People who don't get it

[frostypaw]

This isn't intended to be a bitching thread, though I'm sure we'll have some fun

I think most of us have had it at some point - friends you've gone with who just don't get it at all - fail to click into the spirit and join in, find it miserable

Heck you might be a first timer and it might happen to you

Anyone had any success getting it to click for them? What did the trick?

I've had one friend who only really got it when distracted from the bands and crowds, but didn't come back. Couldn't seem to reconcile the festival's different sides

[johnomatic]

The closest experience I've had to this was last year, when my friend's girlfriend, despite having no interest in festivals whatsoever, came with our group because she wasn't comfortable his ex was also coming with us.

 

She did spend a large amount of the time complaining, did my head in to end and if I'm quite honest I think probably reduced his enjoyment of the weekend (predictably they're not together anymore) BUT even she managed to crack a smile during a couple of 'Glasto moments', namely during Blondie's and (to my vast approval) Elbow's sets. 

 

On a related note I have one friend who goes to some festivals, mostly more commercial ones, but has never been to Glastonbury. He refuses to believe it's anything special and therefore won't come to experience it because, according to him 'it can only be some bands playing in a muddy field'. 

 

I think by now he just knows how much it pisses me off and does it to bait me, but I still go for the argument (or perhaps slightly heated discussion would be more accurate) every time. The worst was when I made the point about Glastonbury's unrivaled nightlife and he replied 'I can't think of anything worse than Glastonbury nightlife'.

 

Too far. Too far. 

[Starchild771]

Our neighbours last year weren't enjoying themselves. Not great for atmosphere at the camp but we didn't take much notice and concluded that there would be more tickets in the pot for next year.

Glastonbury is a unique exerience and many people can't handle the endurance test of 5 days camping and partying without home comforts. Also, many people have no idea how huge the place is and it is very tiring getting around the site each day, especially if you're not particularly fit.

I personally love that side of Glastonbury but I totally appreciate that it's not for everyone. Best thing is to try to make sure you go with people who can let go and handle slumming it for five days, or at least make sure you can escape from any moaners if they start killing the atmosphere.

[Titters2]

he replied 'I can't think of anything worse than Glastonbury nightlife'.

 

Too far. Too far.

You say 'friend'...

Not me,but a mate went with his other-half-at-the-time in 05 (I think). She disliked it so much that she spent all day Sunday and Sunday night sat in the car.

In 07 my gf was really struggling with the mud on the Friday. Understandable, it was horrible. We had a long, quiet discussion to talk through the options, including heading home. We came to the conclusion that the best solution was to have a few drinks, stay warm and waterproofed, and get as involved as possible.

It was still hard work, but we had a great time - Raving in the mud and rain to Chemical Brothers on the Sunday night is a very happy memory.

[Tacopowell]

Some guy I worked with came in 2010, in his camper, sent me a text Friday morning saying it wasn't for him and went home.

Needless to say we're no longer friends.

Edited June 14, 2015 by Tacopowell

[johnomatic]

In 07 my gf was really struggling with the mud on the Friday. Understandable, it was horrible. We had a long, quiet discussion to talk through the options, including heading home. We came to the conclusion that the best solution was to have a few drinks, stay warm and waterproofed, and get as involved as possible.

It was still hard work, but we had a great time - Raving in the mud and rain to Chemical Brothers on the Sunday night is a very happy memory.

 

I think think that's probably the right approach to be honest. Very occasionally someone might discover Glastonbury truly isn't for them or be having a bad time for whatever reason, but I would still always advise just trying to get stuck in as best you can.

[Spindles]

My daughter's fella spent almost all of 2013 back at the tent, really not wanting to walk anywhere, I just left him to it after the Thursday figuring there was no point trying to push him to enjoy something not for him.

[Avalon_Fields]

I know some regular festival goers who definitely don't get it, by the Sunday last year they were sitting in their camper van all day, watching Glastonbury on TV. How sad....

