View Active ThreadsCreate an account on HarderFasterLogin to HarderFaster Information for Promoters Information for Advertisers Search HarderFaster About HarderFaster Link to this Page
[HarderFaster] - Work Hard, Play Harder!
Home | News | What's On | Annual Poll | Photos | Forums | DJs | Features | Music | Venues | Reviews | Links |

  Features
Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’!
Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases!
Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme!
Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works.
Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain!
Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September!
NEM3SI$ - I Live for the Night – talks superficiality, psychopaths, and bittersweet success, ahead of a plethora of evocative, emotional, and passionate upcoming melodic techno releases!
Psy-Sisters Spring Blast Off! We talk to DJ competition winner ROEN along with other super talents on the lineup!
Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast!
Shyisma talks parties, UFO's, and Shotokan Karate ahead of his upcoming album 'Particles' on Iono-Music!
SOME1 talks family, acid, stage fright and wolves - ahead of his upcoming album release ‘Voyager’ on Iono-Music in February 2023!
The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023!
NIXIRO talks body, mind and music production ahead of his release 'Planet Impulse' on Static Movement's label - Sol Music!
Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project
The Psy-Sisters chat about music, achievements, aspirations and the 10-Year Anniversary Party - 18/12/22!
A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden
Earth Needs a Rebirth! Discussions with Psy-Trance Artist Numayma
Taking a Journey Through Time with Domino
New Techno Rising Star DKLUB talks about his debut release White Rock on Onhcet Republik!
PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records!
Psibindi talks all things music including her new collaborative EP 'Sentient Rays' on Aphid Records, her band Sentience Machine and 10 years of Psy-Sisters!
N-Kore talks Jean-Michel Jarre, unfinished tracks and fatherhood!
Celebrating International Women’s Day and Ten Years of Psy-Sisters with Amaluna
A Catch Up with John Phantasm ahead of his upcoming set at the Tribal Village 4 Day Outdoor Event in Kent 6-9 May 2022!
'The Maestro that is Tristan talks barn owls, Shazamming and keeping it Psychedelic ahead of his upcoming performance at the Tribal Village 4 Day Event in Kent 6-9 May 2022!
DJ talk with Psyrenzo ahead of his debut set at Tribal Village, the Steelyard this Friday 14th January 2022!
TENZO aka Overdrive talks freely about launching his new act which will be showcased at Tribal Village, Steelyard on 14 January 2022!
A long overdue catch up with JourneyOM ahead of his next Tribal Village party this Friday 14th January 2022 at the Steelyard, London!
Goa based party animal and artist extraordinaire Nirmal talks punk concerts, metal sculptures, flying and rippin' it up on a High Tide!
DJ Wired talks to us about the Rise of the Hope and parties, ahead of his upcoming set at Tribal Village on 14th January 2022!

HarderFaster Guide to Glastonbury 2015

Reported by Craig Gunn / Submitted 23-06-15 16:24

Come rain or shine, Glastonbury is still regarded, with a slight nod to my own personal love affair of the past 15 years, as the ‘mother of all festivals’. It has been rocking and rolling since the day after Jimi Hendrix died in 1970. Back then you could purchase a ticket for £1 to see the Kinks – the following year it was free for Bowie!

Over the years the line-ups have been at times epic; other times there has been a backlash unjustly lathered on the Eavis clan for their inclusion of Kanye West this year for example. There have always been controversial bookings and many naysayers of Glastonbury line-ups. Last year it was for Metallica, who, by all accounts, were fantastic and then Jay-Z the year previously. Even Dolly Parton last year on Sunday afternoon had 100,000 people eating out of the palm of her hand whilst playing the Benny Hill theme tune backwards on saxophone, a surprising goose bump moment for me - who years previously had cried when Radiohead played Fake Plastic Trees – oh how times have changed.



The shift from traditional rock band headliners to electronica acts has a long history, since the NME Stage in 1995 showcased The Chemical Brothers and Leftfield - both of whom went onto headline main stages – so get with the programme people this is no longer a Brit version of Woodstock – but an evolving behemoth that has a dynamic and fully inclusive eye on the crowd – young and old.

We could dwell on days gone past of free Glasto, jumping the fence Glasto, tunnelling in Glasto (this is how I got in 2000 via a Liverpudlian and £5) – before it got corporate, or shed a tear as even legal highs look to be scapegoated and targeted this year. No laughing gas particularly. (that noise will be missed up at the Sacred Stones) Or we could just embrace the Glastonbury for what it is – simply put, a life changing and very special experience.



This year’s event has already made mainstream news. Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl takes an unplanned stage dive at a recent gig in Sweden, breaks his leg in several places, but in true rock ‘n’ roll fashion gets back on stage - plaster cast and all - and continues the gig. However this week the band announced they were pulling out of Glasto and the Friday Pyramid headline slot was thrown into turmoil. Cue Twitter and Facebook meltdown. Step up Florence and the Machine with emotive pop anthems which will please most but otherwise cover up what is relatively a poor main stage line-up – or maybe this is just the time for Florence to grab the mantle of main-stage power-house princess and create her own goose-bump moment.



