The news of Michael Jackson’s death rippled slowly across Glastonbury on Thursday night and Friday morning. You can imagine what it’s like when you’re out for the party of your life and someone comes up and says: “Michael Jackson’s died.” The initial reaction is disbelief.
I was with a bunch of people coming back from East 17’s performance in the Dance Tent and initially no one believed what we thought were daft rumours going around - the usual festival nonsense. Then some people rang home on their mobile phones and soon we’d heard enough to confirm it really was true. But it won’t be until the morning that everyone really wakes up to realise that Glastonbury 2009 will be remembered as the year a legend died.
- posted by Trina on June 25th, 2009 23:07
After a massive thunder-storm Michael Eavis has come out to check his new drainage system has worked. His site engineer confirmed it a success and said we may be in for a couple more t storms overnight but then it should be sun sun sun all weekend. COME ON!
- posted by NiguelT on June 25th, 2009 21:14
Our bloggers are hiding from the rain - just a few hours after Oliver was turning red in the blazing sunshine after forgetting to stick on any suntan lotion. The weather’s been enjoying itself today. After a short downpour in the morning it turned into a beautiful day. Then about two hours ago we had thunder and it started chucking it down. No sooner had everyone rushed out to dance in the rain that it all cleared up and the sun was back out. Just before 9, though, it really kicked off again - thunder, lightning and torrential rain. Who’d have Glastonbury any other way?
- posted by Will on June 25th, 2009 20:50
Here’s the sight huge numbers of people tried to see but couldn’t this afternoon - Paul Smith of Maximo Park opening Glastonbury with a set chosen entirely by fans voting on Facebook. So many people tried to flock to the new Queen’s Head stage that the start was delayed for 20 minutes and the security teams had to put up barriers and turn the crowds away.
The festival site has been getting more and more packed as the day goes on - and with the big music stages not opening until tomorrow it was probably inevitable that the Queen’s Head stage was going to be over-subscribed. Our bloggers Holly and Heather were two of the disappointed fans - but they’ll get another chance when Maximo Park play the Other Stage on Saturday night.
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- posted by Will on June 25th, 2009 19:33
Maximo kicked off the fest in fine fashion whilst the sun shone! Currently chilling backstage of peel. Reminiscing about baggie mondays and looking forward to that tonight. The real ale is tasting good but the rain has started again. Ah well the good times will still roll.
- posted by NiguelT on June 25th, 2009 19:10
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With the big music stages not swinging into action until tomorrow, all eyes are now on the brand new Queen’s Head Stage for the opening gig by Maximo Park.
Our competition-winning bloggers Oliver and Nick are in the crowd - well, right at the back of a very, very big crowd. You’ll see from their video that Oliver’s caught the sun. He’ll no doubt remember to put the sun lotion on tomorrow and that’ll be the cue for a torrential downpour.
Got this text in too from NiguelT: Arrived with the stewards welcoming me to Reading! I thought i had parked far away but not that far. Tent finally repaired and just about standing. Now waiting for maximo park at the queen’s head. Along with most of the rest of Glasto too.
- posted by Will on June 25th, 2009 15:37
The rain has cleared. The sun is shining. It’s hot, hot, hot! Everyone is out soaking up the sun, grabbing a bite to eat or wandering … just wandering. It looks like a few festival-goers still haven’t been to bed. Others are heading for the Queen’s Head Stage to see Maximo Park kick off the music action at 4pm. There are still people arriving on site in their thousands and it’s really starting to get busy.
- posted by TC on June 25th, 2009 15:23
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After bumping into two of their staff last night, we popped over to see Mr and Mrs Hurly Burly , who run the Solar Powered Vegetarian Cabaret. It’s a real fun place to grab a bite to eat. Every now and again totally unprompted all the staff stop serving food and break into dance routines.
Mella Punchard is from West Sussex and for Glastonbury and around seven other summer festivals she IS Mrs Hurly Burly. The team of 18 staff are a mixture of dancers and old friends and Mella says they also all happen to be great cooks. So, if you like your lunch with some added dance action head over to see them. You can also check them out at www.thehurlyburly.co.uk.
- posted by Holly on June 25th, 2009 14:43
And at exactly 11:18am the heavens opened. Spirits weren’t dampened, though, and within half an hour it was off again. The speed the poncho salesmen hit the marketplace was incredible. Less than two drops of rain and they were out in force.
And the way the poncho prices fluctuated was like a lesson in market economics. Raining heavily, £10 each. As the rain eased, they went down to £3. Buy now before the next downpour! That’s Nikki and Claire modelling their ponchos in the photo.
- posted by TC on June 25th, 2009 12:16
Got a bit of a shock when I came across this. And there’s a few more like it popping up around the site. Is Banksy in the vicinity?
- posted by Oliver on June 25th, 2009 09:27
