Intents at Glastonbury take shape as the festival is built.

We have been Over The Moon these past few days after installing two Intents at the Glastonbury Festival.  It has been a wonderful experience to be involved with the creation of the festival and see the HUGE site being transformed.  The site has grown massively since we last visited as eager ticket holders in 1997.  The Tipi village along the line of the hill above the site is very impressive, as is the sheer size of the site.  It takes over an hour to walk around the site now and that’s without the masses being here.

 

Looking across at the observation tower in the Park Zone

 

 There are 40,000! people involved in making the festival happen and the atmosphere is a delicious anticipationand easy going meetings and free flowing conversations with strangers bonded in the act of creating the event.  It is strange to be at the festival and see the familiar places but without that zing and white knuckle ride of the event when its underway.

 

Backstage at the Pyramid Stage. No sign of Bruce Sringsteen

 

Intent take shape behind the Giant Kata Tipis

We have erected a 15×13m Orange Intent behind 3 Giant Kata Tipis.  They will form the outer part of the Rabbit Hole area, with access to the Intent through a burrow/tunnel which must be navigated after answering a riddle.  All the crew are dressed as characters from the Alice in Wonderland story.  Over The Moon DJ’s will be playing inside the Intent which will be completed with a lit up dancefloor, a la “Saturday Night Fever”.

 

25x14m Intent for the Glade Area at Glastonbury

 

Intent at Bradford’s Mela

We had a nice sunny day yesterday putting up an Intent for a music performance at Bradford’s renowned Mela festival. Preparations were well underway and it looks to be a very colourful event. The production team were a lovely friendly bunch and nice to work with.

 

Melas originate from the Indian sub-continent (the word ‘Mela’ means ‘to meet’ in Sanskrit, the ancient Indian language), where they are traditionally a gathering of people celebrating their community, much like village fairs in Britain.

The first Bradford Mela is where it all began in the UK, way back in September 1988. It was a small scale event by today’s standards, held on playing fields above the University, but proved a resounding success, attracting over 10,000 visitors.

In the following years the Mela moved to a bigger venues to accommodate audience numbers which have grown to over 100,000 people, moving firstly to Lister Park and then to Peel Park, which is its current home.”

 

More info on here.
http://www.bradfordmela.org.uk/

The Intent awaits the musicians and crowd at Bradford's 2009 Mela Festival

 

Trousers made from recycled British army tents

Over The Moon Tents, and many of our clients,  love the smell and feel of traditional canvas. Now you can combine that love of canvas with fashion and recycling and grab yourself a pair of trousers made of army tent canvas.  Genius.

Canvas Army Tent Trousers

http://www.stabo.co.uk/Shop/mens/trouser.htm

 

Kokopelli is Over The Moon’s first 5.5m Painted Tipi

I spent most of yesterday painting a 5.5m Tipi.  It was a lof of fun and the weather was just right.  The Swallows in the barn roof seemed to take an interest in between nest building.  To get Kokopelli’s design on the tipi I erected a scaffold tower and used it to hang the canvas.

 

Tipi canvas hanging from Scaffold Tower

I awaited dusk to use a projector to place the image on the canvas and trace round.  The canvas was then laid out on the barn floor and painting began at 4pm and finished at 11.30.  I painted nearly non-stop and was entertained by www.littlestevensundergroundgarage.com playing some great music.  You can see the progress below. I added a red to the top of the canvas but it was too dark to take a pic.  The Tipi will be out this weekend and I will add more pics then.

 

Kokopelli is joined by our little promo tipi getting a lick of extra paint.

 

Painted Tipi with crop circle design door flap

So who is Kokopelli?

Kokopelli

I first met Kokopelli on a t-shirt dancing in front of a full moon.  He is a common site in the south western United States. I liked the little figure and enjoyed reading his legend.

Kokopelli is a fertility deity, usually depicted as a humpbacked flute player , who has been venerated by some Native American cultures in the Southwestern United States. Like most fertility deities, Kokopelli presides over both childbirth and agriculture. He is also a trickster god and represents the spirit of music.

More info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kokopelli
http://www.drlamay.com/kokopelli.htm

Kokopelli has been a totem for friends and I for many years and has proved a lucky mascot.

 

Gathering for the Green Minded

 The Big Green Gathering is a 5 day camping event which is currently located in the Mendip Hills in Somerset.  It has grown out of the original Green Gatherings of the 1980’s and the Green Fields of Glastonbury Music Festival.  It has developed organically in response to a desire from people within the green movement for a festival that was focused on Green issues.  Somewhere between 15,000 and 20,000 people are expected this year.

The Festival is innovating a greener approach to powering a modern day festival.  Festival Director, Peter Kemp said

“The equipment needed to harness natural energy comes in all shapes and sizes and many useful items are available at the festival, including solar powered torches, and radios or small solar and wind systems providing lighting for tents and stalls”

http://www.big-green-gathering.com/index.php?pageid=6

 

Garden Of Eden Summer Ball at the Oxford Union

Over The Moon Events provided tents, lighting, decor, DJ’s and sound systems for the Summer Ball at the Oxford Union. It was a prestigious event to be involved in as the Union has been the place where weekly debates are held and many famous UK and foreign politicians have learnt the art of debate. More info on the Oxford Union at Wikipedia

The black Intent's peeps out from the Oxford Union's courtyard

The events theme was the Garden of Eden and there was a choice of modern and old, black and white, tribal and urban tents with the courtyard filled with tipi’s, a yurt and a lovely black Intent.

