Glastonbury - from hippy weekend to international

festival
Steve H e n d e r s o n , L e e d s M e t r o p o l i t a n U n i v e r s i t y

G l a s t o n b u r y F e s t i v a l has b e c o m e a w o r l d w i d e a t t r a c t i o n
f o r m u s i c fans and a r t i s t s a l i k e . In 2009, B r u c e S p r i n g s t e e n
w a s a d d e d to t h e l o n g list of a c t s ( f r o m P a u l M c C a r t n e y
to Oasis] t h a t have a p p e a r e d at t h e f e s t i v a l . It s t a r t e d
in 1970 w h e n 1,500 hippy r e v e l l e r s g a t h e r e d on a f a r m
n e a r G l a s t o n b u r y T o r to be p l i e d w i t h f r e e m i l k

and

entertainment f r o m a makeshift stage. Now, Glastonbury

is a m a j o r

international

festival that

attracts

over

150,000 a t t e n d e r s . W i t h o u t any k n o w l e d g e of t h e l i n e u p , t h e t i c k e t s f o r t h e 2010 F e s t i v a l s o l d out in days.

In t h o s e e a r l y days, the Festival w a s developed by l o c a l
f a r m e r , M i c h a e l Eavis, w h o s e p a s s i o n f o r m u s i c

and

s o c i a l p r i n c i p l e s led to a w e e k e n d of m u s i c as a m e a n s
of r a i s i n g f u n d s f o r g o o d c a u s e s . It w a s a s o c i a l m i s s i o n
r o o t e d in t h e hippy c o u n t e r - c u l t u r e of t h e 1960s a n d
events

such

as W o o d s t o c k .

Today, t h e

Glastonbury

Source:

Getty Images

F e s t i v a l a t t e n d e r f i n d s t h a t t h o s e e a r l y days of hippy

on o f f e r t h a t s o m e a t t e n d e r s s p e n d t h e w h o l e w e e k e n d

i d e a l i s m a r e a l o n g w a y off. T h e s c a l e of t h e o r g a n i s a -

at t h e f e s t i v a l w i t h o u t s e e i n g a s i n g l e live m u s i c act.

tion

T h o u g h t h e Eavis f a m i l y r e m a i n i n v o l v e d w i t h t h e m a i n

demands

strong

management

to

support

the

p r o g r a m m e , m u c h of t h e o t h e r e n t e r t a i n m e n t is n o w

a c h i e v e m e n t of t h e f e s t i v a l ' s s o c i a l a i m s .
A t f i r s t , t h e s t a t u t o r y r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r an e v e n t h e l d

m a n a g e d by o t h e r s . R e f l e c t i n g t h i s s h i f t t o w a r d s m o r e

on p r i v a t e l a n d w e r e m i n i m a l . J o v i a l p o l i c e m e n l o o k e d

d i v e r s e e n t e r t a i n m e n t , t h e n a m e of t h e f e s t i v a l w a s

over hedges w h i l s t recreational drugs w e r e sold f r o m

c h a n g e d f r o m G l a s t o n b u r y Fayre [ r e f l e c t i n g t h e a n c i e n t

t a b l e s n e a r t h e f e s t i v a l e n t r a n c e as if t h i s w a s j u s t a

c u l t u r a l h e r i t a g e of t h e a r e a ) to t h e G l a s t o n b u r y F e s t i v a l

s l i g h t l y u n u s u a l v i l l a g e f e t e . N e e d l e s s to say, t h e f e s t i v a l

for Contemporary Performing Arts.

b e g a n to a t t r a c t t h e a t t e n t i o n of a n u m b e r of d i f f e r e n t

In s o m e y e a r s , t h e f e s t i v a l is f o r c e d to t a k e a y e a r

g r o u p s , e s p e c i a l l y as l e g i s l a t i o n a r o u n d t h e r u n n i n g of

off to a l l o w t h e f a r m l a n d to r e c o v e r f r o m t h e t r a m p l i n g

events t i g h t e n e d . Eavis s t r u g g l e d w i t h l o c a l r e s i d e n t s w h o

of t h o u s a n d s of p a i r s of f e e t . N o t o n l y is t h i s w i s e on

h a t e d t h e i n v a s i o n of t h e i r p r i v a c y ; w i t h hippy a c t i v i s t

an a g r i c u l t u r a l f r o n t but a l s o gives t h e l o c a l r e s i d e n t s a

g r o u p s w h o f e l t t h a t t h e i r c o n t r i b u t i o n in h e l p i n g at t h e

r e s t f r o m t h e a n n u a l i n v a s i o n of f e s t i v a l g o e r s . D e s p i t e

festival gave t h e m a sense of o w n e r s h i p ; w i t h d r u g d e a l e r s

t h i s , t h e f e s t i v a l has m e t w i t h a n u m b e r of c o n t r o v e r s i e s

c a r r y i n g on t h e i r a c t i v i t i e s on t h e f r i n g e s of t h e f e s t i v a l ;

s u c h as w h e n a l a r g e n u m b e r of g a t e c r a s h e r s

a n d f a n s c l i m b i n g o v e r t h e f e n c e s to get f r e e a c c e s s .

