I'm in a pickle.
Pros -
All my friends are going including my best friend in the entire world who's never been before
It is a wonderful, unique place
I've been once before and never truely discovered it all
I haven't done a festival in 3 years
Cons -
The mud is a pain in the arse
I've been before, maybe it's time to see someone new
I don't feel comfortable with hard drug taking, which some people do
The headliners are balls
Normally I can make my own decisions but this year half of me really wants to go as my mates went last year and had a wonderful time and I stayed at home. However, the other half of me wants to see something different and the mud really gets you down.
What would YOU do?
same position
halp!
well
i went last year for the 1st time and it was by far the worst (least good, not shit) fest ive been to.
problems were:
so muddy that it did actually ruin the weekend at times
shit headliners indeed
having to trek for miles and miles to get anywhere
no campsite comradery
lost vagueness was nothing like you think its gonna be having heard knobs on the radio going on about it everyday like its the best thing since diced bread
the unescapable air of smug pretension over the whole place
but
ive also heard last yr was very much muddier than any other
It was
I last went in 2005 and we had 2 days of rain but amazing sunshine on the sunday. Lovely!
But the Mud in 2005 was a bitch, I slipped and cut my leg on barb wire, I had a scar and everything. It was nasty!
The headliners are rubbish this year. My boyfriend - bless him - keeps saying to me -
'jay-z will be amazing...'
'I dont like Jay-z though.'
'...but he will have all his orchestra and guests like, Paul McCartney'
'I hate Paul McCartney'
how on earth can you sleep with someone who says these things to you??
?? I'd find that horribly disturbing!
Lost Vagueness is full of shit
It's been scrapped now
it is???
good.
i was so so so sorely disappointed with that place, it was just shit. it really was. and yet people said it would be awesome. but it wasnt. just shit
Apparently the guy who runs it is an absolute toss bag
And Eavis had just had enough of him. The people who run Trash City are going to do another area themed on the 1970s called Shangri La to take its place
Lost Vagueness hasn't been scrapped
that's libel... They left of their own accord cos they realised like any other smart person that the festival's turned to shit
Ignore the headliners
I mean, really. If you ignore the fact they're 'top of the bill', then it's just a handful of bands out of hundreds that will be there
If all your friends are going, why wouldn't you? You're pretty much guaranteed to have fun
I'm thinking that
but it's just the case of last time I went in 2005 I had an utterly miserable time and wanted to go home. I'm tempted to give it one more chance but at ticket price...
i feel bad
cos I've been twice when the weather was nice and you paid someone a fiver to let me through the fence.
BUT I would say fuck it. Its prob 350 quid for the whole weekend all expenses paid. There's so many good smaller festivals now you could go to three for the same money...
It's such an expected thing now its really quite boring. Plus the whole fuckwit of buying a ticket. Worked at the Glasto ticket agency last year and it was enough to put you off for life. So much hassle is it really worth it?
I don't think so.
I'm going to ATP
which I am so excited for. Eee.
It's only ever pissed down when I've been
and I think it's massively overrated so I won't be bothering anymore. I went with a group of friends last year but kept losing them.
The rumoured line up
looooks so terrible lol
doesn't it?
you should all try this:
http://www.drownedinsound.com/articles/2888829
no
because i'm not going anymore.
but yeah, try somewhere new. there's LOADS of good festivals this year.
yeh
the lineup looks shite and even if the headliners were good the pyrammid stage is ABSOLUTE SHIT for watching a band on - sound is terrible and you cant get anywhere near unless youre there for hours beforehand.
what are you talking about?
you can walk right into the front area of the pyramid when a headline band is on. just go from the side and you'll get very close, very easily. common sense saves the day again!
i just dont think
its a good festival at all.
i mean sure its great when you get there cos its glastonbury and its ace, right? but then you soon realise that you shouldve just gone to a music festival instead of some faux-hippy bullshit party
I wanted to twat a couple of people in 2005
and some of those were the people camping with us
mmm
it was sort of full of goons. hipsters and stuff. or something.
i went last year
and was really underwhelmed. the mud did actually get to me and its something i dont really want to go through again.... buttt. all my friends are hellbent on going. so i guess im gonna hope we dont get tickets. then we can go to latitude. win!
go to atp instead
you'll never want to camp again,except maybe,for end of the road
love to go to ATP
but it clashes with exams.
:(
fucking balls
they sold far too many tickets last year
there was literally nowhere to camp, and that was on the Wednesday night. I felt cheated. For the silly money Glasto charges these days, at least don't oversell it so much that ALL the campsites were really overcrowded.
Hard drugs aren't compulsory...
It's going to be good this year. I'm sure of it. The lineup's going to come together and the weather's going to be great.
Grrr, optimistic people.
I use to be like you once. They aren't compulsory but they are everywhere you turn.
