₊✩‧₊ Glastonbury Interview ₊✩‧₊ Meg Ward
Credit @meggyward Instagram ₊✩‧₊ Glastonbury Interview ₊✩‧₊ Meg Ward 26.06.24 Words by Hannah Naismith I actually saw you at Glastonbury last year at Glade and it was incredible, I absolutely loved your set! I believe it was your first time playing Glastonbury so how does it feel to be going back? Ah I’m glad you enjoyed my set, it was a truly emotional experience for me last year. It feels amazing to be back – I actually feel like I belong there. It would feel weird to not go every year now.. It’s a magical place. So your latest EP release is called ‘Sancturance’ – I really like ‘Basix’ off it, it’s just a classic groove along track. But I’m curious as to what inspired the name ‘Sancturance’? It’s actually a mashup of the words ‘sanctuary’ and ‘dance’ because the whole vibe of the EP was to create a space where people feel safe and at peace at the rave. Now this might be a bit of a hard question, because all of your tracks are ones that you can dance to, but do you have a favourite track to play that you think really gets the crowd going? My fav track to play at the minute is actually my new single (out 21/06) ‘KEEP U’ which is out on my brand new label ‘mega wavy’. I’m actually not just saying that to plug the track too it is genuinely the one tune at the minute that has really been going off in my sets. Very excited about it! We’ve actually got a project in the works at the moment in The New Age Magazine making a documentary about female artists playing festivals. What does it mean for you to be playing Glastonbury, out of all festivals, as a female DJ? Glastonbury, to me, has always been the ultimate festival, and arguably the best festival in the world. The anticipation behind it, the fact that I’d never been able to get a ticket before I played last year. It means a lot to play there. Last year I didn’t feel like a minority. I think the crowd tends to be a lot more evenly split (rather than certain other UK festivals where the crowd is full of shirtless boys). Also, I do feel like as a woman, especially a queer woman, playing any festival can feel like I’ve been added to a lineup as an afterthought to diversify it. I can’t help feeling like a ‘quota-filling’ act sometimes. I can say though that the times I have played at Glasto I haven’t ever felt like that. I feel like I’ve been booked for my music, rather than to tick a box. That really is down to the promoters running the stages though. And what do you think of the Glastonbury line-up this year and who are you most looking forward to seeing? The lineup is always so chocka it’s hard to pick faves, but some highlights for me are Charli XCX on Friday night (obsessed with her new album brat), Little Simz and Olivia Dean on the Pyramid stage, Jamie xx in the Woodsies, and acid house legends Orbital. One quick final question! When you’re not performing, where are you most likely to be found at Glastonbury? Through the day, sat at one of the main stages eating good food, drinking a pint. In the evenings, somewhere sketchy in the SE corner. Making mates with strangers. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Meg Ward (@meggyward) You might also like ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Recent Posts ⋆⭒˚.⋆
●・ Glastonbury Interview ○・D-LISH
●・ Glastonbury Interview ○・ D-LISH Straight up ass-shaking, cunty music!! 26.06.24 Words by Jessica Blissitt Superheroes are typically described as having an origin story, a set of events that lead to their success. In your own words, what is your origin story that has led you to Glastonbury? Great question! My origin story is completely encapsulated by community. Back in 2019, when I first started thinking about DJing, I felt a mix of nerves and excitement about this little passion I was pursuing. At that point, I had already started my own creative collective, OnBeat Leeds, for women and non-binary people of colour, so I was really comfortable operating and feeling free in that space. But the DJ world felt so different. I was worried about entering a scene where few people like me and wondering if I’d be respected by my peers. What would the beanie-wearing, drum-and-bass-rich kid think about my music choices? Would I be taken seriously? Then, almost as if my prayers were answered, DAYTIMERS came into my life—a group of South Asian creatives who supported each other’s work. It was like the arrival of my guardian angel. My first gig with DAYTIMERS was at Fabric, which is just wild to think about. They trusted me enough to put me up on a huge stage so early in my journey. I was quaking in my boots! But it made me realise I could really do this. From there, we grew together, learned from each other, and supported one another. DJing became more than just playing tunes at