t h e f u n in 2000. T h i s c a u s e d t h e f e s t i v a l to be f i n e d

spoilt

T h e f e s t i v a l ' s c o n t i n u e d e x p a n s i o n has r e s u l t e d in

due to e x c e e d i n g t h e l i c e n s e d a t t e n d a n c e a n d e x c e s s i v e

a f e s t i v a l w i t h o v e r t e n s t a g e s c o v e r i n g jazz, d a n c e ,

noise a f t e r t h e e v e n t . F u r t h e r m o r e , h e a l t h a n d s a f e t y

c l a s s i c a l , w o r l d m u s i c a n d o t h e r g e n r e s . A d d e d to t h i s ,

laws now require the event m a n a g e m e n t

t h e r e is c o m e d y , p o e t r y , c i r c u s , t h e a t r e a n d c h i l d r e n ' s

' d u t y of c a r e ' to e v e r y o n e on t h e f e s t i v a l s i t e . To a d d r e s s

entertainment alongside m o r e esoteric street

theatre

these health and safety concerns, support w a s sought

p e r f o r m a n c e s . M u c h of t h i s is o r g a n i s e d into s p e c i f i c

f r o m M e l v i n B e n n w h o ran f e s t i v a l s f o r t h e M e a n F i d d l e r

g r a s s y f i e l d a r e a s w h e r e , f o r e x a m p l e , t h e Dance V i l l a g e

organisation. With a steel fence erected around

u s e s a n u m b e r of t e n t s d e d i c a t e d to d i f f e r e n t t y p e s of
d a n c e m u s i c . I n d e e d , s u c h is t h e r a n g e of e n t e r t a i n m e n t

to have a

the

p e r i m e t e r , Melvin Benn helped re-establish the festival

in 2002 a f t e r a y e a r off.

G L A S T O N B U R Y - F R O M H I P P Y W E E K E N D TO I N T E R N A T I O N A L F E S T I V A L

O w n e r s h i p of t h e f e s t i v a l r e m a i n e d w i t h t h e
"amily

but

Melvin

Benn

was

appointed

Eavis

f e s t i v a l . O t h e r s have l o w p r o f i l e a r r a n g e m e n t s i n v o l v -

Managing

ing s o - c a l l e d ' c o n t r a ' d e a l s as o p p o s e d to s p o n s o r s h i p

Z - e c t o r . H o w e v e r , c o n c e r n s a r o s e in 2006 w h e n
employer,

Mean

Fiddler,

was

taken

his

p a y m e n t s . F o r e x a m p l e , G l a s t o n b u r y has o f f i c i a l c i d e r

major

s u p p l i e r s w h o t y p i c a l l y b o o s t t h e i r b r a n d by g i v i n g t h e

Productions.

f e s t i v a l a p r e f e r e n t i a l d e a l on t h e i r p r o d u c t s in e x c h a n g e

over

usic p r o m o t e r s , Live N a t i o n a n d MCD

25

by

- a w o r r y i n g m o v e , Live N a t i o n a n n o u n c e d t h a t t h e y

for publicity. Though these c o m m e r c i a l

relationships

vould e n t i c e a n u m b e r of m a j o r a r t i s t s to a p p e a r on t h e

a r e s o m e t i m e s s p u r n e d by t h e s m a l l e r f e s t i v a l s t h a t

w e e k e n d n o r m a l l y u s e d by G l a s t o n b u r y at a n e w UK

see t h e b r a n d i n g as an i n t r u s i o n on t h e i r f u n e n v i r o n -

e s t i v a l c a l l e d W i r e l e s s . B a s e d in L o n d o n , t h i s s e e m e d

ment, larger festivals often

set to o f f e r a c i t y - b a s e d a l t e r n a t i v e to G l a s t o n b u r y . At

to s u r v i v e . In o r d e r to a t t r a c t s p o n s o r s , l a r g e f e s t i v a l s

m u c h t h e s a m e t i m e , Live N a t i o n a n n o u n c e d t h a t t h e y

a r e t u r n i n g to r a d i o a n d t e l e v i s i o n b r o a d c a s t e r s as a