Ha...
I'm not really being optimistic. I'm giving Glastonbury a break this year, after having a pretty shit time last year. I'm just sure that if I dont go I'll be missing a good one...
isn't that the case at every festival though?
according to NME
there are 4 days left to register, i haven't but I think I will.
On my Uni course there are 4 places available to go and 'promote' the university there. I seriously doubt I will be getting as a place as EVERYONE undoubtably wants to go :(
What the frick?
I would do it.
THERE! THAT'S IT! I won't pay the ticket price.
I am a tight bitch.
Yes
the mud is maddening. Yes there are plenty of tools larking about in festival hats shouting bollocks and the like but having gone to each one since '99 i can honestly say that it IS an amazing experience and one i'll continue to go to until i grow up.
Can imagine all the negative things being amplified ten fold if you're not up for the illegal stuff though.
I'm not one for pills etc
and I really like seeing bands, but the treks between stages are annoying.
I think its gonna be nice and sunny this year.
Its gotta be surely?!?!
..oh but yeah.
If I was in your pickle I would def go.
yeah!!! Positivity maaaaan!
Do it! Do it! The sun will shine all week, 25c in the shade and you're get a crackin tan whilst sloshing pear cider! *DREAMS*
I went once
it was rubbish. It's really not a good festival if you like seeing bands (stages are miles apart), or even worse if you like seeing good bands (they don't book any).
The weather often ruins it too.
The discovery of ATP pretty much killed any enthusiasm I had left for outdoor festivals though and I do know people who have had an ace time there.
Its a truly rotten festival
Has nothing going for it. Dont go.
Still furious about it.
Fuck it off and go to.........
Latitude, Bestival, Secret Garden Party, End of the Road, Green Man or Truck instead.
Actually you could do any 2 of those, possibly any two plus Truck for the same money or less.
And have a
good time. Rather than an exceptionally shit one with wankers, at a shit place with shit bands, bad sound and bad times.
Furious
^ This
...plus absence of NME buzz acts means that you won't tun into Peaches Geldof
*run
I might do Truck
as it's quite near my birthday.
Do you actually like music?
Then don't go.
Well
i Last went in 1986 when you could still camp overlooking the main stage !! its is now extremly expesnisve ,overrated ,up its own arse run by an arrogant egotist!! Any festival that you need id for is a no no !! Its a safe perictable middle class festival where people go to be seen !! Try Field Day,secret garden ,great escape or camden crawl instead .You will spend as much at Glastonbury for a weekend (including ticket priice)as you would spending a week on a beach somewhere warm in europe !!!
that's what bugs me
I've only ever been to America and I would love to see paris, or Rome or go to Prague instead.
Good to a euro festival instead then
Like any of the ones in spain - practically guaranteed good weather and the line-ups are generally great. admittedly the barcelona based ones (like primavera) aren't camping but there's loads of cheap hostels or get an apartment if you want to slash out a bit. factor in a flight that is less than the price of a train ticket to deepest somerset or wherever and bobsyourloblaw. also, the crowd is about infinity times better than any of the main festivals I've been too.
i have of course neve rbeen to glastonbury so my opinion counts for zip, but I've typed all this now...
but yeah, not really answering your question.
You say it as if
a lack of camping is a bad thing!
I freaking hate
all things tent related, believe. If it got an en-suite I'm not getting in it. I just meant from a cash point of view and y'know, some people are freaks and like that sort of thing.
FIELD DAY?
ARE YOU ON DRUGS?
I wished that I was
a million/10
Go to the top of the class
Go...
to primavera sound instead
glasto's crap
go to both
Primavera isnt technically a festival at all and Glastonbury is amazing.
I would not go
and instead spend less money on a festival that won't be as muddy, will have better bands, will have fewer arseholes in attendance and will thus provide you with a far more enjoyable time
there isnt one with fewer arseholes
infact I've never really encountered any trouble, seen a fight, or anything like that at Glastonbury whereas I've had that at every other festival I've been to.
Connect
maybe?
overpriced
overcrowded, far too big now. Go to Green Man instead.
Find yourself
a nice little festival like Latitude, End of the Road or Greenman, that way you get all the festival perks like great bands, relaxed atmosphere etc etc. But you don't get all the goons, its way smaller if it does get muddy. Though you will have to convince all yer mates to go as well..
I've been to a few
Glasto's now and when the weather is great, its an amazing place to be especially my 1st one 2003 when I got to watch Radiohead. Your not bothered that much about the walking when your with mates, plus the thing about glasto people seem to missing here. There is more to Glasto than bands, for example the Stone Circle at sunrise can be pretty special and the small stages are generally better than the main ones. However the mud and rain can be downer and 2005 was worse than last year and its getting more exspensive and with more people!