club nights; it became a chance to regularly see my DAYTIMERS family, share hugs, meals, and giggle. This experience means the world to me, and I am so grateful for the amazing people I now have the privilege of now calling my friends. And with the gift of foresight, what would be your advice to those DJs, particularly female DJs who are in the minority, who are trying to get to where you are? I would say the most important thing is to stay true to your own style and creative choices. Those are the things that make you unique! Never change your vibe, dress a certain way, or compromise your identity for the sake of others. This will help you find *your* people and the crowd you’ll play for. If you try to squeeze yourself into a different identity, you’ll end up with an audience that doesn’t understand you or what you’re about. But it really shouldn’t be like that. Music is all about finding joy, expressing yourself, and creating community. Also, be kind to people and let them know if you enjoy their work. The creative scene can be so competitive and tough at times, so if you like something someone has done, tell them! A little acknowledgment goes a long way. You could really make someone’s day. It’s important to give people credit when they’ve done something amazing! This is your first ever Glastonbury, and many people say it can be particularly overwhelming. So, what is something you are absolutely looking forward to (artists, venues, events) and perhaps something that you’re less looking forward to the Glastonbury experience? I’m definitely looking forward to discovering new artists. The coolest thing about Glastonbury is its sheer scale. It’s huge, which means you can run around, stumble across artists you’ve never heard before, and find amazing new people doing their thing. You just know the talent is going to be off the charts. But it’s a two-sided coin. The scale of the festival means there are already so many clashes. There are so many artists I’m dying to see, and I know it’s unrealistic to keep running from one side of the festival to the other. It’s like trying to pick your favourite child! Impossible! With your sets at Glastonbury this year, what are you currently hoping to create for them, in terms of ambience, sampling, genre, etc. Straight up ass-shaking, cunty music!! I know Queer House Party are going to tear it up just before me so I need to meet them there with some crazy selections to get the girls going. We’re talking jersey club, crunchy baile funk, and breaksy bits. It’s going to be full of nostalgia. Most importantly, I need to get people dancing. So I’ll be doing whatever I can to get everyone throwing it back! You currently host a show on Reprezent Radio. From having a bit of a look at the lineup for Glastonbury, who are you hoping to see Backstage that you might be able to have on the show? Or perhaps who could do a good Takeover slot? Ahhhh, we have to talk about Arrivals, right?! The first-ever space at Glastonbury dedicated to South Asian artists is unbelievable. The lineup is packed with my faves, including yourboykiran, Nabihah Iqbal, Provhat, and my idol, Manara. But the one that really stands out to me has to be Vedic Roots Soundsystem. I’ve been in love with sound system culture ever since I heard about it through the Red Bull Culture Clash in 2014. It’s how parties should be done. That discovery led me down a rabbit hole on YouTube, watching early clips from Jamaica in the ’70s. Then, when I got to Leeds, I was enamoured with my favourite club night of all time, Subdub, at the West Indian Centre. There really is nothing else like Subdub. The security are all so kind and looking to make you laugh as you wait in the queue. The staff inside handover a pair of earplugs and tell you to take care of yourself with a kind smile. And then a wave of soundsystem goodness just hits you – kind of like that moment when you step off an aeroplane on holiday. It’s just everything I’ve ever wanted. So, I’d love to hear Vedic Roots’ perspective on the culture today, what brought them into that space, and where they see the future of sound
✦ ✧ ∗ Glastonbury Interview ❥ Violeta Vicci
