Category : Featured News

Tucked away in a corner behind the scenes at Glasgowbury 2009 was an attractive cushion laden yurt welcoming many an act to kick off their shoes, relax and bang out a tune or two.

Rory McConnell and his Radio One team recorded some of it for your ears (which you can listen back to …here… now) while ATL filmed it for your eyes; a selection of which you can cast you peeps over …here…

Acts which you can get a gander at include General Fiasco, Colenso Parade, Here Comes The Landed Gentry, Pocket Promise and many more.

Elsewhere Hot Press have extensive coverage of the festival in this fortnight’s pages. Edwin McFee armed himself with a pen and headed for the hills to bring back messages aplenty of a surgence in the NI music scene. Get your copy now.

Also, now that we have your attention, we would like to recommend your signing of our mailing list.

Plans for Glasgowbury 2010 are already being discussed and as such we are building a mailing list of epic proportions full of true Glasgowbury fans who will be the first to know about getting their hands on tickets for the festival’s 10th anniversary.

So don’t miss out. If you haven’t already signed up, email your interest to mailinglist@glasgowbury.com for exclusive news and content throughout the year.

And keep your eyes and ears peeled for musch more Glasgowbury news, reviews and an exclusive video from official filmmaker Bobby Gordon.

small but MASSIVE

Hola!

Well… another Glasgowbury Music Festival has been and gone – once again the mighty Sperrins were rocked to their core by several thousand festival-goers on Saturday 25th July.

However, it doesn’t have to end there – we’ve scoured the internet and compiled a list of handy online resources which will help you relive some of the best bits of the festival weekend – and for those who couldn’t make it, you’ll be able to get a little taste of what you missed….

BBC Introducing…

First up, this year the small but MASSIVE main stage was sponsored by BBC Introducing… (Radio1, N. Ireland) with Rory McConnell – much like the festival itself, their aim is to support the best unsigned, undiscovered and under the radar music.

Throughout the day they were recording all the performances on the main stage, as well as some very special acoustic performances in the backstage ‘yurt’ – it’s a circular tent-like thingy – look it up.

You can listen again to last week’s broadcast whicht featured the main stage performances, whilst this week you’ll get to hear all the yurt-based action:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/rorymcconnell/

BBC Across The Line

Next, we have BBC Radio Ulster’s Across The Line festival coverage – Rigsy and the rest of the ATL crew have been in attendance for about 4 or 5 years now, and this year they saw fit to tell us 20 remarkable things (rather than their normal 10) about the Glasgowbury Music Festival:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/atl/review_specific275849.shtml

You can also check out their dedicated Glasgowbury section on their website:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/atl/glasgowbury/

Finally, you can listen again to their most recent broadcast which included their festival coverage and yurt-related discussion:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007cpgz

BBC Electric Mainline

Stephen McCauley from BBC Radio Foyles Electric Mainline show spent the day at the festival interviewing artists and festival organiser Paddy Glasgow as well as playing some specially recorded session performances. If you missed the show, or just want to listen to it again, you can do so here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/foyle_aod.shtml?foyle/electric_mainline_thu

Bandwidth Films – Vanwidth Sessions

Check out a selection of 4 specially recorded acoustic sessions by the good folks at Bandwidth Films – they’re really rather good:

http://www.bandwidthfilms.com/glasgowbury

Festival Reviews

Stu Bailies Blog:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/stuartbailie/2009/07/rocking_at_eagles_rock.shtml

Md-Ulster Mail:

http://www.midulstermail.co.uk/entertainment/Glasgowbury-the-great.5504182.jp

Hot Press:

http://wordpress.hotpress.com/festivalnews/2009/07/28/glasgowbury-09-a-sell-out-success/

State Magazine:

http://www.state.ie/glasgowbury-09/

Blah Blah Blah…

We know you guys are never short of an opinion or two – so why not share them with us – either directly on our website [ www.glasgowbury.com/feedback ] or on the likes of some popular music disucssion forums:

FastFude: www.fastfude.org

AU Magazine:  www.iheartau.com/forum

Say Cheeeeeese!

