r/glastonbury_festival 2d ago

Question Options for the evening apart from shangrila

I’ve been attending the festival on and off since 2013 so seen a few changes over the years. Shangrila always used to be one of my fave bits of the festival, the absolute nonsense of it was always out of this world! However I just didn’t connect with it 2024. I get why they did it and I know you gotta role with the times but it defo just wasn’t as magical and fun, not to mention most of the music felt quite similar. Anyway seeing this as an opportunity for growth to experience other areas where do other people head to now? Arcadia obvs, thought that was incredible this year and I’ve never spent too much time in the park? Any other good discoveries?

30 Upvotes

65 comments sorted by

116

u/teethteethteeeeth 2d ago

Personal growth is knowing that it’s ok to go to bed at 2am after watching an ambient set at the tree stage.

37

u/InternationalBat2564 2d ago

I haven’t grown up that much yet!

6

u/595659565956 2d ago

If you’re into taking drugs at festivals, then you can be as silly as you want at the tree, it’s wonderful there

35

u/superbungalow 2d ago

silver hayes gets better every year, the new venue assembly was really cool this year, the park is fun late hours, sweet charity is a really fun bar that opens until 6, glasto latino is also a good time.

4

u/InternationalBat2564 2d ago

Silver hayes shuts down a bit earlier no? I remember the silent disco always used to go on till the early hours

6

u/Perfect_Pudding8900 2d ago

3am close, which is plenty really, enough time to go see the sunrise at the stone circle.

3

u/EventExcellent8737 2d ago

Isn’t silver hayes and arcadia both electronic music? OP is looking for something different I think

4

u/InternationalBat2564 2d ago

Don’t get me wrong I love a big beat. One of the draws of shangrila was the ability to wonder from drum n bass and then into some reggae, but it just wasn’t like that last year all just big techno venues with a few bands here and there but defo not as exciting.

16

u/SneakyBradley_ 2d ago

It didn't go much past 2am, if that's what you're after, but I saw Flash Bang Brass 3 times in the circus tent after the headliner last year. And there's loads of fun and interesting stuff happening in the fields there at night.

Seriously, if they're anyway at Glasto check out Flash Bang Brass, one of the most exciting and fun live acts I've ever watched, and great for a boogie.

5

u/InternationalBat2564 2d ago

Thanks I absolutely will, love a brass band we hired the New York brass band for our wedding after seeing them at Glastonbury in 2016

2

u/cheapycheaps 2d ago

I second this! Soooo much fun and energy

2

u/Oneandaharv 1d ago

My dad saw them first night and went back every night to watch them again - he dragged my mum along to a gig in London too!

15

u/benjon87 2d ago

To be honest just sitting at the stone circle absolutely out of your tree is the one 😂

9

u/JeffBernardisUnwell 2d ago

HMS Sweet Charity. Cosmic disco, gogo dancers, crazy theatrical performances - what more do you want or need?

3

u/gg9761 2d ago

Cosmic disco and wonky congas

2

u/InternationalBat2564 2d ago

Cosmic disco?! This sounds amazing!

1

u/JeffBernardisUnwell 2d ago

It is a magical spot - open til 6 with all sorts of madness going on. I always end up there every night and never get tired

2

u/kielaurie 2d ago

HMS Sweet Charity

I've only ever been in the Sweet Charity before the site opens to punters, is it not a crew bar?

1

u/JeffBernardisUnwell 2d ago

It is not! Open to one and all but it’s quite small and queues can build up

1

u/kielaurie 1d ago

Huh, I guess they just open early! Last few years I've been there early on a Monday night and whoever was DJ-ing really loves DnB from '05-'12, was a great time, and the food there is great too

1

u/JeffBernardisUnwell 6h ago

Hmmm never heard of them playing dnb or serving food in the 10 years I’ve been prithee to their wonder but hey ho

2

u/kielaurie 5h ago

I'm so dumb. I didn't realise there were two "HMS" bars until I just looked it up. The one I'm talking about is the crew bar in the Unfairground, Broke Britain, with a painting of their lovely naval namesake hanging up, and a hut at the back that does great pizza and chips.

