what you want to do. Don't worry about sort of going to— going with the crowd. We don't all have to do the same thing. Just do your thing that you want to do. It's a really good point that.

2:09:00Miguel I feel like that's a very big learning people have in their Glastonbury journey. And sometimes it might take a few festivals for you to get that freedom and allow yourself and also maybe get the group dynamics right. And yeah, that's quite interesting. And I feel like this is where I was when I come back from the festival in 2018, when I was thinking what I wanted to do differently is something else that happened later after you've been to so many festivals that you create all these sort of rituals and you go there every year and you want to hit those notes again. And this is something I was working myself to let myself go out of that because I got out of the group dynamics, but then I put myself into a position where I was feeling, uh, let's say I wouldn't be happy if I didn't do that. If Wednesday, that thing that I always do didn't happen, and then Thursday, and that, that I was reworking my, uh, approach to the festival in terms of, it's very similar to what you're saying, but almost differently as well. And maybe part of the reason I gave myself a break, uh, wow, it became therapy now. Uh, well, we did say that we did start the whole Twitter podcast and some sort of therapy group. Uh, Jessi, what, what do we— what do you want to share? No, honestly, Jessi, the pillow is with you now.

2:10:21Jessi The pillow's with me. Um, I was, I was gonna say, you know what, I was listening to you guys and actually genuinely I feel like this year I did it. I had the best mixture of things. Like for example, I went to bed after Guns N' Roses on the Saturday night. No, I did Guns N' Roses, then I went to see Church, and then I went to bed at 1 o'clock, which is very unlike me. Um, and I, I feel like I did everything— I don't want to say perfect because there's always things that you're like this, that, and the other— but I feel like I made the right choice every time this year. I didn't overstress myself. I saw loads of my friends, but I also had some nice times just me and Ben. I saw everything I wanted to see. There wasn't any like, oh God, why have I come here? I should be somewhere else. And I've come here because someone, so-and-so told me to be there. I didn't do as much theatre and circus as I genuinely wanted to. Yes, we spent like an hour and a half there on Sunday, but it, it, when I did walk through there, I was like, God, I've done it again and I should have been in here more because it is, it is the thing that you don't get at any other festival, right? But to V's point, there's not enough time. Can we arrive on the Tuesday and have Theatre and Circus open on the Wednesday and then the music start on Friday? I feel like that would be perfect for me. But yeah, so apart from that, I genuinely— I know I've got the pillow and I should be confessing or admitting, but I feel like I did it well this year and I just hope to continue that. Maybe I didn't try as much food as I was planning to. Again, I would We would have breakfast at the campervan and then we'd go out. I'd have one thing and it would usually be like, oh, quickly grab something before we go and do this. And then I would drink loads and then forget about it and then just stuff myself with like chips when I needed them at night. I could do it in the morning. But no, honestly, I, I, I, I think I did it well and I'm, I'm really happy with it. I have zero regrets and it was lovely.

2:12:24Miguel Well guys, I think it's time for our last question and Just to wrap everything up, and it's, do you like Glastonbury and would you recommend it to a friend? No, I'm joking. That's not the last question, but, but it is a question that we always make as well. And it, it's, it's very easy, but also very difficult because we discuss so much about it. But to wrap things up, just say whatever comes to your mind first. What was your Glaston moment this year?

2:12:52V Oh, Elton John. Yeah, definitely has to be that moment. Rocketman, that rocket in the sky, the energy. Yeah, that was it.

2:13:02Terry That's great.

2:13:03Miguel And Terry, and it's okay if it's the same thing.

2:13:05Terry I'm so sorry to be so boring, but it's literally exactly the same. Yeah, that's great.

2:13:12Miguel And what about you, Jessi?

2:13:14Jessi Right, I'm gonna do a top 3. So Elton John, Ben DJing, and then the Foo Fighters into Fred Again. Just those few hours I was with a really good group of friends and we just had the— just, you just constantly have a smile on your face. Like, I did not— and I was singing all the songs and I had such a great time. So those 3: Elton John, Ben DJing, and, uh, and Fred Again and, um, Foo Fighters.

2:13:37Miguel Well, guys, Thank you so much for your time. Thank you for sharing. I almost feel like I was there. So thank you so much for, for being here with us today.

2:13:52Terry Pleasure.

2:13:53V Thank you so much.

2:13:54Miguel And for our listeners at home, uh, we always have an open stage for you. You can go to contribute.glastocast.co.uk to send us an audio clip. Uh, keep an eye on the socials. Jessi is always asking for your contribution and letting you know what we're looking for. before. I would say if you would like to go there right now and do that thing we did at the start, so go to contribute.glastocast.co.uk and complete the sentence, my Glastonbury 2023 was, and send us your contribution.

2:14:26Jessi Yeah, just to echo what Miguel said, thank you so much for joining us, you two. It's been one of our longest chats, but I've so enjoyed it, and it's been so interesting to hear your Glastonburys as well as you know, normally it's just me and Miguel, and it's so nice to have some other people come and share their experiences as well. So it's been so lovely to have you. Until next time, so, so good to tell you all about our Glasto 2023, and speak to you soon. Bye!