However – being HARDERFASTER - I say forget Kanye – I’m going to look at where to get mash-up to dance music for those interested in all things electronica!
Glastonbury has so many areas to choose – but most of the dance things really only come alive after 10pm.

Arcadia which is the mighty metal spider that spews fire and hard beats probably deserves a visit for Adam Beyer, Maceo Plex and Skream. This Mad Max style mechanical monster has one rocking sound system and never disappoints even though it is a trek you can feel the heat from the flamethrowers from the PARK arena.



During the festival an urban sprawl rises up from the farms cheese making cow fields. Looking vaguely like a council estate in Barking - Block 9 rises to the occasion and is for die-hard clubbers and this year it should be epic for disco god Cerrone and Four-Tet.

The Glade has our Lost Dawn favourites Way Out West for some sunset uplifting breaks and trance – I’ll be there for that set before a hop skip and a jump to the first part of Deadmau5 on the Other Stage before making the pilgrimage over to SILVER HAYES to see the highlight of my weekend Leftfield who will be playing the hits plus some tasting new tracks from their new album. It’s a shame though as Public Service Broadcasting appear at the Glade at the same time - you can’t have everything all the time at Glastonbury. You have to pick and choose your shows wisely whilst allowing plenty of time to walk from one stage to the other stopping for a cup of Chai Tea, a dirty burger or a visit to the eco-friendly “long drop” toilets (don’t look down).



Talking of which, I downloaded the EE official Glastonbury app which has the full line-up so you can check for clashes, drop pins where you and your friends’ tents are, and basically use it to communicate your whereabouts and line-up choices with your Facebook friends.

Click to get the App for Google Android or Apple iOS

Alternatively, Glastonbury still publishes full information on their website http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/ including line-ups for all stages and stite map.



The Glade Café has good friend Tom Real and Tristan taking it psychedelic. Shangri-La has many clubs. Last year I played the 66Sick and I believe that is back on again with Dan Ascherl taking the helm spinning trademark trance beats. Norman Jay MBE will also be frequenting the wheels of steel in Shangri La and for some epic fun Red Dwarf’s Craig Charles and his funk soul experience is riotous fun. No Glasto would be complete without an epic Fatboy Slim set - he is on at THE BLUES Saturday at 1:30 whilst Nick Warren plays simultaneously at the Spaceport.

There is usually an unannounced Fatboy Slim set which is murmured on the lips of festival goers from the time you arrive so keep your ears peeled. Madness, Thom Yorke, Jarvis Cocker and Damon Albarn usually appear in this clandestine manner as well.



The youth of Glasto will loiter down at the big circus tents of Silver Hayes and the larger West Holts stage which this year gives us Hot Chip, Caribou and Todd Terje.

If you are planning to sit on your picnic rug sipping chardonnay and plot on the mains stages then the OTHER STAGE beats Pyramid this year. Mark Ronson and Rudimental will be smashing it Friday whilst Deadumau5 takes the helm on Saturday. The Chemical Brothers will be closing with their trademark Block Rockin Beats and for the hardcore - Sunday night in Shangri La is something very special. SO MUCH TO DO – and so little time to do it. Although the main acts are FRI/SAT/SUN the gates actually open on Wednesday 8am so you have two days to chill, familiarise yourself with the site, adjust from the real world and enter the Rabbit Hole and magical world that is Glastonbury. Take Monday off work. And Tuesday if you’ve been on the sherbet.



For me the best surprises and experiences I have had at Glastonbury are the ad-hoc discoveries. The smaller clubs with no big names feel intimate and friendly and my advice don’t get stressed by crowds. From time to time, yes it will get busy - so if you are getting stressed take a chill pill - have a rest, take stock and don’t panic. Everyone there is friendly – it is staffed by some fantastic professionals and they have been doing it for 45 years so if you need assistance or information don’t be afraid to ask. Respect each other and the environment – there is plenty of recycling – don’t p**s in the bushes and leave no trace. If you explore the site with your blinkers on you won’t get the most out of the event. So that’s my tiny round-up – I’m cutting this feature short as I’m just about to start packing the car. I know I’m early…. but I’m a devotee of Glastonbury and long may it rain! (I mean reign).





Images taken from the HarderFaster archive and the Glastonbury web site. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Share this :: Facebook : Digg : Stumble Upon : Delicious
Follow HarderFaster :: Twitter
Other Features By Craig Gunn:
Glastonbury, The Biggest Show on Earth
I survived Glastonbury 2015
The Speed of Sound
THREE ‘BRINGS’ THE CROWD TO LOST DAWN
Cracking the Global Code with Greg Downey
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
Comments:

From: Vivacious on 2nd Jul 2015 08:38.52
Heartbeat Cry

From: bear grrrr on 10th Jul 2015 15:46.50
Good read

HarderFaster Jump
Bookmark and Share
All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective companies. All other content is (c) 2001-2024 HarderFaster.

Terms and Conditions | Privacy Statement | Text Mode