Chapter 6 part 4 - 21st Century Boy |
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| Well informed Terry fans will know that he opened the first proper Glastonbury festival in 1971. There is a wonderful piece of film of him performing Dean there; with the classic River era band. Anyway, come 2005 with Glastonbury now changed out of all recognition from the small hippy festival of 1971 into a globally recognized multi stage multimedia event that it is now. As luck (luck or fate, with Terry, take your pick) local Glastonbury resident Steve Mansbridge a long-time Terry devotee, bumps into Mr. Glastonbury himself; Michael Eavis. In conversation Steve mentions how it would be great if Terry did a return gig. Michael with fond memories of that first festival agrees, without realizing that Terry was as easily contactable as he was. Steve emails me I pass a message on, a bit of hard nosed bargaining takes place and the deal is done. In June 2005 Terry and band appeared at Glastonbury after a 34 year gap. The festival is renowned for music and mud, wellies being as essential as tickets and toilet paper. This year though something special was brewing. The morning of the day that Terry was due to play a local monsoon broke, nearly finishing the festival off, tents, stages and people washed away. The stage that Terry was due on was one of the few capable of working and the act prior to Terry was floating somewhere in the north sea. So after an epic wade through seas of Somerset's finest wettest soil Terry and band squelched on stage just as the storm abated and the sun came out. | |
Being one of the few bits of entertainment actually capable of happening, the diehard Terry fans ( one can imagine them lashing themselves to mainmasts or whatever a festival equivalent is, portaloos perhaps ?) rather than risk missing Terry, were joined by damp and dazed survivors desperate for a little bit of anything to cheer them up. While Terry rocked, the audience steamed appreciatively in the sun, Somerset dry ice ? It was a touch of pure Glasto magic. Apart from Glastonbury, Terry had already played in New York and managed a tour of England and Scotland after Glastonbury. More dates in his own right then he'd played in decades and despite some issues at a few of the gigs it was a brilliant year for Terry. There was more in store. |
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