Interesting that, just as Mr. Eavis announces that Glastonbury needs to appeal to younger music fans, Latitude - which is aimed at an older crowd - has been receiving glowing reviews across the board this year. The latest to submit enthusiastic opinions are The Times and The Guardian.

Given that the conditions at Glastonbury differed greatly from those at Latitude, it's perhaps unfair to compare the two based on this year alone. And it would be naive to ignore the brand loyalty Glasto has built up over the years. But the fact remains that after a couple of good years, Latitude, which this featured headliners Jarvis Cocker, Arcade Fire and Damien Rice, seems to be persuading a certain section of the festivalgoing public to switch allegiance.

Perhaps Michael Eavis will welcome this, given that he wants to attract the younger generation (by which he means late-teen to mid-twenties folk). At a time when there's plenty of talk of "adultescents" and the shrinking of the good old generation gap, Eavis's stance is a rare attempt by "the establishment" to actively encourage some kind of generational split.

At least his approach provides respite from the numerous corporate-branded attempts to desperately appeal to numerous demographics. This is one of the pluses of Glastonbury not indulging in traditional PR tactics. If Eavis has something to say, he says it, and it's usually a refreshing change from hearing rehearsed statements from spokespeople representing other festivals.

I imagine Eavis knows that, with Glastonbury now a part of the establishment, he probably never need worry about selling tickets again. All the same, it will be interesting to see if the effects of Latitude's recent successes, combined with numerous other more "grown up" events and Glastonbury's increasingly muddy reputation, lead to a noticeable change in clientele.

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