Will Glastonbury ever happen again?

[Wannaflyaway]

I was watching Foo Fighters from Glastonbury 2017 today on TV as they're my favourite band. After about 10 mins I had to switch off. Seeing the mass of people in the audience having an absolutely amazing time, no worries about standing too close to anyone, laughing, smiling, hugging. It honestly broke my heart to think about how different things are today thanks to coronavirus. I feel that this virus has literally taken every bit of enjoyment out of life. Everything that makes life worth living, being with others, concerts, theatre, restaurants, holidays, school, has been taken away. I know that some of these things will still exist but in a new format but even then with all of the safety precautions needed, it doesn't seem with the effort and most of the joy of these things will have gone in my mind. I know noone has a crystal ball but are we ever going to get our old lives back again? Will there be any more Glastonbury festivals? I honestly am finding it harder and harder to keep going in this new normal. I am grieving for our old lives.

Of course it will all come back. There's the demand. People are sociable creatures and this whole situation is deeply unnatural and damaging.

The risk of contagious illness has never stopped human socialising long term before and there is plenty as unpleasant as Covid 19 that cause death and long term side effects.

This too shall pass.

This is not a new normal. It's a temporary inconvenience, and you are allowed to feel down about what you're missing at the moment. It's hard that it's all so indefinite at present.

Thank you BogRoll. I'm massively struggling today. I thought I was OK but watching Glastonbury hit me so hard. I can't stop crying.

I know what you mean, I watched it last night and it made me feel awful. I think what struck me was actually the deep sense of loss for a whole year of our lives, it’s especially hard to take in summer, when the uk finally gets good enough weather to do nice things.

Coujd it be a bit of that you’re feeling ?

Of course. This won’t last forever. There’s been numerous pandemics in history & none have lasted forever have they? In fact, two years after the Spanish Flu, the roaring 20’s happened! And we are way way more advanced in medicine & vaccines than we were back in 1918.

It just takes patience. Which the human race seems to lack. It’s only been 4/5 months. It takes time for us to understand a new virus. Work out the best treatments. Find a vaccine. We most likely won’t get rid of Covid but it’ll become one of those illness that go round. The vulnerable & elderly will be vaccinated (hopefully & very likely) and the rest of us will either be vaccinated as well or just left to catch a not life threatening illness. And for those it does happen to effect quite badly, we’ll have effective treatment in hospital. And yes, people will still die of it but sadly, viruses do kill even the healthiest people sometimes.

Life will be back. We just have to ride out this rubbish bit of it.

Thanks Countess I'm sorry you found it so hard to watch too. It really is a deep sense of loss, I agree. I think it could be partly to do with the weather. Just all of it really.

I agree with the others. There are bits of history that are rubbish and we are living in one of those bits. But it will get better and when it does we will lose our fear.

I’m sorry you’re having a hard time tonight Op

I know it doesn’t feel like it right now but this is temporary.

It made life look so enjoyable, but when I watched it, it felt like the past. Life feels really flat and monochrome now.

David Bowie on BBC Two now :)

It is sad , but I'm hopeful that things will go back to normal one day and concerts and gigs will start up again , maybe next year.
I feel for the young as they want to be out and about and they can't go anywhere much and I know many are being good and following lockdown to the letter. My own sons are chasing refunds for gigs , things they were looking forwards to.
I'm watching Bowie now from 2000. Music will always be around : they can't take that away from us at least.
Try not to get too down even though I know how you feel.

OP, I know exactly what you mean, and I think CountessFrog put it very eloquently. It is a real sense of loss for a year of our lives. I felt quite wistful all weekend looking at the coverage and old pictures of me and friends at the festival in years gone by. Looking at the crowd shots was really sad as it just looked so alien.

Never is a big word but I think it is a bit optimistic to think next year is an option! But maybe 2022 and I do agree with you re loss. Cultural loss in this is huge and when people say “everyone is back to normal now” I think they do not know how live music, theatre, comedy can be such big things in people lives. I get quite sad when I think how long we look towards being without live theatre.

