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Glastonbury 2008

You posting from overseas blues?

You make some fair and interesting points, but in answer to your specfic question about why Mudbath 2007 was so particularly hellish for me after so many other ones in the past, well paolo's answered that really. Last year was for me the worst Glasto mudbath EVER, only rivalled in Somme like hellishness by 1985 (so I hear), 1997 and 1998 -- and in the latter two years I was 34 and 35! I'd say 2007 was even worse than 1998 because, yes, there were far more people, and unlike in 98, the weather got steadily worse as time went on. Last year, the very worst mud built up on Sunday and Monday when people were already exhausted after 5 days of partying, getting caned, mudtrudging (most of the time), and (worst of all) sitting down being at such a total premium. And all this on top of 2004 and 2005, neither a TOTAL mudbath, neither nearly as bad as 2007, but both pretty skanky at times .... I'm resilient, I know how to enjoy and party and make the best of things, I'm experienced, and bring the right protective clothes, but BLIMEY was my longest holiday of the year in 2007 hard work towards the end!! Didn't help I suppose that last June I was going through a pretty bad phase personally .... but sunshine and NO MUD would have assuaged that so much better ....

I think I would feel seriously depressed if I failed to go this year and it was a sundrenched scorcher. Fuck me I'm owed!

I don't especially give a shit about the lineup, I always found the best things further down the bill on smaller stages anyway, and I'm already hearing good names being mentioned (for me things like King Blues, Slackers, Pama International, 3 Daft Monkeys etc etc and everyone else will have completely other preferences, there's so much for everyone). And there's lots more to come. If people don't like Jay Z they can see Massive Attack or loads of other stuff instead anyway . Leonard Cohen is a legend and this is a unique chance to see him. Can't wait to see Jimmy Cliff again and he WILL bring sunshine back. We'll be working this year for the first time -- new perspective, fresh outlook. Commerciality, well aspects of that are well shit, but there's STILL vast quantities of the less/non commercial stuff at Glasto. Lost Vagueness being shit last year? True, but it's been sacked and it's replacement looks VERY promising. Mainstream/conventional attituded crowds? I've always been less judgemental about that than some, if you go with as positive and open and friendly an attitude as possible, you will always meet/chat to/spend time with congenial positive people who bring something new to the party. Twats are easily enough avoided.

I think paolo's right just above, give us a modicum of sunshine and an absence of mud, and Glastonbury 2008 could well be a total winner, entirely contrary to all the jaded doom and gloom sayers who have IMO become far too locked into not just making legit criticisms (many of which I agree with) but writing the whole thing off and being almost incapable of saying anything positive about it any more -- I find such negativity really sad and annoying to the point of tedium be honest! And you know that's not at all because I think Michael Eavis/Glastonbury are beyond criticism or anything.

If you don't come, enjoy your other festivals (many of which I'll also be at, being lucky enough for an either/or decision not to be necessary this year). If you do head Pilton way, enjoy Glastonbury -- it's still fucking brilliant IMO, EVEN after last year!

Still needs old schoolers around, just doing me Festographer job!
For the 13th time in Glasto's case and I'm not jaded ...

Sorry, not read posts beyond this cos if I do, I won't get to eat tonight. Also deleted your emoticons to make room for mine! :D

I'm in Ireland (Republic) so have to do the international thing. I did it last year and it's no fucking fun! Bath & West - join massively long queue. Realise the "hut" dispensing tickets has two people in and seemingly no particular "order" to the tickets since it takes forever to find anyone's. Queue for three hours (not kidding). Start to get mightily pissed off that you're outside, nowhere to get a drink/food or even sit down unless you use your own rucksack. Tough shit if it's raining and err, if we're not to pee in hedges, put some bloody portaloos in there then! (No I didn't, but if I'd come off a coach/train and then had to do the shuttle thingy, I might have had to - plenty did)

I've no particular issue with putting off internationals, it's minor compared to the rest, it's just the attitude, or seeming attitude, that no matter how hard they make it for folk, it'll still sell out and so why bother making it any easier.

