Once upon a time, after the bands had finished, all of Glastonbury would follow the swirling lights in the sky to a blanket and hammock stall called Joe Bananas and rave along to its dodgy boombox playing Altern-8 until dawn. Today the Glastonbury after-afterparty is just as important a part of the Glastonbury Experience as the bands, from Arcadia’s fire-breathing arachnid to the dancing voodoo skeletons of The Common and Block 9, where JJ Ballard would’ve gone to twerk the night away. Here’s the areas after Charli XCX’s heart…
1Arcadia Spectacular
What is it: Apocalyptic dance arena with a gas-guzzling, fire-spitting spider.
What happened this year: Jon Hopkins, Goldie and Jackmaster DJed. Hot, sweaty fun was had.
2Shangri-La
What is it: Place where art installation and next-level carnage combine.
What happened this year: Hosted the festival’s first ever metal stage; Napalm Death, Ho99o9 and Dead Kennedys all played.
3The Greenpeace Field
What is it: The epicentre of enviro-rave, complete with massive DJ tree, a Virtual Reality Dome plunging you into an Amazonian rainforest and power ballad yoga sessions.
What happened this year: Steve Davis DJ’d in a gigantic neon tree.
4The Stone Circle
What is it: Circle of stones in a far-flung field.
What happened this year: Hippies all over the place. Not as many balloons as last year.
5The Common
What is it: Temples, waterfalls, mayhem. A bit like The Crystal Maze but with more rum.
What happened this year: Mike Skinner played ‘Fit But You Know It’. Swoon.