The Archive .
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June 16-18th 1989 Hothouse Flowers,Gong Maison, Waterboys, Van Morrison, Throwing Muses, Lucinda Williams,Martin Stephenson and the Daintees,Suzanne Vega,The Pixies, Donovan, Black Uhuru,Ozric Tentacles, The Wonderstuff, Mahotella Queens,Nik Turner's Fantastic All Stars, Screech Rock, All About Eve, Youssou N'Dour, Elvis Costello, Bhundu Boys, Fela Kuti, Fairground Attraction, The Proclaimers. Martin Carthy, Flaco Jiminez, Crossant Neuf,Sonja Christine, Atilla The Stockbroker , Womack and Womack, Alexei Sayle , Amabuthu, David Rudder, Blues Band,Oyster Band ,Earl Oakin, The Dubious Brothers . ( This list is incomplete and may be inaccurate - we need an advert and eyewitness accounts to confirm the complete bill ) Any info to add ?-well don't just sit there , Contact email |
Glastonbury advert May or June 1989- click to see larger version |
The Glastonbury festival stage 1989 © Kittens Arse |
After a years hiatus the return of the festival in 1989 saw a BIG increase in numbers , up from 60,000 to 100,000 according to some sources .The licence only allowed for 65,000 but many people attended the free festival in the travellers field , rented by Eavis as a sanctuary for travellers ,where they were entertained by bands like Hawkwind and Ozric Tentacles . Glastonbury was now rivaling the likes of Knebworth and Bath in its attendance, but despite new security measures there was still a lot of dealing and unapproved goings on that security could not curb. 1989 was pretty mellow compared to 1987, although there was one scare when performer Suzanne Vega received several death threats which were taken seriously enough by the authorities for them to provide Ms Vega with an oversize bulletproof vest .Despite the threat the plucky troubadouress took to the stage and emerged unscathed . Following the trouble between travellers and other groups in 1987 the police were invited to patrol inside the site for the first time ever . High fencing encircled the site to discourage gate crashing .The site now covered 500 acres and boasted 13 stages. |
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The extra police presence probably led to more drug busts. Now according to the plod they were mainly targeting dealers , but by the end of the weekend 300 punters had been arrested with the biggest bust being £8,000 worth of dope found in a van. We don't know if this figure was more than average but it seems pretty high . Apparently one of the reasons for the year off was local feeling , Mr Eavis had polled the local village folk and they had voted nearly two to one against holding a festival in 1988 , despite the villagers receiving free tickets and considerable donations to local charities. There were the usual objections from the council about the numbers able to attend , but Michael Eavis once more fought the good fight and repelled all challenges- the man was a marvel , possibly he persevered because it enabled him to donate so much money to good causes- his Methodist non-conformist background stood him in good stead against the forces of darkness ! |
Weather wise, it was very hot and dry festival. Perhaps this made for a more relaxed atmosphere. Certainly there was a bumper attendance despite ticket prices going up by seven pounds to 28 quid ! By this time the festival had more or less consolidated its booking strategy, there was diversity in the scope of the acts, but there was also a certain predictability as well. Van Morrison and Elvis Costello in particular were old favourites , this was Van's third visit in eight years ! There was a smattering of U.S. alt bands such as the Pixies and Throwing Muses and the rest of the bill was made up of worthy but not particularly inspiring UK acts . Probably the best thing about the bill in 1989 was the presence of the Mighty Fela Kuti and Youssou N'Dour who gave depth to an otherwise rather predictable lineup. This was more or less a pattern of Glasto in the 80s , it was rare to see a REALLY BIG act at the festival. Eavis shied away from booking megastars, but he also seemed to avoid some of the acts who might have givvied up the bill with more hard rock, or the multitude of jamming bands from the US that were beginning to make names for themselves. Its sad that artists such as Miles Davis or Prince or the Grateful Dead never graced the pyramid stage either - now that would have made an interesting Glasto, but their fees would also have cut into the money available to give to charity ! |
WLD432G(1969)Bedford VAS2. Duple 'Midland' body. Ex-G.L.C. School Bus at Glasto 89 © Traveller Dave |
Timeline
| Friday 17th June 1989.
