156 replies to this topic

[joelovesleeds!]

eFestivals, on 05 August 2010 - 07:35 AM, said:

Can I ask, have you been?

It's generally the case that the people who believe it can't be much different to the likes of Reading are people who've not been so don't know what they're talking about.

With those that have been who think it not much different, it tends to be the case that all they take in of it is stages with bands on - which of course is the part of it that's the same as other festivals such as Reading. Yet stages with bands on is only one part of what the whole thing is about, while that's the only thing that Reading is about.

edit: having read further posts of yours, I see that you haven't been. So it really does come down to you not knowing what you're talking about. Go, and then offer a wise opinion rather than one based on just ignorant prejudice. If you come back and say the same as you're saying now, fair enough .... but there's a very high chance that you won't do, based on the reaction of most others.

Check my sig, I have been. I don't know what posts you've been reading. When I went last year, I saw as much as possible, including the stones, green fields and Shangri La and had an amazing time. I just don't like people saying it's something it isn't, it's a great experience, and as I said above offers things Leeds can't, but I think it is being played up and R/L belittled.

[strudders]

The two festivals are completely different catering for different tastes and demographic and has been since I started going all those years ago. Its like drinking a pint of Cider and drinking a pint of neat vodka. Both will get you pissed and do the same job but one is a relaxing experience to be had with friends and randoms, whilst one is an obscene drinking binge that will get the job done in a very different way and more than likely have you face down in your own vomit (circa Iggy Pop 1988 one of strudders finest moments)

If I was to give my opinion on both I would say Glastonbury is the utopian festival experience aimed at everybody regardless of age, sex, race or music taste.  There is something for everybody

Reading/Leeds is very much the corporate experience, much less freedom and much more in your face and edgy. Its designed to throw bands at you in a very short space of time whilst allowing you to drink crap beer in vast quantities.

However they both have there place in the Festival scene.

I really find it odd that we are still debating which is better considering people have different tastes.  I started to go to Reading at 15 to get hammered, watch rock bands and tear it up a bit. I went to Glastonbury at 14 to get wasted and monged and have an experience that I could not have got going to a live venue. That has remained my ethos ever since.

I love both festivals, Glastonbury has the edge though because it is more spiritual to me as a place where I changed as a person for going, Reading has a special place in my heart as a place where I did some of the craziest things I ever did as a teen when with my mates.

However I accept that those things would not have been possible at Glastonbury just as my spiritual music awakening could never have happened at Reading.

Let the debate continue... blur you all in a few weeks, I will be the fat guy wondering around in a Rush T-Shirt hammered.  

By the way GnR and the line up is shit this year... just wanted to add that in...

[eFestivals]

joelovesleeds!, on 05 August 2010 - 08:27 AM, said:

Check my sig, I have been. I don't know what posts you've been reading.

My apologies - I confused another person's post as being yours.

joelovesleeds!, on 05 August 2010 - 08:27 AM, said:

When I went last year, I saw as much as possible, including the stones, green fields and Shangri La and had an amazing time. I just don't like people saying it's something it isn't, it's a great experience, and as I said above offers things Leeds can't, but I think it is being played up and R/L belittled.

Then I guess you get to class as one of the minority that doesn't see Glastonbury as (band liking aside) hugely better.

It's certainly the case that the majority who go who've previously done the other mega-fests see Glastonbury as hugely better - there's a huge number of posts on these forums that prove that's the case.

[eFestivals]

strudders, on 05 August 2010 - 08:55 AM, said:

However they both have there place in the Festival scene.

that's certainly very true, and not something I'd ever argue against.

[Benj]

eFestivals, on 04 August 2010 - 07:26 AM, said:

It might surprise you to know that Reading Fest has a longer heritage than Glastonbury does. So with regard to that, Glastonbury has done nothing that wouldn't have been possible for Reading.

Glastonbury wouldn't have been possible at Reading due to the location. Reading could've moved to Somerset (or equivalent rural area), it wouldn't have been Reading then though!



Reading was set up as a commercial enterprise and will remain ever so. Glastonbury was not set up to make money, which has allowed it to become what it is. If its origins were as commercial as Reading's, it would be a completely different festival today.

This debate is getting dull, it occurs every year and the same points are made. They're not really comparable on the level people  try to compare, they both offer very different experiences, some may prefer one, some may prefer the other, for completely varying reasons. The folk who come on here going Why are you goingn to Reading, Glastonbury is so much better are just complete dullards, who fail to see this and end up looking like boring, festival, snob twats.

If you can't enjoy any other festivals having been to Glastonbury, then I feel sorry for you.

