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Glastonbury Festival

1980 – 1989…

Although the festivals during the 70s saw the organisers suffer a financial loss, Michael Eavis was undeterred and forged ahead with organising a large-scale event that would raise funds for the peace movement, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). The now famous Pyramid Stage was built out of telegraph poles and ex-Ministry of Defence metal, with CND chairman Bruce Kent and historian E.P. Thompson being among the first people to address the crowd from its lofty platform.

Two large straw and stick sculptures
Two large straw and stick sculptures
©Jon Spaull/www.britainonview.com
1980 - Despite the number of people attending the festival in 1979, the organisers suffered a huge financial loss and no one wanted to risk another festival in 1980. Furthermore, Michael’s youngest daughter, Emily was born that year.


June 19 -21, 1981 (Attendance: 18,000. Tickets: £8)


In 1981, Glastonbury Fayre became Glastonbury Festival. Michael Eavis took sole responsibility for running the event and dedicated it to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, benefiting Mid-Somerset CND. 


Michael convinced National CND to collaborate with him, with the assurance that proper management would turn the event into a profitable venture.  A mutual agreement was reached and National CND sent out information about the festival in their mailings, handled advance ticket sales and permitted the use of the CND logo for the festival’s banner.


Michael undertook all the financial, organisational and networking responsibilities involved with getting the festival up and running – no small feat. Additionally, a new Pyramid Stage was built out of telegraph poles and ex-MoD metal sheeting. However, this time it was constructed as a permanent structure designed to double as a cowshed and animal food store during the winter months. 

 
June 18 - 20, 1982 (Attendance: 25,000. Tickets: £8)


This year was a muddy one with the highest rainfall on a single day in 45 years recorded on the Friday. However, spirits no doubt lifted with the first ever laser show backed by Gary Numan and Tubeway Army’s “Are friends electric?”. Stints from Van Morrison and Jackson Browne also broke up the sheet-like showers and mudslides.


Again, CND were involved with the event, with Western Region CND taking control of the entrance gates and Mid-Somerset CND in charge of providing all festival information.


June 17 - 19, 1983 (Attendance: 30,000. Tickets: £12)


Following local authorities’ newly-found power to regulate public events by stipulating required conditions, 1983’s festival called for a licence to be obtained from Mendip District Council. Consequently, a Public Entertainment Licence was issued. It set a crowd limit of 30,000 and went into considerable detail about access roads, water supply, hygiene etc.  It was also the first year that the festival had its own radio station, Radio Avalon. Testament to Michael’s foresight that the event would be financially viable, £45,000 was raised for CND and local charities.


June 20 - 22, 1984 (Attendance: 35,000. Tickets:  £13)


January 1984 saw Michael Eavis successfully defending five prosecutions bought against him by Mendip District Council, which alleged contravention of the previous year’s licence conditions. All five charges were dismissed, but the local council announced the licence for 1984 would cost £2,000. Licence numbers were set at 35,000 and for the first time specific car parking areas were designated with stewards employed to direct the traffic. 

 

Radio messages advised people not to turn up unless they had purchased a ticket in advance and the Green Fields became a separate area. £60,000 was raised for CND and other charities, and musical highlights included The Waterboys, The Smiths, Elvis Costello, Joan Baez and Ian Dury. 

 

“In 1985 Paul Weller turned up absolutely immaculate in his white suit to sing with The Style Council. The contrast with the mud was extraordinary. We put down pallets everywhere and somehow he must have managed to pick his way through to the stage.” (Mark Cann) Glastonbury – An oral history of the music, mud & magic by Crispin Aubrey & John Shearlaw.


June 21 - 23, 1985 (Attendance: 40,000. Tickets: £16)


Worthy Farm was now considered too small to accommodate the festival. Consequently, the neighbouring Cockmill farmland was purchased and the site enlarged by a further 100 acres. Shadowing the development of the site that year however, was yet another mud bath with tractors acting as the only possible means of towing people off the site.

 

Nonetheless, Michael Eavis was pleased to announce, “We have had the mud bath and proved we can still cope with the conditions.” Furthermore, despite the quagmire, £100,000 was raised for CND and local charities, and festival-goers got down to the grooves of Echo and The Bunnymen, Joe Cocker and The Boomtown Rats.


20th - 22nd June 1986 (Attendance: 60,000. Tickets: £17)


The festival once again outgrew the preceding year’s event. As a result, development of the communications remit, the farm office, welfare and medical teams took place, and the Theatre and Children’s Areas moved to new abodes.

 

The first classical music tent was introduced and the market areas were relocated from the top of the site. Glastonbury Festival was on the up, and that year The Cure, Madness and Level 42 were just some of the great bands performing.



People sitting and chatting in the sunshine.
People sitting and chatting in the sunshine.
©Jon Spaull/www.britainonview.com
June 19 - 21, 1987 (Attendance: 60,000. Tickets: £21)


1987 saw the introduction of the Womad stage and the council’s decision to refuse the licence was overturned in court. £130,000 was raised for CND and local charities and the line up included: Van Morrison, Elvis Costello, Robert Cray, Paul Brady, Michelle Shocked and New Order.



1988 - Due to problems arising because of the festival’s increase in size, 1988 was a fallow year. Festival organisers subsequently took the opportunity to regroup and review the situation. So, a quiet year for Glastonbury with no festival rocking the farm, fields or festival-followers.


June 16 - 18, 1989 (Attendance: 65,000. Tickets: £28)


Once again complications arose with the local council over the granting of the festival’s licence, and police were involved with its organisation for the first time (perhaps fittingly, considering a death threat Suzanne Vega received prior to the show). In true “show must go on” spirit, Vega nonetheless appeared on stage, as did the Pixies, The Wonderstuff, Elvis Costello and Van Morrison. It was a good year for the CND any road - they received a donation of £100,000.