Lack of Black faces at Glastonbury

[Deleted member 18243]

I don't much care that there are no black people in the Glastonbury audience. Glastonbury is utter crap, and so perhaps the blacks have not attended on grounds of taste.

Glastonbury used to be a good festival; it was always left-leaning and there were always blacks in the audience and on stage. Same with all the British rock festivals. What has driven them away? Are the black folk who used to enjoy festival life being patronised so much that they cannot bear to be in the crowd listening to the woke drivel? Is the popular face of black music (i.e. rap) so appalling that decent black people are embarrassed by it?

 

[StephenStephen]

I'd noticed this too.

To assume that it is simply a matter of free choice would be to assume that either there's no racism at Glastonbury, or that black people are not affected by racism. Sadly I'd suggest both those assumptions are, to say the least, suspect.

I wonder whether the recent changes in the lineup to having more artists from different heritages will encourage a more diverse attendance in future...

What can we do about it?
Maybe we can pause for longer than a nanosecond to consider what the obstacles might be for black people to attend all kinds of different events?
Maybe we might choose to find out more about the effects of racism in the UK today? One place to start, for example, would be to read 'Living While Black' by Guilaine Kinouani (2021) - quite a sobering read...
A quick web search found this article, which, although about clubs rather than festivals, if you read further down it, does give some idea about why black people might not feel as safe or welcome in this kind of environment as white people: https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/racism-nightlife

I guess the first thing we can do is to relax, get past any understandable defensiveness we have in us, and get genuinely interested in finding out more...

 

[Bosswhite]

Lack of Black Faces at Glastonbury,
is that because there is not the amount of Black faces in this Country as we are brain washed to believe
Take a picture of any high street situation and one finds most of the faces are white .

 

[Justin Passing]

Lack of Black Faces at Glastonbury,
is that because there is not the amount of Black faces in this Country as we are brain washed to believe
Take a picture of any high street situation and one finds most of the faces are white .

Try that in London suburbs, Bradford, Leicester...

TBH the first time I drove through Brixton I couldn't believe it, there were hardly any white faces. Those that you do see are usually Poles etc.

 

[Justin Passing]

I suppose L.H. is beatching that the promoters tend not to put many acts on which appeal to BAME folk. Are there any huge gigs for those?

 

[ellal]

Glastonbury pre fence days was much different...

More diversity and more edgy, and yes a bit more dodgy...

But then it was more like a festival then, not the commercialised/homogenised show it is now...

Something that is there to be box ticked amongst the year's 'must do' event list...

Maybe that doesn't appeal so much to our ethnic minorities?

 

[Odds]

How many acts were lined up to play that would appeal to members of our coloured community? I didn't see the playlist but i'd assume not many. 'Glasto' has been predominantly white since 1970 and that's nothing to do with racism, as the sainted Henry implies, but simply a matter of taste. I don't like rap music, so i won't be seen dead at a concert and by that same token most blacks don't like the music on offer at Glastonbury each year. Nobody barred them from going, as far as i know.
It hasn't been the same since it was commercialised but i understand the motives behind the decision to make it so...i only went the once to see Hawkwind and will never forget the storming version of Orgone Accumulator they played that night.
The highlight this year was obviously Macca and i can't believe how hard he plays at that age. Most of the crowd weren't even born when Can't buy me Love was a hit but they still sang along without missing a beat. How the BBC can say they didn't show it live because 'it was too complicated' is laughable. Better to say they couldn't afford it than admit incompetence.

 

[mitch66]

Try that in London suburbs, Bradford, Leicester...

TBH the first time I drove through Brixton I couldn't believe it, there were hardly any white faces. Those that you do see are usually Poles etc.

People travel from all over the country to Glastonbury. The country is mainly white. Mystery solved. Lenny Henry is just a race baiting bastard trying to keep in the public eye. People like him keep racism alive and kicking by calling out issues where there are none.

