Glastonbury 2008
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moose
like some cat from Japan
I'm quite perturbed by how many long-time Glastonbury goers are not bothering next time. When we suggested early this year that G2007 would be our last, everyone laughed and said we were mad, but there was obviously something about this year's festival that put a lot of people off.
Crispy
The following psytrance is baṉned: All
It just wasn't much fun.
Yeah, the weather was the main reason, but the bad weather ones outnumber the good weather ones (that I've been to) and the site is so big, that it has a disproportionate effect on the enjoyment of the festival. Rain at a smaller site isn't such a hassle, but Glasto's just not worth the risk.
Plus, no matter what people say, it is different to 10 years ago and seems to have lost some of the randomness and craziness that made it so much fun.
Yeah, the weather was the main reason, but the bad weather ones outnumber the good weather ones (that I've been to) and the site is so big, that it has a disproportionate effect on the enjoyment of the festival. Rain at a smaller site isn't such a hassle, but Glasto's just not worth the risk.
Plus, no matter what people say, it is different to 10 years ago and seems to have lost some of the randomness and craziness that made it so much fun.
wiskey
Albatross Admirer
Crispy said:
i agree, i had a splendid time at the smaller ones i went to.
i can totally see why people hate glastonbury now.
but then again i;d rather pay my money for glasto and get 24hr madness than for leeds/reading and get nothing other than music, and that for only 8 hours a day (not that i'd actually pay for either).
please - otherwise it will have even more wankers and it will move another step away from what it should be/was
ouchmonkey
Singe Gainsbourg
Crispy said:
First off, I'm not aiming this directly at you,
but....
people who make this sort of remark need to take a good look at their own behaviour at, and attitude toward, the festival.
It's always Glastonbury that has changed and never them.
not hearing much of "I first came down in a leaky two man tent with one change of clothes got absolutely battered, lost my money and didn't eat for three days but had an ace time" Vs "I now drive down and have a fuck off huge tent, bring my own stove and kettle, am generally well prepared, drink more responsibly, am more discerning about the music I see and, no longer being young and stupid myself, have a much lower tolerance for the behaviour of same"
which is generally nearer the truth for those who've been going for years unless they've studiously avoided any personal growth to become incredibly tedious company.
just sayin
Crispy
The following psytrance is baṉned: All
Well, my personal reply would be
I do the festival the same way I've always done it - tent on my back, there and back on public transport, camping with mates and get wasted. Not a complicated recipe, but you're right there's a lot more of the stuff you describe, and it seems less people keen to get off the beaten path and respond/create or whatever.
I have a fond memory of making a big 'artwork' in the mud in 97 I think it was. I just started making patterns and people joined in. It seeme dlike the natural thing to do. The 'art' was shit, really, but it was fun
This year, and recently, there just doesn't seem to be that atmosphere of spontenaity.
And, again, the weather doesn't help. But due to Glasto's size, bad weather ruins it like it doesn't ruin a smaller festival.
I do the festival the same way I've always done it - tent on my back, there and back on public transport, camping with mates and get wasted. Not a complicated recipe, but you're right there's a lot more of the stuff you describe, and it seems less people keen to get off the beaten path and respond/create or whatever.
I have a fond memory of making a big 'artwork' in the mud in 97 I think it was. I just started making patterns and people joined in. It seeme dlike the natural thing to do. The 'art' was shit, really, but it was fun
This year, and recently, there just doesn't seem to be that atmosphere of spontenaity.And, again, the weather doesn't help. But due to Glasto's size, bad weather ruins it like it doesn't ruin a smaller festival.
david dissadent
New Member
Everyone goes on about the weather but on the Wednesday afternoon I cracked a joke to my mate that the crowd had gone a bit "radio 1 road show", I never really subscribed to the idea it was too old a crowd, just too mainstream. I also went to Glade where it rained more and that had a bloody awesome atmosphere.
I might do this next Glastonbury but it is not a priority. Our big priority is finding with European festivals a certain Oxford/ Abingdon band are playing at and getting ourselves there.
I might do this next Glastonbury but it is not a priority. Our big priority is finding with European festivals a certain Oxford/ Abingdon band are playing at and getting ourselves there.
I'm still going, as you will be unsurprised to hear.
It'll be my 13th next year, and Deb's 14th.
We're both somewhat (in her case) and significantly (in my case) older than many of you, but we'd rather pull all our own teeth out with rusty pliers than not go.