Personally the headliners expect KOL do nothing for me and I'm wanting to holiday this year and incorpoate some bands, so I'm probably going to head to Barcelona for Sonar Festival (which is the week before Glasto). I'd say if you don't own decent wellies and a waterproof coat or simply can't stand the possible rain and mud then don't go!
Try ATP (which does make a lovely change when your used to camping at Festvals) or Latitude or End of Road which are both lovely and cheaper.
Everyone says "its not just about the bands"
and that is right. For bands it is very much a 5 out of 10 festival. However to add to that you have a 1 out of 10 vibe, a 6 out of 10 food festival, a 0 out of 10 camping experience and some 9 out of 10 views that you could have without going to a festival. So in short:
Go to ATP, EotR, Greenman or Latitude for music, plus Abergavenney Food festival for food, camping in cornwall or the Lake District for camping experience. Total cost - probably less.
Furious.
Conundrum
Yeah, I'm in a bit of a quandry this year. Last year was a slog, in many ways the worst in terms of weather that I've been to. Apart from the Wednesday it just never stopped fucking raining. It would tease you and then come back worse than before. Plus, the lineup was pretty terrible. SO many dross NME indie bands.
BUT, I have had some great times at Glastonbury and last year did have its moments - almost always after the bands have finished. I went to V when Radiohead played and it just reconfirmed how unique Glastonbury is for late partying and freedom. V was like a ghost town after 12 and having the stages seperate from camping is so constricting; at Glastonbury I never go to sleep before 5 and theres always something to do. You just have to put a lot of effort sometimes in keeping you're spirits up. Or take a lot of drugs.
I guess that the difficulty of getting tickets can solve the problem. Leave it to chance - its about 1 in 4 that you'll actually get a ticket so if you don't, organise a European one straight away (part of me is hoping we don't).
I'm really tempted by Roskilde - it sounds like Glastonbury in size, it carries on late and the lineup is already amazing. Has anyone else been? Would we still be able to get tickets if we miss out on Glastonbury?
I dont reckon its 1 in 4 this year
Sounds like only 200k odd have registered so will be a piece of piss.
Would be brilliant if it didnt sell out!
Serious?
Where did you hear that?
Damn, might not be able to leave this to fate then...time to open a can of worms.
Serious?
Where did you hear that?
Damn, might not be able to leave this to fate then...time to open a can of worms.
There are people with graphs
on efestivals forums.
if you go somewhere
where "you really have to make the effort to keep spirits up" then you have surely visited somewhere shite.
fuck glastonbury. fuck the lot of it. rip off overhyped mudsoaked pile of jazzy cockrings
Only when it rains
otherwise it is good fun.
Don't worry, I do realise that I am damaging my carefully crafted hipster credentials by admitting that I enjoy Glastonbury.
even if its not raining
where can you sit down? its just wet mud everywhere.
how can you enjoy being inside your tent when you've got mud all over it?
how can you stay comfortable at any time? your clothes are caked in filth and you have to wear big thick chafing wellies that eventually hurt the hell out of your feet and ankles unless yopu take them off, which of course is the one thing you cant do.
I'm slowly realising that if I have
to try so hard to convince myself to go a festival, it's probably not going to be worth it.
I'd much rather spend the same amount of money on lots of smaller festivals than one massive muddy rip-off. My friends are adamant that they're going, but their pleas are basically the only thing tempting me.
beat them
until they either quit their bleetings of attempted persuasion or - better yet - until they come to their senses are realise there are about 100 other better festivals to hit
No.
*yawn*
Absolutely not.
Go to a European festival, given everything you have said... Glasto is for losers.
even
panic at the disco being announced won't put me off.
i love it
it makes me enjoy the country i live in
when people say Glastonbury is a rip off
it makes literally no sense. There's are about 1,000 more bands plying than at say, Reading for the same price. Plus there's loads of Comedy, Theatre, Cabaret etc which you dont get anywhere else. Even if you dont like the festival it's a silly argument, it's the least "rip off" festival in the world.
Because Reading & Leeds
Doesnt have a comedy and cabaret stage that runs well into the night.
Or there arent plenty of festivals (Latitude, Bestival, the majority of small festivals) that have spoken word, poetry, and theatre-based tents.
at glastonbury they're all pretty 24hr
and there's whole areas dedicated to them. So rather than just one tent which closes at 2am you get about 10. Latitude all finishes about 2am too. Plus they're tiny festivals. I like the fact Glastonbury is ridiculously massive.
That rip off logic makes no sense
You put six bands in amongst 1250 shit ones and it makes it a shit line up. I say 50,000 less people, ten less stages and the festival might work again.
As an example, in 2007 they didnt need a stage that had Neds Atominc Dustibin,, Jimbob Carter and Cud as the main acts. Just ditch and spend the money on better toilets.