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Glastonbury 2005 was the first time the
Festival was in danger of being pulled , totally unthinkable .The
story unfolds as follows . The meet and greet at the bottom of muddy
lane was very busy , the weather was very hot and sticky , But every
think had gone smoothly considering we had put a new one way system
in round the main market area;s . To speed the setting up period even
quicker . We had broke the back of the set up by mid evening Tuesday
night , a new record .
At tea time on Tuesday night a blue
Merc van with a a hippy type guy who I Knew his face previous
festivals. I was explaining the one way system to him, as he wanted
to drop some stuff at J market over by dance then head up the
greenfield . I noticed he had 3 canoes strapped to the roof asking
him “what are you going to do with 3 canoes at Glastonbury” . He
replied “Not sure I put them up there on a whim , may be rig up
some swings for the kids with them” “Yeah that could work” He
drove off happy .
Meet and greet job done after resting
the legs from four 16 hour shifts . It was Thursday night out on a
jolly Avalon way . One thing led to an other made it back to my tent
in New Holts 6 to 6.30 . Looking at the sky it was that dirty yellow
pink grey colour and it was so warm . Or was it the cider I crashed .
Only to be waked ,,by some one hammering on the roof of the tent .
Opening the tent it was rain drops the size of gob stoppers . My son
Niall ran over to me from a gazebo . “Dad there are little rivers
are forming and running down the Jazz field”
Jumping out of the tent soaked in a
nano second Niall ran back to the gazebo . Lighting of the fork type
was hitting every couple of seconds scary stuff the jazz stage was
hit . There was at least half a dozen small steams coming down the
jazz field in to the main river behind us . One was in line with a
friends stall I was banging on the side of her van waste deep in
water . But at that stage it was clean water running over the grass .
More like paddling up a chalk stream in Dorset than muddy puddles
Glastonbury is noted for . The next 2 hours was mental trying to
save traders stock, lightning strikes stages no power, porta cabins
no power .
Then gliding round the corner at
Babylon you guessed it the the guy from the blue Merc in a blue canoe
. “The next time I see them on your roof I am going to confiscate
them” He laughed . He must have been photographed a thousand times
. It was nearly 11.30 .
More people were milling around . But
the sky was looking that sickly colour it had done earlier . I needed
a break checking the main river that runs though the middle of the
site, it was dangerously high . For the first time ever I feared for
the festival going ahead . Time for a Guinness . The back stage jazz
bar was open . My mate Mike was in there he was on tour with the
Coral armed with Guinness we sat at the opening of the tent as the
havens opened for the second time . Mick looked at me . “Is this
going to be cancelled or what”. I shrugged my shoulders . “Its
looking very dodgy” . Michaels Land Rover pulled into the Jazz Back
Stage area he was alone . With a very glum look on his face . Mike
asked me “What is he doing here”?
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| YELLOW CROSS WERE THE WATERS MEET |
In the far corner of the back stage
area 2 of the main rivers meet . He wandered of there alone for about
10 minutes . When he come back to the Land rover the rain was easing
the sun was trying to get through . He turned smiled got in the Land
Rover and drove off .I said to Mike . “The fesival is defiantly on”
. I wandered over there to have a look myself it was on the verge
of bursting its banks were the 2 streams met . I am thinking if it
would of burst there it would of flooded the site , flood stop play .
It must have been a close call , But if a farmer doesn’t know his
own land than no one does
especially when there is so much at
stake .
2005 was a great festival hard work , but everyone helped each other With some sights to behold
More Glasto Stories Soon . Norm
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