[teamsofa]

One year someone in our group spent the Saturday walking into Glastonbury and up the Tor.

 

Another year someone else in our group spent almost the entire weekend in their tent.

[micropizza]

One year a friend brought a new person with our group, they'd bought everything in stock from Mountain Warehouse with them, complained about the rain while we were setting up the tent, had gone home by about 2/3pm on THURSDAY.

 

What a waste of a potential ticket for someone else...

Edited June 15, 2015 by micropizza

[Untz]

I do feel sorry for people who aren't enjoying themselves and they can't leave for whatever reasons until the Monday. It really isn't for everyone and you might not realise that until you get there. It's easy to say just get stuck in, but when you're finding it hard and you're surrounded by people having a great time I'm sure it can really get you down.

 

But leaving to watch it on the TV in your campervan?! Is it really that much worse inside the fence?

[Pinhead]

Take solace from the fact that if everyone 'got it' then it wouldn't be a million or so people that we were competing against for tickets each year - it might be tens of millions.....!

[swede]

In 2011, Wednesday afternoon,  I was doing my second trip back from the car and people were leaving, remember one of them saying "its shite" really loudly at the steward on the gate, incredible !

 

Some of my friends didn't get it last year, thankfully they didn't put their rose tinted spectacles on and try this year, If they did I would have done what a good friend would do and tell them they didn't enjoy themselves.

[bennyboi]

I do understand why people dislike it, not everyone's cup of tea. But the vast majority of my mates love it with a passion.

Although one of my mates only ever does Friday til late Sunday, that's his lot. He just goes hard for 48hrs the buggers off. Used to frustrate me but I realise that anymore than that had he'd start to get fed up of it.

One of my missus' mates can take it or leave it, he says she prefers other festivals. But frustrating because my missus' has a better time with this particular friend there and I know she has a banging time when she's there.

[ghandi]

I first went on 2009 with a mate of mine and his cousin , we had a great time, he actually met up with his girlfriend who was also going but with another group, they did they hippy wedding thing, later got hitched for real and now have a child, but he's never been back, one and only time. Not that he didn't get it I guess but he's crossed it off his list and doesn't really have the " bug" as I do now.

Also another mate of mine from partying and football playing days comes with us every year and loves it , really get's it but the rest of our crew from those days just won't entertain it, I find it strange, they'd all go away abroad together, are into music ( not in a way I am) but don't like the idea of camping and all they can talk about is the mud .

[Space Shanty]

Thankfully I haven't met many people over there who don't get it, and I've never been over with anyone who complained about it.

I've been over in groups with one or two members who were a bit narky by the Saturday or Sunday through exhaustion or just being in a bad way, but they still got the whole experience.

[ghandi]

I first went on 2009 with a mate of mine and his cousin , we had a great time, he actually met up with his girlfriend who was also going but with another group, they did they hippy wedding thing, later got hitched for real and now have a child, but he's never been back, one and only time. Not that he didn't get it I guess but he's crossed it off his list and doesn't really have the " bug" as I do now.

Also another mate of mine from partying and football playing days comes with us every year and loves it , really get's it but the rest of our crew from those days just won't entertain it, I find it strange, they'd all go away abroad together, are into music ( not in a way I am) but don't like the idea of camping and all they can talk about is the mud .

 

Also since 2010 I've been going with my Brother and his son, another mate of ours together with my mate from partying days of old and now make a regular pilgrimige, they all  get it

Edited June 15, 2015 by ghandi

[Spindles]

I have met many people who went once and never went again, just ticking it off a list.  It amazes me the number of these people who can't accurately remember which year they went or who they saw.

 

Most people I know who have been have got the bug and keep going back, if not every year then as often as life allows them.

[Kanye's Cock]

I've only ever met 1 or 2 people who aren't head over heals in love with glasto. one of them is a muslim guy who thought the festival was extremely white middle class and he didn't fit in. that's a whole other thread that though.

