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Why So Few Black And Asian People At Glastonbury?
Lenny Henry, that stalwart champion of 'diversity', says he is “always surprised” by the lack of black and brown people at Glastonbury, as he called for better representation of ethnic minorities in all facets of British society.
Are they prevented from buying tickets - or is it that they just don't fancy living for several days in a tent in a muddy field?
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Are they prevented from buying tickets - or is it that they just don't fancy living for several days in a tent in a muddy field?
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Answers
Much like Diane Abbott (who is a racist), David Lammy and a few others, Lenny Henry sees racism in pretty much everything, but to crowbar a racist slant into black people choosing not to attend Glastonbury is absurd.
10:36 Sun 19th Jun 2022
NJ - // ... (and nor is the idea of giving £280 – plus booking fee, natch to Farmer Giles to squat in his field). //
Just to be clear - if your 'Farmer Giles' comment refers to Michael Eavis, then you are in error.
The ticket prices reflect the sheer size and logistical enterprise that is Glastonbury.
Contrary to the impression given by the BBC, the festival is not just The Pyramid Stage and 'The Other Stage'. There are over one hundred individual performance arenas, all with individual marquees, lighting and sound, and the festival now covers an area the size of the city of Bath.
If you work out the cost of building and dismantling the site, renting additional fields from the farms either side, and accommodating 100,000 people for five days, providing water and sewage, and clearing up after them, it makes the price look a lot more reasonable.
And to be absolutely clear, all acts appear for a fraction of their usual performance fees, and once the costs have been dealt with, all the profit - that is ALL the profit, is shared out among the festival's designated charities, including Oxfam and Water Aid.
'Farmer Giles' does not make a penny from the festival personally, his income is derived from his working dairy farm what is what the site is for the rest of the year.
Mr Eavis keeps no cash reserves year to year to fund the festival.
If Glastonbury does not sell out, the financial balance is so critical, that Mr Eavis would actually got bankrupt and lose Worthy Farm, which has been his family home for four generations.
In 2010, when the radical decision to book Jay-Zee as headliner was taken, and it looked like the festival may not sell out, Mr Eavis lost a stone in weight in two weeks with stress, worrying about keeping his home and business.
So no, they don't pay to 'squat in Farmer Giles' field'.
Happy to straighten out that popular misconception.
Just to be clear - if your 'Farmer Giles' comment refers to Michael Eavis, then you are in error.
The ticket prices reflect the sheer size and logistical enterprise that is Glastonbury.
Contrary to the impression given by the BBC, the festival is not just The Pyramid Stage and 'The Other Stage'. There are over one hundred individual performance arenas, all with individual marquees, lighting and sound, and the festival now covers an area the size of the city of Bath.
If you work out the cost of building and dismantling the site, renting additional fields from the farms either side, and accommodating 100,000 people for five days, providing water and sewage, and clearing up after them, it makes the price look a lot more reasonable.
And to be absolutely clear, all acts appear for a fraction of their usual performance fees, and once the costs have been dealt with, all the profit - that is ALL the profit, is shared out among the festival's designated charities, including Oxfam and Water Aid.
'Farmer Giles' does not make a penny from the festival personally, his income is derived from his working dairy farm what is what the site is for the rest of the year.
Mr Eavis keeps no cash reserves year to year to fund the festival.
If Glastonbury does not sell out, the financial balance is so critical, that Mr Eavis would actually got bankrupt and lose Worthy Farm, which has been his family home for four generations.
In 2010, when the radical decision to book Jay-Zee as headliner was taken, and it looked like the festival may not sell out, Mr Eavis lost a stone in weight in two weeks with stress, worrying about keeping his home and business.
So no, they don't pay to 'squat in Farmer Giles' field'.
Happy to straighten out that popular misconception.
To return to the OP - there's a novelty (!) I am surprised that Sir Lenny is surprised.
As others have pointed out, the answer is basic, simple, obvious, and requires no thought about undercurrents of racism whatsoever.
The festival, for all its increasing diversity, is populated by a massive majority of white pop and rock acts, and naturally that attracts a white pop and rock act audience, which is obviously white.
It's not difficult, it's simply cultural taste, underlined with the simple fact that, as other people have pointed out, non-white people do not appear to enjoy leisure time in the outdoors, walking, camping and so on.
Who why Sir Lenny thinks it 'surprising' when it is perfectly obvious under even the most basic and superficial analysis, suggests that he is trying to see something that is simply not there - a sense of white elitism and segregation which clearly exists nowhere outside his own fevered imagination.
As others have pointed out, the answer is basic, simple, obvious, and requires no thought about undercurrents of racism whatsoever.