.vould l a u n c h t h e i r o w n o n l i n e t i c k e t a g e n c y to s u p p o r t

m e a n s to e x p a n d t h e a u d i e n c e a n d o f f e r w i d e r e x p o s u r e

t h e s a l e s of t h e i r m u s i c e v e n t s . T h i s s h i f t in

f o r t h e s p o n s o r . I n d e e d , in 2009, t h e B B C s e n t

power

r e t w e e n t h e m a j o r m u s i c p r o m o t e r s i n d i c a t e d not o n l y

400 staff

members

need s u c h

relationships

d o w n to G l a s t o n b u r y f o r

over

broad-

t h e i r i n t e r e s t in t h e o w n e r s h i p of key e v e n t s but t h e i r

c a s t i n g a i m e d at s a t i s f y i n g t h e i n t e r e s t of t h e a r m c h a i r

: e s i r e to c o n t r o l i n c o m e s t r e a m s .

viewer/listener.

E l s e w h e r e in t h e w o r l d of live e n t e r t a i n m e n t ,
s j c c e s s of G l a s t o n b u r y had not g o n e u n n o t i c e d

the
and

With such

huge demand for their talents,

artists

can have a l u c r a t i v e s u m m e r m o v i n g b e t w e e n f e s t i v a l s .

:ne f e s t i v a l m a r k e t s h o w e d c o n s i d e r a b l e g r o w t h . S o m e

S i m i l a r l y , a u d i e n c e s c a n m a k e l e n g t h y t r e k s to t h e i r

of t h e o t h e r f e s t i v a l s t r i e d to c a p i t a l i s e on f e a t u r e s t h a t

favourite festivals. For s o m e , this has caused e n v i r o n -

3 l a s t o n b u r y c o u l d not o f f e r . F o r e x a m p l e , G l a s t o n b u r y

m e n t a l concerns with Glastonbury's r u r a l location, poor

vas f a m o u s f o r its w e t w e a t h e r w i t h p i c t u r e s of d a m p

transport

-evellers

s p e c i f i c p r o b l e m . On t h e o t h e r h a n d , a r t i s t s a r e not only

and

collapsed

tents

being

commonplace.

_ .e N a t i o n ' s c i t y - b a s e d W i r e l e s s f e s t i v a l o f f e r e d

the

links and large audience

being c i t e d as a

f i n d i n g t h a t t h e f e s t i v a l s o f f e r a g o o d s o u r c e of i n c o m e

: c p o r t u n i t y to s l e e p u n d e r a r o o f at h o m e o r h o t e l , as

but t h a t p r i v a t e p a r t i e s a n d c o r p o r a t e

: : o o s e d to r i s k i n g t h e w e a t h e r o u t d o o r s . A l t e r n a t i v e l y ,

have e m e r g e d

rencassim

opportunities.

in s o u t h e r n S p a i n o f f e r e d a f e s t i v a l w i t h

entertainment

as a l t e r n a t i v e , o f t e n g r e a t e r ,
One

newspaper

claimed

income

that

George

= " e x c e l l e n t c h a n c e of s u n s h i n e a n d t o p a c t s f o r t h e

Michael pocketed more than 1.5m (~1.65m; ~$2.25m)

p r i c e of a l o w c o s t a i r l i n e t i c k e t . O t h e r f e s t i v a l s n o t e d

to e n t e r t a i n r e v e l l e r s at t h e B r i t i s h b i l l i o n a i r e

tnat Glastonbury attenders enjoyed the w i d e r

S i r P h i l i p G r e e n ' s 55th b i r t h d a y p a r t y in t h e M a l d i v e s .

enter-

retailer

: a i n m e n t at t h e e v e n t . In d o i n g t h i s , t h e y r e a l i s e d t h a t

H e n c e , f o r m a n y a r t i s t s , t h e s u m m e r has b e c o m e a case

~iany f e s t i v a l g o e r s w e r e a t t r a c t e d by t h e w h o l e s o c i a l

of ' c h e r r y p i c k i n g ' t h e i r f a v o u r i t e f e s t i v a l s o r s e e k i n g

i o e r i e n c e . So, s i d e s t e p p i n g m a j o r acts a n d t h e i r r e l a t e d

out t h e m o s t l u c r a t i v e o p p o r t u n i t i e s .