We're full on festival lovers and always have been, hence (among other factors) the togetherness now. We met at a festival, we're a festival couple and although we'll be doing many other smaller ones too, we HAVE to do this. It would be unnatural for us not to.
I'm sorry to hear that fellow old school stalwarts the mooses, and Tort, and -- I think -- aqua and bees aren't coming next time. I respect and understand their reasons, but there's definitely one thing (not really applicable to them!) above many other things that would drive me absolutely NUTS if I didn't go next time and stayed at home watching it on television instead.
That is : the far better than evens chance that in late June 2008, I'd be sitting there by the TV at home in my shorts and tshirt, balcony door open, scorching sunshine or warm balmy evening outside, footage of scorching sunshine on site, everyone sitting around in the summery non muddy conditions ....
After enduring this year's mudbath (which I still enjoyed a lot, but it was bloody hard work at times) I feel stubbornly determined to keep my overall Glasto-career balance of dry ones greater than my number of muddy ones. The muddy ones have been catching up after 2004, 2005 and 2007, so now I'm due a dry/sunny one to rebalance the account ...
And whatever anyone says, mud or absence of it does make a huge difference. The being able to sit down anywhere factor. I'm prepared to take that gamble to avoid the risk (which in 2008 I think would be considerable) of missing the overdue dry one.
I have a million other big reasons why I'm going back, no doubt most of them will get an airing here in this thread between now and next June, but for now, one will suffice : I'm a fucking festival goer FFS, it's what I do, and I've been going every time possible since 1994 (with my first one all on its own back in 1984 ; 1994 was my second, for insane reasons ... ).
Glastonbury is the biggest and STILL (for all its drawbacks) the best. My Glastonbury week is real life, my ultimate highlight, my best and biggest holiday. The rest of the year, other festivals aside, is what I sometimes impatiently and often frustratedly get through to get up there into festival reality.
It's be a crime not to go in 2008 and Deb thinks the same. She missed it this year for non-Glasto-related reasons, but she hasn't for a minute thought about not going back, and was similarly determined even befoire we got together. Even more so now
I'll encourage/organise the Urban Camp and Urban Meetups in bees and aqua's absence ...
Get it together people .... see you there
It'll be my 13th next year, and Deb's 14th.
We're both somewhat (in her case) and significantly (in my case) older than many of you, but we'd rather pull all our own teeth out with rusty pliers than not go.
We're full on festival lovers and always have been, hence (among other factors) the togetherness now. We met at a festival, we're a festival couple and although we'll be doing many other smaller ones too, we HAVE to do this. It would be unnatural for us not to.
I'm sorry to hear that fellow old school stalwarts the mooses, and Tort, and -- I think -- aqua and bees aren't coming next time. I respect and understand their reasons, but there's definitely one thing (not really applicable to them!) above many other things that would drive me absolutely NUTS if I didn't go next time and stayed at home watching it on television instead.
That is : the far better than evens chance that in late June 2008, I'd be sitting there by the TV at home in my shorts and tshirt, balcony door open, scorching sunshine or warm balmy evening outside, footage of scorching sunshine on site, everyone sitting around in the summery non muddy conditions ....
After enduring this year's mudbath (which I still enjoyed a lot, but it was bloody hard work at times) I feel stubbornly determined to keep my overall Glasto-career balance of dry ones greater than my number of muddy ones. The muddy ones have been catching up after 2004, 2005 and 2007, so now I'm due a dry/sunny one to rebalance the account ...
And whatever anyone says, mud or absence of it does make a huge difference. The being able to sit down anywhere factor. I'm prepared to take that gamble to avoid the risk (which in 2008 I think would be considerable) of missing the overdue dry one.
I have a million other big reasons why I'm going back, no doubt most of them will get an airing here in this thread between now and next June, but for now, one will suffice : I'm a fucking festival goer FFS, it's what I do, and I've been going every time possible since 1994 (with my first one all on its own back in 1984 ; 1994 was my second, for insane reasons ... ).
Glastonbury is the biggest and STILL (for all its drawbacks) the best. My Glastonbury week is real life, my ultimate highlight, my best and biggest holiday. The rest of the year, other festivals aside, is what I sometimes impatiently and often frustratedly get through to get up there into festival reality.