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Saturday 18th June 1989
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Sunday 19th June 1989
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1989 site plan courtesy Bod. |
Anyone know which field this is ? © Kittens Arse |
Rear end of the Dragon bus- were they raffling it off or what ? © Dave Kotula |
Travellers vehicles at Glastonbury Festival 1989.
Phil the beer's bus , with Phil decanting home brew - Phil was an old mate of ours from Loughborough, now deceased . All vehicle photos in this section © Traveller Dave |
good on yer Dave for letting us use these !
visit his Traveller Homes site for dozens more cool pix from festivals of the late 80s and early nineties.
He also has many photos of unusual vehicles from Europe
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Blah Dave's Leyland Boxer |
NN94K(1972)Bristol RELH6G. ECW .Ex-East Midlands C94. |
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A Bedford Super Vega that was only brought out for summer festivals Ex-Blue Coaches. Ilfracombe.
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BP592J (1970) BMC ex-Ambulance
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Many traveller homes sported great artwork . Left Alan's Landscape' bus. Centre- Phils 'Skull bus' -Blah Dave's 'Desolation scene' . All painted by Baz. |
John's ex RAF bus UYK961 Bedford RL 4x4. Ex-RAF aircrew shuttle-bus. |
Travellers Field Performances .
Hosted on the inimitable Wango Riley's travelling stage ( an truck with the sides cut out that did sterling service at many free festivals of the 80s such as Torpedo Town ) , the field played host to bands 24/7 . This was also the first year that impromptu unofficial sound systems sprung up around the festival site, a portend of things to come, these sound systems , with their electronic house music blasting out round the clock, were seen by some as a refreshing wind of change that would rejuvenate a tired subculture and by others as a blessed nuisance - it all depended on what drugs you took as to your attitude to it and how much sleep you wanted to get ! Hawkwind 6-20-89
:Travellers Stage, Glastonbury Festival Any more reports of acts who played the travellers stage- Contact us ! |
Throwing Muses
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Recordings and setlists.
Gong Maison - Glastonbury Festival 1989
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Youssou N'Dour Glastonbury Festival 1989 (BBC Transcription Service disc
Peter Gabriel Guests on some tracks |
.Fela Kuti Glastonbury Festival, England, June 1989
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The Pixies 6-16-89 Glastonbury Festival
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Order of acts that we know of for the 1989 festival Friday 16th June 1989 Lucinda Williams, Throwing Muses, Pixies, Wonderstuff, All About Eve, Pierce Turner, Suzanne Vega. Sat 17th June 1989 Youssou N'dour ( with Peter Gabriel as guest ) Bhundu Boys, Azido, Van Morrison, Fairground Attraction, Hothouse Flowers, Proclaimers, Elvis Costello, Ted Hawkins. Sun 18th June 1989 Black Uhuru, Steve Cooney and Seamus Begley, The Waterboys, Balham Alligators. |
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Suzanne Vega. 6-16-89 Glastonbury Festival
BBC transcription disc |
Lucinda Williams 6-16-89 Glastonbury Festival
BBC transcription disc |
Van Morrison
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Fairground Attraction Glastonbury Festival
1989 |
All About Eve 6-16- 89 Glastonbury Festival
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Elvis Costello ( solo and with Nick Lowe, Chris Difford & Glenn Tilbrook ) Glastonbury Festival
6- 17-89
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Waterboys 6-18-89 Glastonbury Festival
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Bus at the 1987 festival © Dave Kotula |
| Wonderstuff 6-16-89 Glastonbury Festival 1.Goodbye Fatman Audience recording-the one I have heard was very trebly , there may be nore than one source as other reports quote excellent sound quality. |
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| Sets known to exist but no set list date at present |
Photo © Ely online |
Wonderstuff :6-17-89 Glastonbury Festival Throwing Muses 6-17-89 aud tape King of all Spaceheads:In the St. John's Ambulance Tent The Proclaimers |
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External links Traveller Daves site has exceedingly cool images of trucks and buses at Glasto 89. Leyland trucks ( kitted out in various interesting forms ) Glasto 89 Showmans caravan and Atkinson Glasto 89 |