That's the main issue with all of it, this "who cares" attitude that seems to have pervaded the festival. See the ed's comments earlier about how they've changed - it's not him (well I assume he hasn't pissed anyone at GFL off in any significant way!) it's all of it/us. Whether the mud and rain was worse in 07 or not is largely irrelevant, it just felt worse because we'd had to go through much more crap to even get there (ticket reg's, usual t-day stress, coach shit) and nothing or very little was done to help the situation, a heck of a lot more people were there adding to the problems inherent in the place anyway, and when anything was done to try and ease problems, it was far too late.

You go to a pub with all your mates and the pint is great. You go again and it's shit, you might go again and give it another chance. You go twice more, pint is shit, three times .....? Some loyalty to the landlord makes you still go back even though your mates won't go near the place and then he tells you he doesn't want you there anyway ...?

I can well see why people were pissed off at Michael's comments. (And I'm not saying all those years were shit, it's just the most apt comparison I can think of for you!)

Your comment re "stubborn and want to go out on a sunny one" is common enough, and was my preference too. But it's your certainty that it's the mud that's put people off that I mainly take issue with. The mud alone, we've survived often enough and are prepared for. What some of us are no longer prepared to do is keep putting up with having more asked of us in a dozen different ways when there seems to be so much less being put in by the organisers to help make it less of a struggle so we're geting so much less out of it.

Pretty much everything else I agree with you on, although beware seeing behind the curtain (working) cos in a strange way you'll find even when you're off duty you start to notice things and think "that should be reported" ;)

"gloom sayers who have IMO become far too locked into not just making legit criticisms (many of which I agree with) but writing the whole thing off and being almost incapable of saying anything positive about it any more -- I find such negativity really sad and annoying to the point of tedium be honest! And you know that's not at all because I think Michael Eavis/Glastonbury are beyond criticism or anything."

All of that I totally agree with, but I can also understand how some folk become angry and even bitter when they feel they've given so much support (whether working or not) and effectively are being shat on from a very great height, or at the very least GFL are taking the piss. There's an awful lot of folk who have been very involved for a very long time feel that way. And in my view, they're mostly justified.

I'm not disputing with you the mud/rain is a factor, I just dont think it's the driving force behind many of us saying "enough" when so many other things have made it so much more effort, so many things are managed/planned so badly that it just feels like all they give a damn about anymore is the money, and that's supposed to be the exact thing it WASN'T about.

But, I genuinely do hope it's a scorcher for those going, and in all probability I'll see bits on the tv and smile. I very much doubt I'll regret not going. I do think it's redeemable, but probably not until there's a major shift in thinking from the very top all the way down. I haven't said I'm never going again, but I genuinely don't believe I ever will go again.

It's highly unlikely we're going to be at any of the same festivals this year. I'll be in the UK in June round about Strawberry fayre but with Grandson no.2 arriving the week before and youngest blueslet turning 21 also, the chances of me getting to it are ummmm, about the same chance as you forecasting rain! :D But I appreciate the comment - especially from the man who can't stand me ;) and when you've done your hot and sunny one and decided to move onto something new, let me know if any of them are this side of the water :)
 
Come on! Strawberry Fayre at least then! Make an effort if you can, kids love that stuff** :)

**especially overgrown ones ... ;)

Can't say more now -- I'm aled up and I blame paulo999 and myself equally ... Glastonbury chat needs beer to fuel it ... :cool: :) :p
 
blues... I don't where to start. That's long and impassioned piece. There's bits I'd disagree with but it's clear you aren't taking a cheap shot.

A three hour wait for ticket collection. :(

I wish I was closely enough involved to feed some of this back.
 
blues... I don't where to start. That's long and impassioned piece. There's bits I'd disagree with but it's clear you aren't taking a cheap shot.

A three hour wait for ticket collection. :(

I wish I was closely enough involved to feed some of this back.


I am. Or at least was. It has been! ;)

Yeah fair dos blues, on reflection I was too flippant above ... sounds terrible :(

Sorry .....

