Thursday, August 16, 2007


.... Jules and Big John in the picture.


Greenbelt Festival

The place to become is::
Greenbelt Taker
and then become a
Greenbelt Maker.


Many of us, 2000+, give our time to help this wondrous festival to deliver such a special week-end of adventure .............. you can still be a Maker/Volunteer by visiting the website.

Here is the Big John story::


I first heard of Greenbelt back in
1986, through my then-girlfriend,
now missus. She was working for
a company called Traidcraft, who
had quite a big presence at the
festival in those days.

She came back telling me about this really
interesting place; how she got
blown away (by the hurricane,
remember!); about how the Alarm
played, and Bono was a steward.
Well, being a bit of a muso and
punky rockery type, it sounded as if
I had missed something. So, I made
sure I wangled my way into 'helping
out' Traidcraft the next year!
First memories included: having a
wee crappy tent that sagged in the
middle and leaked and dodging off on
my own to discover what was going
on around the festival, and stumbling
on this thing called a seminar,
with this very loud and excitable
bearded American bloke making
jokes and talking about Jesus.

Mike Yak [thatís Mike Yaconelli,
of course], I think he was called.
He reached the parts other
preachers cannot reach, you might
say. I remember a shift in the
internal that weekend. The feeling
of being a part of something, yet
being an 'outsider'. A feeling that
hasnít gone away, and probably
never will.

So, over the years we returned to
Greenbelt. And every year I would
return home and try to hold on to
the feeling and high for as long as
I could, determined to do this or
that, inspired by the real difference
and change that had been affected
upon me. I was and still am like a
sponge for truth and the 'real' (as
well as being a loafy dreamer),
and maybe thatís why I love
Greenbelt so much. That's why we
kept coming, every year except
two since then. We never knew
anyone else who went. We never
ever really got 'involved'. We just
absorbed, took. For me, it was my
once-a-year-church (that, and a
Christmas Eve Midnight Mass at
the local Catholic place, which
was always a good show). And
then our little baby came along,
and things took a turn.

We both wanted to come to
Greenbelt and give thanks for our
blessing. But that year, 2003, we
took a last-minute decision to book
a hotel instead of camping. By
pure coincidence, we ended up in
the hotel where a lot of the festival
artists and contributors were, too!
As I sat in the bar on the first night
I became aware of a group full of
familiar Greenbelt faces. I tried
not to stare too much, but couldn't
help it. I can be a bit shy and very
much a lone wolf, but inside I
really wanted just to go over and
say, Hey! Let me in! The crack
looks good!î But knew I wouldn't.

And then at the bar I was smiled
at and my wristband was noticed
and my name was asked. And then
someone said to me, So, have you
met Martyn? as Martyn Joseph
comes up. And I say 'No'. The
next thing I know I am being invited
into the group and introduced to
them all, including Mike Yak!

For that festival, each night, I was in
the company of this crowd for
my nightcap.
I felt like a bit of a fraud. They
all were so 'involved' in festivalmaking.
Me, I was just a Greenbelter.
But it really didn't seem to matter
to anyone. There was no bullshit
superstar stuff going on. Just real
and deep conversations, and some
powerful moments. Like Mike Yak
saying to me: 'I think that it is
truly wonderful, how you give up
one weekend a year to come to
find God. Amazing. He loves you
now as He always has, and always
will.' And tears flowed.

I was informed of Mike's death just
a month later. It made the festival
weekend ever so more real and
special. So, I started to deepen my
contact with Greenbelt, and started
to get the Greenbelt eNews,Dispatches,
and to take an interest through
the website. One thing always
struck me, though, was why
I couldn't download the talks via
MP3.

Then on Dispatches a call
came out for volunteers to help
out in the Talks Recording area!
As I mentioned earlier, I am a muso
type, and always have been into
recording. I packed in the building
trade about five years back and
went back to Uni to study Music
Production. Now I have my own
recording studio, self-built with
friends. So, it seemed like I might
be able to be of some use and put
myself up to help out. So, at
Greenbelt 2004, I found myself
packing recorded cassettes of
the talks!

It was a really different festival
for me. For the first time, I felt
more a part of it, talking to fellow
volunteers, sharing, helping - all
good stuff. That same year I got
an email from Karen (the Festival
Chair), inviting me onto the
Greenbelt Management Group as
they were looking for some 'new
blood' Wow! After 2004's festival
I agreed to become the Recorded
Talks co-ordinator for 2005.
This meant organising 30 or so
volunteers to do the recording and
duplication and delivery of all the
talks at the festival. And I ended
up getting my wish of having the
talks available from the website
as MP3's by getting involved
and doing it myself!

My message to anyone who thinks
they have something they can offer
back to make the festival grow is
that while it is great to be a
Greenbelt taker it is even better to
be a Greenbelt maker, taking on
different, challenging, stretching,
and sometimes difficult things to
see the festival you love grow.


The name of
the Greenbelter in
question has been
left out, but his
experience is by
no means unique.
We hope it chimes
a chord with many
of you.

You can browse and buy all the recorded talks (including MP3s)
online HERE.






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