Before we go, we’d just like to let you know that you can view a selection of photos taken during the festival weekend at the following location:

http://www.glasgowbury.com/image-gallery-glasgowbury-music-festival-2009/

These include our own photos as well as some submitted by festival-goers themselves – so if you have a few photos that you’d like to share with us and the rest of the world, we’d be more than happy to see them!

Finally, we’d like to thank you for your continued support of new music – both by your attendance at the festival and at the regular G Sessions dotted throughout the year.

Until next time…..

small but MASSIVE!

www.glasgowbury.com
www.myspace.com/
www.twitter.com/glasgowbury
www.bebo.com/glasgowbury
www.youtube.com/glasgowbury
www.flckr.com/glasgowbury

KEEPING the NI music and arts scene alive will be the work of the Interact Youth Arts Festival taking place in Derry from August 1st to August 7th.

The festival will include workshops, films, special guest events, tours, gigs and performances including a workshop with Glasgowbury’s founding member – Paddy Glasgow.

Check out the full list of activities taking place at the Interact Festival on the official website …here…

Support your new music outlets…

small but MASSIVE

Check out all the information you need to know about this year’s festival with tips and advice ranging from car parking to carnival activities to what traders will be vying for your attention.

Ticket Information

• Tickets cost £25 for a festival only ticket and £30 for a festival ticket with camping.
• Festival goers will be charged the full ticket price no matter what time they decide to enter the festival site.
• Festival goers will not be permitted entry to the festival site after 9pm without a pre-purchased ticket.
• Access will only be granted on presentation of full ticket (with stub still attached).
• The box office will close at 9.30pm.

Essential Parking Information

• Road diversions will be in place throughout the day for health and safety reasons. Please follow all relevant information that will lead to a safe environment for pedestrians.
• The car park is located approximately one mile from the festival and camp sites.
• A cost of £3 per car will apply to park your car (To cover security and field hire).
• For queries about parking, including disabled access, email info@glasgowbury.com
• The long stay car park will close at 11pm and anyone looking access to their car will be accompanied by security on presentation of proper identification.
• The short stay car park will remain open for a few hours after the festival is over.
• Shuttle buses will run from the car park to the festival site all day at a cost of just £2 per person. One ticket permits you to unlimited bus travel over the weekend.
• The shuttle buses will run on Friday 24th July from: 6.30pm to 9pm / Saturday 25th July from: 9.30am to 2am / Sunday 26th July from: 10am to 1pm.
• Outside of these times campers may be required to walk or use local independent taxis.
• Festival goers are not permitted to sleep in cars at the car park.
• Coaches taxiing festival goers are not permitted to park in the designated car park due to lack of space. Any coaches coming to the festival can access the road diversion to drop people off at the festival site.
• ALL FESTIVAL COACHES MUST INFORM info@glasgowbury.com OF THEIR ARRIVAL DETAILS TO FACILITATE EASE OF ACCESS AND SECURITY IMPLEMENTATION.

Camp Site Information

• The camp site will open from 6pm on Friday 24th July and must be vacated by 12 noon on Sunday 26th July.
• Bin bags will be supplied to all festival goers. Please respect the camp site and and your patch by keeping your area tidy and using the clean up facilities provided.
• A designated family camp site will be located on site. Please make security aware of your requirements on entry.
• No glass bottles / no camp fires / no barbecue stoves are allowed in the camping area.

Camper Van Information

• Camper vans will be allowed to park at the An Rath Dubh Centre only – approximately one mile from the site.
• All those staying in a camper van must purchase a festival and camping ticket.
• A charge of £5 will apply for camper vans – to cover costs for a hard steady ground.
• Camper van places are limited – email info@glasgowbury.com to book or enquire.

Festival Activities

• Free programmes will be available on the day detailing all activities / stage times / site map / important information etc.
• The Beat Initiative will bring their carnival of colour to the festival with activities ranging from mask making, drum workshops, samba band performances throughout the site, parades at regular intervals and much more.
• A holistic zone located on the festival site will include reflexology and indian head massage therapies.
• A plethora of traders and stalls will be on site for your pleasure – so bring some extra cash and dive into stalls selling everything from home-made products to funky wigs and wellies.
• And don’t forget to get your hands on some official Glasgowbury merchandise. Limited reserves mean a first come come first served basis.