Nothing to apologise for. You have your experiences, I have mine. For you it's still got enough to make it worthwhile. For me it hasn't. Nothing wrong with either version. I have good memories and shite ones. My memory is very good at letting the shit ones go far enough away only to surface when T-day/reg date approaches. ;)
 
defnly no glasto this year for me.. last year was too much like hard work

but still trying to decide if i go to roskilde instead.. they've got slayer and neil young :cool: and radiohead :(
 
The festival was good once upon a time, when it was chaotic and crazy. But now it has had an organisational clampdown in terms of ticket sales and security. However it has had no other organisational growth. Where is the development of the infrastructure? Where was the actual organisation? It was pretty much non existent. All they did was improve the drainage in the lower field. The revenue of the festival has undoubtedly increased, it can't not have. I remember chatting to a stall holder selling sausages I recognised from Camden. I asked if Glasto was his annual bit of fun, he said 'no no, this is THE big one' it was basically the one event he made the most money from.

As a punter, after several days of sloshing around crowded paths, handing over fistfuls of cash to all the vendors you begin to wonder where all this cash is going. Especially when you decide to see a Headline act and the sound system is an absolute piece of shite. Many hear think its crazy to go and see a headliner at Glasto, you should be in a bicycle powered tent listening to a banjo. But you would have thought the festival would manage to sort its sound system out for the headliner. Maybe all the sound guys where in the bicycle powered tent.

They have to build proper paths, they should build proper plaza's or public areas there on worthy farm. Screw the dairy cows - thats just BS PR anyway. They need proper access to the site. Decent organisation of any kind. Countless people have related stories of the festival being run by volunteers fueled on an ever dwindling source of goodwill.

They need to organise their bloody car parking and bus station! Trying to leave Glasto via the carpark was like being in mad max. the Glasto spirit ebbed away as everyone frantically started looking after number one, pushing their cars through the mud as other sank into the quagmire. A couple of blokes with walky talkies and somone with an inclining of what was going on would have been nice. Funny how after being lectured on the environment all festival the only people who seemed to escape unscathed were those in giant 4x4.

Glasto was good once upon a time. but now it is a crass parody of itself. despite the shite organisation and new 'fuck the punters' money grubbing attitude, and the bullshit PR the people who I blame more than anyone else for the festivals slow crumbling lilt into craposity is RADIO ONE. The vacuous cunts have basically filthed up the 'Glasto Brand' - firstly by inventing it and secondly by selling it down the river with a avalanche of bullshit sleb exclusivity 'aren't we lucky we are at glasto and in the media AND YOU DEAR LISTENER ARE NOT'. Way to use the licence fee and take the most legendary festival of all time and turn it into a joke. cunts.
 
aaaaand it's the usual old cock from bouncer

change the fucking record mate, it's boring as fuck

:)
 
aaaaand it's the usual old cock from bouncer

change the fucking record mate, it's boring as fuck

:)

You knows it.

The bouncing with bitterness and resentment and anger man seems incapable of recognising anything positive whatsoever ... at least folks like us are capable of assessing some of the very real faults/drawbacks rationally/balancedly .,....

It's not like bouncerthedog is wrong about everything, some half way reasonable points struggling to get out there and one or two genuinely worth taking issue with Glastonbury over, but 110% OTT negativity undermines any rational points he may have.
 
"I had a shit time and still haven't got over it 9 months later"
 
There's people here who have both experience and an opinion. People who've put some real passion, and hard work, into the festival. Or possibly just attended for years and got under it's skin, met the characters - or even been them - I can only read about in books now.

In many ways I'm in awe of these people, whatever they say.

Then there's pointless guff that won't convince anyone - including those who are worn out by it all.

"dairy cows - thats just BS PR anyway"

Oh FFS.
 
On the crew camping thing, I'll more with newbie -- over strictly enforced segragation between crew and paying punters, banning some categories of offduty crew from site, making some of them camp outside the main site, etc. is really really shit.

We'll (almost certainly) be working this year for the first time for either of us in many Glastonburies. If this is the year that Glastonbury starts really stopping early arrival crew from pitching up in the public field they want to camp with their friends on, that would be highly highly annoying .... I can't belive the impact of a few crew members preferring the public fields is that great. Surely most would prefer their own secure sites anyway, at least those within the perimeter? The impact of Lost Vagueness's landgrabs in the past few years is overall greater I'd say.

