麻豆约拍

We caught up with Head of 麻豆约拍 Music & 麻豆约拍 Music Introducing James Stirling ahead of the 麻豆约拍's Glastonbury Experience about his favourite acts and how you can celebrate the 50th anniversary of Glastonbury Festival at home.

Glastonbury’s the highlight in everyone’s music calendar, how disappointed were you when it was cancelled?

We had been working for a long time with the team at Glastonbury to prepare for their 50th birthday so when the inevitable cancellation actually happened, it was a very sad day, on top of how we were all getting used to working from home and worrying about our health. It came during such a bad time for the UK live event calendar and it was incredibly tough for so many live music businesses. Almost every day another major or small festival was postponed and it made us think quickly about how we could make something brilliant for our audiences out of a difficult situation.

What can people expect from the 麻豆约拍’s Glastonbury Experience?

We are trying to do justice to the Glastonbury legacy by providing a jam-packed weekend of music across the weekend, on what would have been the 50th year. This year, we will recreate the spirit of the Festival across TV, Radio, 麻豆约拍 iPlayer and 麻豆约拍 Sounds. We always aim to bring the Glastonbury experience to life for those who aren’t there, so in many ways it is business as usual. We’re kicking off in style as Emily Eavis will be live on air with Lauren Laverne on 6 Music on Thursday 23 June.

Glastonbury prides itself on an amazing range of artists and genres - and you will be able to watch or listen to stunning sets from over 60 artists at a time of your choosing. We have raided the 麻豆约拍 archive to unearth some amazing performances, many of which have never been seen before in their entirety or since their original broadcast, and we’re grateful to all the artists, representatives and record companies who have allowed us to show the performances once again. I’m proud of the way that so many sections of the 麻豆约拍 have pulled together to pull together this weekend of music, and we couldn’t have done it without the help and support of Emily and Michael Eavis.

What music events / festivals are you most looking forward to after lockdown?

Personally, I am looking forward to a time where venues and festivals can open safely, and people can enjoy live music again. Music plays such a significant role in a lot of people’s lives and venues of all sizes are so important to our culture, as are the festivals that bring thousands of music lovers together every year.

What’s been your favourite Glastonbury set?

It’s hard to pick a favourite Glastonbury set but I’ll share a few that have stuck in my mind: Beyonce’s triumphant Pyramid Stage headline in 2011, Queens of the Stone Age ripping up the Other Stage the same year, Lizzo on the West Holts stage last year (what an experience!), Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds in 2013, and Blur on the Pyramid Stage in 2009. I could go on (and on…)

How important is Glastonbury at bringing people together?

Glastonbury Festival possesses a unique, almost unqualifiable quality. It is the world’s most famous music & arts celebration for a reason, and people come from all over the world for experiences that everyday life does not provide. There is a palpable connection between the festival-goers - life-long friendships are cemented and treasured memories are formed. The variety of experiences on offer make the festival the envy of the world.

Any tips for recreating the festival experience at home?

The dedicated 麻豆约拍 iPlayer Glastonbury channel to help you hop around and 麻豆约拍 Sounds is there if you leave the house but still want to tune in. This year you will have our usual offer of multiple stages but also a variety of years at your fingertips. Maybe try an artist you have never heard of, you may find something new. Re-creating festival food and switching on fairy lights at dusk adds to the ambience.

The 麻豆约拍’s Glastonbury coverage is really good for stumbling across people you may not have discovered before - have you uncovered anything new this way? Do you have a favourite moment like this?

I have stumbled across so many amazing artists at Glastonbury over the years – but the best place for music discovery is undoubtably the 麻豆约拍 Music Introducing Stage. If you were there last year you may have seen Lewis Capaldi and Celeste make their Glastonbury debuts on the Introducing stage. Since its inception in 2008, Jake Bugg, Ed Sheeran, Loyle Carner, Disclosure, Gabrielle Aplin, Michael Kiwanuka and George Ezra have all started their relationship with Glastonbury on this stage.