 

[gigz]

I'm guessing you're Caucasian, and have never experienced racism in modern day Britain.
It's like denying Covid exists because you've never caught it.

We all know it exists (all over the world) but in Britain not to the extent people like LH would have you believe.

 

[diy_fun_uk]

Although the organisers have a varied line up of performers (all colours, shapes, sizes) if you want a ticket you need to register and upload a photo of yourself, an anti-ticket touting measure apparently.

Just saying ...

 

[Bod ...]

Although the organisers have a varied line up of performers (all colours, shapes, sizes) if you want a ticket you need to register and upload a photo of yourself, an anti-ticket touting measure apparently.

Just saying ...

I'm sure with the BBC involvement I doubt said Rcist would get away with negative discrimination.

Shocking if it were true

 

[Bod ...]

I'm guessing you're Caucasian, and have never experienced racism in modern day Britain.
It's like denying Covid exists because you've never caught it.

I take your not white. ? I'm guilty of not always pulling people up when they are racist. When I do (and I do) I won't fall out with said person or de-freind them.

Are you guilty of the opposite? When someone plays the race card!!! Do you pick them up on it.

Lenny Henry I thinks an hypocrite and I'd a race baiter.

 

[conny]

Seems strange to me that all the people who bang on about too much racism/no racism in the country, can't realise or don't want to accept that the argument is perpetually being 'publicised' on here by those very same people.
You all fall for the media 'bait' when the say someone famous said such and such a thing. You then bring it up for 'discussion' and hence perpetuate the subject. Which is exactly what media outlets want you to do.
I have studied with, worked with and became friends with people of both sexes whose only difference is their skin tone to mine. Most of us have/had similar interests/hobbies etc and we all got/get on quite fine. If we had differences of opinion on a subject we discussed it and if we couldn't agree we agreed to respect each others opinions. Racism isn't inbred. It's learnt from the actions of parents/peers and others we have contact with in our life. No one can form a true opinion of someone/something unless they have experience of it. Stop being swayed to take the view the media wants you take.
Just to try and balance the situation up. How many of you 'white people' attend festivals, (disregarding Caribbean ones because all manner of people seem to enjoy their culture), that are noted for their 'ethnic' following?

 

[Dork Lard]

Just to try and balance the situation up. How many of you 'white people' attend festivals, (disregarding Caribbean ones because all manner of people seem to enjoy their culture), that are noted for their 'ethnic' following?

Me & the current missus Lard visited the infamous Notting Hill Carnival several decades ago. Not 'cos we trendy lefties who feel the need to signal our virtues & communicate our bond with the black community down there, but because there was a quasi reality TV show on at the time which partially focused on a young man who worked the area as a locksmith.

There was just a few brief seconds, skillfully edited , where he parked his van & went in search of the world's bestest jerk chicken.

We witnessed with our own eyes all that the Notting Hill Carnival has to offer, but we also experienced the worlds bestest jerk chicken !

 

[Odds]

Seems strange to me that all the people who bang on about too much racism/no racism in the country, can't realise or don't want to accept that the argument is perpetually being 'publicised' on here by those very same people.
You all fall for the media 'bait' when the say someone famous said such and such a thing. You then bring it up for 'discussion' and hence perpetuate the subject. Which is exactly what media outlets want you to do.
I have studied with, worked with and became friends with people of both sexes whose only difference is their skin tone to mine. Most of us have/had similar interests/hobbies etc and we all got/get on quite fine. If we had differences of opinion on a subject we discussed it and if we couldn't agree we agreed to respect each others opinions. Racism isn't inbred. It's learnt from the actions of parents/peers and others we have contact with in our life. No one can form a true opinion of someone/something unless they have experience of it. Stop being swayed to take the view the media wants you take.
Just to try and balance the situation up. How many of you 'white people' attend festivals, (disregarding Caribbean ones because all manner of people seem to enjoy their culture), that are noted for their 'ethnic' following?

You'll find plenty of white faces at the Notting Hill carnival this year. Just sayin'