Glastonbury Festival 2007 review

ukevents · Joined: 15 Dec 2003 Posts: 1923

I’m going to go right out there and say in the first sentence that this years festival was possibly the most depressing of all the Glastonbury festivals I have been to. I could go on about the weather, but that’s probably slightly unfair as that’s somewhat uncontrollable. So instead I’ll grumble about the music, the alcohol, the general populous and the sub par mud evasion techniques.
I (a Glastonbury veteran) cracked and left on the Sunday afternoon. I’m not proud of this fact, truth be told I am a little disappointed in myself. However weighing up the pros and cons on the day, the decision was a fairly obvious one. And luckily I managed to realise this before the 400th bout of torrential rain was unleashed from the ominous looking heavens.
Arriving on the Wednesday afternoon we managed to set up rain-free and wander somewhat, and immediately I sensed that the festival had changed. The campsite citizens were not how I had remembered. They had their cans of Carling in one hand, cigarette in the other, walking around with such a hostile temperament. Don’t get me wrong I’m no prude, I like to bully with the best of them, but not at Glastonbury, Glastonbury is where you let your pseudo-hippy out and pretend you love everyone.
This year was my 19 year old brothers first year at Glastonbury, and he told me it was possibly “the best (lager-fuelled) week of his life”, which is more or less my point. Glastonbury has become so popular that it’s obviously impossible for them to maintain a respectable independent atmospheric status.
Practically every single band that played on the main stage had been on Top of The Pops. Where were the independent bands? The musicians who tirelessly play s***ty gigs throughout the country trying to gain a little response. They were all on the miniature stages when the “big bands” were on, attracting only the die-hard fans or drunken victims who had been ditched by their less drunk acquaintances.
I sound more resentful than I actually am; I suppose it’s just hard to accept change and myself growing up. It just seemed like everyone was there to get mashed and not wash for three days, instead of taking in the incredible ambience and attraction of Glastonbury.
I also couldn’t help but feel betrayed by the mud situation. Obviously the relentless rain didn’t give out much hope of there being a minor problem. But you’d think that by now a university somewhere could take a year off from discovering why cats get stuck up trees, and work out a system for preventing such a sludge reservoir.
Did anyone else find it ridiculously difficult to give two shits about Water Aid when tends would casually float past yours at two in the morning and the collection of water in your hood could water a small family for a week? And as I’m already going to hell for bad mouthing a charity, I might add how scandalous it was of Water Aid to sell their crappy plastic ponchos for £8. Did they not get enough off of us with the tickets?
The bands I decided to see were great, except for those performing on the Other Stage. Was there a sound problem for the whole festival or was it just the handful of bands I went to see there. Had the taxman been knocking on Mr. Eavis’s door or is quiet and tinny the new bass?
There were a few things that did actually make me feel like the event in all hadn’t been a total waste of money and time. Bat for Lashes was outstanding. Her sound and persona were beautiful, endearing and totally under appreciated. I should also mention the Aliens, who I’d never really considered before, but they put on a humorous and energizing show. Modest Mouse playing ‘Float On’ while the clouds drifted away and the sun shone briefly, was a pretty uplifting Glastonbury moment. Rufus Wainwright busting out in red lipstick, stockings and high heels to Judy Garlands ‘Get Happy’ was fantastic and entertaining despite the crappy sound quality.
I’d honestly like to end on an elevating and thoughtful note, but I don’t think I can. Maybe I wasn’t drunk enough (through choice and ridiculous pricing of crappy lager), maybe I lacked the social skills to put aside difference and bond on a lower level, maybe my expectations are too high. Or maybe, just maybe the festival has simply gotten crap.

Written by Emily for UKEvents.net