Shangri-La

[mr_bizarre]

Generally it was as ace as Lost Vagueness in it's hey day, one of the best 'pokey' bits on site.

The only real gripes would be it gets a bit busy at night after the bands finish and the one way system, while necessary, is a bit of a pain in the tits.

Had a fantastic cocktail outside the back of some bar on 2 levels with a big camp fire out the back, no scooby what the bar was but great all the same.

My only suggestions would be to get more girls in shorts and wellies walking about and maybe get Duffy to serve the drinks

Really wanted to come back up on the last night but my pal's eyeballs fell out at the pyriamid stage after the verve so went spent about 4 hours slumped 15 yards away at the side, waiting for the choppers to land.

[oafc0000]

nah, it was better than that.

LV always looked as tho it was put together and run by people who couldn't give a shit about any of it .... other than reaping the huge profits they got from their seriously over-priced chargable bits.

Shangri-La looked as tho it had been put together by people who cared about what they were doing, and who wanted those who experienced it to go away feeling that they'd been somewhere worthwhile.

The difference was there to be seen and experienced.

[jameshunt]

The area was Shackney and the bar was The Rum Shack, your drink was made by either Riki (The Man) or James (The Captain) I'll tell them you said so, he'll be most pleased

Girls in shorts & wellies, I like this idea lots

[mr_bizarre]

+1

Totally agree....

Hated LV....loved Shangri-La

[lillypip]

I was really gutted when i went to shangri-la on sunday and the monkey hammocks had packed up and gone...i was really looking forward to them! Then i went into the tiled house and didn't get it at all....i didn't hear the lady offering glasses when i walked in, so definately want to try with glasses next time. Though i agree...we shouldn't have to pay for them, ESPECIALLY if they create the essence of the place. On the same note....i went into the insect circus in LV last year and paid for that, and it was genuinely the biggest pile of w*nk i've ever been in! Was surprised to see it in shangri-la this year.

I was really excited about Teas and Tarts, but when i went on sunday there was nothing going on in there, so will have to try again next year. Jacuzzi bar looked wicked too. SOOOO much to do next year!

Shops in shangri-la were totally ace. Good to see some less than mainstream stuff for sale. My friend bought a genuine (?!?) 60s dress and didnt stop beaming all weekend!!

Totally loved the whole place, but i only really saw it on thursday daytime and sunday nite, as couldn't get in when i went on Saturday nite because of the queues. I think the queuing made sense safety wise, but did deter me and my fellow girlies with sore feet and aching legs im afraid!! We will come back with more stamina next year!

[mr_bizarre]

I was really gutted when i went to shangri-la on sunday and the monkey hammocks had packed up and gone...i was really looking forward to them! Then i went into the tiled house and didn't get it at all....i didn't hear the lady offering glasses when i walked in, so definately want to try with glasses next time. Though i agree...we shouldn't have to pay for them, ESPECIALLY if they create the essence of the place. On the same note....i went into the insect circus in LV last year and paid for that, and it was genuinely the biggest pile of w*nk i've ever been in! Was surprised to see it in shangri-la this year.

I was really excited about Teas and Tarts, but when i went on sunday there was nothing going on in there, so will have to try again next year. Jacuzzi bar looked wicked too. SOOOO much to do next year!

Shops in shangri-la were totally ace. Good to see some less than mainstream stuff for sale. My friend bought a genuine (?!?) 60s dress and didnt stop beaming all weekend!!

Totally loved the whole place, but i only really saw it on thursday daytime and sunday nite, as couldn't get in when i went on Saturday nite because of the queues. I think the queuing made sense safety wise, but did deter me and my fellow girlies with sore feet and aching legs im afraid!! We will come back with more stamina next year!

[Kelly]

Trash City & The Park were open late for this reason.

It's funny as you could time the crowds, like clockwork just after the headliners were done up they would come, have a look around then leave. Within an hour it was quite bearable again, just avoid from 12am-1am ish and the crowding won't seem so bad.

I'm sorry about your experiences in the pub, I will be looking into it.

