Observations of Glastonbury 2019

Seanachai

Bobblehats wrote: »

Glastonbury is a lot like life you’re either attracted to crowds regardless or you’re not. You either get sucked into the clusterf*ck of an impossibly large crowd that surrounds the main stage “like bacteria binding together” or you find yourself being rejected by it and wandering the lonelier stall ridden streets looking for some left of fields dive stage in order to to find a quiet corner and drownd your sorrows

Is there an actual bar where you can sit down and chill as opposed to just queuing for ten minutes?

TheIrishGrover

Seanachai wrote: »

Is there an actual bar where you can sit down and chill as opposed to just queuing for ten minutes?

Dozens.

Large tents. But with a bar and seating areas inside.

Bobblehats

Seanachai wrote: »

Is there an actual bar where you can sit down and chill as opposed to just queuing for ten minutes?

I can’t honestly say anymore the crowds are so big now I’d usually just head for the hare krishna tent and plonk my arse down with my 2l of hot spicy cider. One lad that looked like Leonard Cohen was great on the auld accordion

MadYaker

JupiterKid wrote: »

So I can’t sleep a wink tonight and decided to go into the living room for a while and watch some telly.:o

I flicked through the channels and on comes Glastonbury. A few observations:

Why is Kylie one of the headline acts? Isn’t Glastonbury supposed to be about rock music? Don’t get me wrong...I love rock music - especially 1990s grunge and classic rock and a bit of 2000s era Kylie is isn’t bad at all but Kylie is pop music. Surely Kylie has a place at Glastonbury but not as a headline act?

The Cure are are as great as ever. Really sad that I missed getting tickets to their recent gig in Malahide.

The audience at Glastonbury don’t seem as young as they used to be. In fact, many of them seem to be be as old as me or older. :eek: And why not? More power to them!

Anyone here actually been to Glastonbury? What was it like? How does it compare to, say, Electric Picnic, Felie or Witness?

I've been to the last 3, it's great, it's earned its reputation as the biggest and best on the planet. It's not really supposed to be about any certain type of music. There's around 100 stages and they only show music from about 4 of these on TV so watching it on TV doesn't really give you an accurate picture of what it's like. Id say these days there's more electronic type acts than rock bands but it has pretty much every genre you could want.

In terms of ages it's a pretty big mix, everything from new borns to people in their 70s, average is probably around the late 20s early 30s. If you enjoy festivals you owe to yourself to at least try and get a ticket. I'll be going every year as long as I'm able, I'll get a volunteering place if I ever miss out on tickets.

Kylie wasn't a headliner she played the legends slot which is in the middle of the day on Sunday. She got by far the biggest crowd of anyone over the 5 days,around 100,000 people or so. It's a great experience id highly recommend it.

MadYaker

Boxing.Fan wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI5tbQR-L60

One of the highlights of the weekend.

Haha I'm actually clearly visible in this. I knew I would be in the video of their gig at some stage, a bbc camera man kept shoving his camera in my face.

Bobblehats

Anyone catch Acid Mothers Temple at the West Holts?

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

Haha. Well, it was p*ssing rain that year and I had a small bit of shade so I wasn't moving .

As for the 200,000 people. It's so spread-out that it's not as claustrophobic as you would think. You can choose to go as close or as far at each stage as you want. Sure, you can go right up the front and be wedged. But you can also choose to sit further back in your chair with a few drinks. Typically, when at the Pyramid, my group tries to be between sound tents at the front edge of the tent. It's tight there at times but it's not like you can't move. You can move around and, as the act goes on, even dance around if that's your thing. It's not as wedged at that point as it looks.

You got to remember: That is 200,000 over many MANY stages. So, example: Saturday night all at same time(ish) you had:
Pyramid: The Killers
Other: Chemical Brothers
Park: Kate Tempest followed by Hot Chip
West Holts: Wu-Tang Clan
John Peel: Sean Paul
Acoustic: Keane followed by Hawkwind
Avalon: Ibibio Sound Machine followed by The Cat Empire
William's Greene: Deptford Northern Soul Club
Left Field: KT Tunstall

And many more things going on all over the shop. So it's not like you have everyone in the one spot. I wouldn't let it put you off unless you are VERY phobic.


The only time it gets a bit oppressive is after headliners. Everyone walking to the next place at the same time can be a bit tight. But you just gotta find the alternative routes or go elsewhere or just chil out with a beer for 15 mins and yer grand.

