Glastonbury Festival - LeftField 2003

LeftField 2003

06 May 2003

THROUGHOUT history, gatherings of like-minded people have debated the great issues of the day, set out their demands and helped change the world.

Glastonbury Festival is the perfect place to air such radical thoughts, a community brought together to share and live a dream.

Bring in a meeting place where such things can be concentrated and focussed and who knows what could happen.

That place is LeftField, a remarkable concept in modern radical debate, encompassing a range of ideas to get people talking, to enlighten and educate and provide a powerful voice for protest against unfairness of all kinds.

Behind it is the Battersea and Wandsworth Trade Union Council aided by its sister company the Workers Beer Company and underwritten by merchandising company Ethical Threads. The Co-op group and War on Want are also partners.

LeftField started up last year in a fairly modest way, but proved such a massive hit with festival-goers that this year's tent will be big enough for over 2,000 people.

Things kick off with artists appearing under the "Love Music Hate Racism" banner - the musical arm of the Anti-Nazi League.

A special Joe Strummer tribute session is planned with guest musicians and Clash footage, including previously unseen film of Joe's last gig.

Comedy sets will include appearances from Mark Thomas and Mark Steel and there will be a special appearance by festival favourite Billy Bragg.

There will be a full bar in a separate tent, with fairly-traded beer from the Workers Beer Company (happy hour is 6pm-8pm) and for something rather more exotic, after a passionate debate there are radical cocktails available with names like Che Guevara and Lefthook.
Geoff Martin, Director of Ethical Threads and trade union organiser believes Glastonbury is the ideal venue for LeftField.
"Its popularity nails the lie that young people aren't interested in politics. We had a phenomenal response last year and I think 2003 will be even bigger," he said.

But the star of the weekend for many young people will be Tony Benn, whose debut at Leftfield last year attracted 2,000 people.

The veteran MP has amassed a huge following among young people who have tuned in to his passionate beliefs and commitment to protest. Except that the man himself has a different interpretation on why he has struck a chord with the young . . .

"I've got Ali G to thank for that," he said. "He took me in completely in the most brilliant way, saying things like 'bitches only get pregnant to get a free house don't they and people go on strike to chill out." Unlike most of his victims I reacted with utter outrage.

"When I saw the video I realised how hilarious the whole thing was. I think I became sort of cool then."

Tony Benn will be appearing on Saturday afternoon with his musical partner Roy Bailey in a performance called Writings On The Wall.

"I read out passages from a book I edited containing radical sayings over the last 500 years and Roy brings in some politically-based songs. I don't sing myself, you'll be glad to know."

Last year the pair were given the Best Live Act award by the BBC.
"We performed in front of 9,000 people at the Cambridge Folk Festival. I felt a bit like a pop star - but it's a wonderful way of getting a message across.
"Glastonbury is a fantastic event. So many young people in a community which is self-governing and tolerant. It confirms my belief that despite everything, humanity really does want to get on with itself. Michael Eavis is a genius for making it happen."

And Tony Benn believes it's vitally important to protect the festival's future.
"It will be more difficult to get into Glastonbury than if you were an asylum seeker trying to get into the UK," he said.

We'll all second that.

Words: Chris Binding

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