A helipad for Elton, oysters for Grace Jones and a cardie for Shirley Bassey: Backstage secrets of the festival fixers
They’re summer’s biggest events and they’re all 操るd by women. Natasha Wynarczyk finds out what it takes to turn a muddy field into a 24/7 mega-gig.
All the fun of the fairground at （軍の）野営地，陣営 Bestival
HENLEY'S HEAD HONCHO?
Suzanne Yeates is event and artist 経営者／支配人 at the Henley Festival, Henley-on-Thames.
'I worked for the NHS for 15 years': Suzanne Yeates
Henley used to be まず第一に／本来 a classical music event, but now pop 行為／法令／行動するs have joined the line-up ? this year features artists such as Rita Ora and Chic. The festival takes place 権利 after the Henley Regatta ends, so we only have 36 hours to 準備する. Luckily I work 井戸／弁護士席 under 圧力.
I’d never 始める，決める out to work in the festival 産業 ? I trained as a speech therapist and worked for the NHS for 15 years. But when my family and I moved from London to Henley-on-Thames I 適用するd for a 職業 as the box-office 経営者／支配人 at the festival and worked my way up the ladder. Now I’ve been a part of Henley for 24 years.
We will always try to 融通する artists’ requests, no 事柄 how difficult. When Elton John 成し遂げるd in 2016 we had a helipad built on the river so that he could 飛行機で行く in. I also look after the artists’ riders [名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる） of 必要物／必要条件s] ? we 供給するd Elton with strawberries and a TV so that he could watch Wimbledon. A major part of my 役割 is 確実にするing that the artists get to the 場所／位置, whether it’s a 単独の 行為／法令／行動する or a 77-piece orchestra.
My 最高潮の場面 so far has been Shirley Bassey’s 2016 業績／成果. She was given a standing ovation every time she walked on. The afternoon she arrived was やめる chilly and she hadn’t brought a jumper with her, so I went to a 地元の shop to buy her a cheap woolly knit to wear during her sound check ? she 現実に left the 場所／位置 that night wearing it. Lovely little moments like that make working at the Henley Festival so special.
The Henley Festival runs from 11-15 July; henley-festival.co.uk
BESTIVAL'S HAPPY GLAMPER?
Josie da Bank is creative director and 生産者 at （軍の）野営地，陣営 Bestival and Bestival.?This year both festivals will be held at Lulworth 広い地所 in Dorset.
'We were the first festival to introduce boutique （軍の）野営地，陣営ing': Josie da Bank
My husband [DJ 略奪する da Bank] and I 開始する，打ち上げるd Bestival in 2004 and the smaller, more family 焦点（を合わせる）d （軍の）野営地，陣営 Bestival in 2008. Ever since we met at university we’d loved going to music festivals together, so it felt natural for us to start our own.?
略奪する and I have different 役割s. As a woman I feel I’m more switch ed on to creating a comfortable experience for festival-goers. We were the first festival to introduce boutique （軍の）野営地，陣営ing. I also come up with ideas for what the large 行う／開催する／段階s will look like, such as HMS Bestival ? the 行う／開催する／段階 that looks like a ship’s 船体 ? or the Spaceport, a 行う／開催する／段階 that 会社にする／組み込むd a 20m-tall ロケット／急騰する for 2016’s ‘未来’ 主題. 略奪する tends to look after the artists and their riders.?
Grace Jones asks for Cristal シャンペン酒, an unopened 瓶／封じ込める of Coco by Chanel and oysters from Colchester. I always 手配中の，お尋ね者 to get Prince to play and we （機の）カム very の近くに to 調書をとる／予約するing him two years ago before he sadly passed away.?
At Bestival 2014 we had the world’s largest disco ball. I worked on that 取り付け・設備 with Chic guitarist Nile Rodgers, who has become a good family friend over the years. My 職業 is about creating wonderful moments and the best part is when something I have made 作品 really 井戸／弁護士席. Last year I created the world’s biggest confetti 大砲 ? seeing 50,000 people dancing underneath that to Annie Mac’s 始める，決める on the 開始 Thursday night of the festival was amazing.?
We have a fancy dress 主題 every year and I love it when the audience makes an 成果／努力. My favourite was a group dressed as Nice 薄焼きパン／素焼陶器s. This year’s 主題 is the circus, so I’m hoping for crazy 衣装s!?
