431 replies to this topic

[mrfunk]

p.pete, on 18 May 2011 - 09:33 AM, said:

I think low-noise options at the big stages would seem odd, there would be no athmosphere generated and people would do little more than walk by and maybe stop for a minute or two.  Smaller stages like Avalon on the other hand - there's already stuff late at the Avalon Cafe, so maybe mirrored in Avalon, and a few other small venues.  It would need to be done on a shoe-string budget though.  

Also someone mentioned above that East Dance may be used for a silent disco?  That could be a reasonably big event if true.

The only thing I'll miss by the queueing system is easy access to the Strummer area, but this was too packed last year anyway at times I thought.

"Techno Tribe tent" in Green Fields is sadly missed ;-)

[eFestivals]

DeanoL, on 18 May 2011 - 09:53 AM, said:

Do you reckon that would remain an issue for quiet/acoustic/spoken word stuff though? When the cabaret tent gets really busy for special guests I've hung out around the marquee entrances a few times trying to catch what's going on and you can barely here it...

it's not only the noise of the performance that's a factor, but the noise created by the response of the audience too. That can easily exceed anything that's created form the stage.

If Glastonbury felt they were able to do more thru the night right around the site then I'm sure they would be.

[Pinhead]

As said Here, Oxfam have enquired about the arrangement and have now been told that they are helping to 'police' it. However, it is felt that the situation should be controllable as long as Ped Gate C is moved NW a little to allow for inevitable crowd build-up and avoid issues with this blocking the gate contra-flow.

Have to say though this all seems like sticking plaster to some extent. Have watched this area grow since 1998 and when a little, far away place called the 'Weird Beird' field (possibly after Roy's beard), mutated into Lost Vagueness and suddenly began to grow in popularity year on year. Then after something of a coup, it was replaced by Shangri-La and the rest they say is history. As the crowds have grown, I'd say this area has become the primary focus of all late night activity at the festival - really quite in contrast to how peaceful it used to be in the '90's with the Tipi Field and workshops that used to occupy some of the area. The area really is characterised by its maze of shady, narrow pathes and bottlenecks and entirely unsuitable for the capacity it is now expected to handle. If Eavis really has made a deal with the locals in Pylle and East Pennard about the noise, perhaps he should consider extending it to Parbrook and West Bradley and move some of the events from the SE to the SW. Guess perhaps he's just somewhat paranoid about upsetting the locals again after a good run of years with them largely supportive of the festival and very much on his side now. I can't see why some of the quieter, less club / music orientated events from that area could not be moved elsewhere. Perhaps the organisers of Shangri-La, Block 9, Common Ground and Arcadia feel that they benefit from being all together, perhaps artistically, or perhaps just cos its good for bar sales.

[DeanoL]

eFestivals, on 18 May 2011 - 10:05 AM, said:

it's not only the noise of the performance that's a factor, but the noise created by the response of the audience too. That can easily exceed anything that's created form the stage.

If Glastonbury felt they were able to do more thru the night right around the site then I'm sure they would be.

Hmm, very good point and one I hadn't thought of...

What's the deal with The Park then? Some stuff happens up there I think (have to admit have not been there late-night) - so there must be something in place there?

Sorry for the 20 questions but I'm a comedy promoter and am intrigued by what could be done from a practical perspective.

[blue6field]

Loved it when it was a cinema field movies through the night !

Remember watching Dracula @ 3 in the morning tripping out my head totally surreal experience but there was a huge crowd and a brilliant atmosphere

[Pinhead]

DeanoL, on 18 May 2011 - 10:12 AM, said:

Hmm, very good point and one I hadn't thought of...

What's the deal with The Park then? Some stuff happens up there I think (have to admit have not been there late-night) - so there must be something in place there?

Sorry for the 20 questions but I'm a comedy promoter and am intrigued by what could be done from a practical perspective.

It is a good point, though surely there are similar levels of crowd noise generated in parts of Babylon and the several 'Inns' at the same time of night. I remember when it used to have a huge soundsystem on the corner, around where the bandstand is I think it was, with a fair crowd there dancing all night. And what about when they had the Radio 1 stage there one year?

[eFestivals]

DeanoL, on 18 May 2011 - 10:12 AM, said:

Hmm, very good point and one I hadn't thought of...

What's the deal with The Park then? Some stuff happens up there I think (have to admit have not been there late-night) - so there must be something in place there?