Food and Drink Information

• A full selection of food stalls will feature at the festival including chip vans, crepe making stalls, a Thai noodle bar, Indian cuisine plus tea, coffee and snacks etc.
• You may bring your own alcohol to the camp site but you will not be allowed to bring your own alcohol into the festival site.
• However, no glass bottles will be pemitted on the camp site and regular searches by security will enforce this point.
• A fully stocked bar will include the following: Corona / Vodka / Gaymers Cider / Wine and Alco pops – all at bar prices.

Behaviour

• Glasgowbury reserve the right to eject anyone from the camping or festival site subject to improper behaviour as determined by security.
• Respect yourself and others to make your festival experience a safe and enjoyable one for all.

Other important information

• Under 12’s will be allowed entry to the festival for free with an accompanying adult (four children per one adult) / 16 & 17 year old’s can come to the festival unattended by an adult but will not be allowed access to the bar or alcohol.
• I.D. may be required at the festival gate and bar as applicable.
• Bring appropriate clothing and accessories in case of inclement weather.

With word slowly leaking out and messenger pigeons running on reserves with all the news, we thought it time to give it to you straight and official – And So I Watch You From Afar will headline Glasgowbury 2009.

Beginning their Glasgowbury career three years ago, there can be little doubting the strength and determination of the fearsome north coast foursome since.

Epic shows of strength in the form of Tonight The City Burns and last year’s A Little Solidarity cemented them high atop the charts of respect and work ethic while their self titled debut album released earlier this year blew the minds of just about everyone who listened.

They come home to roost on Saturday 25th July, capping off proceedings at the ninth annual Glasgowbury festival on the Small But Massive Main Stage in association with BBC Radio One.

Excited?

“It will be our first first headline of an event,” said guitarist Tony. “And it’s the biggest show of our lives as far as we’re concerned.

“The album launch was something else but this is something completely different and to be asked to do it; well we’re just completely blown away, really humbled.”

Memories?

“We played Glasgowbury for the first time three years ago and it was a really pivotal moment for us as a band. We started to take things up a notch after that – the magic of the mountains that drove us on.

“But something did happen to us that day. Something clicked in us and since then we’ve been on what seems to an upward trajectory which helped us to go away and do things like A Little Solidarity last year.”

Thoughts?

“The music scene here is great and Glasgowbury is the central piece of the musical calendar – the one that everyone looks forward to. And this year’s no different because we’ve been looking forward to it for months – since we stepped off stage last year.”

Plans?

“We have a few ideas planned for the big day. We’ve sort of set ourselves up in the position now where everyone thinks we’re going to do something weird and crazy but at the end of the day we’re a rock band so hopefully its going to be a Class A rock show.”

Tickets

www.myspace.com/andsoiwatchyoufromafar

A new BBC advert from our good friends at ATL features a sampling of our good selves with Rigsy proclaiming his hankering for this year’s small but MASSIVE festival.

The advert will run on BBC over the summer months explaining how ATL will feature web content, including videos, from festivals around the country – including Glasgowbury.

Be sure to check out ATL’s website here regularly for important festival updates and news etc.

And if you see the advert on the telly box login to the site and let us know what you think. Haven’t registered yet? Do it now – click the register box at the top of the site and get involved.

Small but MASSIVE

Proving that Glasgowbury is more than just a music festival, the group are pleased to announce that The Beat Initiative will make ties with the festival for an explosion of carnival proportions.

With a samba band, circus performers, drum workshops, mask makers, kids activities and so much more – Glasgowbury 2009 will transform into a massive festival of colour.

The Beat Initiative is Northern Ireland’s own Carnival Arts Company, producers of large scale carnival events and performance across these islands and beyond.

Bringing their expertise in colour and party style to Glasgowbury, a team of their artists will be facilitating carnival costume making; leading up to a performance parade where the audience are the stars and the evening’s dancing starts.