Thankfully what paolo says seems rational and reassuring ...... ;)
 
On the crew camping thing, I'll more with newbie -- over strictly enforced segragation between crew and paying punters, banning some categories of offduty crew from site, making some of them camp outside the main site, etc. is really really shit.

But this already happens for a lot of those with offsite security & stewarding duties as per the examples that I gave before.

We'll (almost certainly) be working this year for the first time for either of us in many Glastonburies. If this is the year that Glastonbury starts really stopping early arrival crew from pitching up in the public field they want to camp with their friends on, that would be highly highly annoying .... I can't belive the impact of a few crew members preferring the public fields is that great. Surely most would prefer their own secure sites anyway, at least those within the perimeter? The impact of Lost Vagueness's landgrabs in the past few years is overall greater I'd say.

Thankfully what paolo says seems rational and reassuring ...... ;)

I’m not saying for one moment that this is likely to happen this year. But the fact of the matter is that they have to free up more space within the fence for public camping in order to keep Mendip off their backs and the only way they can do that is by moving crew outside. I agree with you that a majority of crew will probably prefer the comparative security & creature comforts of their assigned fields but if you start having to balance that against the inconvenience of having to queue up to get in & out of the festival several times a day then a lot more are likely to see public camping as being a preferable alternative. So then you’re back to square 1 and you have to be a little more forceful in order to achieve their objectives and having seen Oxfam Crew having their bags ripped apart by security at the gates on the Tuesday last year I don’t think GFL would have any qualms about restricting their rights further given the fact that their allocations are so heavily over-subscribed. But this is all hypothetical for this year I would suggest. You’ll still be able to go on Tuesday & camp in Dragon (provided it hasn’t been swallowed up by the supposed 40 acres of Shangri-La) :)
 
But this already happens for a lot of those with offsite security & stewarding duties as per the examples that I gave before.

the difference being that security is a paid gig for relatively few people that they (the powers that be) actively want to keep insulated from the rest of the festival to prevent corruption. The crews we're discussing are volunteers who won't keep coming back if they're treated as badly as the security people are.

Anyway aren't there something like 35,000 crew/performer tickets? That's a big festival in its own right, and putting in the infrastructure for that many people outside the fence is a tall order, especially if it is to offer the same levels of security as the existing controlled camping spaces within The Fence.

Whatever, this is just me whinging. The vision of being parked in a barren field outside the site, allowed onsite only to work, is too horrible for words. Especially if crews are segregated into Herris compounds as they are in the field by PGB, with full on them and us rivalry (mostly about private loo's and showers, but also space allocation, vehicle movements, fires, music...)

yuk.
 
I think it's reasonable, and possibly necessary, for people with equipment/instruments/costumes etc to have secured compounds. It's stuff they need not just for the festival but in many cases their livelyhoods. And for quite alot of that crew, they will need to be next to their working areas too. So I don't think they'll be shunted very much. Similarly the situation for markets staff won't change at all I imagine. WBC and FMS are already mainly off site (and have no shortage of volunteers), so maybe - of the big teams - it's just Oxfam that are being moved. And I'm sure they'll still have the freedom to otherwise enjoy the festival as much as they did before.
 
Glatso Monothought Clique :rolleyes:

JTG said:
yes absolutely right, well spotted

You're contributing zero positive or remotely constructive to this thread bouncer ... you whingeing little bore :hmm:

Maybe us in the Monothought Clique are -- shock!! -- agreeing because of that?

(R, TM, c. myself -- that was originally a pisstake phrase devised on here by myself, aimed at taking the piss out of idiots who were STUPID enough to really think Urban is an M.C. You numpty!)
 
But this already happens for a lot of those with offsite security & stewarding duties as per the examples that I gave before.

I know ... just wasn't too happy about it thats all ....