: h fees, s m a l l e r festivals w e r e created for just a f e w

tnousand

attenders. These offered

Over t i m e , t h e s h i f t f r o m s m a l l , h o m e s p u n

event

in

to c o r p o r a t e - c o n t r o l l e d f e s t i v a l has p r o v i d e d a w k w a r d

. a r i o u s f o r m a t s , o f t e n in a f a m i l y - f r i e n d l y a t m o s p h e r e .

s i t u a t i o n s f o r M i c h a e l Eavis - f r o m t h e d i f f i c u l t i e s w i t h

5:metimes

described

as

boutique

entertainment

Freddie

e s t a b l i s h m e n t f i g u r e s w h o f e l t t h e e v e n t w a s out of

- e l l o w e s , o r g a n i s e r of t h e S e c r e t G a r d e n Party, d e s c r i b e s

festivals,

c o n t r o l to t h e d e m a n d s of c o u n t e r - c u l t u r a l g r o u p s s u c h

" - i s type of f e s t i v a l as a c h a n c e 'to be p l a y f u l , to b r e a k

as t h e t r a v e l l i n g h i p p i e s . H o w e v e r , a l o n g t h e w a y , t h e

: : .vn b a r r i e r s b e t w e e n people and c r e a t e an e n v i r o n m e n t

f e s t i v a l has m a i n t a i n e d its a i m of s u p p o r t i n g c h a r i t i e s

* h e r e y o u have p e r f e c t f r e e d o m a n d p e r f e c t n o u r i s h -

like CND and, later, Greenpeace, Oxfam and a n u m -

ment, intellectually and visually'. Festival Republic, the

b e r of l o c a l c h a r i t i e s . In t h e m i n d of t h e a u d i e n c e , t h i s

" e c r a n d e d M e a n F i d d l e r , c r e a t e d a b o u t i q u e f e s t i v a l on

h e l p s p o s i t i o n t h e f e s t i v a l as a f u n e v e n t w i t h a s o c i a l

= . a r g e r s c a l e w i t h t h e i r L a t i t u d e f e s t i v a l . S i m i l a r l y , Rob

conscience. The c o n t i n u e d expansion and shift in m a n a g e -

za B a n k , a B B C D J , put t o g e t h e r B e s t i v a l on t h e Isle of

m e n t of t h e f e s t i v a l has f r e e d M i c h a e l Eavis to be t h e

.'. ght w h e r e t h e a t t e n d e r s a r e e n c o u r a g e d to j o i n in t h e

f i g u r e h e a d f o r the event a n d to p u r s u e t h e o r i g i n a l s o c i a l

- - by a p p e a r i n g in f a n c y d r e s s . Quite c l e a r l y , a u d i e n c e s

m i s s i o n of t h e f e s t i v a l .

; e n o w being p r e s e n t e d w i t h a w i d e r a n g e of f e s t i v a l s
_

:: consider for their leisure time entertainment.

M a n y of t h e s e f e s t i v a l s a t t r a c t s p o n s o r s w i t h s o m e
r e c o m i n g p r o m i n e n t by a c q u i r i n g n a m i n g r i g h t s on t h e

Given this g r o w i n g and increasingly competitive m a r k e t ,

t h e r e is m u c h to c o n s i d e r f o r t h e f e s t i v a l s i n v o l v e d . In
r e c e n t y e a r s , G l a s t o n b u r y has s o l d a l l its t i c k e t s a n d
made

donations

to

its f a v o u r e d

causes,

confirming

26

C H A P T E R 1 I N T R O D U C I N G STRATEGY

t h e f i n a n c i a l v i a b i l i t y of its c u r r e n t

business

model.

Indeed, the f e s t i v a l ' s iconic s t a t u s has t r a d i t i o n a l l y m e a n t

that

underpin

f i n a n c i a l s u c c e s s at t h e s e

events,

as

successful festival p r o m o t e r s are w e l l aware.

t h a t it is a r i t e of p a s s a g e f o r m a n y y o u n g m u s i c f a n s .

Sources: The history of Glastonbury is charted on its website Ihttp://

Yet, in 2008, Eavis p u b l i c l y r e g i s t e r e d c o n c e r n o v e r t h e

www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/historyl whilst ownership and finances

age of t h e G l a s t o n b u r y a u d i e n c e s u g g e s t i n g t h a t s e l l i n g

are available through Companies House.

