A new stage has been introduced to Glastonbury 2024 – a first for the festival that celebrates South Asian culture. Check out our video on the Arrivals area above.
The Arrivals stage is based in the Shangri-La area of the Worthy Farm site and has been designed by a group of South Asian cultural organisations, including Going South, Dialled In and Daytimers. It looks to celebrate the artists from the area who are having an impact on today’s music scene – as well as pay respects to the generations of artists that came before.
“We’re at a watershed moment, where all the artistry and talent that really is already out there in the music industry is finally getting the recognition it deserves and that we as a community have championed internally for a while,” explained stage organiser Shankho Chaudhuri told NME.
“This is a horizon where all this brilliant artistry and creative talent across our community is being recognised. The Arrivals Stage is one of hopefully many flagship moments that will sort of come to define the talent that is breaking through and that has been there for years and has been there for generations.”
“A major part of this has been community building,” added curator Shirin Naveed. “So to be able to come to this now is like it’s a moment of celebration for all of us”.
Although the space only runs around 10 square metres, Chaudhuri revealed that it compiles some of the “most impressive lighting rigs”, best DJ equipment and unique artwork on the site, and is set to create “a whole audiovisual spectacle”.
Artists that will be part of Arrivals’ first-ever line-up include Bobby Friction, Anish Kumar, Nabihah Iqbal and Nikki Nair, and the decorations around the area are inspired by fantasy, sci-fi comic books and films.
It also pays homage to the sustainable ethos of Glastonbury, as well as aspects of South Asian culture. “The garden space is really a homage to the charpai beds that you find really often all over Northern India and Pakistan –they’re just like classic day beds,” Naveed explained of the outdoor design. “There are also the architectural references to domes and arches that you’d find in our architecture, as well as the different colours. It’s almost like a fortress space to go into.”
As for what festivalgoers can expect from the new stage as it kicks off tonight, Naveed told us that the space will take punters “through all the vibes” and “so many different cultural influences” that are prominent in the UK.
“We’re not a monolith. There are so many of us, so many different cultures and languages. So we’ll be taking you through, through all of it,” she added. “It’s about the communities in British culture, whether that’s garage, hip-hop, dub, reggae, jungle – there’s no limits to what I think you’ll be able to hear, but there’ll always inevitably be that, that South Asian influence.”
The gates to Glastonbury 2024 opened Wednesday morning (June 26), ahead of a weekend of music from the likes of headliners Dua Lipa, Coldplay, and SZA, alongside Shania Twain’s legends slot. Performances from LCD Soundsystem, PJ Harvey, Little Simz, Burna Boy, Idles, Anne-Marie, Confidence Man, Disclosure, Camila Cabello, The Last Dinner Party, Avril Lavigne, The National, Jessie Ware, Jungle, Justice, Masego, Sugababes and countless more are also planned. Check out the full line-up here.
Meanwhile, here are the worst clashes to expect this year, as well as the latest weather forecasts for Glastonbury 2024.
Check back at NME here for the latest news, reviews, interviews, photos, rumours and more from Glastonbury 2024. Check out the NME liveblog here for all the latest Glastonbury action as it happens.