On Sunday (7th October), tickets for the festival
sold out in just one hour and 40 minutes, leaving many members of the public
fighting with their computer’s refresh button to get their hands on a ticket to
one of the UK’s greatest summer events.
2012 saw Glastonbury take its ‘fallow year’, with the
immense hype for 2013’s festival being even greater. Despite being 150 miles
away along the M4, the biggest summer of sport occurring in Stratford would
have caused a lack of infamous festival portable lavatories and even more
importantly, an overwhelming shortage of police officers and security presence,
as reported in The Guardian.
There was no doubt that the demand for 2013 tickets would
have been overwhelming, as understood by organisers Michael and daughter Emily
Eavis. The pair, who own the most renowned farm in the country, spoke of how
‘genuinely humbled’ they were by the desire of thousands to visit the festival.
‘We dearly wish we could have you all along’, said Michael Eavis CBE, who was
voted by Time Magazine in 2009 as one of the world’s top 100 most influential
people.
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| Michael Eavis receives his CBE from Queen Elizabeth II |
Whilst most other festivals reveal a date when tickets will
go on sale, the Glastonbury ticketing process is much more rigorous. Anybody
wishing to go must register their interest, filling in all of their details and
uploading a photo. Once registration has closed, wishful spectators must rush
to their laptops and phones to attempt to pay their £50 ticket deposit,
guaranteeing themselves a ticket, with the full balance to be paid in April
2013.
With a big festival comes an even bigger price tag, with the
2013 event fetching up to £216 once the booking fee and postage has been
applied. With an addition of £10 to the ticket price each year over the past 4
years, the public are left asking how much more the price can increase. What
sparks festival go-ers to return year upon year, and what excites newcomers to
attend Glastonbury over any other festival?
Abbie Elsey, a college student from Chelmsford, Essex, will
be attending Glastonbury for the first time in 2013.
“I’ve watched it on TV for
years now and it has always looked like one of the liveliest festivals.”
“It wasn’t until my dad mentioned he was going as he’d never
been before that I decided to go. It always has music and bands for ever
generation which I think makes it look so much fun!”
In 2011, 2000 performers played on 60 stages, with artists
from all walks of life and from all genres of music being able to play to the
crowds. With so many acts, there truly is something for everybody.
Will Smith, 19, a student at the University of Derby, will
be returning to Glastonbury for a second time in 2013 due to the variety of
spectacles it offers,
“I chose to go to Glastonbury because of the sheer amount
you can do in one weekend. Some of the other attractions at the festival are
amazing – you wouldn’t be able to see them anywhere else on earth.”
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| Worthy Farm: The vast site of Glastonbury Festival |
For Sophie Hennessy, 17, from Chelmsford, the media response
to previous Glastonbury festivals has kindled her desire to go. “It’s
constantly voted best festival in NME and Q magazine.”
Despite missing out on seeing her favourite band Coldplay
headline the festival last year, the bands’ reaction has inspired Sophie to buy
a ticket.
“They said it was their best performance ever. There are always
massive headliners and the artists that play there talk about how important it
is for them to play there.”
Ryan Booty, a student at the University of Staffordshire,
attended the 2011 festival and says it was ‘the best weekend of my life’.
Ryan, who has experienced Glastonbury just once, said:
“Because of how large it is, it’s hard to do everything in one year. We can
take the memories of last year and do everything else this time around.”
The line-up is due to be announced later in 2013 but the
organisers have said that the headliners have already been chosen. But who
would be your ultimate headliner?
Abbie: “I would absolutely love to see Mumford and Sons.
They’re so cool. The Prodigy are amazing live and I would just love to see them
again.”
Will: “Coldplay, Arctic Monkeys and Oasis, but it’s not
going to happen!”
Sophie: “The top three headliners would be Red Hot Chili
Peppers, Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes.”
Ryan: “I would love to see Coldplay again but I would also
love Blur, Snow Patrol and Take That. That won’t happen though!”
If you’re lucky enough to be heading to the festival in June,
tabloid reports suggest that you may witness the last ever Rolling Stones gig.
Keith Richards has revealed that the band has been booked to play shows in the
UK, but you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled on This Festival Feeling to find
out if these rumours are true.