I’m not saying for one moment that this is likely to happen this year. But the fact of the matter is that they have to free up more space within the fence for public camping in order to keep Mendip off their backs and the only way they can do that is by moving crew outside. I agree with you that a majority of crew will probably prefer the comparative security & creature comforts of their assigned fields but if you start having to balance that against the inconvenience of having to queue up to get in & out of the festival several times a day then a lot more are likely to see public camping as being a preferable alternative. So then you’re back to square 1 and you have to be a little more forceful in order to achieve their objectives and having seen Oxfam Crew having their bags ripped apart by security at the gates on the Tuesday last year I don’t think GFL would have any qualms about restricting their rights further given the fact that their allocations are so heavily over-subscribed. But this is all hypothetical for this year I would suggest. You’ll still be able to go on Tuesday & camp in Dragon (provided it hasn’t been swallowed up by the supposed 40 acres of Shangri-La) :)

These points all make common sense but all I was saying was that it would be very harsh if over zealously enforced to an even greater degree than happens already ... let's hope you're right and that it isn't ...

My feeling is that the Dragon still won't be completely swallowed up though, I reckon Shangri La's expansion will be in the other direction, into the old tipi field and down thata way. There's already been mention of it occupying that field where the main Cabaret tent now is (Holts?? :confused: )... if so, would make Avalon seem even more surrounded ...
 
I don't doubt the necessity for property lockups. I don't doubt the need for some crew to sleep close to their work. I do doubt that applies to more than a few 10s of people though, ie mostly those who get caravans at the Pyramid and their counterparts at other venues. The rest simply don't need to camp there, even if they do get wristbands or Eat to the Beat tickets. And, for the most part, they don't need to park there. Even the BBC.



also, sorry to be contentious, but are you sure FMS camp offsite? I thought they were in the little field on the left of the track between Pyramid backstage and Other backstage. If it wasn't them, who was it?

The other big team is Network Recycling. Some of their crew squatted a little out of the way space last year (and they got away with it so I'm not grassing them up) but that wasn't all of them by any means. Do they have an authorised (so called secure) camping space?
 
also, sorry to be contentious, but are you sure FMS camp offsite? I thought they were in the little field on the left of the track between Pyramid backstage and Other backstage. If it wasn't them, who was it?

Seems like I might have only been half right about FMS - The 2007 map shows Spring Field (North East, outside fence) as Security and Medical. But it does also show an area inside the fence behind PGB, and from what you are saying they've got space in the middle too.

The other big team is Network Recycling. Some of their crew squatted a little out of the way space last year (and they got away with it so I'm not grassing them up) but that wasn't all of them by any means. Do they have an authorised (so called secure) camping space?

No idea on that one - nothing designated on the map. Are you thinking they are, officially, in with the public?
 
You're contributing zero positive or remotely constructive to this thread bouncer ... you whingeing little bore :hmm:

Maybe us in the Monothought Clique are -- shock!! -- agreeing because of that?

(R, TM, c. myself -- that was originally a pisstake phrase devised on here by myself, aimed at taking the piss out of idiots who were STUPID enough to really think Urban is an M.C. You numpty!)

I preffered your pre-edited post. Well done for introducing the MC label - it works well here.
 
The other big team is Network Recycling. Some of their crew squatted a little out of the way space last year (and they got away with it so I'm not grassing them up) but that wasn't all of them by any means. Do they have an authorised (so called secure) camping space?

Network Recycling used to share Tom's Field with Oxfam
 
Seems like I might have only been half right about FMS - The 2007 map shows Spring Field (North East, outside fence) as Security and Medical. But it does also show an area inside the fence behind PGB

so it does. You're going to be the man to ask for all sorts of obscure geography :) Their area by PGB definitely wasn't the whole FMS crew.
 
The 'Bring what you seek to find' attitude can be taken only so far. Last year was a tough year and the conditions such that I doubt many could enjoy themselves hugely. Without the right gear it would easily descend into pure misery.

I'm wondering how many people would stop going once they had another sunny one. I am of that ilk.
 
Not following your logic there? You mean keep going to whilst it's wet, then pack it in after the first sunny one? :confused:

Flawed as it is, thats kind of been my thinking of recent years, though now I'm going to get a ticket and not go if its not going to be dry.

Long range forecasts are not so great already this year 102% rain fall predicted for june and 114% for July. June is historically a wet month anyway.
 
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