 

The Yurt and Tipi's made a nice chill out space overlooked by the Oxford Union building.

 

 

It was the first booking we had for the black Intent and wasn’t she a beauty. This is a tent that cries out for a dancefloor, club type event inside.

The Black Intent makes her presence felt

 

Pudding In The Proof

We took advantage of the sunny dry day on Monday to add some fresh Nikwax proofing to our Orange Intent. The Intent will be forming part of the Rabbit Hole tents at this year’s Glastonbury and Glade festivals.

Spray The Day Away, Reproofing in Rodmell, Sussex, May 2009

 

Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis publicly supports Glade Festival

Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis has publicly supported Glade Festival in an open letter today. By supporting his festival’s successful export, the letter also gives the community of smaller UK festivals a boost.

Glastonbury is without doubt the undisputed star of the British festival landscape, and the creative inspiration for a plethora of other successful festival organisers. It is also the mothership that has provided hundreds of thousands of people with their first festival experience.

Michael Eavis’ letter read: “About ten years ago I persuaded Luke Piper, Glade Festival Director, to run a new area at Worthy Farm called ‘The Glade’. ‘Why the glade’ Luke said – ‘sounds like a perfume’ – ‘an opening in the woods’ I said—‘a perfect venue’. And so it was. So successful was The Glade, he asked to borrow the concept for a site in Newbury which worked too.

“Now, after a good few years the site has moved from Newbury to Winchester, a beautiful farm in a natural amphitheatre with lots more room – better access, and a lot less people living close by.

“The Glade Festival has lots of Glastonbury connections with thrills and feelings not dissimilar to our own, including programming and atmosphere that has form and reputation.

“If you couldn’t get a ticket for our show here at Glastonbury, thank you very much for trying, but would you mind me suggesting that you give Glade Festival a try? I don’t think you’ll regret it!”

OverTheMoonTents will be at both Glastonbury and Glade Festivals this coming summer. We will be providing an Orange 15×13m Intent for the Rabbit Hole area at both festivals. We are stoked up to be at both these great music festivals. Our DJ’s and lighting engineer will also be playing at both events. Come and say hello if you are there.

Our Orange Intent is excited to be able to welcome party people into her curvy embrace at Glastonbury and Glade this summer.

 

Painted Tipi Project Underway

We made a start on the Painted Tipi project this week. First up a little 1m diameter promo tipi. Nothing too large and unwieldly to handle. Traced the design out on the floor of the living room and used a mixture of acrylic fabric paint and some left-over green exterior paint. The fabric paint is much better and does not soak in so much. The back design was based on a crop circle.

When I grow up I want to be a 18 footer

Next up is a full size 18ft Tipi to get the paint treatment. Going to help draw the design out using Photoshop to create it and then project it on the canvas.

 

Joke from The Jester

Over The Moon’s crew has a Jester to keep it entertained and spirits up when working the long summer days.  The Jester provided a lovely tent related joke for us this week.

A man pays a visit to his doctor and tells him,

“On Monday night I dreamt I was a Tipi, and then on tuesday night I dreamt I was a Yurt.” 

“Hmm”, said the doctor pondering the meaning of these dreams. Then he exclaimed, ” Don’t worry, you are just Too Tense”.

 

The Jester strikes the funny bone again

 

Party tent in Portsmouth

The Over The Moon boys were working in the leafy surrounds of Sussex and Hampshire last week. It was a lovely week weather wise and the leafy green lanes looked great in the sunshine and with the leaves all bright and fresh. Our stay was helped by the great service we received at Stubbs Farm B&B

We enjoyed seeing Portsmouth for the first time and enjoyed being part of the Student Union Carnival day.

Flyer for Event in Portsmouth

 

Party Tent at Portsmouth SU Carnival

 

Wickerman Festival announces environmental first for festivals

At this years Wickerman Festival organisers will be recycling waste materials into power.  This is from their website.

An estimated 44 tonnes of rubbish will be gathered from the 2009 Wickerman Festival. Wrappers, packets, tins, cans and plastic bottles will be the main culprit with a few exotic materials thrown in. Rather than simply drop the flotsam and jetsam into the nearest council midden the Wickerman will transport it to the Ecodeco plant near Dumfries.

This state of the art waste treatment plant will shred, dry sieve and magnetically sort out mixed refuse turning it into fuel pellets, soil conditioner and recycled metals.

More info on
http://www.thewickermanfestival.co.uk/news.html

 

Tipi in The Times

Over The Moon Tipi as featured in The Times, April 18th 2009

Over The Moon Tipis featured in The Times newspaper on Saturday 18th April.  A tipi was used as back drop to a fashion feature in the saturday magazine supplement.

