Getting drugs into festivals (avoiding security, sniffer dogs etc)

[tbtommyb]

Anyone thinking of going this year? I'm thinking of going with my gf as it seems a bit more up her street than Boomtown.

Does anyone have experience of working at it? My understanding was that ticket prices are quite high because many more people get in on a working ticket than other festivals and it's all a bit more collaborative. If we put in for something on the volunteer form are we likely to get something?

 

[rich!]

we bought tickets for the first time this year, and yes, *ouch*.

Still, I've never heard a (very) bad review...

 

[sim667]

I've been a lot and always worked.

The production levels are brilliant, the art is great, and its a lot of fun, but some of the sound restrictions imposed by the council are a joke, also security on the gates are utter cunts, and for that reason I wouldn't go unless I was working.

It is overpriced, but when you get there you see why, its full of attractive 20 something trustafarians, who turn up to talk about volunteering with mongolian tribes on their gap yar, whilst looking for hot water from stalls for their cafetieres....... Its meant to be hippy meets posh garden party, but it does tend to sway a bit toward posh.

Green stewards normally do the stewarding for it, 3 X 6.5 hr shifts between thursday and monday, there's other shifts you can do with them, but I don't want to advertise it as spaces are very limited, PM me and I'll fill you in.

I've done build/break with them too, just working on the campsite crews, that is bloody hard work, I think I did 70 hours over four days. They feed you well, and keep you on a sugar buzz, but it relies on you signing up, them giving preference to their chums and turning you down, their chums dropping out 3 days beforehand then getting paniced phonecalls asking if you can help.

I didn't go in 2014 as we ran our rig at a local festival, but I'm tempted to sign up this year, a lot of it depends on whether I can get my camper in though.

 

[Ted Striker]

Secret Queuing Party

 

[sim667]

Secret Queuing Party

Secret arsehole security party, with queuing for the privilege.

Its the same at all of the bigger ones now though isn't it, boomtown is the same, but at least its not £200+ for a ticket for boomtown.

 

[Ted Striker]

Secret arsehole security party, with queuing for the privilege.

Its the same at all of the bigger ones now though isn't it, boomtown is the same, but at least its not £200+ for a ticket for boomtown.

There is a bit of a trend (tbh probably fuelled by "set designers" wanting to create their vision/stage to the purest/most visual without appreciating it's a festival and the sort of people that are willing to queue for 3 hours at 2am to stroke your ego aren't worth the attention anyways...) though it's nowhere near as extreme as at SQP.

 

[Yetman]

Had absolutely no problems with security when I went. Just bought tickets for this years fest

Excellent crack, great music, vibes, people are a bit yar here and there but hey, who gives a fuck. Take a couple of crates and a shitload of drugs and the music will do the rest for you

 

[sim667]

There is a bit of a trend (tbh probably fuelled by "set designers" wanting to create their vision/stage to the purest/most visual without appreciating it's a festival and the sort of people that are willing to queue for 3 hours at 2am to stroke your ego aren't worth the attention anyways...) though it's nowhere near as extreme as at SQP.

Its only at the entrance, I beleive last time I went it was a 3 hour queue......

 

[sim667]

Had absolutely no problems with security when I went. Just bought tickets for this years fest

Excellent crack, great music, vibes, people are a bit yar here and there but hey, who gives a fuck. Take a couple of crates and a shitload of drugs and the music will do the rest for you

You're only allowed 12 beers

 

[Ted Striker]

Oh, a member of my party got robbed by off-the-meters-arseholeness security doing a night-time patrol of evening tentside smokers.

I think I've said this before, I am actually the only person I've ever met who's got a bad view of the place (so feel free to disregard ) , though only speaking as I find/experienced

 

[sim667]

Oh, a member of my party got robbed by off-the-meters-arseholeness security doing a night-time patrol of evening tentside smokers.

I think I've said this before, I am actually the only person I've ever met who's got a bad view of the place (so feel free to disregard ) , though only speaking as I find/experienced

Possibly, but then if you've paid for go you may have been dissappointed with what you got for your money.

I've never actually paid to go, always worked, and when you work security literally just ignore you unless you're being a total and utter arsehole.

 

[Ted Striker]

Well on this occasion they faked the "Is that weed I smell? You know that's illegal?" And proceeded to threaten to turf the poor guy from the site (via old Bill etc) unless he handed over everything (a weekend of percy stuff) he (and some of his crew) had .

