My first Glastonbury and why The John Peel Stage is so great…

Having just experienced my first time at Glasto, I could go on forever about my ‘highlights’ and the truly wonderful time I had… The sheer excitement and joy at being surrounded by music, mud and friends for five days, in another world where all everyday worries and cares are abandoned; as you float around in a constant state of chilled-outness, it really is a feeling like no other. As Ms Parton herself said, as she wowed the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen at The Pyramid on Sunday, “Why can’t the world be more like Glastonbury…? Just music, love and a whole lot of drugs!” My thoughts exactly, Dolly.

I had many highlights… From Fisherman’s Friends delivering an impromptu acapella performance, trapped in a tent with no power, as a storm raged outside, to Black Keys’ impressive set of all their rocking blues classics on the Pyramid set against a backdrop of a glowing sunset… From New York’s coolest band – Interpol – treating me to all my favourites as my friends and I all sang along, to Bristol’s own Massive Attack ending the weekend with their ethereal, other worldly beauty. At the risk of sounding cheesy, every second was a highlight.

Whilst Glastonbury never fails to deliver experiences that you may never otherwise get the chance to come across – seeing the likes of legends such as Dolly Parton, Pixies, Blondie and Jack White all within the space of three days – I think its real appeal is the combination of this with the way in which you are exposed to so many new, upcoming bands. And one of the best ways to do this is to visit the John Peel stage… Like John, the artists that start off playing in this tent more than likely go on to make an indelible mark on the music industry; in fact, many of the bands I saw on bigger stages referred to their fond memories of their Glastonbury debuts on the John Peel Stage (Black Keys, White Lies, Foster The People… )

Although I don’t think I could ever spend the whole weekend based, un-moving, at one place, The John Peel Stage is the one where I could most easily do this. Its moderate size creates an intimate atmosphere, where it’s easy to relax and feel that connection to the bands that is so often lacking in the wide open spaces of bigger stages, whilst the amount of space around the tent allows for crowds to spread outside whilst still being in view of the stage. The ground from the stage to the outside of the tent also rather handily slopes upwards, thus enabling a good viewpoint from wherever you may be standing – a perfect spot for any live music. Logistics and space aside, however, there are more important reasons why I have singled out the John Peel Stage as a highlight of the festival: the sheer quality of music delivered there, and the excitement it induces, far outweigh the benefits of the slope’s gradients…

There were a number of acts in the tent that I didn’t get to see, such as Clean Bandit, Darlia, London Grammar and – most regrettably – Wolf Alice: a traffic jam from the Other Stage preventing me from making it to them on time. However, the incredible quality of the bands I was lucky enough to come across more than made up for this. Whilst Friday saw Sheffield sibling duo, Drenge, blow me away yet again with their titillating youthful energy and vigour as they blasted out each of their stunning, grunge-infused anthems, Saturday treated me to a trio of highlights…

A surprise rush of excitement comes as I’m having my breakfast: as I sit, waiting for Royal Blood, I’m forced to abandon my hash browns and investigate what the explosive sound is that’s coming from the stage. Pulsating, enthused blues-rock at its best, with Jordan Cook’s husky vocals reminiscent of Soundgarden ledge Chris Cornell, Reignwolf are most definitely one to watch. After a Hozier shaped interlude, the band I’ve been waiting over a year to see – Royal Blood – grace the stage, and they certainly do not disappoint: with the crowd brimming right to the edges of the the campsite, the Brighton duo deliver the performance of a lifetime. Opening with ‘Hole’, Royal Blood blast out hit after hit with ceaseless energy – offering mind blowing riffs and thrilling pounding beats, the phenomenal noise that Kerr and Thatcher produce makes it hard to believe it’s just the two of them in the band (as Kerr reminds us: “Let me introduce you to the rest of the band: here’s Ben on drums”). As Mike Kerr strikes away at his bass, creating sounds I’m sure must be new to the instrument, the band’s energy would appear to be contagious as almost all the crowd have created one huge circle mosh. As Kerr ends the set with an endearingly grateful, “this is blowing my f**ing mind”, I can’t help but echo his sentiment – my mind too has been blown. The performance of the festival, in my opinion…

As the rain pours down once again in the afternoon, the John Peel Stage would appear to be the ideal place to take cover, with Aussie singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett delivering a captivating set. Exuding woozily charming offerings, filled with her raw, conversational vocals and honest wit, it is the perfect way to escape the adverse weather conditions…

So, whether it’s awe-inspiring new music you’re after, or simply a chilled out space to take cover,  the John Peel Stage is a great place to be. Despite the huge, uncountable array of wonderfulness that Glastonbury has to offer, it is without hesitation that I can assert that this tent hosted some of my favourite experiences of the festival. Along with the exciting thrill of seeing the highest quality new bands, there’s the added benefit of having space to mosh, and a consistently good view. It would certainly do the legendary DJ and music journalist proud, rest his soul.

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Mari Lane

@marimindles

Mari Lane

Mari Lane

Editor, London. Likes: Kathleen Hanna, 6Music, live music in the sunshine. Dislikes: Sexism, pineapples, the misuse of apostrophes.