Pyramids and Parks

If you've come up for air between episodes of Orange is the New Black, you'll have noticed that unfortunately the world has been carrying on without you. Somewhere deep within that myriad of pop-culture news, you may have heard that living-legend Dave Grohl broke his leg and, in the most badass way ever, continued the gig whilst getting his leg casted up. It was then announced that Foo Fighters would have to miss out on headlining Glasto this year. Much, much less badass.

It does mean that Florence and the Machine will be headlining the Friday night Pyramid slot. (Yaaaas Flo.) ((Sorry Foos.)) It also means that this years headline acts are perhaps the most musically diverse headliners for a good while. Although the headliners present a pleasing clash of musical stylings, there are many other clashes and contradictions that run the festival.

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The Music

Firstly, the festival experience wouldn't be complete without a line up time table clash. Sometimes this is casted by terrible scheduling (The XX and Mumford and Sons clash of 2012; brutal and exhausting) and sometimes it's just a matter of taste. So, before you go bargaining of a few cans of warm cider for an extra ten minutes at The Who, whilst your pals wanna be getting 'on it' at The Chemical Brothers' set, let's thank our lucky stars that there's only a few little blips on a mostly perfect line up.

When trying to make heads or tails of what's on the Pyramid Stage or the Other stage or the other other stage, the first line up struggle (or first world struggle) comes early Friday from two indie/alternative heavyweights; Alabama Shakes versus Catfish and the Bottlemen.

Vs.

I cannot, cannot, cannot give enough praise for Alabama Shakes. They have perhaps been at the centre of most of the content I've written in 2015 (and I had to write a 10000 word final project for my degree.) So it may come as a surprise, when I confess I'm probably going to walking my wellies over to the Other Stage to bop about to Van McCann and his band have a good ol' sing and probably say offensive things about the music industry and One Direction. A lot of this is down to logistics; catch the first bit of Alabama Shakes, run across the site, watch the end of Catfish and the Bottlemen and you're standing ready for Jungle's set on the same stage. Of course, what it comes down to, is how many people in your gang feel the same way. Majority rules, always.

The Crowd

After four years of overly-drunk results-day teen crowds at Reading Festival, the Glasonbury audience came as a bit of a surprise when I first attended last year. Much like the lineup, the people in attendance reflected that wild diversity that the festival champions. 

It was during The Black Key's rather unimpressive performance that we found ourselves watching the family in front of us, rather than the stage. Spread out over a pink picnic blanket was three generations of a family, essentially having a grand time together. It makes so much sense to have Glastonbury as the ultimate British stay-cation. It was something we'd never seen at previous festivals and something we vowed to do when we were all grown up and adult and had maybe reproduced. 

Alternatively, as Glastonbury is the mecca to music lovers of all kinds, you get the crowd that are there purely to party themselves into a good story to share. These are the kids that look like they should probably be in Ibiza, sleep their way through most the bands and appear only after sunset but always with sunglasses to head straight to Shangri-La. Power to 'em. 

I think the best way to approach the festival is to experience it from both sides, because essentially it is just that; an experience. Have a chill drinking day of watching bands, lounging about and praying for a little sunshine, but don't be afraid to go out with the metaphorical guns blazing at night time too. Remember to sleep at some point, just a little bit, otherwise you may not make it to Sunday.

The Weather 

Would it be a proper festival experience if you weren't half drenched and sunburnt at the same time? No, it wouldn't. The need for both wellies and sunglasses is one of the most traditional clashes of festival heritage, I can assure you. Last year, we camped directly under a pylon and feared for our lives as the festival came to a halt during an electrical storm. It bucketed it down last year, well and truly bucketed but it was also bloody hot in those few rare moments that the sun broke through. You can't win. Do as you're told by anyone giving their two pence, prepare for everything. Prepare for sunstroke, prepare to watch drunk people mud wrestling and prepare to have a shower, just not in the way you'll be desperate for. 

Glastonbury is full of clashes; from culture, political and even to what food truck to eat from. (Chicken nuggets and noodles are never a good idea, it's not worth £6, don't do it. Try something different and half decent.) It's what makes the festival so exciting and so worth the £220 price tag. Embrace it and you'll enjoy it, because I said so. (See you there!)