Home Archive About Accessibility Glastonbury 2011 Photo Project
Intro The Earlies Gates Open Shangri La Saturday The Balloon Lady Saturday Night Glorious Sunday Leaving
I turn up at the 'Oxfield' on Saturday 18 June, around midday. Our field is called Big Lickle on the map and belongs to a neighbouring farmer who rents it out to the festival. We've been camping here for a few years now. I pitch the tent between two squalls and meet people I know from previous years. Our caterers ('Nuts') open up the bar and a limited food service. That evening briefings run for hours in the marquee. Phil and Simon are introduced at the first one. They got married earlier in the day in a civil partnership in Glastonbury Register Office. I met them briefly last year, and had a few friends who attended the ceremony. People cheer the news. I think it must be amazing, to honeymoon here for 9 days.
There are around 400 of us in the field, with another 1600 arriving on Monday and Tuesday.
After a good evening I retire to the porch of the tent, and sit there for some time...in a bit of a daze. Nice to be sleeping in the country again...(shame about the pylons)....
Next day. More rain...
Our chippies make light of the mud...
But still virgin grass on the site...
Lots of traffic, more than usual. Vehicle movement on the site has been restricted up till now because of the weather. There is still a lot to build...quickly...
We direct people in the unfinished markets...
Big wheels...
Some wacky exposures...
Time rolls by. The entrance to our field is getting more chewed up...
The guy pushing the wheelbarrow is Nick. He runs our caterers - Nuts. They are now open 24 hours a day until Monday afternoon - 10 straight days. He's done every Glastonbury since 1970...
Earlies wait for the main shift. It's Monday, registration begins and the field starts to fill up...
Friends arrive. This is Rob...
...and behind him Sol...
I've worked two night shifts by this stage. One more to go. I see the sun set every day, and I see it rise in the morning. Around this time I did about 40 or 50 hours with no sleep. You can see those damn dust bunnies on the first shot here...
The gulls send in a scout. More later...
Next: Gates Open