My ds2 is a follower to the letter of lockdown and working from home. He has rarely moaned about any of this but even he was a bit down today and said it would be nice to just go out somewhere for a drink or see his favorite band. He thinks it's a few years until we are back to normal but I'm a bit more optimistic mostly because I can't think that far ahead : it's too depressing!
I'm sure it'll be ok in the long run but with people breaking all the rules there may well be another spike. It is frustrating from that point of view. Roll on a vaccine.

@qasd - try telling that to the organisers of Glasto (and all major events).. ‘back bigger & better in 2021’ .. and the poor athletes if the Olympics can’t go ahead next year 😩

Health, your loved ones, enjoyment of food, enjoyment of a sunny day or the sun on your face, enjoyment of music or tv or books or reading or online conversations, the ability to sleep and feel relaxed, the sense of accomplishment from tidying up or completing a crossword... Etc etc etc.

You've lost all these things and more too?

My life went to hell before CV came along, and I lost a whole lot more than concerts, but I have been told that because I still have the option of seeing the sunset or the so-called "hope" of looking forward to breakfast that I was not allowed to feel hopeless or say my life was not worth living. Because apparently that was "choosing" to "give up".

And I got fuck all compassion or understanding for the suffering and grief I have been experiencing. Over genuine loss and genuine suffering, not the cancellation of some concerts.

But you lot reckon losing concerts for a single year means life is not worth living? And have compassion available for each other because of that? RIghto. I hope you have the same compassion for people with tough lives and don't ever make bullshit dismissive comments to them about "keeping on".

Yes I'm sure this is not forever.

I do feel, as others do, that we have lost a year of our lives. I dont feel so sad about this for myself as for my kids. Eldest is only 3 so losing 6-12 months is a huge chunk. Youngest is 14 weeks so her life hasnt even really begun and it's already being affected by the lockdown.

Oh yes my comment was a direct response to the “bigger and better” next year comments. Feels very optimistic and no I don’t think we will have Olympics either which I find sad too! Hopefully I am wrong!

@FrugiFan

Yes I'm sure this is not forever.

I do feel, as others do, that we have lost a year of our lives. I dont feel so sad about this for myself as for my kids. Eldest is only 3 so losing 6-12 months is a huge chunk. Youngest is 14 weeks so her life hasnt even really begun and it's already being affected by the lockdown.

It's for the children that I feel sad for, yes. I am a grown up and I can rationalise it even though it is pretty grim. We are lucky: we have our health and our families. And a house and a garden. I know others are not as lucky. But my 7 year old said to me the other night "My life is getting smaller and smaller and I do not have a purpose and I want my old life back". That was heartbreaking for me. She is in her final year at infants' school and this term was meant to be all about transition, saying goodbye, celebrating what they have achieved since they started school. It was massive for her...and it has all been taken away. We go to a festival every year (it's not Glasto but it has been cancelled) and we haven't yet told her it's not happening because she said "it will finish me off". I know it's small stuff in the context of a global pandemic and people losing their lives but to little kids it's pretty massive and I find that so sad.

Of course there will!

I've just got home from a socially distanced
glast"home"bury with my family this year (been to the festival for the past 20 years).We spent the weekend reminiscing and watching old sets, but it'll be back on next year I'm sure!!

user12699422578 - wow that was harsh 😳

But my 7 year old said to me the other night "My life is getting smaller and smaller and I do not have a purpose and I want my old life back"

^ From the mouths of babes. Me, too!
However, I do feel events like Glastonbury will happen again...and we'll take less for granted moving forward.

Emily Eavis said if they can't go ahead next year they'll go bust, but that they were confident they could put things in place to go ahead

i just feel sick at all the people so close together-im sure i'll get over it one day

David Bowie really did hold the universe in his hands, didn’t he?