 

Helping Hand with Wood Green Animal Shelter

Over The Moon will be providing a Party Tent for the use of Wood Green Animal Shelter this coming Sunday, 19th April.  The tent will be in use for promotion of the shelter’s work with animals.  The location is Ely Cathedral which makes for a wonderful backdrop for the tent. Wood Green’s annual pet service will take place at 1.30pm. Everyone welcome including pets. 

Party Tent at Ely, April 19th 2009

Over The Moon provided a medieval pavilion for the same event two years and got some good photos from it.

http://www.woodgreen.org.uk/

Medieval Pavilion Tent for Wood Green Pet Service at Ely Cathedral, April 2007

 

Canvas Adventures in the George Lucas soundstage

It was a thrilling day of tent erecting in Elstree today.  The OTM crew got to visit the famous studio’s and the sound stage that was home to the Star Wars films.  Elstree is also home to the “Big Brother” house and “Who Want’s To Be A Millionaire”.   

 

The young Padowan's are in awe at being at the home of Star Wars

We were on site to erect a military marquee for a forthcoming supermarket commercial.  We had to adapt to working with a hard surface and we utilised 2500ltrs of water, giving us 2.5tons of anchorage in the absence of ground stakes. The crew had a fun time and enjoyed being part of the creative scene at a famous studio.

 

The Army marquee takes shape

 

All done. Getting ready to go. Spot the other sets for use as different era's during the 20th century

 

Born Of Hope film shoot a success

Born of Hope, a film covering events prior to the Lord Of The Rings movies continued shooting in March.  They had four days worth of shooting over two weekends at West Stowe Anglo Saxon village, near Bury St Edmunds.  We were lucky in having two dry and sunny days for both the set up and take down. It was a pleasure to work in such a tranquil setting and we were pleased to help the project by providing the tent and crew for free.  Thanks to Kate for the Apsalls cider for the crew at the job’s end.

: )

See the BornOfHope website for more info and the footage so far.

Military Tent for film crew, West Stowe Anglo Saxon village

 

Tipi to the Tower

We headed right into the heart of the nation’s capital with a tipi on Monday. The mission was to put up a tipi for a fashion shoot for the Times newspaper’s Saturday 18 April 2009 supplement.  In 35mph gusts we had our work cut out but we managed it and they got their shots.  Keep an eye out for the pics in the supplement.

Crikey.. the tipi braves the traffic by the Tower of London

Tipi Fashion Shoot

 

OverTheMoonTents.com gets a mention on Radio 2

The crew often listen to the Stuart Maconie & Mark Radcliffe music show on BBC Radio 2 while returning from jobs.  It’s a jolly show with good banter, pioneering great new music and introducing old tracks perhaps forgotten.  We were introduced to the soothing Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, “Raising Sands” album long before its award winning glory.

After spending Monday 23rd March battling the wind trying to put a Tipi up and then checking if our faithful vintage army marquee was still in good shape after 30mph gusts the crew headed home listening to the show.  

I’ve often thought of adding a contribution to ‘The Chain’, the feature on the show that asks for listeners to contribute the next song in the sequence and it must have a link to the previously played.  For me the previous song was “She Sells Sanctuary” by The Cult.  My link was “Helter Skelter” by The Beatles.  The link being that Charles Manson, a cult leader in the late 60’si n California, thought the record had a secret message for him.

It was nice to chat to Stuart & Mark and say how much I enjoyed the show. As they often enquire as to how people’s day went I had a great opportunity to mention Over The Moon Tents.  Check out the show on line using this link.  If you listen within the week on iPlayer you’ll hear James on the Chain.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/radcliffemaconie/index.shtml

 

Fly Me To The Moon-sic

Spring is in the air and we feel like dancing. Try your ears out on the new mixes available for listening and download on our music player.

We’ve added a variety of genres. Dance music, Indie, Pop, Folk , Roots and Chill out. To download a mix click on the down arrow to the right of each mix title.

Click to hear Moon music.
N.B Wimply MP3 player doesn’t work in Google Chrome

DJ's at Wedding, May 2009, Coombe Farm Woods, Devon

 

CANI – Constant and Never Ending Improvement

Over The Moon Tents likes to get it right from start to finish, from first contact and enquiry through quoting, booking, communicating, erecting, performing and removal of equipment.  We like CANI and came across it when reading Tony Robbin’s “ Awaken The Giant Within“.

“CANI” stands for Constant And Never-ending Improvement. It’s an acronym that Tony developed more than a decade ago and he was influenced by Dr. W. Edwards Deming. Dr. Deming is credited as one of the leaders who brought one of the first quality movements to the Japanese. His basic premise was that the secret to help the Japanese achieve world power and economic success was if every single person and organization commit to constant improvement.

The Japanese have a single word for “constant and never-ending improvement” and it’s called “Kaizen.” Kaizen is from the Japanese words Kai and Zen where “kai” means change and “zen” means good. Yes folks, change is good. “

More CANI info

Over The Moon Tents strive to get it right and always want to hear what others think of us, our service and how we performed.  So folks, please let us know and we CANI.

CANI crew. Over The Moon Tents crew in Somerset, Oct 2008