Sorry for the 20 questions but I'm a comedy promoter and am intrigued by what could be done from a practical perspective.

I've not been up there for late night stuff either, but I think it's the case that the stuff that goes on there is much more small-scale than happens in the Shangri-la corner, and is much less noisy as a result.

It also needs pointing out that the size of a venue doesn't make a huge amount of difference to the numbers of people that are required to run it - so while it might be possible from a noise perspective to have lots and lots of tiny venues around the site that are able to keep within the noise limits, the practical aspects of doing so might be what rules it out.

I'll be hugely surprised if Glastonbury hasn't considered all the possibilities that have been raised here - after all, they'll be wanting the whole thing to be as successful as any punter. So I'm quite happy to believe that they do what they do because it's the only realistic possibility for what can be done.

[eFestivals]

Pinhead, on 18 May 2011 - 10:20 AM, said:

And what about when they had the Radio 1 stage there one year?

The R1 stage was there for a number of years, and there was the Energy24 stage before that.

The soundsystem it used was hugely expensive (a special one of some sort, that stopped the sound travelling far), and the space within the speakers was very small (outside of the speakers little could be heard) - it could only really entertain a thousand people or less.

I'm not sure why it stopped, but I'd guess that either R1 couldn't afford to keep funding it (there were defo funding issues for Energy24), or that despite the special soundsystem there were noise issues caused by it.

[Pinhead]

Think you're right about the Radio 1 satge - I seem to recall talk of it having its funding removed at the time.

Well, I'd certainly not move Arcadia - creates massive amounts of noise - from just the burners alone. Club DaDa would probably need to stay too given its sound level. However, what about stuff like 'Slumberland'? And does Downlow or even that club with the tube carriage sticking out of it (name escapes me now) really generate that much noise? Anyway, as you say I'm sure GFL have considered it all at the planning stage, but I wonder how much influence and preference the venues have for sticking together in the same place because it suits the 'culture' of those events.

Alternatively, GFL might have to think about altering the access infrastructure around there in years to come. How about an underground tunnel or flyover into the area, or even a monorail!   Seriously though, could any pathes be widened; any hedges removed . . ?

Edited by Pinhead, 18 May 2011 - 10:39 AM.

[windy_miller]

russycarps, on 18 May 2011 - 08:14 AM, said:

thing is, the festival is not as good as it used to be. Anyone that denies this have either only started going recently or are delusional. It's still the best around though so I wont be giving up my ticket just yet, thank you.

I've been going since 1997 and I still think you are wrong.

[DeanoL]

eFestivals, on 18 May 2011 - 10:22 AM, said:

It also needs pointing out that the size of a venue doesn't make a huge amount of difference to the numbers of people that are required to run it - so while it might be possible from a noise perspective to have lots and lots of tiny venues around the site that are able to keep within the noise limits, the practical aspects of doing so might be what rules it out.

I'll be hugely surprised if Glastonbury hasn't considered all the possibilities that have been raised here - after all, they'll be wanting the whole thing to be as successful as any punter. So I'm quite happy to believe that they do what they do because it's the only realistic possibility for what can be done.

I'm not so convinced on that - I think sometimes the thinking doesn't extend much past the music side of things (I've felt the comedy has been getting a little stale the past few years, same acts over and over, though there's at least one good reason for that). And there's a certain element of the late-night areas being handed over lock-stock to a few other organisations for them to go mental (which is awesome, but it's not a hugely hands-on approach).

Staffing costs are always an issue though I guess - but something like Arcadia basically is lots of small venues all individually run isn't it? Just grouped together. Not sure how much is saved by economies of grouping...

[Tuska]

johnnyred, on 17 May 2011 - 09:48 PM, said:

Wether you have traffic systems or not, being around Shangri La and the surrounding areas in the first few hours after the headliners have finished is an absolute ball ache anyway. Half the people who make their way up there are going for a "look" anyway, and turn around straight away, when they see how rammed it is, compunding the problem even further.
Fair enough to GF if they want to implement a safe system. Lets face it they do a pretty good job on the whole.
Ignore the queues, go to the Park, Croissant neuf or Stone Circle  for a few hours, and hit Shangri La when all the lightweights have crashed and burned. It's a marathon not a sprint you know!

I agree with this. But the alternates need better advertising and to be bigged up more.