The festival, for all its increasing diversity, is populated by a massive majority of white pop and rock acts, and naturally that attracts a white pop and rock act audience, which is obviously white.
It's not difficult, it's simply cultural taste, underlined with the simple fact that, as other people have pointed out, non-white people do not appear to enjoy leisure time in the outdoors, walking, camping and so on.
Who why Sir Lenny thinks it 'surprising' when it is perfectly obvious under even the most basic and superficial analysis, suggests that he is trying to see something that is simply not there - a sense of white elitism and segregation which clearly exists nowhere outside his own fevered imagination.
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Why was it an "all black" team & why make a point of it?
Why was it an "all black" team & why make a point of it?
AH
Regarding your comments about the logistics of Glastonbury.
Spot on.
When I went I was shocked at the sheer size of it - logistically it looked to be a nightmare. It's simply bigger than you could possibly imagine.
Regarding Sir Lenny's surprise. If he'd come out with these comments 20 years ago you could say, "Well, Glastonbury is predominately rock...and there are few black rock fans".
However, recently with Jay-Z, Beyonce, Lizzo, Janelle Monae, Anne-Marie, Bugzy Malone, Lauren Hill, Janet Jackson, Kanye and Stormzy and Little Simz (most of those appearing in th year I went!) the question as to why there's a lack of diversity not only amongst the crowd but also behind the scenes is one that increasingly surprising.
Regarding your comments about the logistics of Glastonbury.
Spot on.
When I went I was shocked at the sheer size of it - logistically it looked to be a nightmare. It's simply bigger than you could possibly imagine.
Regarding Sir Lenny's surprise. If he'd come out with these comments 20 years ago you could say, "Well, Glastonbury is predominately rock...and there are few black rock fans".
However, recently with Jay-Z, Beyonce, Lizzo, Janelle Monae, Anne-Marie, Bugzy Malone, Lauren Hill, Janet Jackson, Kanye and Stormzy and Little Simz (most of those appearing in th year I went!) the question as to why there's a lack of diversity not only amongst the crowd but also behind the scenes is one that increasingly surprising.
// the question as to why there's a lack of diversity not only amongst the crowd but also behind the scenes is one that increasingly surprising. //
I can't speak for the specific music industry "behind the scenes" staff that attend, I have no knowledge of the diversity of sound engineers and the like. but a good many of the general staff that support the festival are drawn from the local population. (for several years a local charitable group I work with provided staff for a milk vending enterprise - they were unpaid, but the festival made a donation to the group). the Mendip District Council area isn't known for its diverse population, so seeing only white faces amongst this group isn't so surprising.
I can't speak for the specific music industry "behind the scenes" staff that attend, I have no knowledge of the diversity of sound engineers and the like. but a good many of the general staff that support the festival are drawn from the local population. (for several years a local charitable group I work with provided staff for a milk vending enterprise - they were unpaid, but the festival made a donation to the group). the Mendip District Council area isn't known for its diverse population, so seeing only white faces amongst this group isn't so surprising.
In spite of the increasing diversity in terms of the music presented at Glastonbury, I think that simply reflects the widening tastes of the audience demographic, and that simply follows common sense - give the people what they want, they will pay to come and watch it.
That takes no account of some nonsensical idea that Mr and Ms Eavis are somehow morally bound to increase the 'inclusivity' of their event in order to tick some right-on woke credibility boxes.
It is an arts and music festival, it has to operate at a profit to operate at all, it is not honour bound to appeal to a section of the community who are clearly not remotely interested in attending it, and would not do so if the entire event consisted only of ethnically diverse performers.
Mr and Ms Eavis live and work in the real world, not the woke world.
The woke world is a foreign country, they do things differently there.
That takes no account of some nonsensical idea that Mr and Ms Eavis are somehow morally bound to increase the 'inclusivity' of their event in order to tick some right-on woke credibility boxes.
It is an arts and music festival, it has to operate at a profit to operate at all, it is not honour bound to appeal to a section of the community who are clearly not remotely interested in attending it, and would not do so if the entire event consisted only of ethnically diverse performers.
Mr and Ms Eavis live and work in the real world, not the woke world.
The woke world is a foreign country, they do things differently there.
AH
In order to turn a profit, Mr Eavis has to increase the diversity of the acts who appear because, well - have a look at the top forty for any week in the past five years - the vast major of music is dance-oriented. The twenty and thirty-somethings who form the bulk of those who go to Glastonbury now are more likely to be streaming Doja Cat and Kendrick Lamar than buying CDs by Green Day or the Red Hot Chill Peppers.
