Glastonbury: Yeh or ney?

Bobbinogs

It is that time of the year again when the media goes mad and seems to think that everyone in the country is either at Glastonbury or wants to be there. It is a long time ago that the event seemed to offer an alternative platform for music and, IMO, has just morphed into some great corporate event complete with mainstream superbands being paid a fortune...and city types lining up to pay a fortune for a glamping experience. Am I just missing the vibe on this one?

tangled_metal

Nope, you're right. Just wish the BBC would reduce their glasto programming, like by almost all of it.

pblakeney

100% on the button.
Wouldn't thank you for a ticket.

ddraver

..to some extent. i think it reflects what a lot of pop music has become now which is just a place to be seen or background music to allow a mating ritual.

Bruce Springsteen played about 100m away from where I live last week and I went down and had a look and ended up staying for the whole gig, outside the back of the gate, watching through a crack in the fence, whilst there was a stream of people leaving at least an hour before they finished.

What is the point of paying the extortionate amount of money these things cost today to leave an hour before the end? Just to be there to send the gloating tweet and instagram... (everyone I know going this year falls firmly into that camp). This is perfectly expressed by the vacuous emptiness that is Adele.

However, Glastonbury is so big that there are enough people and bands there that genuinely are interested in the music

secretsam

I went in '97, which was wet. I loved it, but it's a bit like the TdeF: there are other events, but this is the only one that anyone really seems to know about.

My main recollection (apart from the mud) was the fact that EVERYONE was off their faces most of the time, skinning up in front of coppers who quite clearly couldn't care less and were loving the easy day's work!

homers_double

We registered for tickets last year and didn't get a look in.

Yes I'd go, not sure what to expect but I'd try it.

fenix

It always looks like fun - but I've never been. There's god knows how many bands playing - so plenty of smaller ones - you don't have to go to coldplay or whatever.

I like watching it on the bbc and listeling to new bands or ones I like. If you're not keen - there are other channels...

I'm going to a smaller festival this year just to see what its like. Maybe Glasto one year....

(I'm almost 50)

verylonglegs

I look forward to the TV coverage as there are always some decent sets to enjoy. I still listen now to Caribou and Jon Hopkins from last year and have others from previous years.

rick_chasey

Average age of performers has been increasing steadily over the past 10 years but I do really enjoy the wall-to-wall coverage from the comfort of my own living room.

Always end up finding some music I like which I didn't know before.

eric_draven

To me the first 3 posts are about on the money for Glasto now,and the current state of music industry,wouldn't thank you to go to a festival now,but i have been to quite a few before Reading a couple of times in the early 90's,Finsbury park 1992 best one of them all,Donnington Monsters of rock 4 times,and Leeds for a day when there has been at least half a dozen bands/artists I've wanted to see,The thing with Glasto is you now buy your ticket before you know who is playing there,which personally I don't quite work out

fenix

Eric - there's hundreds of bands playing this year - you're bound to enjoy some of them.

If you want to just listen to your favourites - you can go to their specific concerts. A festival is more a place to explore music.

veronese68

Fenix wrote:

It always looks like fun - but I've never been. There's god knows how many bands playing - so plenty of smaller ones - you don't have to go to coldplay or whatever.

I like watching it on the bbc and listeling to new bands or ones I like. If you're not keen - there are other channels...

Maybe Glasto one year....

(I'm almost 50)

That pretty much covers it for me.

Flâneur

ddraver wrote:

whilst there was a stream of people leaving at least an hour before they finished.

If Manchester, probably to get home as the trains would have finished for a lot of people. But I agree why pay 50-100 quid then leave early

RE Glasto, part of me likes the idea but I couldn't be arsed with the people, nor the fact I couldn't see the stage/half the bands I wanted between walking around.

I'm good with coverage on TV, I can have a beer or water, cold, stay dry and get a proper view without a flag in the way.

Should be made for the over 30s and under 15s

Leeds/reading for the 15-18
Download/creamfields/T for the 18+
V etc for the 22+

Though fair shout to Evis, between money and connections they pull in some acts and in the saturated market of festivals they are don't worry about ticket sales.

guy.spartacus

ddraver wrote:

Bruce Springsteen played about 100m away from where I live last week and I went down and had a look and ended up staying for the whole gig, outside the back of the gate, watching through a crack in the fence, whilst there was a stream of people leaving at least an hour before they finished.

Springsteen has been playing for 3 hours on his recent tour - I'd say 2 hours is pretty good

ddraver

3.5 hours for The Hague. i went down thinking I'd catch the encore but was there for 2 hours...

Bobbinogs

guy.spartacus wrote:

ddraver wrote:

Bruce Springsteen played about 100m away from where I live last week and I went down and had a look and ended up staying for the whole gig, outside the back of the gate, watching through a crack in the fence, whilst there was a stream of people leaving at least an hour before they finished.

Springsteen has been playing for 3 hours on his recent tour - I'd say 2 hours is pretty good

3 hours! Blimey, I reckon that's about 2 hours, 55 minutes too long for me. Spending 5 minutes on the first song by Springsteen would give me a good idea of exactly what the rest of the songs will sound like ;-)

bobmcstuff

ddraver wrote:

3.5 hours for The Hague. i went down thinking I'd catch the encore but was there for 2 hours...