[Benj]

strudders, on 05 August 2010 - 08:55 AM, said:

The two festivals are completely different catering for different tastes and demographic and has been since I started going all those years ago. Its like drinking a pint of Cider and drinking a pint of neat vodka. Both will get you pissed and do the same job but one is a relaxing experience to be had with friends and randoms, whilst one is an obscene drinking binge that will get the job done in a very different way and more than likely have you face down in your own vomit (circa Iggy Pop 1988 one of strudders finest moments)

If I was to give my opinion on both I would say Glastonbury is the utopian festival experience aimed at everybody regardless of age, sex, race or music taste.  There is something for everybody

Reading/Leeds is very much the corporate experience, much less freedom and much more in your face and edgy. Its designed to throw bands at you in a very short space of time whilst allowing you to drink crap beer in vast quantities.

However they both have there place in the Festival scene.

I really find it odd that we are still debating which is better considering people have different tastes.  I started to go to Reading at 15 to get hammered, watch rock bands and tear it up a bit. I went to Glastonbury at 14 to get wasted and monged and have an experience that I could not have got going to a live venue. That has remained my ethos ever since.

I love both festivals, Glastonbury has the edge though because it is more spiritual to me as a place where I changed as a person for going, Reading has a special place in my heart as a place where I did some of the craziest things I ever did as a teen when with my mates.

However I accept that those things would not have been possible at Glastonbury just as my spiritual music awakening could never have happened at Reading.

Let the debate continue... blur you all in a few weeks, I will be the fat guy wondering around in a Rush T-Shirt hammered.  

By the way GnR and the line up is shit this year... just wanted to add that in...

Great post, by someone who obviously has an open mind and sees the big picture

[eFestivals]

Benj, on 05 August 2010 - 10:10 AM, said:

Glastonbury wouldn't have been possible at Reading due to the location. Reading could've moved to Somerset (or equivalent rural area), it wouldn't have been Reading then though!

true ... but as "Reading" moved to Reading to become Reading in the first place - and has moved out of Reading and back again since - it certainly wasn't and isn't beyond the possibilities.

Except of course that if it moved out of Reading again there's the possibility of someone doing to Festival Republic what they did to NJF to end up with the festival in their hands in the first place.

Benj, on 05 August 2010 - 10:10 AM, said:

Reading was set up as a commercial enterprise and will remain ever so. Glastonbury was not set up to make money, which has allowed it to become what it is. If its origins were as commercial as Reading's, it would be a completely different festival today.

Glastonbury *WAS* set-up as a commercial enterprise to make money. It's origins are no less commercial than Reading.

Benj, on 05 August 2010 - 10:10 AM, said:

This debate is getting dull, it occurs every year and the same points are made. They're not really comparable on the level people  try to compare, they both offer very different experiences, some may prefer one, some may prefer the other, for completely varying reasons. The folk who come on here going Why are you goingn to Reading, Glastonbury is so much better are just complete dullards, who fail to see this and end up looking like boring, festival, snob twats.

That might be the case with some posts here, but none of what I've posted has been from that angle.

The only parts I've posted that some might wrongly consider to be from that angle are my statements saying that for those who have been to both - and with line-ups put aside (cos if the bands don't appeal there's no getting away from that) - the majority think Glastonbury better. But that's simply a statement of fact, as shown by the very many posts that are made expressing just that.

Benj, on 05 August 2010 - 10:10 AM, said:

If you can't enjoy any other festivals having been to Glastonbury, then I feel sorry for you.

While I get where you're coming from, I'd say you're over-stating things - after all, people go to any festival because it offers (or they at least think it offers) what they're wanting.

As can be seen in posts by Reading devotees in this very thread, there's an amount of the same feeling about Reading by Reading devotees. They couldn't enjoy other festivals because those other festivals aren't offering them what they want, which is the bands that Reading gives them.

[rexclark]

strudders, on 05 August 2010 - 08:55 AM, said:

The two festivals are completely different catering for different tastes and demographic and has been since I started going all those years ago. Its like drinking a pint of Cider and drinking a pint of neat vodka. Both will get you pissed and do the same job but one is a relaxing experience to be had with friends and randoms, whilst one is an obscene drinking binge that will get the job done in a very different way and more than likely have you face down in your own vomit (circa Iggy Pop 1988 one of strudders finest moments)

If I was to give my opinion on both I would say Glastonbury is the utopian festival experience aimed at everybody regardless of age, sex, race or music taste.  There is something for everybody

Reading/Leeds is very much the corporate experience, much less freedom and much more in your face and edgy. Its designed to throw bands at you in a very short space of time whilst allowing you to drink crap beer in vast quantities.

However they both have there place in the Festival scene.

