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A Greener Festival releases new talent CD

Last modified: June 2, 2010


Next Monday (June 7th), a new double CD featuring 28 of the best new British acts is being released by campaign and advice group A Greener Festival with bands tipped from bookers at some of Britain’s best-loved festivals, including Glastonbury.

Featured bands on Festival Harvest include the recently-crowned Glastonbury Festival Emerging Talent Competition winners Ellen & The Escapades, UK Festival Awards critic nominees Yearner Babies, The Orkid, the outstanding four piece girl band from Plymouth, Lykez, the brilliant and innovative urban act from London, Doncaster’s hot new talent The Beaus along with outstanding contributions from Mayhew and A Band Called Quinn, both from Scotland

Festival Harvest will be released as a limited edition double CD and will carry the IG (Industry Green) mark, the award from cross music industry climate change initiative Julie’s Bicycle which identifies a product as committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The album, manufactured by Disc Manufacturing Services, will dispense with the plastic jewel case and will be sold only in 100% card sleeves. The album will also be available to download.

A Greener Festival co-founder Ben Challis, who compiled the album, said: “Working with six of the top music festivals and two regional music initiatives really unearthed some magical talent. It’s an added bonus for us that they all have agreed to support green festivals and the fight against climate change.”

You can pre-order the CD, for between £5.99 and £6.99, from the following retailers:

– HMV
– Amazon.co.uk
– Play

Site snaps: Signs and sunsets

Last modified: June 1, 2010


Here’s our latest batch of photographs taken by Jason Bryant down on Worthy Farm. We begin with Dan Stuart, the sign man, who has been working at the Festival for 26 years. He and his team will be putting up around 2,000 signs this year.

Very lovely indeed.

The Guardian’s Festival ticket giveaway

Last modified: May 29, 2010


If you’ve missed out on a Glastonbury ticket so far, then you may be interested to know that The Guardian newspaper (one of our official partners) has launched a competition to win one of 50 pairs of tickets to this year’s Festival. If you’d like to be in with a chance of bagging a pair, then click here to enter, before midnight on Monday, May 31st.

Three new late-night areas announced!

Last modified: May 28, 2010


The eagle-eyed among you may have already noticed that there are three new areas on this year’s Fine Guide map. We’re now very pleased to be able to give you full details of these fantastic additions to Glastonbury’s late-night landscape. Say hello to Block9, The Common and The Unfair Ground.

“We were really keen to expand the number of late-night venues, because they were so busy last year and we wanted to give people more choice,” Emily Eavis told us. “I think with these new additions – plus existing areas like Shangri-La and Arcadia – it’s fair to say that late-night at Glastonbury will never have been better!”

Here’s the lowdown on the three new areas:

Block9
After the success of their acclaimed NYC Downlow, radical set designers Block9 are back. The crowning glory of the Block9 field is the brand new London Underground. A sinister, decaying tower block with a blazing tube train bursting from the top, this towering venue showcases the cream of London’s sound system underground. Plus, there will be disco, soul, funk and porn moustaches in the NYC Downlow and live bands and debauchery in DogFacedGeisha. Come and explore their wonderland of incredible creations and serious sound systems from sunset to sunrise. Click for more info.

The Common
The Common is home to bustling music venues, urban circus, late night bars, and a range of intimate sideshows.  Watch performers on vintage Indian motorcycles at Ken Fox’s incredible Wall of Death; expect the amazing, unusual, wicked sick, sorted, dirty and LARGE at Bassline Circus: rave to 360 degree visuals in The Igloo; grab a decapitated head at Hook-A-Head! to win a prize; and visit The Old Curiosity Shop to feast your eyes on bizarre artefacts and wondrous curios. Click for more info.

The Unfair Ground
Join Glastonbury legends the Mutoid Waste Co. at their party at the end of the world, featuring their latest sculptural lunacy: The Hellcopter, the nightclub of your wildest nightmares in the form of a Royal Navy helicopter crossed with a preying mantis. The brave can take a stroll down Sam Haggerty’s Joker’s Sideshow Alley or indulge in the hedonistic delights of The Acid House hosted by Bez. You can also prop up the bar at the Apocalypse Hotel, get down with the robots in Reverend Sharky’s Church Of The Holyroller, and check out underground art in the MuTate Britain tent. Or join the lovely Strummerville people around their campfire. Click for more info.

