Recent History of the Glastonbury Festival

26th-28th June 1998

Rain again turned parts of the site into a brown quagmire, but resilient campers still enjoyed the evergreen mix of entertainment and all night fun. Over 1,000 different performances on 17 stages included a new marquee for up and coming bands. The enlarged Dance Tent was as packed as ever. Theatre highlights included the punk opera "Kiss My Axe". Mud surfing proved popular. There were better loos and a proper bank. American singer Tony Bennett rose above the mud in immaculate suit and tie. Over £500,000 from the festival's income went to Greenpeace, Oxfam, Water Aid and many local organisations. Acts included: Blur, Primal Scream, Robbie Williams, Tori Amos, Pulp, Bob Dylan, Roni Size and the Chemical Brothers. Attendance: 100,000. Tickets: £80 including programme.

25th-27th June 1999

The sun finally shone on Glastonbury again, bringing a broad smile to the faces of performers and campers alike. £150,000 was still spent on downpour precautions. The widest range of entertainment ever was on offer, with over 300 bands, a kaleidoscope of theatre, comedy and cultural adventures, and more than 250 food stalls - all publicised on a buzzing Glasto web site and broadcast on BBC2. Greenpeace, Water Aid and Oxfam again benefited. This year's event was sadly overshadowed by the death of organiser Michael Eavis's wife Jean. A winged wicker sculpture was ceremonially burned in her honour, whilst fireworks erupted into a moonlit sky. Acts included: REM, Manic Street Preachers, Fatboy Slim, Hole, Blondie, Al Green, Skunk Anansie, Lonnie Donegan, Marianne Faithfull and Courtney Pine. Attendance: 100,000. Tickets: £82 including programme.

23rd-25th June 2000

A spectacular new Pyramid Stage - 100 feet high clad in shimmering steel - rose like a phoenix just in time for the millennium event. It was baptised in Worthy Farm milk by Robert Plant (ex-Led Zeppelin). The biggest festival ever, with 1,500 performances on 17 major stages, the site has become a vast cultural melting pot, with everything from a teepee village to aerial circus shows to a fire ceremony to the magical atmosphere of the Green Fields. New features included the Glade outdoor dance music venue, an interactive sound tunnel and traditional ballroom dancing in tuxedos and gowns. Over £500,000 again went to good causes. Acts included: Travis, Basement Jaxx, Chemical Brothers, Macy Gray, Pet Shop Boys, Willie Nelson, Nitin Sawhney, Suzanne Vega, Moby and David Bowie, magnificently dressed in the same style of flowing coat he had worn for his last performance in 1972. Attendance: 100,000 plus. Tickets: £87 including programme. The festival was marred for many by the influx of an estimated 100,000 gatecrashers who put tremendous pressures on infrastructure and safety at the festival.

2001

The large number of people who gatecrashed the 2000 event prompted a thorough review of security arrangements. Michael Eavis did not apply for a festival licence in 2001 while these issues were resolved. A virtual Glastonbury Festival was nominated as one of the best British virtual events of the year.