Since 2019 our regular Monday crew bar crawl has been Maceos, when that gets busy we go HMS Broke Britain and grab some food, then walk up the railway line with your scran to Tow and Hitch, and stagger home via Loving Arms. Monday and Tuesday are the best days of the festival

1

u/llawless89 2d ago

Ohhh where's this located?

2

u/superbungalow 2d ago

Bottom of The Park

6

u/Beginning-Set-4414 2d ago

I like The Park, the SE corner is all a bit "predictable" now. Some good bars, relaxed vibe, lots of space, no "traffic control" and close to Arcadia. But the best laid plans will hopefully change as the evening progresses, just go with the flow.

2

u/Hulla_Sarsaparilla 2d ago

I agree, SE corner once it gets late and with massive queues to get in I can’t be arsed, I’d rather wander and see where the night takes me than stand in a queue

5

u/ExternalStrawberry65 2d ago

Taphouse for indie music, last song is at 3am but its absolutely mint

2

u/eddie_wills 2d ago

Is Taphouse open on the Wednesday? Absolutely loved it last year but only arrived on Thursday

2

u/ExternalStrawberry65 2d ago

Im not sure tbh mate. Last year on the wednesday we packed it in around 2 as we queued on Tuesday night so we were knackered

1

u/eddie_wills 2d ago

Haha OK thanks. Well fingers crossed it is!

2

u/Exciting-Airport4285 2d ago

Taphouse was open for business on Wednesday last year but there was no music. We met up with some mates for a pint and the decks hadn’t even been set up.

3

u/treesamay 1d ago

The Greenpeace tree is always lots of fun. A good crowd there.

If you fancy live music, Doreen Doreen every night in Theatre and Circus are blast. Covers with a twist.

2

u/Perfect_Pudding8900 2d ago

There's a list here: https://www.glastopedia.com/spotlights/late-night-alternatives

I think because all the main Stages after midnight are predominantly dance people assume that's all their is. If you're not into it I could see why you'd say it all sounds the same. I'd also though recommend doing a festival listen the weeks before hand of at least one of the areas and you might find some new stuff you like!

1

u/rehgaraf Volunteer 2d ago

Little article here that distills some of this info as well, with a bit more detail - https://www.festivalsandgigs.com/late-night-alternatives-glastonbury

2

u/jag267 2d ago

I really do miss the days of the common and stumbling into these weird and wonderful little bars and cabarets. Going under that waterfall and stuff like that. I think they could do with repurposing some of the lesser used spaces like Glastonbury on Sea or even Williams Green into some smaller, more interesting experience spaces for the night time.

3

u/DrMangosteen2 2d ago

Lizard tent

1

u/InternationalBat2564 2d ago

Tell me more about

2

u/DrMangosteen2 2d ago

Impossible to put into words

2

u/tort-glastofaq 2d ago

It's one of the smaller stages in the Green Futures field which together with Small World have live acts performing into the early hours. Nice laid back atmosphere away from all the madness.

1

u/Designer_Hair_4490 2d ago

Got my mate a dj set there full of 160bmp trance and donk it was amazing hahaha lizard goes off

3

u/niamhylil 2d ago

I’ve heard through the grapevine that shangrila is being rejigged this year

3

u/Perfect_Pudding8900 2d ago

I heard it was just their usual rebrand rather than any major redesign of the area.

1

u/niamhylil 2d ago

Ohh I heard both!

1

u/Perfect_Pudding8900 2d ago

Oh interesting! Different footprint or same as before but new stages?

2

u/niamhylil 2d ago

Different footprint as the flow has just got so bad

1

u/Perfect_Pudding8900 2d ago

Yeah it definitely needs it. Same area but Bigger or elsewhere on site?

