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Crowdsurfing in the Left Field: politics and debate thrive at Glastonbury Crowdsurfing in the Left Field: politics and debate thrive at Glastonbury
(about 3 hours later)
White-hot debate may have raged about the booking of Metallica, but elsewhere at Glastonbury, there was equally passionate discussion focused on things that may be almost as important: politics, history, the good society – all that stuff. Debate is one specialism of Billy Bragg's long-established Left Field tent (and just to declare an interest: I chaired some of this year's sessions), along with a brilliantly diverse range of music, and more. These were some of the highlights.White-hot debate may have raged about the booking of Metallica, but elsewhere at Glastonbury, there was equally passionate discussion focused on things that may be almost as important: politics, history, the good society – all that stuff. Debate is one specialism of Billy Bragg's long-established Left Field tent (and just to declare an interest: I chaired some of this year's sessions), along with a brilliantly diverse range of music, and more. These were some of the highlights.
The Tony Benn tributeThe Tony Benn tribute
On Friday lunchtime, the Left Field programme opened with a massed and very moving tribute to the late iconoclast, English socialist and Glastonbury veteran. There were speeches from Michael Eavis, along with Benn's son Stephen and granddaughter Emily, and Billy Bragg led the huge crowd in an a cappella rendition of Jerusalem. Benn's epitaph was displayed above the stage throughout the weekend: "He encouraged us."On Friday lunchtime, the Left Field programme opened with a massed and very moving tribute to the late iconoclast, English socialist and Glastonbury veteran. There were speeches from Michael Eavis, along with Benn's son Stephen and granddaughter Emily, and Billy Bragg led the huge crowd in an a cappella rendition of Jerusalem. Benn's epitaph was displayed above the stage throughout the weekend: "He encouraged us."
Robinson, aka "El Comandante", of #3CosasRobinson, aka "El Comandante", of #3Cosas
The next day, there was an hour-long pow-wow centred on protest and dissent at colleges and universities. Among the speakers were cleaning workers from the University of London, who talked about the #3Cosas campaign's ongoing fight against low pay and conditions, and the victories they've already won. The next day, there was an hour-long pow-wow centred on protest and dissent at colleges and universities. Among the speakers were cleaning workers from the University of London, who talked about the #3Cosas campaign's ongoing fight against low pay and conditions, and the victories they've already won. The crowd went into absolute raptures in response to a South American-born activist, Robinson, who couldn't tell them his surname for fear of reprisals, spoke in quickfire-interpreted Spanish, and rocked the house. Some of us hoped he'd say, "Hasta la victoria siempre" ("Until the everlasting victory"). He did.
Francesca MartinezFrancesca Martinez
This genius standup appeared on a panel about the state of leftist politics and spoke in a tone several light years removed from the kind of boilerplate into which such things sometimes fall. She also swore brilliantly, threatening even the elegant profanity crown awarded the previous day to Jack "Vote the fucking Tories out" Monroe. "What the fuck is GDP?" she asked. "What about well-being, relationships, happiness? Did I miss a meeting?"This genius standup appeared on a panel about the state of leftist politics and spoke in a tone several light years removed from the kind of boilerplate into which such things sometimes fall. She also swore brilliantly, threatening even the elegant profanity crown awarded the previous day to Jack "Vote the fucking Tories out" Monroe. "What the fuck is GDP?" she asked. "What about well-being, relationships, happiness? Did I miss a meeting?"
The 14-18 NOW sessionThe 14-18 NOW session
The official cultural programme for the commemoration of the first world war's centenary came to the Left Field on the same day that Archduke Franz Ferdinand's assassination had started the whole thing. Five songwriters had written songs for the occasion: Bragg put Thomas Hardy's poem The Man He Killed to an old folk tune, while Sam Duckworth (AKA Get Cape, Wear Cape Fly) excelled himself by writing about the hapless aristo bullet-victim himself. The mood of the crowd was movingly reflective.The official cultural programme for the commemoration of the first world war's centenary came to the Left Field on the same day that Archduke Franz Ferdinand's assassination had started the whole thing. Five songwriters had written songs for the occasion: Bragg put Thomas Hardy's poem The Man He Killed to an old folk tune, while Sam Duckworth (AKA Get Cape, Wear Cape Fly) excelled himself by writing about the hapless aristo bullet-victim himself. The mood of the crowd was movingly reflective.
The Left Field's first ever crowd-surfThe Left Field's first ever crowd-surf
Essex-born rapper Scroobius Pip scored a first on Saturday night, when his headline set (with partner Dan Le Sac) drew a huge crowd, and he sailed right over their heads.Essex-born rapper Scroobius Pip scored a first on Saturday night, when his headline set (with partner Dan Le Sac) drew a huge crowd, and he sailed right over their heads.
The unknown South American
The crowd went into absolute raptures in response to a South American-born activist who couldn't tell them his surname for fear of reprisals, spoke in quickfire-interpreted Spanish, and rocked the house. Some of us hoped he'd say, "Hasta la victoria siempre" ("Until the everlasting victory"). He did.