36 replies to this topic

[hhhh]

the new tipi tent was absolutely terribble. when everyone stood up (which was most of the time) you could only see the stage if you were in the first 3 rows, i heard 5 amazing sets in there and saw none.

[pinktequila]

It was inevitable that teething problems would be had ith a new venue, I Liked the tipi tent and its L shape and there certainly wasn't a poor Pa in there although maybe it wasn't the best for that venure. The biggest problem as it was very hot and the local drowned it out and that needs looking at. I think the Bimble created another set of problems that may have not been so obvious but took more dealing with.

[imogenmp]

DragKnuckles, on Sep 14 2009, 04:29 PM, said:

Hi All,

Another great year at EOTR...I had a GREAT time and will definitely be going again next year...highlights for me were Vetiver, Low Anthem and Richmond Fontaine...but there was a whole lot more...

However...

As a big fan of the Bimble I was really disappointed with the new Tipi Tent. Although it looked lovely from the outside I did not get to see one band that I wanted to see in there because it was 1) usually "1 in 1 out" packed and 2) designed in a strange 'L' shape so nobody at the back could see (or sometimes hear) anything!

Anyone else have problems with this? Maybe I was just trying to get into the most popular gigs? (J. Tillman, Peter Broderick etc...).

Am I the first (or only) to ask to bring the Bimble back?!

Knuckles x

I totally agree, it was really difficult to get in there and sit down and find a spot where you could actually see the stage.
Also a couple of times there was a really bad sound clash with the Local tent, particularly with Sam Baker and Lay Low. You could hardly hear them, and it must have almost impossible for them. It felt like a real shame. It was all lovely apart from that though!

[GeordieMartin]

Firstly may I say I have been to all 4 festivals and this was my best one (band wise) However, I've never understood why a tipi is needed at all. The bimble was a nightmare with the people working there so off their heads it was a joke. Although the new tipi is bigger it's just not a practical venue in my opinion. The local was way too close and should have been a lot further away. I was watching the brilliant J Tillman solo set and magic arm came on and blasted him out of site.

I know there are restrictions on noise levels after a certain time and so there fore needs to be kept at a certain level but instead of a tipi just have a smaller,squareshaped marquee which is far more practical. I missed so many people play because I just couldn't handle the tipi tent, Sam baker, Peter Broderick, Brakes secret slot, oh loads.

I love this festival and will of course still go every year and in the bigger scheme of things having a tipi at a festival is the least of my worries but for me personally to make it the absolute perfect festival I would get rid of it. Either that or have it as a venue for the much smaller, lesser known bands or even an open mic like they did the first year, or a comedy tent, anything but a music tent.

As you were....

[Wiggum]

I thought the tipi tent was a really nice place but agreed it wasn't ideally shaped/situated for seeing bands. About the security, I thought they were alright really and I actually felt quite sorry for them on the Friday, must've been about 12ish or so. They wouldn't let us in but I then noticed some people making rubbish excuses and getting in so I basically said "they just got in...can we come in?" and after a "how many" he let us right in. Big fella but not much of a bouncer.

[Fareham Grecian]

DragKnuckles, on Sep 14 2009, 08:00 PM, said:

Sorry - post festival paranoid android that I am...only thought it was a dig because I did the "unofficial clash guide"...no worries!  

Which was totally fantastic by the way...

[airwaves]

Lovely place to spend some time.

Crap as a music venue - sight lines, crowds, sound quality, The Local too close, ...........

[geofelgie]

angelheaded hipster, on Sep 14 2009, 06:37 PM, said:

Have to agree with what's been said - the Tipi Tent was undoubtedly the worst thing about the festival for me this year. There were major problems with the Bimble last year, with people being able to get in/see anything/hear properly, but I thought it was far worse this year. It was a real shame as there were a few bands I really wanted to see in there, but by the time of the later sets it seemed that if you hadn't been camped out for a long time already you had no chance of seeing or hearing anything. It was lovely in there, but especially by later on at night there appeared to be about 10 people in front of the stage who could see, and everyone else had no chance.

