261 replies to this topic

[eFestivals]

Homer, on 20 June 2011 - 02:38 PM, said:

The festival's not as good as it used to be - BUT on the other hand you're less likely to get attacked etc and it need to change in order to keep a licence. Is there anything else to say?

not a lot, nope. That's just about how it is.

There was a choice of doing everything that was necessary to convince the council to give them a licence in 2002, or no more festival. Michael had that choice to make, and today's festival is the result of that choice.

It's not what it once was, but I'm still attending. It still blows everything else away.

[Ed209]

it might not be what it once was, but its still the best party on the planet

[Gregcharlie]

russycarps, on 20 June 2011 - 02:43 PM, said:

It's rubbish now because the people who used to make it "good" no longer go and have been replaced by people who are dull.

There are many reasons why those people no longer go, and the sky high entrance fee is defo one of them.

So according you people who compromise the safety of the event and its future by acting illegally are the exciting ones, everyone else is just boring.

[Vanderlyle]

From someone who has only been for 4-5 years, and who scrapes together the money each time, I do find these threads pretty strange (although OP was quite reasonable).

The thing is, I love the festival. The rich kids don't cause any harm to anyone, and the only people with a problem  seem to be the minority or are running the line "I liked it when everyone was open-minded and free, not stupid a spoilt like those stupid rich kids wearing stupid clothes that annoy me".

[wilko8]

russycarps, on 20 June 2011 - 02:43 PM, said:

It's rubbish now because the people who used to make it "good" no longer go and have been replaced by people who are dull.

There are many reasons why those people no longer go, and the sky high entrance fee is defo one of them.

There is nothing more "dull" than people complaining about how things "used to be better".

Take off the rose tinted specs!

[eFestivals]

ukslim, on 20 June 2011 - 02:35 PM, said:

The Green Futures areas are a shallow reflection of their former glory, and I think that's just because the people coming to the festival are not much interested in that stuff -- which is a shame.

I wish they'd somehow separate out the serious green stuff, from the crystals'n'auras crap. But I don't know whether that would draw in more interest either.

I know what you mean - the Green Fields used to almost be the centre-piece of the festival, and today it's not even a sideshow for many people who never venture away from the main stages. More than anything else about the changes over the years it's this one which makes me saddest.

But, I guess, much of it isn't as unusual as it once was - 'green' ideas which once used to be radical are now the mainstream.

[mike.c]

russycarps, on 20 June 2011 - 02:38 PM, said:

problem is, and dont take this personally, but you, your mates and the rest of "your sort" (for want of a better phrase) bring absolutely nothing to the festival. You are boring clones.

I'd much rather see the hippies of the past than you lot parading around in your hunters wellies and top man tshirts. I'm sorry to say you and your ilk have priced out the former glastonbury goer.

Of course you have every right to be there, but why do you think all the "characters" have gone? Because of the likes of you and what the festival has had to become in order to accomodate you.

I mean no offence by this.

im not offended but it just goes to show how daft sterotyping is.

if you seen me i  you would probably think im a gangster, scumbag who is going to knock you out and rob you. just because im a scouser, the cars, clothes and attitude.

but if some1 fancies taking the time to speak to me they realise im just sound, there for a good time like everbody else.

i bring just as much character as anybody else, maybe i dont take my clothes off and roll in the mud that often but everybody brings their part to the festival.

might even bump into you, say hello.

[fur_q]

russycarps, on 20 June 2011 - 02:38 PM, said:

problem is, and dont take this personally, but you, your mates and the rest of "your sort" (for want of a better phrase) bring absolutely nothing to the festival. You are boring clones.

I'd much rather see the hippies of the past than you lot parading around in your hunters wellies and top man tshirts. I'm sorry to say you and your ilk have priced out the former glastonbury goer.

Of course you have every right to be there, but why do you think all the "characters" have gone? Because of the likes of you and what the festival has had to become in order to accomodate you.

I mean no offence by this.

