On to the main event, then - what's on this year? I firmly believe that 2010 sees the strongest line up the festival has seen for many years, certainly since I've been going. There are fantastic acts scattered over many stages over the three main days, but even before the main acts kick off on Friday morning, there are a few other highlights I feel I should mention.
1. Slovenia v England - World Cup Group C
Emily Eavis has confirmed that England's final World Cup group stage fixture will be shown on the big screens at the Pyramid Stage, with a 3pm kick off. Having been there for the Portugal match in Euro 2004, a HUGE crowd and great atmosphere is guaranteed.
The crowd at the Pyramid Stage for England v Portugal at Euro 2004
I'll be hoping for an England win this time (if we don't, we need shooting!!) and maybe a pint or 5 of cider to start off the celebrations...? Of course, should England qualify from their group as expected, it means they'll be playing again during the festival, on the Saturday or Sunday. I'm sure contingency plans will be made!
2. The 2nd efestivals World Cup - England v Rest of the World
Organised by some rather splendid members of
efestivals, this charity football match between England (yay!) and a Rest of the World 'selection' (boo!) will be kicking off at the Pyramid Stage field at 1pm on Thursday.
A photo from last year's event - England won 9-3!
Whilst I shall obviously attend the game to roar on the Three Lions, it's worth noting that the event is also raising money for
Wateraid, and you can donate by going to
this website. 2009's event managed to raise over £3,000.
So as well as raising money for a good cause and watching some finely tuned atheles strut around on a turf that Wembley would be proud of (actually, that's not a joke - Wembley's pitch is bloody awful), the trophy will be present by Michael Eavis himself, AND there will be entertainment on show courtesy of
Hobo Jones and the Junkyard Dogs.
Would 2 England victories in 2 days be too much to ask?!
3. Announced on
his website, Aynsley Lister will be performing at the new 'Jazz and Blues' stage (location TBA at the time of writing!). Having only recently heard him for the first time, it should be a great end to the day. You can't beat a bit of Blues. I'd certainly recommend listening to Aynsley Lister on Spotify - really looking forward to seeing him. And he has an awesome name.
4. REAL ALE!! We intend to partake in a few light ales after (who am I kidding?! More than likely before and indeed during) the efests World Cup game on the Thursday. The three bars that serve PROPER beer are
The Bimble Inn - located in The Park, The Avalon Inn - located (unsurpisingly enough) in the Field of Avalon, and of course Mecca itself - The Red Flag - located by the Acoustic Tent.
The amazing Bimble Inn
Whilst everyone (okay, okay - me included) have been wittering on about the line up since it was released last week, what we DON'T know is what the most important line up - the ALE line up - will be. We DO know that the Bimble Inn will be serving it's excellent array of Butts Organic Ales. Pleasing - a great start. But we'll be on tenterhooks just dying to know what delights the Red Flag will be serving up this year. Just in case you don't know what this 'Red Flag' place is, it's this:
Mecca from the outside
Here's me inside in 2007, savouring a pint of Woodforde's WherryI know it looks harmless and unassuming, but they probably said the same about Hitler (not that The Red Flag is in any way bad, merely that it's deceptive. I'm not trying to make this wonderful tent sound like a sadistic, murderous dictator). Inside that tent are around 10 different real ales, all excellently kept. Probably why the place doesn't open until the Thursday. Which leads me onto point number 5:
5. Cider - because it's Somserset!
I'm very much a real ale man, but I do enjoy a nice pint of cider. If ale is the thirst quenching equivalent of football, then cider is it's rugby alternative. It would be downright rude to spend 5 days in a field in Somerset without sampling some of the local ciders. There are two highlights for me. The first is an iconic part of the Glastonbury experience - the Burrow Hill Cider Bus.
With Rich and James by the Cider Bus in 2007 displaying the Burrow Hill pint cups. Very possibly after several refills of aforementioned pint cups.
The Cider Bus is a popular meeting point, due to it's distinct appearance and central setting. What ALSO helps of course is the stuff it serves. Burrow Hill is a fabulous drink, especially the Hot and Spicy variety which is especially useful at night when it can get rather cold. But one of the very best things about The Cider Bus is that it opens on the Wednesday. Whilst us ale-heads have to wait until Thursday to sample the delights of the Red Flag, the cider-ites out there have it easy and get 5 full days of cider abuse to look forward to. But fair enough - it's bloody good stuff.
The other essential drinking point is another iconic Glastonbury image - the
Brothers Bar. Situated in the West Holts field (previously known as the Jazzworld area until this year), a pint of Brothers festival strength pear cider on the Wednesday is a festival tradition. It's potent stuff, but rather moreish. It's no coincidence that you see many people asleep on the Wednesday and Thursday in the West Holts field.
Me and my mate Chris enjoying the 2-litre bottle of festival strength (sadly no longer served) in 2007
Brothers is now available nationwide from most major supermarkets, meaning I get to drink it all year round. But as nice as it is, it never tastes quite as good as it does at Glastonbury.
6. 'Bimbling' - it's not like I'd be lost for things to do without the World Cup (efests or FIFA) or drinking vast quantaties of alcohol (ale or cider). One thing I cannot stress enough is quite how big the festival site is, and how much there is to see and do before the main acts start on the Friday. My advice to anyone would be - put away any map and walk forwards. You will find something to do, something to look at, something a bit random, something funny, something memorable, something arty, something relaxing or something you never knew you'd find within the festival gates. Try it. Have a walk.
A footballer's handshake with a grasshopper. Nice and random.
Me with a dragon made out of tyres - Green Fields 2008
For many people, the Wednesday and Thursday are THE best days of the festival. And I can see why they might think this. To use another footballing analogy (it's World Cup year, and it's my sodding blog - so I'm allowed to), these two days are like the pre-match beers before heading to the ground. Not that I've ever spent two whole days in a pub before a game, of course...
June 23rd can't come soon enough. My England shirts (yes - plural - 2 games in 2 days, remember?!) will be freshly laundered in readiness.
