Eavis set for Glastonbury's return

[busybeeburns]

 

Mr Eavis and his land had a year off in 2006 to recover

 

The gates have opened for this year's Glastonbury Festival, and founder Michael Eavis spoke ahead of the event about its expansion, line-up and future.

 

"Go on, fire away." Mr Eavis, speaking from his Somerset farm where he founded the festival 37 years ago, is in a hurry.

 

"I haven't got much time, okay? Just start talking."

 

Glastonbury has become a British summer institution, its legend stretching far beyond the music scene, and is returning after a year off. And there are just days to go.

 

We start talking, quickly, about whether there is a danger that the festival could become too big.

 

The event is famed for its friendly, communal atmosphere, and there will be 177,500 people in Mr Eavis' back garden this year - 27,500 more than in 2005.

 

The dairy farmer, who has just been made a CBE, says this year's attendance will still be less than the year 2000, when the fence collapsed and gatecrashers streamed in.

 

"We're a lot better equipped now, we've got better management of the site and we're all learning more about management and crowds and things," he says.

 

"I do hope it's not getting too big, but as far as I can see it looks even more beautiful. I've never seen the site look so good."

 

As well as growing in size, the event has also grown in stature, gradually gaining more mainstream exposure and respectability.

 

"I am surprised at the stature, and the press we've had this year has been unbelievable," Mr Eavis reflects. "It's part of the establishment, it's part of British culture."

 

The former Labour parliamentary candidate talks disbelievingly about how the Daily Mail wrote some "wonderful words" about his event and how the "right-wing papers are totally on side".

 

"I just cannot understand it. I'm so pleased," he says.

 

After many years as the focal point of counter-culture, Glastonbury is now firmly entrenched in the bosom of the establishment.

 

"I think they see me as a bit of an entrepreneur that's fought my corner, and there's a bit of the bulldog spirit there as well," Mr Eavis explains.

 

"I think they think it's quite charming, especially when it succeeds on this scale. It's a hell of a success."

 

The numbers tell the story of the festival's success - 400,000 people pre-registered for tickets for this year's event, which ended up selling out in less than two hours.

 

"People are phoning all the time now, all day long, all through the night, saying: 'Are there any tickets?'" Mr Eavis says.

 

"I'm in the phone book, and I don't mind answering people. I do tell them there's absolutely no chance whatsoever and I'm sorry - but there's always next year."

 

The lucky punters who have got tickets this year will see a bill headlined by The Arctic Monkeys, The Killers and The Who.

 

The eclectic line-up also encompasses Amy Winehouse, Dame Shirley Bassey, Fatboy Slim, Mika, Chas 'n' Dave, Tony Benn and almost everything in between.

 

Muse were talking about playing, Mr Eavis says - but chose Wembley Stadium instead. "So I said: 'Why don't you put it off till next year.'"

 

But he denies reports that the Rolling Stones demanded £1m.

 

"No, they didn't actually. They wanted £400,000, and that was several years ago. But it doesn't matter any more.

 

"I haven't specifically asked them to do it this year, but in previous years when they were younger and a bit more glamorous, I used to ask them."

 

The festival guru prefers putting on younger bands anyway because huge names like Coldplay, Radiohead and Oasis will "all come any time", he says.

 

"There are so many new bands that are so brilliant and they're all lining up. So I don't really want to go back too far to get old rock bands that are past their prime."

 

A few years ago, Mr Eavis said he would retire himself when he reached 70 - but now 71, he insists he will keep going for the foreseeable future.

 

"I'm going to keep on for another 10 years at least I reckon, touch wood and all the rest of it," he says.

 

"One day I suppose I will feel my age, will I?" His voice rises suddenly as he questions whether he might actually keep going for ever.

 

"I'm flying around the site on my bike every day, I've got loads of people calling in every 15 minutes," he says.

 

"I've actually got a fencing problem I have to resolve right now, so I have the team leader of fencing looking through the window at me.

 

"Is that all right with you, or do you want more?"

 

With that, he flies off to make sure the site is ready for the big weekend.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6763267.stm

[chris1_36]

So maybe, since we're expecting a new Coldplay album next year, we can also expect another headlining slot?

[mc_squared]

Green Glastonbury is a toxic threat

 

Last updated at 14:56pm on 22nd June 2007 Comments (5)

Glastonbury organisers have billed this year's festival as the most ecofriendly ever but the Environment Agency has warned that ammonia in the water could kill fish.

An emergency team of "green police" were ordered to cordon off the river to prevent any more damage being done.

 

Jason Morgan, one of the team leaders, said he had spent a day fencing off backstage access to streams with reams of "eco hazard" tape.

 

 

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Scroll down for more Doing the right thing: party goers queue up to use the toilet

 

He added: "It's really serious stuff because they [the Environment Agency] have the power to shut Glastonbury down."

"The urine that goes into the water flow is contaminated by alcohol and drugs, which also affects the frog and toad population."

 

More than 4,000 fish died after the 2003 festival because of toxicity in the water.

