The world is slowly moving towards normalcy, or say, trying to accept the post-pandemic conditions as the new normal. Nothing helps more than music and entertainment in building a sense of togetherness, and the return of the Glastonbury Festival after three years did exactly the same in the five days during June 22-26 at Pilton, Somerset, England. Opening the gate after three years was a bit emotional for Festival organizers Michael and Emily Eavis.
“It’s more spectacular this year,” Emily told a BBC correspondent, adding, “The wait has been so long and it’s just the biggest build-up we’ve ever had.”
Over 220,000 people from across the world gathered around the iconic Pyramid Structure of Glastonbury, aptly called party utopia, to enjoy the finest music. Despite rail strike and weather conditions, the enthusiasm among music was unprecedented, and the Worthy Farm organizers deserve applause for making the event a success.
Highlighting the challenges of organizing the festival, Sally Howell, who has been organizing the Croissant Neuf field of Glastonbury for 36 years, told Betway correspondent, “It’s almost an all-year-round job, But the big crunch starts just after Christmas and it’s full-on.”
Recalling the debut Howell gave to Ed Sheeran, then 19-year-old, in 2011, he said, “We are always scouting for new and up-and-coming stuff. We are a platform for people to make their debut.”
The event was special this year, especially following the cancellation of the 50th anniversary of the Glastonbury Festival due to the pandemic. During five days, music legends like Paul McCartney, Little Simz, Pet Shop Boys, Sam Fender, and Billie Eilish kept the audience entertained and show solidarity.
Music and messaging cannot be separated, so how come music legends could stay away from the controversial Roe v Wade legal ruling. Performers like Billie Eilish, Phoebe Bridgers, Olivia Rodrigo, and Kendrick Lamar, among others, shared powerful statements about abortion rights on stage.
On one hand, 20-year-old Eilish entertained the audience of Friday night and became the youngest solo headliner, and on the other hand, legendary Paul McCartney set the stage on fire on Saturday with hits from his Beatles and Wings collection. He brought Dave Grohl to duet on ‘I Saw Her Standing There, and Bruce Springsteen to play I Wanna Be Your Man and Glory Days.
Nothing could have been better than the rendition of “Saviour” by rapper Kendrick Lamer to end the festival on Sunday, of course, with a strongly worded statement on women’s rights.
One common element across all stages of the 33-acres farm was solidarity with Ukraine. McCartney also waved the Ukrainian flag to show solidarity with the war-ravaged people of Ukraine. Dakhabrakha, a Ukrainian band, played from the iconic Pyramid Stage.
At the end of the festival, organizer Emily shared well wishes on social media, saying, “Thank you to everyone who helped make Glastonbury 2022 such a special one. We will see you next year.”