The 'heritage' acts will always draw a big crowd, but the organisers have recognised that musical tastes have now moved almost completely to dance and urban. If you have Spotify or Apple Music you can test this out for yourself. Click on any five random songs** in this week's top forty - four of then will be some kind of club music.
**Not number one though...we all know that's Kate Bush.
In order to turn a profit, Mr Eavis has to increase the diversity of the acts who appear because, well - have a look at the top forty for any week in the past five years - the vast major of music is dance-oriented. The twenty and thirty-somethings who form the bulk of those who go to Glastonbury now are more likely to be streaming Doja Cat and Kendrick Lamar than buying CDs by Green Day or the Red Hot Chill Peppers.
The 'heritage' acts will always draw a big crowd, but the organisers have recognised that musical tastes have now moved almost completely to dance and urban. If you have Spotify or Apple Music you can test this out for yourself. Click on any five random songs** in this week's top forty - four of then will be some kind of club music.
**Not number one though...we all know that's Kate Bush.
//Why does it matter?//
//Are you really going to say that on www.theANSWERbank.co.uk
I guess people like to know why things are the way they are.//
Yes I am. It has been explained on here by a number of people, especially very succinctly by Andy, why the festival attracts the audience it does. It’s plain and simple, the offerings on show and the location in a usually muddy field are acceptable to predominantly white people and black people (along with a lot of white people) give it a wide berth. Beyond that, why does it matter who attends and what colour they are? As I understand it (and I personally cannot really grasp why) the place is packed out every year with people willing to part with large sums of cash to see something they want to see. In order to attract a more “diverse” audience the model would have to be changed. The acts would have to change, the prices would have to change (possibly to as low as nothing) and it would have to be held on Hampstead Heath or in Hyde Park. Why should any of this even be considered? It works; the people who want to see it go there; the people who don’t er…don’t. Lenny Henry is not really surprised. He is agitated that an event which so obviously does not appeal to black people continues to be successful. Well tough titties.
//In order to turn a profit, Mr Eavis has to increase the diversity of the acts who appear//
If that’s necessary it will happen. But I doubt very much that it will encourage many black people from Peckham or Tottenham to make the trip to Somerset to camp in a field to see them. It’s not their thing and that’s something Lenny Henry seems unable (or perhaps unwilling) to grasp.
//So no, they don't pay to 'squat in Farmer Giles' field'.
Happy to straighten out that popular misconception.//
Thanks Andy. I was being a little flippant! :-)
//Are you really going to say that on www.theANSWERbank.co.uk
I guess people like to know why things are the way they are.//
Yes I am. It has been explained on here by a number of people, especially very succinctly by Andy, why the festival attracts the audience it does. It’s plain and simple, the offerings on show and the location in a usually muddy field are acceptable to predominantly white people and black people (along with a lot of white people) give it a wide berth. Beyond that, why does it matter who attends and what colour they are? As I understand it (and I personally cannot really grasp why) the place is packed out every year with people willing to part with large sums of cash to see something they want to see. In order to attract a more “diverse” audience the model would have to be changed. The acts would have to change, the prices would have to change (possibly to as low as nothing) and it would have to be held on Hampstead Heath or in Hyde Park. Why should any of this even be considered? It works; the people who want to see it go there; the people who don’t er…don’t. Lenny Henry is not really surprised. He is agitated that an event which so obviously does not appeal to black people continues to be successful. Well tough titties.
//In order to turn a profit, Mr Eavis has to increase the diversity of the acts who appear//
If that’s necessary it will happen. But I doubt very much that it will encourage many black people from Peckham or Tottenham to make the trip to Somerset to camp in a field to see them. It’s not their thing and that’s something Lenny Henry seems unable (or perhaps unwilling) to grasp.
//So no, they don't pay to 'squat in Farmer Giles' field'.
Happy to straighten out that popular misconception.//
Thanks Andy. I was being a little flippant! :-)
AH
You wrote:
That takes no account of some nonsensical idea that Mr and Ms Eavis are somehow morally bound to increase the 'inclusivity' of their event in order to tick some right-on woke credibility boxes.
Is anyone suggesting that?
Mr Eavis himself said that Stormzy headlining in 2019 was "a bit late".
The organisers are diversifying the acts on stage because that's what the kids are buying.
Nothing to do with 'woke'.
You wrote:
That takes no account of some nonsensical idea that Mr and Ms Eavis are somehow morally bound to increase the 'inclusivity' of their event in order to tick some right-on woke credibility boxes.
Is anyone suggesting that?
Mr Eavis himself said that Stormzy headlining in 2019 was "a bit late".
The organisers are diversifying the acts on stage because that's what the kids are buying.
Nothing to do with 'woke'.
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