 

[BigTom]

There was a year a few years back when security were particularly bad for stuff like that, sgp changed security company as a result of the complaints. New company is just standard shit afaik, though like sim I've only worked there and it's a totally different experience.

 

[Tort]

I went 4 years on the bounce 2010 to 2013 and loved it although the last one felt a little flatter than the others for reasons I’ve never been able to put my finger on. Everybody I know who went last year came back with glowing reports so it was probably only a slight blip. The main reason we didn’t go in2014 was because it would have meant back to back weekends with Beat-Herder. Still undecided for 2015.

Security and the queues at the gates have been massive causes for complaints in the past but from my experience both have been addressed and the last couple of times I went the security were positively bending over backwards to be friendly and helpful. You’ll still have to queue if you get there when the gates open on the Thursday but leave it a couple of hours and you should find you walk straight in.

Rich, they are quite strict on the amount of alcohol you can take in and they do search vans to make sure you comply so make sure your stocks are well hidden as the bars are pricey and somewhat limited in what they sell. Having said that the campervan field is inside the fence so once you’re in, you’re in!

Photos and reports from all the ones I went to in the usual place – www.pbase.com/tort/festivals

 

[sim667]

Having said that the campervan field is inside the fence so once you’re in, you’re in!

It didn't used to be, I remember one of the years I worked, the campervanners were going apeshit at the gates because they weren't being allowed to take any alcohol in.

I think it was shit planning rather than maliciousness.......

 

[Tort]

It didn't used to be, I remember one of the years I worked, the campervanners were going apeshit at the gates because they weren't being allowed to take any alcohol in.

I think it was shit planning rather than maliciousness.......

Yeah that was the first year we went (2010). They brought the vans inside the fence for the first time in 2012.

 

[rich!]

Rich, they are quite strict on the amount of alcohol you can take in and they do search vans to make sure you comply so make sure your stocks are well hidden as the bars are pricey and somewhat limited in what they sell. Having said that the campervan field is inside the fence so once you’re in, you’re in!

Photos and reports from all the ones I went to in the usual place – www.pbase.com/tort/festivals

cheers for that, we'll do the usual thing with the beer which tends to survive a basic search... should be fun as a bit of variety, at least

 

[tbtommyb]

so is most of the work the usual festival jobs or are there more interesting jobs? Someone who was there said we try and get jobs as postmen but god knows how that happens. that said, 3x6.5hrs is pretty good, just need to see if we can get the time off.

 

[sim667]

so is most of the work the usual festival jobs or are there more interesting jobs? Someone who was there said we try and get jobs as postmen but god knows how that happens. that said, 3x6.5hrs is pretty good, just need to see if we can get the time off.

I've seen people do that job before, it's a gazebo that's a post office. People write letters and the postmen have bikes and try to find these random people on site to give them the message.

By Sunday It usually culminates in a few people in postie outfits who've been tripping their tits off for many many many hours sitting around surrounded by piles of miscellaneous letters and broken bicycles in the remnants of your parents gazebo you lent your mate for their 18th birthday garden party.

 

[Gromit]

The company I volunteer through don't give many tickets for this to volunteers.
Its very popular with the employed staff. They get first dibs and their ain't many left over afterwards as its considered a reasonably small festival in comparison to many.

However as i have a track record with them of being an amazing volunteer I pretty much get any festival.
One of the company's interns did this one last year and she said it had taken over as her favorite festival. So I've decided to give it a bash and have been confirmed already (That email was a nice New Year's day present).

I've heard lots of good things from all the staff who have worked it tbh and i want in before people start complaining that its gotten too big and ain't as good as it used to be etc. etc.

 

[BigTom]

The company I volunteer through don't give many tickets for this to volunteers.
Its very popular with the employed staff. They get first dibs and their ain't many left over afterwards as its considered a reasonably small festival in comparison to many.

However as i have a track record with them of being an amazing volunteer I pretty much get any festival.
One of the company's interns did this one last year and she said it had taken over as her favorite festival. So I've decided to give it a bash and have been confirmed already (That email was a nice New Year's day present).

I've heard lots of good things from all the staff who have worked it tbh and i want in before people start complaining that its gotten too big and ain't as good as it used to be etc. etc.