[mjsell]

Not a Glastonbury specific story but we tend to get one person who clearly doesn't enjoy themselves and one person who's mind is blown at each festival we go to (both are normally festival virgins). Prime example of this was at Bestival in 2013, one girl sat in her tent most nights and was just generally a moody bitch and another gave mind altering substances a go for the first time and was one of the best moments of our whole groups festival.

[RobertProsineckisLighter]

Glastonbury has tested my resolve on two occasions. Once during and once post fesitval.

The Friday night of the U2 year i would have gone home if I felt well enough to get to the gate.

In the run up to the festival I'd been off work and the like. I was cold wet and felt horredous by the time froday night came around. Ingot back to my tent layered up and tried to sleep. This made me think that if you were there and find out its not for you its a pretty awful and lonely place.

The second was when I was laid up in bed with food poisoning for 5 days after 2010.

[OBface]

One of our group of three really didn’t get it last year - almost ruined the festival for me.

I knew things weren’t going well when on the Thursday (the day we arrived) I got a telling off for saying she wouldn't need her kindle as she decided she wanted an early night. We had to walk around the stalls trying to buy her a second hand book. And then walk her to the tent.

On the Friday I had a lucky escape in the main as left her to watch Deltron 3030 and didn’t get to catch up with the others until much later when she threw a tantrum about not getting to watch Paolo Nutini. She stormed off not to be seen again that night. Although I wasn’t there, there were reports of her getting massively drunk and telling families that Glastonbury wasn’t a place for children and that they should take them home.

Saturday was the worst. After a big one the night before I was feeling a bit ropey on the walk in so decided to have a sit in the Beat Hotel while the others went to meet some friends at Kelis. But that wasn’t allowed. I was told off for being in the spirit of the festival (the irony) by not wanting to stand in front of the pyramid 24/7 so for any easy life went with the flow. The rest of the day was spent trudging around after her where there was more consternation at people with children and the discovery of a new shade of hunter welly (coral – who knew?!). We got split up for a couple of hours late evening and when we met up with the friend again she was beside herself at having been on her own for so long. In this time she had called her boyfriend to come and pick her up and take her home as she was so miserable. He was on a stag do. When she couldn’t get through to him, she then tried the stag. She also called her mum, giving her the how horrific the festival is story and telling her that her sister, who was also there, had been off her face on drugs the whole time. By 11pm we were so utterly hacked off we were ready to head back but were persuaded by her to have one last shot at a good night. And to be fair to her we did. In fact, such a good time we didn’t get back til 7am the next morning. She walked back at 1am on her own.

Sunday she decided to spend with other friends.

Felt good to get that out. Unfinished business this year.

Edited June 15, 2015 by OBface

[The Nal]

I don't know her but she doesn't sound particularly nice!

 

A good mate came with us in 2010. Great weather, lots of great nights out, great gigs, dancing about listening to Suggs DJing in the Rocket Lounge at 5am, a few 7am finishes etc. Really great year. He was great fun throughout aswell,. Superb addition. 

 

Towards the end of Toots and the Maytals (which he was loving) set I asked him "will you come back?" to which he responded with a slight "meh" scorn.

 

He loved it but his buzz was that hes done it, once. Sort of like Vegas. Fair enough.

[OBface]

I don't know her but she doesn't sound particularly nice!

.

Our friendship has definitely suffered as a result. She revealed herself as entirely closed minded over the course of the weekend. I remember her not being comfortable in the healing fields and wanting to leave. Just bizarre.

[blackred]

Some real horror stories on here, I can't imagine how frustrating it is to be stuck with someone who really doesn't get it.

 

I'm lucky enough that everybody I've been with has 'got it', plenty of those haven't been back but I reckon if you brought them a ticket and cleared their calendar of other life commitments they would be there and be having a damn good time. I did go to a local electronic music festival with a friend who used to be heavily involved in the local free rave scene, he got totally Gillespie'd on the first night and ended up ordering a very expensive taxi home on the Saturday afternoon. Thought it was a bit strange at the time but at least he didn't stick around moaning for the rest of the weekend!