I was in the Hague last week - had no idea it was on till we went to some bars after work and the place was rammed! Then when we tried to walk back across to the station at the end of the evening we got cut off by the barriers and ended up watching the last 30 minutes

Ben6899

Glastonbury is my kind of thing. Sat on the sofa, with a cold beer, listening to it on the radio? If I ever end up with leptospirosis, I'll be really pissed off if I paid for the pleasure.

capt_slog

Tangled Metal wrote:

Nope, you're right. Just wish the BBC would reduce their glasto programming, like by almost all of it.

The BBC do this 'over the top' business with everything, it's possibly to try to justify the expense of being there to do the outside broadcast.

Things like the Royal weddings are a good example, I hear a lot of "....the whole of the UK wants to know what the dress will look like" or suchlike.

The WHOLE? really? Perhaps 25% of the uk are watching, and maybe 25% of those might give a lukewarm poo about it.

tangled_metal

Been to reading and Leeds for a day. Any more I'd be bored. TBH having seen Marilyn Manson do things with a vibrator on stage I can honestly say I've lost interest in live music!

tangled_metal

One more thing, you've had a full day, dehydrated badly, then you've got metallica in the headline slot. Great show coming. Hour of roadie counting to 2 testing just one microphone. Then they come on very late and the guitars go down mid track. Everything ends.up going wrong with the pa system, guitars, etc. I'm stood up at the back just wanting to go knowing I've got almost an hour's drive to where we're staying. Then everything goes off! The license for the the festival ends at a certain time because it's Sunday so the gig is over too after maybe 20 to 30 minutes and not one track played through completely!

Sorry they're not worth the cost. Watch it on TV where the coverage can switch to a show that's working. However I do think the BBC should pull back on the excessive coverage. Especially with all the red button options.

eric_draven

Tangled Metal wrote:

Nope, you're right. Just wish the BBC would reduce their glasto programming, like by almost all of it.

I wish the BBC would reduce Jo Whiley and Mark Radcliffe from the programming,just find them more than a tad annoying

tangled_metal

Some people are better on the radio I think.

I think someone described a colleague as "having a face for radio". Can't remember who it was about or who said it.

vimfuego

As Brian Pern's manager said: "I've yet to meet a festival goer I didn't consider to be a complete tw@t"

morstar

Went once in about '91 / '92. (First year they had a fence up anyway).
Enjoyed myself but have had no real desire to go back. Ripped my foot open chasing a bag snatcher but at least got the bag back. Took 4 hours to get off the car park because we accepted a lift despite having train tickets. Loads to see and do and some of the random stuff provides the best moments. Impromptu bands in corners of fields and stuff like that.

Mrs tries to get tickets every year and I always feel relieved when she doesn't get any because I'll end up funding the whole thing and she'll want to behave like she's 20 despite having the kids with us (which I'm not entirely comfortable with either). Have a multitude of higher priorities to which I can direct the contents of my wallet. If money no object, I'd go out of curiosity and stay in a hotel. Love camping, don't love festival camping.

What I don't understand is how, when it's so difficult to get tickets, I have two friends who go every year without fail. Are there charity places like the London marathon?

drlodge

Ney,

Can't think of anything worse. Other than signing up to ISIS obviously.

crispybug2

Went in '94 and '97, Peter Gabriel and Radiohead....both excellent.

But that was twenty + years ago, great then but buggered if I'd want to do it again!

Pross

It's never appealed to me. I like camping, I like music and I like a few drinks but the idea of being in a muddy field for a few days with no decent washing or toilet facilities just sounds grim and the quality of the headline acts is going downhill each year, seemingly with kitsch being the new big thing.

That said, I was at the Hay Fringe recently to sing and some of the sights there made me realise what I might be missing!

Anonymous

Went 2-3 years ago. Had heard long and often about how amazing it was but was pretty sceptical given the cost and faff to get there.

It was absolutely incredible. I do like music a bit, the range of what's on is absolutely otherworldly, it really does have acts from all genres, all ages and all degrees of popularity. Yes it is busy at the main stages, but the people are all in great spirits (chemical fuelled or otherwise) and music aside, the whole experience really is a full on sensory overload, visually it is just so much to take in. It literally is sensational. After its all over then you go down to the dance area which is another world of lights, music, sculptures and mayhem.

I couldn't recommend it enough.

Disclaimer: I was 26 at the time, I don't take drugs, we had great weather, I drank about 8-10 pints per 15hr day (11am to 2 am roughly) to enjoy being a bit tipsy throughout, but not smashed.

I was there the Rolling Stones year. Also saw Arctic Monkeys, 1975, Bastille, Sam Smith (with about 10 others in a tiny garden shed), Smashing Pumpkins and too more to remember.

I think you're being old grumpy gits.

veronese68

coriordan wrote:

Disclaimer: I was 26 at the time, I don't take drugs, we had great weather, I drank about 8-10 pints per 15hr day (11am to 2 am roughly) to enjoy being a bit tipsy throughout, but not smashed.

I was just thinking as I read the beginning of your post; that's all very well but you're young and enthusiastic and I'm old and cynical.

coriordan wrote:

I think you're being old grumpy gits.

Exactly

joelsim

Spot on.

I went in 94 and 95. Never again.

Enjoyed it loads at the time but for festivals I don't want hundreds of thousands of people and mud galore any more.

Give me a small one any day (fnar).