TBF, at my 1st Glasto (03) we never found Lost Vagueness and it wasn't talked about as 'the place to go'. I think there is much heightened awareness of Shangri-la and this is causing increased problems.

I tend to go to Shangri-la and Arcadia on the Thursday night and get it out of my system, far less people and everyone is really excited about the start of the Fest. The Park area suits me late night over the weekend and its close to Dairy Ground where i camp.

[Pinhead]

The problem could get worse too as it does seem to be the case that these venues want to outdo themselves year upon year and get bigger, better and more adventurous. Not that there's anything wrong with that, though I wonder how much people feel its becoming more like a clubland theme park down there now, quite unique from the festival. They've certainly got the theme park queues . . .

Edited by Pinhead, 18 May 2011 - 11:04 AM.

[whateverman]

Pinhead, on 18 May 2011 - 10:12 AM, said:

Perhaps the organisers of Shangri-La, Block 9, Common Ground and Arcadia feel that they benefit from being all together, perhaps artistically, or perhaps just cos its good for bar sales.

I doubt that this is the case.  While there is a lot of artistic and personel exchange between the areas, I happen to know that the organisers of each also prize their autonomy, and there is a bit of healthy competition, even rivalry at times.

[russycarps]

windy_miller, on 18 May 2011 - 10:40 AM, said:

I've been going since 1997 and I still think you are wrong.

yes, it's been downhill from 96 onward

[tom1989]

People just need to relax i think, and the only way it will be the death of free glasto is that it will be the death to shangri la between the hours of 11pm and 2am. Personally having seen a whole days worth of music i like a little break before I head to shangri la and i for one will certainly not be queuing to get in as there is so much other stuff in the festival to do, whether it be relaxing at your tent for a bit, going to a small bar or just going for a walk round with no set plan of where to go. You will always find some stuff you havent seen before and meet some new people and then once youve had a relax you can then go to shangri la and get your raving shoes on once the crowds have eased. The whole idea of glasto is its supposed to be a relaxed environment so there is no point in people getting all uptight about a bit of crowd control. at the end of the day 180000 people take a lot of organising and if this is the way glasto thinks it should be done, then we should all trust them, which we all clearly do, as we all spend £200 of our hard earned money on a festival with not one name having been announced, so why not trust them on this as well, they seem to get it right 99% of the time. and if it doesnt work then they wont do it again next time so it will be slightly annoying for some people this year but next time im sure they will have sorted out another solution. Have faith people!!

[Spindles]

Sadly the answer is one that I personally would wholly oppose and one that I wouldn't be suprised to read of for 2013.

Move the green fields to expand the late night area without moving it (since it can't be relocated due to the aforementioned noise agreements), relocating green fields to pennards and into park, find somewhere else for the punters to camp.

This would give multiple wide access to the late night areas from the railway, whilst still allowing access through the new route and provide more space for what has undeniably become the new main attraction at the festival.

I just feel that, due to the changing nature of what the punters are looking for means that we have to accept that the expansion of the late night areas will continue to march on, it only makes sense to expand the area, despite the fact that the green fields are, in my opinion, the heart and soul of the festival.

[autoinflate]

eFestivals, on 18 May 2011 - 09:06 AM, said:

Eavis has managed to make an agreement of some kind (perhaps involving money, I'm not sure) with the small number of people who live near that corner so that they have agreed to not complain about the noise and disturbance.

I've said it before, they should put up the ticket price and use the proceeds to pay more people off so we can have more noise at night. They put up with it all through the 90s, why not now?

[Wooderson]

Great thread folks. Detailed, insightful stuff like this makes eFests what it is.

@Cooter your post about the motorway service fiasco from YEARS ago is the reason I'm a regular on here. Would love to read it again.

[autoinflate]

tom1989, on 18 May 2011 - 11:46 AM, said:

People just need to relax i think, and the only way it will be the death of free glasto is that it will be the death to shangri la between the hours of 11pm and 2am. Personally having seen a whole days worth of music i like a little break before I head to shangri la and i for one will certainly not be queuing to get in as there is so much other stuff in the festival to do, whether it be relaxing at your tent for a bit, going to a small bar or just going for a walk round with no set plan of where to go.

the problem is that if you neck pills for the headliners, which is often desirable, by the time you get into shangri-la you're well down or just a mess, and it can be difficult to get your second wind.

back in the day you'd just stumble into the market and take your pick of banging parties.