Get ready for some creative mask making with our artists, carnival backpack construction with our creative technicians and dancing your socks off with BeatnDrum Samba band in the pre-evening carnival parade on site.

BeatnDrum is the house band of the Beat Initiative and one of Ireland’s top percussion outfits.

Taking its musical influences from the best of Carnival traditions in Europe and the Americas, BeatnDrum bang out an instant good vibe and get any party going with their funky grooves and choice breaks. Look out for the funky drummers and dancers as they lead the carnival procession through the field.

“I’m over the moon to be working with David and The Beat Initiative,” said Paddy. “It will add extra colour and excitement across so many different age levels.

“So don’t forget to bring your groov-iest and most colourful clothes, hats and anything else that will add to the good vibrations of the carnival atmosphere at Glasgowbury.”

Glasgowbury goes Radio Ga Ga over the coming days and weeks with exclusive interviews and features on the country’s finest radio shows.

Tonight (Thursday 25 June) hear an exclusive interview with Paddy on Stephen McCauley’s Electric Mainline show including songs from some of the acts playing this year’s festival. Tune in from 7pm on 93.1FM. If you missed the broadcast, or live in an area where its not possible to tune into Radio Foyle then, for a limited time, you can always listen again (the interview starts about 40 minutes in).

And tomorrow night, listen out for Paddy and Junior Johnson taking over Radio Ulster’s The Late Show with Stuart Bailie from 10pm to 12am on 92-95FM. Like the Electric Mainline broadcast, you can now listen again to Stuart’s show.

More shows will be announced over the coming weeks.

Email mailinglist@glasgowbury.com with your details and receive exclusive updates on scheduled radio shows and more before anyone else.

small but MASSIVE

Hi Everyone,

We are working hard on our second album this summer.

We had hoped to join you all at Eagle’s Rock for Glasgowbury 2009 but unfortunately due to our recording commitments in America we won’t be able to attend this year’s festival.

Cahir has flown to LA to begin working through the pre-production sessions for the album and sends his love.
Rumours that he has gone there to have a face lift and a boob job are simply not true!

2008 was a big year for FWW and our set on the Small But Massive stage was one of the highlights of our summer.

We will be back on the festival circuit in 2010 with our new record and we hope to see you all then for the 10th anniversary of the greatest Small But Massive festival this side of Russia.

Have a fantastic time in 2009 – we know the Sperrins will be rocked again!

Respect to Paddy & Stella and all the Glasgowbury crew.

Jamie, Craig & Cahir

GLASGOWBURY are pleased to announce that BBC Radio One Introducing and Rory McConnell will set up a stage at this year’s festival.

BBC Radio One Introducing NI will take charge of the Small But Massive main stage this year and play host to the finest up and coming acts from across Northern Ireland.

Their pairing with Glasgowbury will see two of the strongest voices for new music heard right across the globe.

Rory McConnell, the face behind BBC Introducing NI, says:

“BBC Introducing in is about the best new unsigned, undiscovered and under the radar music and the real gems are always the real DIY artists.

“With Glasgowbury being a DIY festival, showcasing predominantly DIY bands, the atmosphere and the sense of accomplishment from bands and festival goers alike really makes for an amazing day.

“The best way to describe it is that Glasgowbury is basically the live version what we do on BBC Introducing in NI on Radio 1. If our show was a festival it would be the Glasgowbury Festival.

“The beauty of Glasgowbury is that you’re so confident that the music is great that you can just enjoy the festival.

“This is why the Glasgowbury festival’s so amazing, because young or old, or if you’re into metal or folk, it will be a field full of people having a fantastic time!”

Festival Organiser Paddy Glasgow is delighted to be working alongside BBC Radio One NI and Rory McConnell.

“Glasgowbury and BBC Introducing have long shared a common bond for new music right across Ireland,” he said.

“With the help of Rory and his Radio One team we are putting Glasgowbury, and the acts which make it so famous, up on a higher stage for a much wider audience to hear.

“The strength of the music scene here is clear for all to see so it’s time we opened up the window for the rest of the UK to come and have a look in too.”