I really find it odd that we are still debating which is better considering people have different tastes.  I started to go to Reading at 15 to get hammered, watch rock bands and tear it up a bit. I went to Glastonbury at 14 to get wasted and monged and have an experience that I could not have got going to a live venue. That has remained my ethos ever since.

I love both festivals, Glastonbury has the edge though because it is more spiritual to me as a place where I changed as a person for going, Reading has a special place in my heart as a place where I did some of the craziest things I ever did as a teen when with my mates.

However I accept that those things would not have been possible at Glastonbury just as my spiritual music awakening could never have happened at Reading.

Let the debate continue... blur you all in a few weeks, I will be the fat guy wondering around in a Rush T-Shirt hammered.  

By the way GnR and the line up is shit this year... just wanted to add that in...

Excellent post Strudders. I completely agree with everything you said.


Well except for the bit about GnR.

[rivalschools.price]

joelovesleeds!, on 05 August 2010 - 08:27 AM, said:

Check my sig, I have been. I don't know what posts you've been reading. When I went last year, I saw as much as possible, including the stones, green fields and Shangri La and had an amazing time. I just don't like people saying it's something it isn't, it's a great experience, and as I said above offers things Leeds can't, but I think it is being played up and R/L belittled.

the glastos have obviously mellowed, you'd have been hunted down and shot for such comments in the past.ha ha.

[Benj]

eFestivals, on 05 August 2010 - 10:27 AM, said:

true ... but as "Reading" moved to Reading to become Reading in the first place - and has moved out of Reading and back again since - it certainly wasn't and isn't beyond the possibilities.

Well if you look at it that way, I guess any festival could've become anything. Glastonbury could have become Donnington, iif the music had swayed that way! My point was that once Reading had confined itself to its currently location, there was never a chance it could have become what Glastonbury became in the 80s. You simply couldn't get the numbers in at Reading

eFestivals, on 05 August 2010 - 10:27 AM, said:

Glastonbury *WAS* set-up as a commercial enterprise to make money. It's origins are no less commercial than Reading.

Really, need to bone up on my history, thought it started off as an extension to the solstice thing. I suspect Im completely wrong

eFestivals, on 05 August 2010 - 10:27 AM, said:

That might be the case with some posts here, but none of what I've posted has been from that angle.

The only parts I've posted that some might wrongly consider to be from that angle are my statements saying that for those who have been to both - and with line-ups put aside (cos if the bands don't appeal there's no getting away from that) - the majority think Glastonbury better. But that's simply a statement of fact, as shown by the very many posts that are made expressing just that.

Apologies, I was not suggesting that you were one of those people

If you remove the line-ups from the equation, obviously there is no competition. With the line ups, on the gone to both front, I have done Glastonbury once and Reading 13 times, I do not however think Reading is a better festival, it is just far more suited to my wants. For me it is the better festival, I would never say it was the better festival.

eFestivals, on 05 August 2010 - 10:27 AM, said:

While I get where you're coming from, I'd say you're over-stating things - after all, people go to any festival because it offers (or they at least think it offers) what they're wanting.

As can be seen in posts by Reading devotees in this very thread, there's an amount of the same feeling about Reading by Reading devotees. They couldn't enjoy other festivals because those other festivals aren't offering them what they want, which is the bands that Reading gives them.

Perhaps. they are just as small minded as the 'why go to to Reading, there's no Shangri La!' types then.

[rivalschools.price]

well folks,this thread seems to have wrapped up for this year. see you same time next year for the same word for word discussion.ha ha.

[Benj]

rivalschools.price, on 16 August 2010 - 10:08 PM, said:

well folks,this thread seems to have wrapped up for this year. see you same time next year for the same word for word discussion.ha ha.

hahahahhaha, it was a bit tardy this year, we normally expect it immediately post Glasto

[Fitz91]

Leedsfest is amazing but glastonbury is just magic


Different league

[Benj]

Fitz91, on 18 August 2010 - 12:46 PM, said:

Leedsfest is amazing but glastonbury is just magic


Different league

You're a bit late Fitz, maybe you can start next years

[lharris92]

Benj, on 18 August 2010 - 12:56 PM, said:

You're a bit late Fitz, maybe you can start next years

especially with his post count... WELCOME

[Thatmax]

This year was my 2nd Glasto, and this Reading will be my 4th.

Before I had been to Glasto, I was happy saying that Reading was all I needed and that it was the best UK festival, oh how wrong I was. Reading is a lot of fun, and still a highlite of the year but is kinda pale in comparison to Glasto after my personal experiences. Theres just so much more to do, see, and experience at Glasto... period.

[Fitz91]

ok, thanks