 

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Get the message: organisers have made efforts to keep Glastonbury clean

 

Festival goers will also have to be aware of the presence of another authority - the police are cracking down on drug use using new shoulder-mounted cameras.

While in previous years officers would turn a blind eye to people rolling joints, they are now cracking down on all drug-related activity.

 

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Mess: already the grounds are littered in rubbish

 

The cameras, installed in special jackets, will transmit live footage back to a surveillance unit, which will force the officers to take action as their superiors will be watching.

There has already been a sharp increase in drug-related arrests. In the last 24 hours, 29 people were arrested, 24 on suspicion of possessing drugs, up from 19 two years ago.

 

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Wetting their whistles: A drink brings cheer in the rain. Actress Julia Sawalha (right) and companion in high spirits

 

Inglorious mud: This youngster tries to put on a brave face after tumbling to the ground at Glastonbury, (right) Bin there, done that: A mobile message of defiance

 

One guest who is sure to keep out of trouble - Prince William, who is rumoured to be flying into the site by private helicopter with four friends are to celebrate his 25th birthday.

 

Wills is said to have booked a top-end Winnebago with a mini-bar and a barbecue and having ice cream delivered.

 

No doubt he's hoping the rain will hold out.

 

Partygoers have so far managed to avoid torrential rain which has hit other parts of the country.

 

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Revellers enjoy a fleeting moment of sunshine

 

Still, organisers of the three-day event called on the outdoor store Millets to ship in an extra 13,000 pairs as the festival opens its gates to 170,000 revellers with weather forecasters predicting another mudbath.

 

 

More than three inches of rain are expected to fall on the site by the weekend, threatening a repeat of the famous washouts of 1997, 1998 and 2005.

 

The threat of rain failed to wet the spirits of music fans who began to trickle in, carrying backpacks and supplies - including cases of alcohol - in preparation for the days ahead.

 

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Turning tricks: fire twirling keeps onlookers entertained

 

Festival organiser Michael Eavis has ploughed an extra £750,000 into drainage work to prevent the 1,000-acre site turning into a quagmire.

 

Hundreds of meters of drainage pipes have been replaced with 1.2m wide concrete tunnels to funnel rainwater away and tonnes of hardcore have used to shore up roads and stage areas.

 

 

But Stephen Davenport, senior meteorologist for Metrogroup, said the expensive work may all be in vain.

 

He said: "With the amount of rain that is about to fall in Somerset, it will be a mudfest.

 

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Getting high: one festival goer really flips out

 

"We could be looking at a total of 2.4 to 3.1 inches of rain between now and the weekend - that's quite a deluge, so mudbath ahoy."

However, Mr Eavis was in bullish mood and dismissed fears of another 'Mudfest'.

 

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Ready to rock: this year's line up include The Killers and Amy Winehouse

 

He said: "We have had a lot of work done to the site and are fully prepared.

"There are so many more covered stages and if we get the occasional shower, we are used to it."

 

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Staff from Millets bring in 13,000 boots in preparation for the wet weather

 

Festival organisers have had crews on site since March 1 - employing three times the amount of heavy lifting equipment normally used.

Spokesman Jason Holmes said: "Every year more and more work has gone into improving the drainage.

 

"But people must remember that although it is a great party, it is taking place outdoors and they must come prepared to live outdoors for three days for most of the time.

 

 

"It gets cold at night and can get wet so people need to bring warm clothes."

 

A total of 177,500 people will attend the event including 137,500 full weekend public ticket-holders, 35,000 staff and performers and 5,000 Sunday only ticket-holders.

 

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Damp: already the grounds are beginning to look muddy, and it's only just begun

 

There will be about 2,000 performances across 35 different stages during the five-day event.

 

For the first time, 25,000 tickets have been sold linked to coach travel from major cities around the UK.

 

It is estimated that this will avoid the arrival of 7,000 cars.

 

There are over 2,500 toilets and 15,000 waste bins on site.

 

Organisers are hoping to recycle 50 per cent of all waste this year.

 

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The site: campers have taken over Glastonbury

 

Sewage tanks with a 47,000-litre capacity have been installed, including one enormous container that can hold 25,000 litres alone.

The site, ringed with over five miles of fencing, also boasts a new area for 2007 called 'The Park' named after the Eavis family's first farm and designed by Michael Eavis's daughter Emily.

 

It will feature a disco and camp fire areas designed to "relax and entertain" in a more traditional festival manner away from the glare of the main stages.

 

 

There will be over 800 stalls on site selling everything from hammocks to hats, including over 300 food stalls.

 

Now in its 37th year, the 2007 festival is aiming to donate up to £2million to good causes, the largest beneficiaries being Greenpeace, WaterAid and Oxfam.

 

Crime has steadily reduced in recent years at the festival, falling by 90 per cent between 2000 and 2005, according to Avon and Somerset Constabulary.

 

Two dedicated medical centres, including an accident and emergency department with full resuscitation facilities, are open 24 hours a day from Wednesday till Monday.

 

But when the fun is over revellers face a nightmare journey home - traffic queues of up to eight hours are expected as local roads are swamped by 50,000 vehicles on Monday.