Bourbon Street Jazz ‘n’ Blues unveiled

Last modified: May 27, 2010


We’re very pleased to unveil a new venue which will be rocking the William’s Green area at this year’s Festival. Here’s what the organisers have to say about Bourbon Street…

Bourbon Street Jazz ‘n’ Blues – we are Big and we are Easy…
Party animal? Dancing queen? Fancy a tipple? If the answer to any of these is yes (and we’re sure it is) then Bourbon Street Jazz ‘n’ Blues is the venue for you. With our endless array of drinks, an atmosphere to die for and more talent than you can shake a stick at you’d have to be down-right daft not to get involved. Forget everything you think you know about jazz ‘n’ blues… this is the real thing.

The Music
At Bourbon Street our weapon of choice is jazz ‘n’ blues, and no, we’re not talking about dull, repetitive, sit down jazz ‘n’ blues. We’re talking about an atmosphere alive with the sound of sexy saxophones, rolling drum beats and dirty bass lines designed to get you dancing, with a few smooth grooves thrown in for good measure. Genres like Filthy Swing, Jump Jive and Texas Boogie Blues are just some of the funky styles that await you here at Bourbon Street. Do not miss out!

The Bar
Here at Bourbon Street Jazz ‘n’ Blues we take pride in the fact that we are offering you one of the most authentic experiences on site. Our watering hole is modelled on an original Bourbon Street bar straight out of New Orleans and features more than twenty different delicious bourbons, plus ice cold beers, fine champagnes, fresh ground coffee and a selection of signature cocktails including the ‘Hurricane’ and the ‘Hand Grenade’ to help make your visit to Bourbon Street the best you make all weekend.

The Line-up

Wednesday (All acts acoustic)
TBC
Dave Arcari
Bex Marshall
Charley Macaulay
Leon O’Doherty

Thursday
Aynsley Lister Band
Djangonauts
King King
Jacqui Wicks & The Cliff Brown Band
Scott McKeon
Ben Martin
Bex Marshall Band
Nicola Farnon
Dave Arcari

Friday
The Dizzy Club
Stephen Dale Petit
Kubla Khan
Oli Brown
Nicola Farnon
Aynsley Lister Band
Alpha Manouvre
Wagon Train

Saturday
Oli Brown
Wagon Train
Marcus Bonfanti
The Dizzy Club
P-A-U-L
Top Shelf Jazz
Brigitte DeMeyer
Carmen Ghia & The Hotrods (pictured, above)
Bex Marshall Band

Sunday
Alpha Manouvre
TBC
Top Shelf Jazz
P-A-U-L
Carmen Ghia & The Hotrods (pictured, above)
Brigitte DeMeyer
Ben Martin
Sandi Thom
All Star Gospel Session

The podcasts

With the permission of our artists, we’ve put together two free podcasts to give you a taste of what to expect from Bourbon Street.

Download the jazz podcast

Download the blues podcast

New Orleans art at Bourbon Street

Bourbon Street Jazz ‘n’ Blues will be featuring fantastic artwork depicting atmospheric scenes of the original New Orleans street, provided by artist and jazz and blues enthusiast, Diane Millsap.

Her vibrant, colourful and inspirational images will be displayed around the venue allowing audiences to witness the true beauty of the Big Easy whilst enjoying some incredible music and some tasty drinks.

Let the train take the strain

Last modified: May 27, 2010


If you’re planning to come to this year’s Festival by train, then head over to the Glastonbury travel page at our train ticket partner www.raileasy.co.uk for timetable info and possible savings on tickets.They’re offering advance single fares from London to Castle Cary from £10.50 and to Bristol from £10.00.

The best railway station to reach the Festival is Castle Cary. There’s a free shuttle bus for Festival ticket holders running between the train station and the Festival Bus Station. The shuttle bus service will run between Castle Cary station to Pilton and back throughout the Festival, from Wednesday to Monday (there is no service during the night when trains aren’t running). The last bus from the Festival to Castle Cary railway station will be at 5pm on the Monday. You will need your Festival ticket to use this bus service.