（軍の）野営地，陣営 Bestival runs from 26-29 July; Bestival runs from 2-5 August; campbestival.逮捕する, bestival.逮捕する
TRAMLINES'S DRIVING FORCE
Sarah Nulty is the festival director at Tramlines, Sheffield.?
'I’m used to multitasking': Sarah Nulty
Tramlines began as a 会議-run 解放する／自由な music festival. When the 基金ing stopped I helped to commercialise it, with artists playing at 発生地s across Sheffield. I’ve worked for Tramlines for ten years.?
My 職業 伴う／関わるs everything from 兵たん業務 to marketing, but I’m used to multitasking. After uni I ran Sheffield 発生地 The Harley, which meant juggling a 範囲 of 職業s from bartending to working on rec eption.?
Festivals are challenging: last year it rained 絶えず. It was touch and go whether headliners All Saints would be able to play, and when they （機の）カム on there was barely a （人が）群がる. However, once they started people began flocking. にもかかわらず the wet, there was a real sense of camaraderie.?
We’ve had some funny celeb moments. Once, an un-nameable singer ate two 抱擁する burgers before going on 行う／開催する／段階. During his 始める，決める, his 護衛 wouldn’t let anybody use the backstage loos until he had left. We realised afterwards that the artist had 封鎖するd all the 洗面所s!?
When Public Enemy 成し遂げるd in 2014, Flavor Flav fancied a 乗組員 member’s Primark T-shirt and tried to leave before their gig to buy one. Luckily I caught him!?It was the first time we’d put on an international 行為／法令／行動する like that and it was incredible seeing the audience go wild for them.?
This year, for the first time, Tramlines will be held at one 発生地, Hillsborough Park, which has a 40,000 capacity. It’s daunting, but I’m really looking 今後 to it. n Tramlines runs from 20-22 July; tramlines.org.uk
LATITUDE'S QUEEN OF ARTS?
Tania Harrison is curator of the arts programme at Latitude festival, Southwold, Suffolk.?
'I have 340 shows to 調書をとる／予約する each year' - Tania Harrison
Latitude was 開始する，打ち上げるd in 2006 as a 失敗させる／負かす to the music-激しい festivals that 支配するd the scene at the time ? the line-up 含むs as many theatre and comedy 行為／法令／行動するs as 禁止（する）d.
At first people thought it was crazy to try to 成し遂げる theatre in a field. However, London’s 王室の 法廷，裁判所 got the idea and （機の）カム to Latitude. It worked really 井戸／弁護士席 and showcased 星／主役にするs such as The 栄冠を与える’s Matt Smith. Since then we’ve had the 王室の Shakespeare Company, the 国家の Theatre and English 国家の Ballet, and we work hard to 行う／開催する／段階 業績／成果s as の近くに as possible to how you’d see them in a theatre.
I love spotting new talent ? I think it’s one of Latitude’s strengths. In 2013 we had Phoebe Waller-橋（渡しをする） previewing her award-winning show Fleabag ? it was so new then that she was still reading it from a 調書をとる／予約する.
I have 340 shows to 調書をとる／予約する eac h year ? the 同等（の） of 17 days’ 価値（がある） of the arts to pack into one 週末. I’m 絶えず thinking about what to put on, scouting talent and watching shows.
Latitude has been called ‘the queen of arts festival’ and is often referred to as a 女性（の） festival. This could be because it broke the mould of having male-前線d 激しく揺する 禁止（する）d by 行う／開催する／段階ing so many 女性（の） performers.
Latitude Festival runs from 12-15 July; latitudefestival.com
Soaking up the culture at Latitude’s Waterfront 行う／開催する／段階
THE GOOD LIFE GURU??
Singer and 放送者 Cerys Matthews is a co-創立者 of the Good Life Experience in Hawarden, Flintshire.
'I’m a 失望させるd country girl living in the city':?Cerys Matthews
The festival started in 2014 with the 目的（とする） of blending many 面s of life. It’s about trying out new experiences, whether it’s axe throwing or abseiling, と一緒に listening to 会談 and music. It’s not about getting 難破させるd or spotting celebrities ? we don’t have a VIP area, that’s nonsense to me.
Our performers can be unknowns, what 事柄s is that they are 利益／興味ing. I saw a Senegalese kora player on the London 地下組織の and asked him to 成し遂げる at this year’s event. Our main 行う／開催する／段階 is only 1,800 capacity, which makes for a more intimate experience. The first year we had the DJ Norman Jay and as soon as he put his first 記録，記録的な／記録する on I realised I was watching a master.