Maybe Eavis w a s c o n c e r n e d by c o m m e n t s s u c h as t h o s e

Most of the background to the festival and related market has been
drawn from online news resources such as the BBC, Times Online and
the Guardian, or industry magazines such as Music Week.

in The Times n e w s p a p e r that c r u e l l y d e c l a r e d G l a s t o n b u r y

More information on UK Festivals is available from Mintel.

t i c k e t s by p h o n e w o u l d h e l p a t t r a c t a y o u n g e r a u d i e n c e .

as s u i t e d to t h e ' t h e h i p - o p g e n e r a t i o n ' a n d q u e s t i o n e d
w h e t h e r y o u n g p e o p l e t h o u g h t it w a s ' c o o l ' to go to t h e
s a m e m u s i c e v e n t s as t h e i r p a r e n t s . On t h e o t h e r h a n d ,
t h e i r p a r e n t s b e l o n g to t h e 'baby b o o m e r ' g e n e r a t i o n that
g r e w up w i t h p o p u l a r m u s i c and festivals like Glastonbury.

Questions
1

S t i c k i n g to t h e 35 w o r d l i m i t s u g g e s t e d

So, t h e r e is no r e a l s u r p r i s e t h a t t h e y w o u l d enjoy t h i s

by C o l l i s and R u k s t a d in s e c t i o n 1.2.3, w h a t

e c l e c t i c e v e n t . W h a t e v e r d i s t u r b e d Eavis, he a n n o u n c e d

strategy s t a t e m e n t w o u l d you propose for

t h a t J a y - Z , an A m e r i c a n r a p a r t i s t , w a s to h e a d l i n e in

the Glastonbury Festival?

o r d e r to h e l p a t t r a c t a y o u n g e r a u d i e n c e . W i t h s a l e s

s l o w e r c o m p a r e d w i t h p r e v i o u s s e l l - o u t y e a r s , he l a t e r
s t a t e d ' W e ' r e not t r y i n g to get rid of a n y b o d y . T h e o l d e r

t e r m s of b o t h e x i s t i n g a c t i v i t i e s a n d p o s s i b l e

p e o p l e a r e f a n t a s t i c , but w e do need y o u n g p e o p l e c o m -

f u t u r e ones. How m i g h t this analysis affect

ing in as w e l l . ' T h e n , r e f l e c t i n g on t h e 2008 f e s t i v a l in

2009, M i c h a e l Eavis d i s p l a y e d c o n c e r n s o v e r t h e f u t u r e
of t h e f e s t i v a l s a y i n g ' L a s t y e a r I t h o u g h t t h a t

maybe

their future strategic direction?

3

U s i n g t h e h e a d i n g s of e n v i r o n m e n t , s t r a t e g i c
capability, strategic purpose and c u l t u r e seen

w e ' d got to t h e end a n d w e ' d have to bite t h e b u l l e t a n d

in s e c t i o n 1.5.1, i d e n t i f y key p o s i t i o n i n g i s s u e s

f o l d it a l l u p . A lot of t h e b a n d s w e r e saying G l a s t o n b u r y

for the Glastonbury Festival and consider

had b e c o m e too b i g , t o o m u d d y a n d t o o h o r r i b l e . '

W i t h s u c h a n e s t a b l i s h e d f e s t i v a l as

C a r r y out a ' t h r e e h o r i z o n s ' a n a l y s i s

( s e c t i o n 1.2.1) of t h e G l a s t o n b u r y F e s t i v a l , in

their relative importance.

Glastonbury,

F o l l o w i n g on f r o m t h e p r e v i o u s q u e s t i o n a n d

o n e w o u l d e x p e c t t h e m a n a g e m e n t m i g h t be l o o k i n g

m a k i n g u s e of s e c t i o n 1.5.2, w h a t a l t e r n a t i v e

to l e v e r a g e its b r a n d w i t h , f o r e x a m p l e , f u r t h e r e v e n t s .

s t r a t e g i e s do y o u see f o r t h e G l a s t o n b u r y

Yet, t h e c o m m e n t s of M i c h a e l Eavis s u g g e s t not o n l y

Festival?

a l a c k of c l a r i t y a b o u t t h e t a r g e t a u d i e n c e but

also

c o n c e r n o v e r w h e t h e r it c a n p e r s i s t . F u r t h e r m o r e , Eavis
s e e m s n e r v o u s a b o u t t h e f e s t i v a l ' s a p p e a l to a r t i s t s w h o
have l o t s of o p p o r t u n i t i e s to m a k e a p p e a r a n c e s o v e r t h e
s u m m e r . A u d i e n c e s and a r t i s t s a r e t h e t w o key f a c t o r s

C o n v e r t i n g g o o d s t r a t e g i c t h i n k i n g into
a c t i o n c a n be a c h a l l e n g e : e x a m i n e h o w
t h e G l a s t o n b u r y F e s t i v a l has a c h i e v e d t h i s by
c o n s i d e r i n g t h e e l e m e n t s s e e n in s e c t i o n 1.5.3.