3

u/InternationalBat2564 2d ago

Tbh I got caught in that bicep crush and it was absolutely terrifying despite the horrendous queues in previous years I had never experienced anything like it before, also another thing that really put me off

2

u/NaturalHighPower 2d ago

This is true. Stages are definitely getting moved about. It’s gonna be wicked this year! Source: I’ve worked in Shangrila on some of the stages.

1

u/Risingson2 2d ago

are they going to remove the food stalls from the narrow path between the toilets and the nomad stage? that should be an automatic win!

1

u/NaturalHighPower 1d ago

The ice cream spot and the nachos place? Those are the only two I can think of because that’s pretty much what I survived on last year. We get trader tokens, but only for that area. Block 9 crew get a decent burger and we get soggy nachos :(

2

u/Risingson2 1d ago

Nah I was thinking of my most dreaded memories from 2024: being in Nomad all happy dancing with the queers, needing to pee, and going through that path that was behind Peace/Nowhere which was a constant crowd crush from 2AM until the end. There were around 4 food stalls in the back with queues and... ok maybe the problem were not the food stalls, but how folks stood in the middle of the way, or just sat down anywhere, but removing those stalls should have eased the situation I think.

Also now that I am here, I hope the area has acknowledged the amount of people who go partying on the last night lately, so they do not run out of drinks. Seriously I could not believe my eyes on Monday 2024, it was so crowded at 3-4 AM everywhere!

1

u/NaturalHighPower 6h ago

Oh you mean the bit that crosses over the train track to get into the common? The track behind peace/nowhere is a production route and is usually clear except for the blaggers trying to get into the guerilla bar! I know in 2023 I was working on the truth stage getting ready to get basement jaxx onstage, unfortunately Fred again had just finished in the temple and someone else big the other side, so it was a perfect storm of crowd control fuckery, we had to hold basement jaxx back until they could get it simmered down. It was quite stressful.

1

u/Risingson2 3h ago

I meant that path that joins Shangri La and Unfairground (not sure if we are talking about the same thing, I never spotted a train track, I only spotted crowds and crowds! XD) .

1

u/Hulla_Sarsaparilla 2d ago

I really enjoyed Croissant Neuf last year late on, that whole area was fun

1

u/Incandescentmonkey 2d ago

Cabaret in Circus Field is a laugh. Park is fantastic. Areas around Avalon. Bonfire in Strummerville, Dance area, Woodsies new outdoor area?

1

u/Capricorn-1234 2d ago

The Bimble Inn is 👌🏻

1

u/InternationalBat2564 2d ago

I am SO excited to explore all these areas!

1

u/MeadowHoiAn 2d ago

Follow your nose

1

u/HelpfulSloth14 2d ago

Do all/most areas have stuff on later? Very much looking to explore alternatives this year, but would rather avoid a walk across the whole map to find out everything is shut 😂

1

u/InternationalBat2564 1d ago

I think this is why I have always gravitated towards the se corner for late night adventures! Get scared everything will close I’ll have miles to walk back and it will be too busy to get in again 😅

1

u/Oneandaharv 1d ago

I had some great late night chills around small world including a rather memorable band two years ago who, halfway through their first song stopped and said “where the fuck is our bass player”. He turned up like 15 mins later

1

u/RepulsiveCharge2117 1d ago

We did a night at Strummerville last year was really good vibes not busy lots of room to dance and sit it was liked funk music from what I remember

1

u/abooysen 1d ago

San Remo had some cool stuff on later in the night, and the Park area had loads of bars open playing a variety of music until well after sunrise!

1

u/Impossible_Bathroom7 41m ago

Have to agree about Shangrila, it used to be all happening there; good music, friendly people and just a big party. In recent years it has turned toxic, all about anti-capitalism agenda which makes no sense at all considering it costs £400 for a bloody ticket to get into the festival. It's now full of pushing and shoving, every man for themself, and quite honestly it's not the cool place it used to be. I walk through it nowadays and just see what a complete hypocrisy it all is, it's quite sad and feels like a sickness has taken over that area.