People should remember that Andrew Kerr & Bella Churchill where 'rich kids' and not tar everyone with the same brush

[Monkismo]

The festival's different - so what? Are we going to get people also moaning that technology's different or that they now sell Benson & Hedges in silver? Heaven forbid that we can now get our food delivered by supermarkets to our doors and that we can watch television programs an hour later than they're publicised.

Everything has to evolve and if the festival was still populated mainly by hippies and travellers with the police causing riots whilst the fence is big enough for a 4 year old to scale, it wouldn't be going now and we wouldn't be here discussing this. Chill and charge can do one but the rest of the festival is fine as it is!

[russycarps]

Gregcharlie, on 20 June 2011 - 02:46 PM, said:

So according you people who compromise the safety of the event and its future by acting illegally are the exciting ones, everyone else is just boring.

No, according to me the people who used to make the festival the weird and wonderful place it used to be no longer go for a myriad of reasons. The sky high entrance fee is one of those reasons. The influx of a different sort of glastonbury goer is another one. You know, people who fret about things like "the safety of the event".

There has never been a major incident at glastonbury (apart from some tiny riots) even at it's most hedonistic. The roskilde stick has been used to beat the festival into the sanitary thing it is today.

The hedonists and anarchists are gone, replaced with rich middled aged youngsters.

[dano]

First went in 1982. Had to camp with my parents until the magical 1995- 15 years old and drunk on 2 ciders. Been every year since. Have grown up a bit, and as arrogant as it sounds would not go nowadays if i had to pay £200 and camp with the general British public. That might sound snobbish but by god they are a drain. Give me a decent toilet, a free bar and a lovely cut through between the main and other stage. And a pre erected tent and an easy route out of there. I do miss the dogs on string, buses full of proper hippies, kids on motorbikes and the smell of shit, but i was a teenager then. Times change etc.

[eFestivals]

Gregcharlie, on 20 June 2011 - 02:46 PM, said:

So according you people who compromise the safety of the event and its future by acting illegally are the exciting ones, everyone else is just boring.

the simple fact is that if there'd never been those people going to Worthy Farm, it's exceedingly unlikely that you would be now.

Like it or, the festival lost something when the world went health & safety mad.

[Big Vern]

russycarps, on 20 June 2011 - 02:38 PM, said:

problem is, and dont take this personally, but you, your mates and the rest of "your sort" (for want of a better phrase) bring absolutely nothing to the festival. You are boring clones.

I'd much rather see the hippies of the past than you lot parading around in your hunters wellies and top man tshirts. I'm sorry to say you and your ilk have priced out the former glastonbury goer.

Of course you have every right to be there, but why do you think all the "characters" have gone? Because of the likes of you and what the festival has had to become in order to accomodate you.

I mean no offence by this.

Although you say you mean no offence, it is offensive.

If we are boring because we are clean, hard working people who have the opportunity to go spend a week at a commercial festival enjoying ourselves, then yes I am boring.  It it means that I have to become a f**cking filthy, unwashed, layabout, smoking and drinking my life away, protesting about anything and everything just to avoid the "real world" for most of us, to become interesting and a "character", then I shall remain boring.

Having watched (again) Festivals Brittania the other night, I would say in general that the "characters" that you speak of, have generally gone from society, not just Glastonbury or any other festivals.  Going to a festival under the threat that a group of alternative music lovers/subcultures may attack you for no reason is not something I would want to be watching my back for.  That said, pissed up lager heads can do exactly the same these days for no reason whatsoever.

Everything changes, including society and those within it and Glasto from what I can see, has changed with it, otherwise it wouldn't be still going and so successful

[hotwaterbottle]

russycarps, on 20 June 2011 - 02:38 PM, said:

problem is, and dont take this personally, but you, your mates and the rest of "your sort" (for want of a better phrase) bring absolutely nothing to the festival. You are boring clones.

I'd much rather see the hippies of the past than you lot parading around in your hunters wellies and top man tshirts. I'm sorry to say you and your ilk have priced out the former glastonbury goer.