I going to stop you at the bolded bit and be blunt. :pac: Nothing but nothing, would make me unaware of the massive crowd. 200,000 in a small area - you’re going to know about it, even in less packed areas. I hate huge crowds, unless they are highly organised like at a fully-attended Croker or 3 Arena. I’ve been to a few festivals of around 80,000 where not every part of the festival was packed. Thinking back on it makes me feel nauseous. Big crowds bring out my inner misanthrope. But I know that about myself and that’s why I don’t go to music festivals. It’s not my favourite way to enjoy music anyway.

Discodog

ToddyDoody wrote: »

Very Ross O'Carroll-Kelly.

Hardly. Some of us have been going their for literally decades. It's always been referred to that way.

MadYaker

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

I going to stop you at the bolded bit and be blunt. :pac: Nothing but nothing, would make me unaware of the massive crowd. 200,000 in a small area - you’re going to know about it, even in less packed areas. I hate huge crowds, unless they are highly organised like at a fully-attended Croker or 3 Arena. I’ve been to a few festivals of around 80,000 where not every part of the festival was packed. Thinking back on it makes me feel nauseous. Big crowds bring out my inner misanthrope. But I know that about myself and that’s why I don’t go to music festivals. It’s not my favourite way to enjoy music anyway.

Honestly Glastonbury is not for you if this is accurate.

Bobblehats

We need former observer there I reckon. Would anyone like to recount the slurry pits that pass for toilets?

One year I was there they swelled up with all the torrential rain and overflowed into the campsite.

FTA69

Seriously what is with the celebration of not washing? Surely you’d find a bucket and a flannel of some variety?

Do they have no showers there at all?

MadYaker

FTA69 wrote: »

Seriously what is with the celebration of not washing? Surely you’d find a bucket and a flannel of some variety?

Do they have no showers there at all?

Yeah there's a few showers in the greenpeace area but if i was to go there its a 40 minute walk there from my tent, queue plus shower is another hour, then a 40 minute walk back to my tent and i just can't be arsed giving it that much time, theres much better things to be doing. Its only 5 days out of the whole year it won't kill us.

Bobblehats

MadYaker wrote: »

Yeah there's a few showers in the greenpeace area but if i was to go there its a 40 minute walk there from my tent, queue plus shower is another hour, then a 40 minute walk back to my tent and i just can't be arsed giving it that much time, theres much better things to be doing. Its only 5 days out of the whole year it won't kill us.

Showers weren’t enough to cleanse me of that grime I always made a point of seeking out a sauna or hot tub. Usually dimly illuminated by by fairy lights amidst the fragrant haze of incense sticks

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

MadYaker wrote: »

Honestly Glastonbury is not for you if this is accurate.

It is. It really is. But Glastonbury tickets are coveted so at least I’m not ever going to hog a ticket from someone who’d really enjoy it.

One of my friends met her husband at Glastonbury, I’ve just remembered.

bodhrandude

Bobblehats wrote: »

Anyone catch Acid Mothers Temple at the West Holts?

Is that the former remnants of the Gong band?

Actually just wikied them, they are Japanese, for some reason I thought they had a connection to Daevid Allen's GonG!

Bobblehats

bodhrandude wrote: »

Is that the former remnants of the Gong band?

Actually just wikied them, they are Japanese, for some reason I thought they had a connection to Daevid Allen's GonG!

They did! A collaboration called Acid Mothers Gong in the early ‘00s

Well it looks like they lost a lot of key members around that time are a fairly small collective now in comparison. Shows you how I’ve been keeping up :rolleyes:

Seanachai

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

I going to stop you at the bolded bit and be blunt. :pac: Nothing but nothing, would make me unaware of the massive crowd. 200,000 in a small area - you’re going to know about it, even in less packed areas. I hate huge crowds, unless they are highly organised like at a fully-attended Croker or 3 Arena. I’ve been to a few festivals of around 80,000 where not every part of the festival was packed. Thinking back on it makes me feel nauseous. Big crowds bring out my inner misanthrope. But I know that about myself and that’s why I don’t go to music festivals. It’s not my favourite way to enjoy music anyway.

I'd be skirting around the edges if I was there, going to the tent gigs and chilling out in the therapy zone or beer tents. Being part of zombie swarm is hellish for me.

TheIrishGrover

Bobblehats wrote: »

We need former observer there I reckon. Would anyone like to recount the slurry pits that pass for toilets?

One year I was there they swelled up with all the torrential rain and overflowed into the campsite.