It's be a crime not to go in 2008 and Deb thinks the same. She missed it this year for non-Glasto-related reasons, but she hasn't for a minute thought about not going back, and was similarly determined even befoire we got together. Even more so now
I'll encourage/organise the Urban Camp and Urban Meetups in bees and aqua's absence ...
Get it together people .... see you there
mr steev
magic thought wizard
ouchmonkey said:
Glastonbury has always changed. (as it should)
It's gone through several incarnations since I've been going. (not to mention since when it began) I know people who were pissed off when sound systems appeared, others who stopped going when they stopped the travellers, people who were against the fence and that you had to buy a ticket, etc... I also know people during this time who went for their first one, had a mind blowing time, and have took the pledge to return every time.
But you have to admit that it is not the same beast as it has been, for better and worse
ouchmonkey
Singe Gainsbourg
mr steev said:
It wasn't my point that the festival hasn't changed
but that people who moan about it
a) think it shouldn't and
b) think they haven't
which is just silly. Moan all you want, it's always been good, it has always changed and there's always been stuff to moan about if you're so inclined.
I’m 99% certain I’ll be scrapping Glastonbury from my festival calendar next year. Of the 11 festivals I’ve been to so far this year it’s the one that I enjoyed the least by some considerable distance. And this wasn’t due to the mud & the weather. We’ve had atrocious conditions at several other festivals this year and I’m seasoned enough to know how to make the most of the situation when the stormclouds gather.
There’s no one single factor. More an amalgamation of several. The litter, the increased & unnecessarily intrusive security, the sheer weight of numbers, the attitudes of a lot of the people and the ever creeping influence of the more commercial aspects. There were still elements of the festival that I thoroughly enjoyed this year but I really do feel that areas like Lost Vagueness are flogging a dead horse and it’s getting harder & harder to find the magic with more & more people just turning up, drinking their lager & expecting to be entertained rather than getting involved & making a contribution.
I’ve used pretty much every single day of my annual leave on attending festivals this year and at one stage I did a series of 6 consecutive weekends under canvas. Whilst that all seemed very appealing at the beginning of the summer it does take its toll. Festivals are hard work, I’m not getting any younger & next year I just fancy doing something a bit different. I haven’t been abroad for more than 2 years now & I’m starting to get the itch again to explore somewhere new or maybe just spend a bit of time with those of my siblings who have made their homes in far flung parts of the World. I blew 6 days of holiday on Glastonbury this year. I think I might spend it a little differently in 2008.
From my wanderings over the last couple of summers I’ve found that the likes of Sunrise Celebration, Endorse-It, Solfest and Knockengorroch all knock Glastonbury into a cocked hat when it comes to atmosphere and a sense of liberation, which are the 2 things that are top of my festival shopping list. And there is also the added bonus that I only need to use between 1 and 3 days of holiday for each of these events. So if I’m going to rationalize the number of festivals I go to next year then these are the ones that I’ll be pencilling in first & Glastonbury doesn’t even come close.
There’s no one single factor. More an amalgamation of several. The litter, the increased & unnecessarily intrusive security, the sheer weight of numbers, the attitudes of a lot of the people and the ever creeping influence of the more commercial aspects. There were still elements of the festival that I thoroughly enjoyed this year but I really do feel that areas like Lost Vagueness are flogging a dead horse and it’s getting harder & harder to find the magic with more & more people just turning up, drinking their lager & expecting to be entertained rather than getting involved & making a contribution.
I’ve used pretty much every single day of my annual leave on attending festivals this year and at one stage I did a series of 6 consecutive weekends under canvas. Whilst that all seemed very appealing at the beginning of the summer it does take its toll. Festivals are hard work, I’m not getting any younger & next year I just fancy doing something a bit different. I haven’t been abroad for more than 2 years now & I’m starting to get the itch again to explore somewhere new or maybe just spend a bit of time with those of my siblings who have made their homes in far flung parts of the World. I blew 6 days of holiday on Glastonbury this year. I think I might spend it a little differently in 2008.
From my wanderings over the last couple of summers I’ve found that the likes of Sunrise Celebration, Endorse-It, Solfest and Knockengorroch all knock Glastonbury into a cocked hat when it comes to atmosphere and a sense of liberation, which are the 2 things that are top of my festival shopping list. And there is also the added bonus that I only need to use between 1 and 3 days of holiday for each of these events. So if I’m going to rationalize the number of festivals I go to next year then these are the ones that I’ll be pencilling in first & Glastonbury doesn’t even come close.
