90 replies to this topic

[fred quimby]

LegoTardis, on 29 April 2011 - 09:27 AM, said:

NO GAP YEAR in 2012!!!! It upsets me so much to think there will be no glastonbury for 2 years, I really can see no point in the gap year.
Some people say it's to leave the fields to fallow for a year, but no other festival finds it necessary to do this, and I thought the fields had recovered faster than ever after last years hottest Glasto ever. Plus the cows were put back in the fields a while ago, so they must be fine.
Some people say it's because it coincides with the Olympics, but really, the rate Glasto sells out, it would sell out anyway even if the Olympics was on.
Some people say it's because all the portaloos have been hired out for the Olympics and there aren't enough left for Glasto, but this is rubbish aswel, I'm sure Glasto have said themselves that's not true.
The best advice I could give the Eavis' is NO GAP YEAR in 2012!!! Please, nobody wants a gap year, Glasto should never end!!!

The 2 reason I believe he said were the BBC not being there and he was asked by the Police as they would not have the man power (due to Olympics, which I'm sure is more to do with overtime bills) as they will be in London.

The land he has always said he likes to give the land a rest (should have been this year). I'm no farmer so I can't say whether he is right or wrong, plus he uses alot of other peoples land so they may ask as well.

[fred quimby]

beodeejay, on 29 April 2011 - 08:49 AM, said:

Less "organised" late night stuff rammed into Arcadia - this year, I predict issues with access in 2011.....spread it around the site in future years please.  

The "crew" camping has gradually got more central/larger.....should be on the fringes....its "the punters" who pay - the "staff" should be nudged out to the fringes, not the paying audience.

As with crew, too much "hospitality" in recent years.  At Cropredy, there is NO backstage bar, this means the artists are seen eating & drinking in the arena.  Great !!  Obvioulsy, this is NOT viable for the pyramid/other stages ( I accept that)  but Avalon /Acoustic/Holts  etc etc all have backstage bar area's that could/should be public access, (or just not be there at all) - this would spread the load around the bars, and open up the site a fair bit in some busy areas.

With Crew camping I hear what you are saying, but not sure it's always feasible. I work backstage Circus and Theatre and most of that is performers who are there for the whole week and general work every day, there is also alot of moving of equipment so if moved to the outside then I would see alot more transport in the festival moving people and equipment around which then causes major issues so I guess that maybe one of the reasons. I also guess it a perk of working at the festival for your pleasures so I'm not sure about "nudged out to the fringes, not the paying audience" sounds all David Cameron to me " make the workers life a little more hard while the lovely middle classes don't have to walk on their fat legs so much.

I hear what you say also about hospitality, used to go to the Big Chill where there was no backstage VIP area, but that and Crpredy are very very different festivals so hard to compare, and also if you do it for one artist and not another then to me that just seems a little unfair and another 2 teir system "if you are artist who has sold loads you deserve special treatment then if you are an artist that hasn't sold much" doesn't seem right to me, treat everyone the same one way or the other.

[Okky]

Get rid of the feckin 'Orange unchilled and slightly charged tent'

[beodeejay]

fred quimby, on 03 May 2011 - 11:42 AM, said:

With Crew camping I hear what you are saying, but not sure it's always feasible. I work backstage Circus and Theatre and most of that is performers who are there for the whole week and general work every day, there is also alot of moving of equipment so if moved to the outside then I would see alot more transport in the festival moving people and equipment around which then causes major issues so I guess that maybe one of the reasons. I also guess it a perk of working at the festival for your pleasures so I'm not sure about "nudged out to the fringes, not the paying audience" sounds all David Cameron to me " make the workers life a little more hard while the lovely middle classes don't have to walk on their fat legs so much.

I hear what you say also about hospitality, used to go to the Big Chill where there was no backstage VIP area, but that and Crpredy are very very different festivals so hard to compare, and also if you do it for one artist and not another then to me that just seems a little unfair and another 2 teir system "if you are artist who has sold loads you deserve special treatment then if you are an artist that hasn't sold much" doesn't seem right to me, treat everyone the same one way or the other.

