“ IF YOU ' RE BEING MET WITH CRIPPLING COSTS , THE LAST THING THAT YOU WANT TO DO IS HAVE INEFFICIENT GENERATORS BURNING EXCESS FUEL .”
COVER FEATURE
looking to play a part in helping reduce the environmental impact of their live shows and tour plans .
The band is set to perform at Bristol ’ s Clifton Downs on 25 August with a raft of ground-breaking environmental sustainability measures in place including the huge outdoor show being powered entirely by renewable energy . Promoted and produced by AEG Presents and Team Love , who stage the 60,000-capacity Forwards Festival on the site , Massive Attack ’ s ACT 1.5 show is being described as a ‘ large-scale climate action accelerator event ’ and ‘ the lowest carbon show of its size ever staged ’. The decarbonisation measures , which have been created in partnership with the Tyndall Centre , include a zero to landfill waste removal policy , and a localised presale period to deter private car travel . A rail travel incentive initiative will also be in place and there will be free post-show electric shuttles to the main local rail hubs .
A smaller scale but even longer established leader in the field of festival
Solar panels at The Green Gathering
“ IF YOU ' RE BEING MET WITH CRIPPLING COSTS , THE LAST THING THAT YOU WANT TO DO IS HAVE INEFFICIENT GENERATORS BURNING EXCESS FUEL .”
- CLAIRE O ' NEILL
sustainability is the Green Gathering , which was one of the 100 festivals included in the More Than Music project alongside huge majors such as All Points East , Download and Reading & Leeds as well as independents including WOMAD and Green Man .
Green Gathering is the only event to have won the UK Greener Festival
Zero waste landfill at The Green Gathering
Award three times , and is classified as outstanding by AGF . “ We have been running with green policies since the mid 1990s ,” says the festival ’ s director Steve Muggs .
Located in Chepstow , Wales , Green Gathering is entirely solar powered , with electricity provided by 18 power generation systems distributed across the festival site . An energy audit of the 2022 event showed that 457kWh of solar power was used to run the 5,000-capacity festival .
“ Nobody is allowed to bring diesel generators on site ,” says Muggs . “ We have one petrol generator and that ' s required for the emergency backup of the medical centre . Other than that , everything from the PA to back-office computers and overhead festoons are all on solar .
“ A major consideration for us when booking bands is that they know not to expect a speaker stack worthy of U2 , they are going to have about 8kWH available .”
Changing behaviour Muggs says that the Green Gathering is far more than an event organised with sustainability being a secondary consideration , caring for the environment is integral to every aspect of its production and an essential aspect of the event experience .
“ The purpose of the festival is to highlight and focus on various environmental and social justice issues ,” he says . “ The production company , Optimistic Trout Productions CIC , is commissioned to put on the event , and its purpose is to educate sustainability . Fundamentally the event is set up to try accessaa . co . uk 23