[Greenish]

i'm not sure if it was wednesday, but probably thursday night there was a listing up saying bands were playing in club dada. went along and it was shut and all the security could tell me was that it didn't open to the following night.

that was odd and disappointing. so i went and chilled out in the green futures fields instead!

[mr_bizarre]

Thanks for the tips - next year we'll wait a bit and then go. It wasn't that we find the crowding scary, more like too much hard work - we like having a chilled out festie!

[mr_bizarre]

i'm not sure if it was wednesday, but probably thursday night there was a listing up saying bands were playing in club dada. went along and it was shut and all the security could tell me was that it didn't open to the following night.

that was odd and disappointing. so i went and chilled out in the green futures fields instead!

[shavenhaven]

to add to the real ale running out debate,

certainly when i worked in a pub all real ales had to stand for at least 24hrs to allow the yeast to settle

where as the normal 'piss' has no problem, getting enough space to let all the real ale settle for the next 24hrs (+ a lot more, just in case) would be, i'm guessing, hard

[eFestivals]

to add to the real ale running out debate,

certainly when i worked in a pub all real ales had to stand for at least 24hrs to allow the yeast to settle

where as the normal 'piss' has no problem, getting enough space to let all the real ale settle for the next 24hrs (+ a lot more, just in case) would be, i'm guessing, hard

This is the excuse I was hinting at.

At festivals they don't get 24 hours.

Yes, it's a pain for the bar, but one they can find a method for if they want to - after all, they'd certainly find a way to sort it if their sponsor's piss needed time to settle.

[Greenish]

It wouldn't have been Wednesday, but you're saying they had band times for Thursday after midnight? You see the original plan was for the grand opening to be on Friday, but they were ahead of time and anounced they would open a day earlier and close at midnight, sort of 'testing the water' We did this and a few minor problems were uncovered and sorted with very quickly. By the time Friday came along we were a well oiled machine

[William of Walworth]

yep, it must have been after midnight on thursday. maybe i read the big board wrong, but it would be great for Shangri-La to be open fully on Thursday, or ideally Wednesday. although i know it's a mammoth task to get set up and you probably don't get that long on site to get ready.

[coolethan]

I didnt like the one way system it was a pain in the arse - I cant remember what I kept accusing the security staff of being (Did they only give tannoys to people with ridiculously annoying voices this year?) but it wasnt too friendly.

I liked the area though, just not the one way system.

[Kinning Park Don]

nah, it was better than that.

LV always looked as tho it was put together and run by people who couldn't give a shit about any of it .... other than reaping the huge profits they got from their seriously over-priced chargable bits.

Shangri-La looked as tho it had been put together by people who cared about what they were doing, and who wanted those who experienced it to go away feeling that they'd been somewhere worthwhile.

The difference was there to be seen and experienced.

[Griff_Clan]

WE went twice and visited it all, with the kids...

My only grip would be that it appeared pretty dead both afternoons we went. It was such a shame because on the Thursday it looked full of promise, the kidsw were absolutely desperate to go back. Unfortunately the night time, after the main stages is just too late for them.

I know it isnt designed for kids as such but it would be so nice to have stuff really happening and lively in the day too, just so that people who cant go in the night could really get to experience it.

Im sure you would have a receptive aucdience if you put some more input into the afternoon/early evening times. We liked what we saw but I personally came away very sad that we didnt really see it in its glory IYSWIM???? Maybe thats something you can do something to change, maybe it isnt ( because of timings, crowds, atmosphere etc) but its nice youve asked and Ive been able to give my feedback too. We have some fab pics there.

[Kinning Park Don]

The area was Shackney and the bar was The Rum Shack, your drink was made by either Riki (The Man) or James (The Captain) I'll tell them you said so, he'll be most pleased

Girls in shorts & wellies, I like this idea lots

[dvjj]

What was the name of the 1950's diner beacuse that place was exellent fun

Edited July 2, 2008 by dvjj

[paddieu]

Thanks for asking for feedback - and it was great, thanks.

BUT - I and many others were absolutely distraught that some of yor folk blocked off the Strummerville

with the otherwise neat Shackney thingy,

and appeared to have taken away its stage, no log cabin with Andy Dunkley DJing etc.