It’s the simple things that make running the Good Life Experience so special. Such as seeing children climbing trees or watching people of all ages have their imaginations 誘発するd by authors such as Michael Morpurgo. My favourite moment was seeing my 14-year-old daughter covered in mud telling me that she was having the best time ever, without having to take selfies for social マスコミ.
I’m a 失望させるd country girl living in the city and I think many 都市の dwellers like to escape for some fresh 空気／公表する, which is what is so fantastic about this festival.
The Good Life Experience runs from 14-16 September; thegoodlifeexperience.co.uk
MAKING IT ALL WIGHT ON THE NIGHT??
Caroline Giddings is a director at the 小島 of Wight Festival.
'In 2006 I left my 職業 in the City to work 十分な time with my husband':?Caroline Giddings
The 小島 of Wight Festival was resurrected in 2002 by my husband John. It had been banned by an A ct of 議会 after the 1970 festival, when 600,000 people descended on the island. I was a lawyer for the music company Live Nation and advised John on 合法性s around the 行為／法令／行動する. In 2006 I left my 職業 in the City to work 十分な time with him.
I have my finger in every pie. From 合法的な work my 役割 has 拡大するd to 取引，協定ing with the police and 地元の 当局, marketing and PR, food and drink providers and artists’ 契約s. It’s a year-一連の会議、交渉／完成する 職業 ? as soon as the festival ends we are planning the next one.
Getting the Rolling 石／投石するs to play in 2007 was a real クーデター. It was their first UK festival 業績／成果 since 1976. Mick Jagger asked Amy Winehouse, who had 成し遂げるd the night before, to duet with him. Walking past her dressing room 審理，公聴会 them rehearse ‘Ain’t Too Proud To Beg’ was unforgettable.
When Paul McCartney played in 2010, he broke his nail. Because he needed to play the guitar we had to find a beautician at the last minute to give him an アクリルの nail. 存在 on a small island makes it harder to find 確かな things at short notice but we always try.
Artists say they love playing the 小島 of Wight Festival, which is an amazing thing to hear when you’ve worked hard all year to put on a party. It’s more than just a 職業 for us, it’s a passion.
The 小島 of Wight Festival runs from 21-24 June; isleofwightfestival.com
Mick Jagger and Amy Winehouse strut their stuff at the 小島 of Wight festival in 2007
GOODWOOD'S GO-TO GIRL
Patricia Dickie is 顧客 experience director at Goodwood, West Sussex.
'I organise a 広大な／多数の／重要な party':?Patricia Dickie
Goodwood has been running its Three Friday Nights events since 2011. They are unique in that they 伴う／関わる both horse racing and live music. We turn the parade （犯罪の）一味 into a 大規模な dancefloor and the artists 成し遂げる above it.
Goodwood hosts many events over the year but I have the best 職業. I organise a 広大な／多数の／重要な party, come up with new 概念s and 調書をとる／予約する the artists. I’ve lived on the 広い地所 for 11 out of the 12 years I’ve worked here, though it doesn’t stop me running late!
Our very first performer was Boy George. I remember telling his スパイ／執行官 that he could arrive from 4pm to enjoy Goodwood before his 業績／成果 at 9.30. It got closer to his 行う／開催する／段階 time and he hadn’t turned up. I had no number for him or a 計画（する） B so I was terrified. Thankfully, he arrived half an hour before going on 行う／開催する／段階. By this point there were thousands on the dancefloor and when he went on to that 肉親，親類d of 歓迎会 I knew that the 概念 was going to work.
We 申し込む／申し出 artists the chance of some fun on the 広い地所 before their 業績／成果s, and 地階 Jaxx took us up on it. They tried everything from a ride in one of our Cessna 計画（する）s to watching the racing. We had to send them for a nap before they went on 行う／開催する／段階 as it tired them out so much.
I’m very excited to have 調書をとる／予約するd Rudimental this year. They first played in 2013 and it sold out really quickly ? I’ve never felt a buzz like that from an audience. That feeling of having nailed it is incredible.?
Three Friday Nigh ts takes place on 1, 8 and 15 June; goodwood.com/sports/horseracing/fixtures-events/three-friday-nights/
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