Of course you have every right to be there, but why do you think all the "characters" have gone? Because of the likes of you and what the festival has had to become in order to accomodate you.

I mean no offence by this.

How can he not take offence to being called a "boring clone"?!
Everyone is boring until you get to know them. : (

[_danny_]

mike.c, on 20 June 2011 - 02:49 PM, said:

im not offended but it just goes to show how daft sterotyping is.

if you seen me i  you would probably think im a gangster, scumbag who is going to knock you out and rob you. just because im a scouser, the cars, clothes and attitude.

but if some1 fancies taking the time to speak to me they realise im just sound, there for a good time like everbody else.

i bring just as much character as anybody else, maybe i dont take my clothes off and roll in the mud that often but everybody brings their part to the festival.

might even bump into you, say hello.

this is a great post.

as for 'bringing something to the festival', if there's anything better than bringing a smile and attitude of 'let's have a great time together' i'd quite like to know what it is.

[Gregcharlie]

russycarps, on 20 June 2011 - 02:51 PM, said:

No, according to me the people who used to make the festival the weird and wonderful place it used to be no longer go for a myriad of reasons. The sky high entrance fee is one of those reasons. The influx of a different sort of glastonbury goer is another one. You know, people who fret about things like "the safety of the event".

There has never been a major incident at glastonbury (apart from some tiny riots) even at it's most hedonistic. The roskilde stick has been used to beat the festival into the sanitary thing it is today.

The hedonists and anarchists are gone, replaced with rich middled aged youngsters.

Middle-aged youngsters? Bit of an oxymoron. And when was anarchy such a great thing anyway?

And yes hopefully some people, myself included will die this year at Glastonbury and it'll get closed forever like Love Parade. Maybe it's for the best if the festival is so bad now.

[eFestivals]

fur_q, on 20 June 2011 - 02:50 PM, said:

People should remember that Andrew Kerr & Bella Churchill where 'rich kids' and not tar everyone with the same brush

rich kids who were spending their cash so that everyone else could have a good time, not rich kids spending it on themselves. I think that's a significant difference!

Anyway, not being 'rich-ist', I'd say that what russy is really getting at is that Glastonbury used to be far more of a participant festival and less of a spectator sport - but I'm as guilty of being just as much a spectator as any 'rich kid', and I suspect that might be true for russy too.

The reason that 'rich kids' get the blame in that way is because most of the 'characters' disappeared at around the same time that they arrived.

[jamseyboy]

Glastonbury now is what we have got and no doubt in ten years time we will be moaning that it is not as good as it was now.I love some of the changes and hate others but isnt that just like life.......I still think 4 channels of telly was better than what we have now. As for the cost I still think it represents amazing value for money but I appreciate that it is beyond some peoples reach....how to remedy that i do not know. In a strange way it felt more elitist when festivals were free because you were always an outsider unless you fitted the profile.....at least now the mixture of folk is all inclusive with acceptance of all types and musical styles.

[mrtourette]

Change at Glastonbury has pretty much mirrored change in society. Football has changed, stand up comedy has changed, going to the library has changed, buying groceries has changed, everything changes. Glastonbury either resists the change and probably limps towards death comforted by the self-satisfaction of 'keeping it real' or it adapts to the change in society while still staying true to it's original values.

The people who go now probably still find it as exciting and interesting as those who went 30 years ago, just in different ways, so the festival is still having the same affect on people, only different people.

[russycarps]

Gregcharlie, on 20 June 2011 - 02:57 PM, said:

Middle-aged youngsters? Bit of an oxymoron. And when was anarchy such a great thing anyway?

And yes hopefully some people, myself included will die this year at Glastonbury and it'll get closed forever like Love Parade. Maybe it's for the best if the festival is so bad now.

heh my mistake, I meant middle class.

The authorities rule by fear. It saddens me to see you falling for it.

Health and Safety is just another means to control the masses. I find it deeply troubling that people just lap it up.