Gorillaz announced as new Friday headliners

Last modified: May 26, 2010


We’re very pleased to announce that the Friday night Pyramid Stage headline slot which U2 have been forced to vacate will now be taken by Gorillaz, who called offering their services once the news about U2 had broken.

Said Michael Eavis: “This is going to be Gorilllaz’ only UK festival appearance, and it’ll be a massive audio visual spectacle which will really ignite the Pyramid on the Friday night, with Muse, then Stevie Wonder to follow.

“I’m very excited about Gorillaz’ show coming here because they’re so open to guests and collaborations. The alchemy of Friday’s show is going to be astonishing: a perfect, contemporary way to kick off the 40th anniversary celebrations.

“I am so grateful for the enthusiasm of the media and the whole of the music industry for their willingness and eagerness to support us in what could have been a crisis.”

Said Murdoc from Gorillaz: “We’re like some great big horrible warship pulling in to the Bay of Glastonbury to save the day. It was us or The Beatles and they split up years ago. The previous soldiers got pulled from duty last minute so it’s up to my Plastic Beach naval cavalry to sail in and sort the battlefield out. I can assure you though, I’m bringing extra troops. Loads of them. Glastonbury will be ours…cutlasses drawn, trumpets ready. We’re coming in…”

Find the orange welly, win Glastonbury tickets

Last modified: May 26, 2010


One of the Festival’s official partners, Orange, has just begun its annual Glastonbury ticket giveaway. Head over to www.orange.co.uk/glastonbury where there’s the chance to win a pair of 2010 Festival tickets every day from today until June 9th. All you have to do is find their orange welly in the Glastonbury crowd.

U2 forced to cancel Glastonbury appearance

Last modified: May 25, 2010


Following a phone call from Bono to Michael Eavis this morning, we’re extremely sorry to report that U2 will not be able to perform their headline slot at this year’s Glastonbury Festival. This is due to the serious back injury which Bono sustained last week and the subsequent medical advice he has received.

Said Bono: “I’m heartbroken. We really wanted to be there to do something really special – we even wrote a song especially for the Festival.”

Said Michael Eavis: “It was obvious from our telephone conversation that U2 are hugely disappointed. Clearly, they were looking forward to playing the Pyramid Stage as much as we were looking forward to watching them. At this point, we have no comment to make about possible replacements for U2’s Friday night slot. Instead, we would simply like to send Bono our very best wishes for a full and speedy recovery.”

Pilton Palais cinema tent programme

Last modified: May 24, 2010


We’re pleased to announce the 2010 programme for the Pilton Palais cinema tent, which is located at the bottom of the Acoustic field.

THURSDAY
11:00 Where The Wild Things Are (PG)
13:00 Gake no ue no Ponyo (U)
15:00 Food Inc (PG)
17:00 Moon (15)
19:00 When You’re Strange (TBC)
21:00 Four Lions (15)
23:00 Exit Through The Gift Shop (15)
01:00 District  9 (15)

FRIDAY
11:00 Toy Story 1 (PG)
13:00 Alice in Wonderland (PG)
15:00 Avatar (12A)
18:00 Cemetery Junction (15)
20:00 It Might Get Loud (15)
22:00 Sherlock Holmes (PG)
00:30 Iron Man 2 (12A)
02:30 No Distance Left To Run (15)

SATURDAY
11:00 Toy Story 2 (U)
13:00 How To Train Your Dragon (PG)
15:00 Fantastic Mr Fox (PG)
17:30 Across The Universe (12)
20:00 The Hangover (15)
22:00 Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (12A)
00:30 Kick-Ass (15)
02:30 Food Inc (PG)

SUNDAY
11:00 Advance 3D Preview screening
13:00 Advance 3D Preview screening
15:00 Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (U)
17:00 A Town Called Panic (PG)
19:00 Special Preview Screening
22:00 Shutter Island (15)
00:30 The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (18)

Click here to read synopses of the films.