Rosie Millard

Glastonbury has become a singalong event for OAPs

The most moving musical encounter I had was watching a 20-piece brass ensemble

Apart from Sir Paul, nobody has an encore at Glastonbury Festival. Photo: Harry Durrant / Getty Images 
issue 02 July 2022

‘Well, it’s just not Glastonbury, is it?’ said my daughter aggressively, when told that our yurt featured an actual bed, wardrobe with hangers and electric points, and hot showers just around the corner. Our excuse was this was my and my partner’s first Glastonbury and we had a combined age of 125. ‘Anyway, why are you there?’ she said. ‘These are not your people, these are my people.’

Not from what I could see. With headliners such as Diana Ross, the Pet Shop Boys and Sir Paul McCartney, Glastonbury today is more a singalong event for people born in the 1950s (my husband) or 1960s (me) than anyone within shouting distance of GCSEs. The point was inadvertently underlined by Helen, from Newcastle, a young woman whom I encountered queueing for the loo: ‘Nah, I’m not going to see John Lennon tonight,’ she announced airily. I stared at her. ‘Oh, sorry, I mean Paul Macca.

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