You're waaaaaay too late for that, the first few years, before they expanded across the lake were much better than recent years, the loss of suicide sports day (replaced with the collisillyum) marks the watershed imo.

 

[tbtommyb]

I've seen people do that job before, it's a gazebo that's a post office. People write letters and the postmen have bikes and try to find these random people on site to give them the message.

By Sunday It usually culminates in a few people in postie outfits who've been tripping their tits off for many many many hours sitting around surrounded by piles of miscellaneous letters and broken bicycles in the remnants of your parents gazebo you lent your mate for their 18th birthday garden party.

sounds perfect tbh

 

[Tort]

I've seen people do that job before, it's a gazebo that's a post office. People write letters and the postmen have bikes and try to find these random people on site to give them the message.

By Sunday It usually culminates in a few people in postie outfits who've been tripping their tits off for many many many hours sitting around surrounded by piles of miscellaneous letters and broken bicycles in the remnants of your parents gazebo you lent your mate for their 18th birthday garden party.

I remember a few years ago them making an announcement asking whoever had stolen the postman's bike to return it as he needed to make his deliveries

 

[sim667]

I loved the fact they put ears on the main stage too

 

[jimbarkanoodle]

It is pretty decent, I went 3 years in a row from 2011-2013, as a previous poster said that last year felt a bit flat to me. I think its because the year before was really muddy, so attendance was down and they cut the production budget by 20% and had lots of empty stages.

Security only seem problematic at the gate IMO, and purely for the reason that they want to make sure you don't have too many beers with you. They only let you take in 12 (!), and will try and check everyone doesn't have anymore than that (or spirits), and bars are very overpriced. Last time I went they were generally very friendly to everyone.

it is definitely a bit posh though! young, good looking, but slightly annoying crowd basically. I found the music a bit cack at times too, at night time it seemed every stage was playing dubstep all night. it has got a nice 6am license, it is worth a bash if you haven't been before.

Nothing on Boomtown though, SGP is like its younger, naïve, innocent, virgin sibling.

 

[sim667]

It is pretty decent, I went 3 years in a row from 2011-2013, as a previous poster said that last year felt a bit flat to me. I think its because the year before was really muddy, so attendance was down and they cut the production budget by 20% and had lots of empty stages.

Security only seem problematic at the gate IMO, and purely for the reason that they want to make sure you don't have too many beers with you. They only let you take in 12 (!), and will try and check everyone doesn't have anymore than that (or spirits), and bars are very overpriced. Last time I went they were generally very friendly to everyone.

it is definitely a bit posh though! young, good looking, but slightly annoying crowd basically. I found the music a bit cack at times too, at night time it seemed every stage was playing dubstep all night. it has got a nice 6am license, it is worth a bash if you haven't been before.

Nothing on Boomtown though, SGP is like its younger, naïve, innocent, virgin sibling.

Lets reserve judgement on boomtown....... Its not got arcadia this year, which I'm hoping means a return to its younger days, more underground acts, more smaller inna city venues, less chart topping DNB, and 18 year old scallies..... The first boomtown I went to is still my favourite.

Or it could be a damp squib...... Ill find out in august.

 

[Sunray]

I've seen people do that job before, it's a gazebo that's a post office. People write letters and the postmen have bikes and try to find these random people on site to give them the message.

By Sunday It usually culminates in a few people in postie outfits who've been tripping their tits off for many many many hours sitting around surrounded by piles of miscellaneous letters and broken bicycles in the remnants of your parents gazebo you lent your mate for their 18th birthday garden party.

This is a total rip off of the post at the Burning Man. Come on, need to come up with something original, or even just put a twist on it, it's a great idea after all.

 

[muffinman]

Heard only good things from some friends of mine. One volunteered the others paid all said they had a great time.

Just bought my tickets was wondering what the security was like?
Any precautions on bringing goodies in etc

 

[jimbarkanoodle]

as above they will give your bag a good old rummage to make sure you haven't got much booze. obviously at the same time they'll be keen to find illegal stuff too, and there are a couple of dogs lurking around the entrance. They are just security dogs though rather than police handled properly trained sniffers, so unless you take one look at the dog and crap your kegs your unlikely to be taken away or be of any interest.

 

[sim667]

They do have sniffers, one took a great interest in on of my freinds working on the gate one year