All the portaloos are gone apart from staff areas (Behnd sound stages etc.) and good luck. They were always terrible. Toilets near the stages are the long drop ones. Either the buried ones or up 6 or 7 feet or so. They are still not great.

The toilets nearer the campsites are now all the compost toilets (Similar to the long drops but then you take in a paper pint cup of compost (used to be sawdust) with you and pour it over your "delivery" when finished.

I don't know what voodoo this does but it makes a HUGE difference. I'm not saying you're going to sit down and read the Sunday paper or anything but they are infinitely better than the older options. You are not trying to get through without breathing.

Have had two washouts (You know the ones, where you have two chairs. One for you and one for your bag so it doesn't disappear into the mud). We tend to camp near Gate B. It's on a slope, about a 3 min walk from the toilets so have never been flooded out by them (Thank God). I suppose that's more likely nearer the stages given the overall shape of the place. To those looking to go: Don't skimp out on a cheap-as-chips "Festival tent" Go for something decent with 2 skins and a porch (Fer yer boots). And take it with you. You'll get a good 4 or 5 at least from a decent tent.

fryup

Kylie did well i thought for a midget woman in her 50's....she pulled it off

nuyil simp

Glastonbury, and you would have loved it

AllForIt

I am more likely to step foot on the moon that I am to attend Glastonbury.

bodhrandude

AllForIt wrote: »

I am more likely to step foot on the moon that I am to attend Glastonbury.

How can you tell.

TheIrishGrover

AllForIt wrote: »

I am more likely to step foot on the moon that I am to attend Glastonbury.

By choice or inability to get tickets?

branie2

What would King Arthur and Joseph of Arimathea think?

ohnonotgmail

fryup wrote: »

Kylie did well i thought for a midget woman in her 50's....she pulled it off

must..resist..tempation..to..make..joke

branie2

You can''t get it out of your head?

TheIrishGrover

Pffft. I should be so lucky....

granturismo

Flags question - I went in 1993 and would love to go back but it looks like those stupid flags block the view of the stage.

fryup

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

it does bring colour to the event...but i'd be damn annoyed standing behind one

TheIrishGrover

There was a huge f*cking stupid American one a few years ago (of course) that blocked everyone's view. After that they limited the flags to typical flag size (if you know what I mean) up the front. Some have two flags on a pole but no more than that.
As a shorter person it does mean that they do tend to get in my view from time to time but I don't mind. It's all part of the flavour. Glasto is famous for it. The humour and thought that is put into some of them is brilliant and they would be sorely missed.
I remember a few years ago. Standing in the p*ssing rain at The Other Stage. Miserable and trying to figure out who to see next when I look over my friends' shoulders, point and say "Is that Marty f*cking Morrisey on a f*cking flag..... in SPACE?" I mean where else are ya gonna see something as random as that. Brought a smile to my face.

blinding

fryup wrote: »

Kylie did well i thought for a midget woman in her 50's....she pulled it off

Ooh er Missus !:D

Bobblehats

Marty Morrissey / flegs / midgets pulling it off. This is still Glastonbury right?

MadYaker

I don't understand why people bring flags. I could never be bothered carrying it around for 5 days, what's the point? Easier for your friends to find you I suppose. If you get close to the stage they don't obscure your view, they're more annoying for the people watching on TV.

Utter Consternation

MadYaker wrote: »

I don't understand why people bring flags. I could never be bothered carrying it around for 5 days, what's the point? Easier for your friends to find you I suppose. If you get close to the stage they don't obscure your view, they're more annoying for the people watching on TV.

They're a pain in the hole for anyone watching it on de telly.

MadYaker

Some people say the festival should ban them but that wouldn't make a bit of difference. 90% of searches are cursory at best.

Melanchthon

How do you know somebody has been to Glastonbury







They tell you

Bobblehats

Don’t be a gick na

TheIrishGrover

Melanchthon wrote: »

How do you know somebody has been to Glastonbury







They tell you

Oh no!!! In a Glastonbury Thread???! Oh whadda burn!!!



Regarding the flags. While they may p*ss off TV viewers they are pretty cool for those who are there and help Glasto stand out.

declanleo

Thrashssacre wrote: »

What is it that elevates Glastonbury and Coachella in the states above all other music festivals, there’s loads on every year that basically have the same or similar enough lineup and the above mentioned cost an absolute fortune in comparison.

Basically have the same line up? Pmsl . There are 30/40 stages. Most festivals have 4 or 5