Violetta Vicci by Venetia Jollands ✦ ✧ ∗ Glastonbury Interview ❥ Violeta Vicci “I love the enthusiasm of British crowds, and the ability they’ve got to stay really silent when captivated.” 26.06.24 Words by Jessica Blissitt What has your journey been like on the road to Glastonbury? How does it feel to be performing at one of the most infamous festivals of all time? My journey has been a fun one, full of exciting performances, collaborations and lots of trial and error along the way. I started playing the violin when I was four years old, born and raised between Barcelona and Switzerland by bilingual parents; At 18 I moved to London to train as a classical violinist at the Royal Academy of Music. The first time I played Glastonbury, I was still a student and a member of a klezmer, d&b band and we played an afternoon slot at The Green Fields. I don’t think I really understood the magnitude of this festival back then! A few years later I played The Park Stage with elbow, as one of their touring violinists. Two years ago I played The Other Stage with Fontaines DC, after arranging three of their songs for string quartet! I thought that was the highlight of my Glasto journey – until finally, this year, I get to perform under my own name and bring my fully immersive audio visual show to the Tree stage. It’s a totally different experience, and it feels pretty amazing to be honest. Your third and most recent album ‘Cavaglia’ is described as reflecting the ‘pristine Swiss valley’ on your website. Do you perhaps have a song in mind that could describe the chaotic landscape of Glastonbury? Haha, possibly the song Diavolezza could relate to the Glasto chaos – however, I think my album Cavaglia, which is seeped in alpine field recordings will work perfectly in harmony with the Woodsies Area, bringing this mountain landscape to the gorgeous old British Oak and Beech Forests of Somerset. In your mix from Classical to Electronica, what can we expect to see from your set at Glastonbury? Will it be a carefully curated list, or can we expect a few pieces of improvisation? Both actually: It will be a carefully curated list from my album Cavaglia, with two fully improvised sections and links in between the written music. I really like taking the listeners on a journey with a laid out path, including surprises and new additions along the way. I love the fact that a live performance is different every time. Through your musical career, you have performed in many amazing places, and I’m sure that every audience is incredibly unique. So, in your opinion, what is one thing you like about British crowds at festivals, and what is something we could learn from our European counterparts? Yes, you are right, I have performed extensively in Europe, US and around the world in countries like Chile, Mexico, South Africa and Australia. Different countries certainly have different type of audiences! As a solo artist I’ve mainly performed in the UK – I love the enthusiasm of British crowds, and the ability they’ve got to stay really silent when captivated. It’s a lovely, very welcoming mix of people, who aren’t afraid of letting go and having a great time! View this post on Instagram A post shared by VIOLETA VICCI (@violetavicci) With so many incredible gifts as an instrumentalist, which instruments will you be bringing with you to Glastonbury? I usually tour with my violin, which I use together with my fx pedal board, midi pedal and my voice. I do love to perform the Octave Viola live, because it has a gorgeous deep sound and I used it quite extensively last year, when I was performing with Bat For Lashes. The only downside of festivals is that there is usually barely time for sound check and limited set up time, so simplicity is key! Many argue festivals are a great place to experiment with new music. If you were intending to move in a different direction with your music, what is a genre, idea, or thread that you might like to follow with your music? I’m writing my next album at the moment, and I think I’ll possibly explore the more electronic side going forward, as well as start experimenting with writing lyrics. This is a big step for me..and in a way it is a totally new idea to my fully instrumental/choral music so far. Aside from my solo project, I have already written a few pop songs with my psychedelic indie rock band, TTRRUUCES and would like to do more of that too. I also love writing and arranging string parts, which I’ve done for Fontaines DC, Grian Chatten’s last album, as well as the upcoming Sorry album. That type of work really inspires me and opens my eyes to different influences. Who knows what the future will bring! As a violinist, you may be aware that there has been a recent fascination in bringing classical composers into modern rave remixes on social media. If you have or haven’t come across them, what are your thoughts on the idea? And do you think it would be interesting to see a whole stage of Glastonbury dedicated to classical-rave in the future? I’ve not actually come across them on social media, but I think contemporary festivals are programming classical acts more and more, and there seems to be a shift where the ‘contemporary classica/cinemaitc/ ambient’ genre acts as a bridge between more traditional classical music and contemporary music. Hell yes, I’d love to see Glastonbury dedicate a whole stage to classical raving in the future 🙂 You Might Also Like