Top post mateTort said:
I'm sacking off Glastonbury this year too. My head was turned completely by the wonder of Solfest, and I intend to spend my ticket money on the sort of festivals you've mentioned above instead. I do really fancy Knockie, and heard very good things about Endorse-It, and if YOU like Sunrise, chances are I will too
Sunrise is good. I've been to a lot of their festivals over the last few years because i know all the people involved. (Same people who ran waveform too i think) Plus, its full of my old school friends because its set about a mile from our school so its like a big reunion for me all round.
Glastonbury festival is about 4-5 miles from here. Didnt bother this year and I won't bother next year. Most of my friends work there or have some way of blagging in but I didnt even bother with that this year.
I've had enough of it, for many of the same reasons mentioned above.
Glastonbury festival is about 4-5 miles from here. Didnt bother this year and I won't bother next year. Most of my friends work there or have some way of blagging in but I didnt even bother with that this year.
I've had enough of it, for many of the same reasons mentioned above.
2008 season, we're making plans already!
I'm doing Sunrise and Endorse It a well as Glastonbury, and more than several others, but I will have to sack Solfest and Knocky next time -- too many other plans. For Solfest weekend next year I've been given a job in a Beer Festival in Wales 
I'm doing Sunrise and Endorse It a well as Glastonbury, and more than several others, but I will have to sack Solfest and Knocky next time -- too many other plans. For Solfest weekend next year I've been given a job in a Beer Festival in Wales
ouchmonkey said:
Spot on.
Not accusing those not going next year of moaning necessarily -- there are very good reasons not to go for some. I know time is tight for Tort in particular, but it's definitely true that there are also some 'it's not as good as it used to be' inveterately whingey types around as well. Not that any of them would admit to it!
I have a fair number of criticisms and doubts about aspects of Glastonbury, some of those would overlap with Tort's legitimate objections.
But I still have to get down Pilton way -- not just not wanting to miss even the chance of the well overdue hot/sunny one (I can cope with a muddy one anyway, would just prefer it dry, we're owed!). But all the other reasons too -- mostly much more important EVEN than the weather
More of those reasons between now and next June
May Kasahara
take me to the feeling
Even the thought of Glastonbury makes me tired.
TopCat
Putin fanboy
I last went to glasto with a fuck off tent, a tv and loads of booze and drugs. thats was 1990 I think...
I like festivals but it's easier to be more tolerant to the failings of a new to you festival than it is to see one you loved to attend change so much.
I think there has been a sea change in attitude amongst many glasto veterans this year. Many I know have said enough an are attending other events instead.
I think next year will have more in common with Leeds/Reading than many realise, apart from glasto having a £15 sound system and blaming it on pilton council.
One I fancy next years is the bulldog bash, hope endorset does not clash with this as endorset was fantastic this year.
I like festivals but it's easier to be more tolerant to the failings of a new to you festival than it is to see one you loved to attend change so much.
I think there has been a sea change in attitude amongst many glasto veterans this year. Many I know have said enough an are attending other events instead.
I think next year will have more in common with Leeds/Reading than many realise, apart from glasto having a £15 sound system and blaming it on pilton council.
One I fancy next years is the bulldog bash, hope endorset does not clash with this as endorset was fantastic this year.
wiskey
Albatross Admirer
personally i'm just waiting for it to die, and it hope it does so sooner with a big bang, than later and just fizzles out. I just think that the people who go as punters could be looked after by MF/CC or a radio 1 roadshow, and those who go to be creative could really go nuts at a smaller festival.
i still dont like LV, i dont understand why all the 'wacky' stuff has to be confined to one area, instead of liberally around the site.
from my own pov its still fascinating to work - and in a few weeks i'm going on a course all about festivals. but i wouldnt be a punter. the smaller ones definitely appeal more in terms of leisure time.
i agree with ouchmonkey as well
i still dont like LV, i dont understand why all the 'wacky' stuff has to be confined to one area, instead of liberally around the site.
from my own pov its still fascinating to work - and in a few weeks i'm going on a course all about festivals. but i wouldnt be a punter. the smaller ones definitely appeal more in terms of leisure time.
i agree with ouchmonkey as well
aqua
made of cheese and gin
I just want to do something new. I'm new to glasto (only been a few times) but there is more to see out there than falling into the routine of going just cos its there - I'm allergic to thatWilliam of Walworth said:
big world, lots to see, only so much leave from work and pennies in the bank