Please....never EVER accuse anyone of being "David Cameron" without good reason.   

I see your points, and its fair enough that there are perks or working all week . although I maintain the crew areas are now bigger in areas that are not any bigger than the 90's....

Also see your point about a two tier artist system....but in reality of you play to 40,000 + on Pyramid/other/Hots, then you are "different" to playing to a couple of hundred/thousand in Avalon / acoustic..... that's just the nature of big venues v small venues.  

My concern is simply that "central" space and family camping space is at a premium, and the creeping growth of VIP backstage/crew camping is eating into space previoulsy open for "general" use.

Edited by beodeejay, 03 May 2011 - 02:51 PM.

[fred quimby]

beodeejay, on 03 May 2011 - 02:51 PM, said:

Please....never EVER accuse anyone of being "David Cameron" without good reason.   

I see your points, and its fair enough that there are perks or working all week . although I maintain the crew areas are now bigger in areas that are not any bigger than the 90's....

Also see your point about a two tier artist system....but in reality of you play to 40,000 + on Pyramid/other/Hots, then you are "different" to playing to a couple of hundred/thousand in Avalon / acoustic..... that's just the nature of big venues v small venues.  

My concern is simply that "central" space and family camping space is at a premium, and the creeping growth of VIP backstage/crew camping is eating into space previoulsy open for "general" use.

Sorry about the Cameron jibe, all in jest.

Not sure about areas getting bigger, I've worked backstage since 98/99 and it's the same size. Others of course maybe bigger. It of course could be down to having to have more workers as the festival has got bigger and now put on more for people for five days and you have more laws around working hours, insurance and such, but I see where you are coming from.

As for the bands, I don't. Are we saying that Shakin Stevens or the Yeovil town band are now bigger than The Streets/Orbital/Robert Plant who have all played on other stages. I see all artist as equal, just some are more popular, that doesn't mean that some get special treatment and others don't. I know it's the way of the world but it aint right.

[Pinhead]

BenchBuddah, on 28 April 2011 - 10:48 PM, said:

Upgrade the monorail to an underground tube service!

That's more like a downgrade . . .

[Pinhead]

My advice to ME would be to stay involved at a decision making level as the alternatives have limited appeal.

[Kyelo]

Pinhead, on 03 May 2011 - 05:52 PM, said:

That's more like a downgrade . . .

Na, would keep the crowds off the fields. More space!

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

Watch out for Hitler. Apparently he's a little bit irate with you over the U2 / Primal Scream clash. Last I heard,he was on the war path.

[jimmyk83]

cejx, on 02 May 2011 - 02:13 PM, said:

nope not completely a joke - and as I was born in 1973 I cannot possibly comment on what you've just said.

There has alway been a lot of dross around - but IMHO at the moment there is more dross than usual.

Fair enough. Of course the dawn of the internet means that putting out dross, and being able to find said dross is infinitely easier

For example

Apologies for this

'73? You're definitely getting old

[123ginge]

robith, on 30 April 2011 - 05:03 PM, said:

Hi Michael and Emily,

I'm a big fan of your work.

If I could make one request it would be could we have a few more out there/avant garde/ATP esque bands. You book some in fits and starts, but I think there's more we could do more. Sometimes it's hard to defend the festival to my mates with the amount of shite you book on the Pyramid.

This year's West Holts is a good start

I do agree with this, although they've got a lot of 'credible' pop stars (trying to think of a way to saying that without sounding like a twat), Cee Lo Green, Janelle Monae, Robyn, to an extent Beyonce, it would be nice to see a few more unusual names. The End of the Road lineup is superb this year, maybe a few more of those types of acts in the Park?

Obviously it comes down to who's willing to play for the amount of money and who's not but I wouldn't have thought they'd have a problem with smaller artists.