PLEASE out of respect to Joe put this right next year. At the least make sure it is not blocked off, and does have

its own wee shack etc etc.

If you feel this is unjust, feel free to shed more light on it all.

[mr_bizarre]

Thanks for asking for feedback - and it was great, thanks.

BUT - I and many others were absolutely distraught that some of yor folk blocked off the Strummerville

with the otherwise neat Shackney thingy,

and appeared to have taken away its stage, no log cabin with Andy Dunkley DJing etc.

PLEASE out of respect to Joe put this right next year. At the least make sure it is not blocked off, and does have

its own wee shack etc etc.

If you feel this is unjust, feel free to shed more light on it all.

[mr_bizarre]

WE went twice and visited it all, with the kids...

My only grip would be that it appeared pretty dead both afternoons we went. It was such a shame because on the Thursday it looked full of promise, the kidsw were absolutely desperate to go back. Unfortunately the night time, after the main stages is just too late for them.

I know it isnt designed for kids as such but it would be so nice to have stuff really happening and lively in the day too, just so that people who cant go in the night could really get to experience it.

Im sure you would have a receptive aucdience if you put some more input into the afternoon/early evening times. We liked what we saw but I personally came away very sad that we didnt really see it in its glory IYSWIM???? Maybe thats something you can do something to change, maybe it isnt ( because of timings, crowds, atmosphere etc) but its nice youve asked and Ive been able to give my feedback too. We have some fab pics there.

[mr_bizarre]

They were on site from AGES before -- they were starting to set up, both in Shangri La and Trash City from at least the w/e of 14/15 June (I was there for Info Crew training on Sunday 16th, and a lot of the early basic infrastructure -- the bigger marquees and structures --- were starting to be in place).

My challenge to the idea that they'd have a problem getting the ales to sit for long enough to settle, and to have enough stocked up, is to point them towards the Real Ale bar on Acoustic Hill, they had plenty plenty ale there, all in great condition, plenty of choice that didn't decline in stock/range too much, all weekend.

But that particular tent is run/managed semi-autonomously from the WBC I believe, even if technically under its umbrella (I was talking to the manager of the RA bar last year, before and during the fest, can't remember the full detail, but that's the impression I got).

Also Slippery Dick's Love Shack across the railway, a Shangri La crew bar and run entirely independently, with public welcomed in as bar customers ("visitors"), had plenty of that Hartingtons Ale in stock right into Sunday.

There are ways forward here ...

[amfy]

I found the one way system a bit of a trial with already aching feet but tbh probably wouldn't have seen much beyond the front end of it if I hadn't been forced to go all the way round. I guess that i wouldn'tve been the only one like this so it would have meant shows further back got less of a look in whilst the front end got more crowded.

It sounds good to say the one way shouldve been the other way but in reality it wouldn't work. Firstly, why does anyone think they'd be happier to walk thye extra half mile when they're 2 - 4 hours more tired/trolleyed? Secondly, people would naturally head for the nearest exit and it would cause crushes and arguments at the front end. All this is much easier to manage with it the way round it was.

Generally loved it down there. Saw some great bands in Club Dada, danced the whole of Saturday night away and completely forgot my aching feet in The First Class Diner (Was that Gaz's Rockin Blues?), and ended the festival windin away in Shackney. Top little corner of the site.

[mr_bizarre]

I found the one way system a bit of a trial with already aching feet but tbh probably wouldn't have seen much beyond the front end of it if I hadn't been forced to go all the way round. I guess that i wouldn'tve been the only one like this so it would have meant shows further back got less of a look in whilst the front end got more crowded.

It sounds good to say the one way shouldve been the other way but in reality it wouldn't work. Firstly, why does anyone think they'd be happier to walk thye extra half mile when they're 2 - 4 hours more tired/trolleyed? Secondly, people would naturally head for the nearest exit and it would cause crushes and arguments at the front end. All this is much easier to manage with it the way round it was.

Generally loved it down there. Saw some great bands in Club Dada, danced the whole of Saturday night away and completely forgot my aching feet in The First Class Diner (Was that Gaz's Rockin Blues?), and ended the festival windin away in Shackney. Top little corner of the site.