The geezers of gas are back - in a field of their own.
GlastoEarth Exclusive
After the dust settled from 2008, with the Jay-Z debates finally laid to rest, it was a field in the festival, not an act, that remained cemented in many festival goers minds. Any random sample of opinion would bring up the same verdict... Trash City was the enduring memory of those late, lost nights, a world away from the headline grabbing acts.
The backdrop to the storming success was Arcadia Spectacular, whose flaming installations lit up the night sky as part of the "Apocalyptic Rave" in the late night corner of the festival.
This year they take a well earnt step up, taking their own field just across the track from Trash City. At the hub is the Arcadia Stage, featuring the fiery After Burner DJ tower. Strummerville, founded after the death of The Clash lead singer Joe Strummer, are reassuringly again in their usual spot, near the memorial Strummer stone behind the Arcadia Stage.
The Arcadia field will also feature the Invisible Circus (we assume they will be visible, somehow), crumpet based foody niceness from 'The Strumpets with Crumpets', the 'Hemp Space', and a handily placed bar. Also in the field expect to see Arcadia's Flaming Trees and Victorian Lamposts.
Although the Arcadia name is seemingly new, it's not been a short ride. Partners Pip Rush and Bertie Cole have enviable pedigrees.
Pip's career began when he was "crawling around explosive Mutoid parties whilst still in his nappies" and went on to learn the craft of welding, to then turn it into art. Bertie earnt his stripes as the tent master for the company that supplies the mammoth Acoustic Stage at the festival and many other events worldwide.
Arcadia has rolled out their wares at several festivals including Ireland's The Electric Picnic and the UK's Beautiful Days. It's at Glastonbury however, that they have revealed their full glory. "We've set ourselves some big goals", Bertie said, ahead of revealing the plan to us tonight.
We await the flames. They await the gas bill.
In this area, in 2008, the music license was until 6am, with an a hour earlier for the bars. Like the neighbouring Trash City and Shangri-La, expect Arcadia to be rammed in the peak times after the main stage headliners finish. Our tip to avoid the crowds: Go early, or very very late.
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Photo by Russ Garrett, Flickr. Used under the Creative Commons License.
FRIDAY
16.30 DUB FX (Live) 17.30 STATIC JAMMA 18:30 BABY HEAD (Live) 19:15 DREADZONE 20:15 BLACKOUT (Live) 21:00 TRISTAN 21:30 CIRCUS SHOW 21:50 FREEFALL COLLECTIVE (Live) 22:50 LEE MORTIMER 23:40 CIRCUS SHOW, SHOW 00:00 SUBSOURCE (Live) 01:00 HYBRID 02:00 DISCO OF DOOM (Live) 03:00 end SATURDAY 18:00 GUNS OF NAVERONE (Live) 19:00 DUB FX (Live) 19:30 SMERINS ANTI SOCIAL CLUB (Live) 20:30 KID BLUE 21:30 CIRCUS SHOW 21:50 SICKNOTE (Live) 22:40 ALEX METRIC 23:40 CIRCUS SHOW 00:00 FREELAND 01:00 FAR TOO LOUD 02:00 EVIL NINE (Live) 03:00 end
SUNDAY 17:00 KING PORTER STOMPER (Live) 18:00 DUB FX (Live) 18:30 PRONGHORN (Live) 19:30 POWERSTEPPERS 20:30 JAZZSTEPPA (Live) 21:30 CIRCUS SHOW 21:50 BAOBINGA B2B RESO 22:50 THE EGG (Live) 23:40 CIRCUS SHOW 00:00 ZION TRAIN (Live) 01:30 FREQ NASTY 03:00 end |
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