FESTIVAL-GOERS at Glastonbury might be surprised to find something quite unexpected in the middle of the fields: an enormous Victorian pier, inspired in part by festival founder Sir Michael Eavis's love of Burnham-on-Sea.
The structure, called Glastonbury-on-Sea, is the brainchild of underground artist Joe Rush, founder of the Mutoid Waste Company performance arts group.
His involvement with Glastonbury Festival began in the 1980s, and he’s since been dubbed the ‘King of Glastonbury’ by the national press.
This year, festival-goers can see his spectacular Carhenge display, an evolved version of a build of the same name in 1987, and, of course, the pier.
It takes inspiration from Rush’s upbringing in the seaside town of Hastings and Sir Michael’s time spent in Burnham, which he's called his favourite place in Somerset thanks to its “laid back and unspoilt” nature.
Visitors can buy candyfloss and sticks of rock, visit fortune tellers and enjoy a twice-daily cabaret show at the 1000 Farces stage.
There will even be a Notting Hill Carnival takeover on Saturday afternoon.
Sir Michael is a big fan of Punch and Judy shows, which was a key reason why he decided to approve the build for its debut in 2019.
“The original idea for the pier came from a discussion I was having with my wife, Letmiya,” said Rush, 63.
“We were talking about my upbringing on Hastings seafront. My father was a portrait sketcher on the beach.
“We were talking about how nice it was for a party and all the different entertainment on it, and it turned into the idea of building it at the festival.
“People say, ‘you can’t have a pier, because there’s no sea’. But most of the time, the sea’s right out anyway, so it doesn’t really make a lot of difference!
“Then I went to Michael with it. He thought about it and said, ‘is it going to have Punch and Judy?’ I said ‘yes’, and he said, ‘alright, let’s do it’.”
Work takes around two months thanks to a “phenomenal” set of crews including builders, artists and entertainers who bring Rush’s vision to life.
“The brief is a Victorian pier that’s in the 1970s, but it’s populated by robots,” said Rush.
“There’s this retro/futuristic feeling. It’s an idea the Mutoid Waste Company has evolved over the years – these really clunky old robots with rock and roll personalities.”
Asked if Sir Michael’s love of Burnham had a big impact on the pier’s development, Rush replied: “Totally.
“We were late getting open in the first year, so at one point, it was just me and Michael on it.
“We were watching the Punch and Judy show, and we were both standing there, laughing and laughing.
“I realised that he’s a genius, because he was absolutely right about the Punch and Judy show. That was always what the pier was all about. I never underestimate him.
“My dad came along and set up his portrait sketching pitch and started doing portraits, just the same as when we were kids! It was a really nice moment.”
Having so much trust in the team at Glastonbury-on-Sea has allowed Rush to spend more time at his latest venture: Carhenge, Pillars of the Underground.
The sculpture contains 24 vintage vehicles and is dedicated to the memories of people who have “added to the cultural mix of our country and the planet”.
They include author Quentin Crisp, designer Vivienne Westwood, producer Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and sax player Nick Turner.
“We’ve got all these fighters and dreamers,” said Rush.
“Each year, we dedicate more to these characters – some that people know, others they’ve never even heard of, but whose lives upholds our cultural identity and evolution. That’s very important to me.
“It’s got a completely different feel (to his other builds); it’s not a rave, it’s not a stage, it’s a sculpture.
“It’s lovely to see these things evolve. You can’t get it right the first year – you’re lucky to get it built – and in the second year, you evolve it.
“In the third year, you’re getting it really good.”
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