I fully understand the issue of making it larger meaning that it detracts from the very idea of the stage - ie. that it is intimate, etc., but I really think that it is the one area that needs some serious brain-storming before next year as there must be something that can be done to improve the situation. Perhaps having more than one stage that continued until 3am with 'secret' and small sets would make a serious improvement - that would split the crowd and improve the chance of being able to see something.

Also, something definitely needs to be done about the sound from the Local. A very touching and wonderful set from Sam Baker was marred by being able to clearly hear the very loud bassline from the Local.

This is all very much meant as constructive criticism though, I truly love this festival, had another wonderful weekend and think they are spot-on with pretty much every single other thing.

I was just trying to formulate what to say about this when I found that you'd got it spot on!

Two years ago the local was inbetween the main stage and the pavillion. I'm sure there was a reason it moved but maybe they could reinvestigate this. I suspect that this would mean that more of the side of the Tipi could be open, thus making it much easier to see.

[strummerville]

Tipi Tent was a great idea that could have been better situated.

Was best place to get a beer whe things got busy so for that alone it was a success. Nice cask ales.

[carrotrope]

Not a fan of the Tipi Tent I'm afraid.. it's definitely nice to have smaller stages, but this was such a weird shape, and unless you were at the very front, or you're unnaturally tall, the view was absolute pish (which sort of goes for The Local too actually - is there no chance of making the stage a little taller?)

[HeyJoe-85]

It was silly to have an entrace at one and and an exit only at the other. Bottle necking in the middle by the sound desk, meant half the tent was empty and there was no through access. This just lead to a 1 in 1 out policy for a half full tent.

Also miss the Bimble Inn's comfy floor cushions!

[Sipperana]

Though the Bimble was always very busy there was always a half-decent chance of getting a decent spot where you could see the bands.  In comparison, the Tipi was piss-poor for watching bands for anyone other than about the first six rows of people, not being helped by there being virtually no uplift to the stage.  I know he's small but I was still taller than Eamon from Brakes when he was on stage!

Not only that but the sound system was a problem.  While Blitzen Trapper worked ok, the Sunday night was appalling for both Franz and Brakes.  To not get the volume settings right for two bands on the trot was abysmal.

And where did they hire the security from?  Humourless-Gits-R-Us?

The one good thing about the Tipi was the bar which was always accessible and had fantastically friendly and funny bar staff.  Though I never experienced any major problems getting served in the Bimble either.

All in all the Tipi was less successful than the Bimble and I would be much happier to see the Bimble return next year.

[RedRockRick]

Great place maybe for a salad or a coffee. A music venue where from the majority of the floor area you can't see or hear...? I could hear Peter Broderick better outiside than in.

[fogged]

angelheaded hipster, on Sep 14 2009, 07:37 PM, said:

Have to agree with what's been said - the Tipi Tent was undoubtedly the worst thing about the festival for me this year.
...

Also agree, but a couple of my top sets were in there, so it wasn't a complete loss. I arrived 15 minutes early for each Peter Broderick and Blitzen Trapper - the former was intimate and with a great view (although the sound was a little hampered by the Local) and the latter had a great setlist which sounded brilliant (still couldn't see a thing though, even at 6'1").

[GeordieMartin]

Don't have a tipi at all would be my solution and just have a smaller square shaped tent with a couple of little stools, some comfy big beanbags etc around and a bar withna little stage showcasing up and coming talent, be it musicians, comedians, poets, whatever really.

[SweepingTheNation]

geofelgie, on Sep 15 2009, 01:36 PM, said:

Two years ago the local was inbetween the main stage and the pavillion. I'm sure there was a reason it moved but maybe they could reinvestigate this. I suspect that this would mean that more of the side of the Tipi could be open, thus making it much easier to see.

I imagine it was moved so the Local could be bigger, but it was in pretty much the same place last year and both it and Bimble were bigger, I'm fairly sure.

I never liked the Bimble Inn - I have memories of hardly hearing a word of Monkey Swallows The Universe the year before last due to the noise of the bar, and during the day the front bit would be full of kids playing around - but making the viewing area smaller meaning even first thing on Sunday it was full ten minutes before start time was clearly not the way forward.

[Fat_Buddha]

Me and my equally short arsed mate spent the weekend bemoaning the nations improved diet, which means that everyone under the age of about 30 is at least a foot taller than us!

Can we have a short persons tent?