The Wrong Stage

[maelzoid]

This is somewhat inspired by the posts about crushes at oversubscribed acts.  For whatever reason, some acts just seemed to be in the wrong place - what were the most obvious ones for you?  I'm not blaming the organisers for this, gauging crowd sizes must be near on impossible and inevitably misjudgements get made.

 

I had not really heard Frank Turner before but after his set was somewhat baffled that he was on the other stage so early.  He put on a great show and had a huge crowd, and it seemed he would be far better suited to late afternoon on pyramid.  Conversely, I then went to see the Waterboys (disappointing) at the pyramid and was front and centre of the pit with loads of room around me.

 

 

[nu-marc88]

I wasn't there but heard Fatboy on the blues was a massive crush.

I feel giving this man a slot on any stage is a major injustice, it's time the old has been hung up his headphones.

[benc]

frank turner was playing a village fate in the evening -  so explains why he was so early

[tazbang]

Frank Turner was very bizarrely positioned, but it made a great start to Saturday. Would love to see him play a more high profile slot, maybe after the Sunday afternoon legend.

[amfy]

I wasn't there but heard Fatboy on the blues was a massive crush.

I feel giving this man a slot on any stage is a major injustice, it's time the old has been hung up his headphones.

A fairly contradictory post I feel.

He shouldn't be playing, but there was a massive crush because so many people wanted to see him?

[amfy]

In terms of 'the wrong stage though', I came to this thread reminded of the time many years ago when I sat down towards the back of The Pyramid field for Keane, and from the first song I was thinking 'wow! This really isn't how I expected them to sound live'

After about 3 tunes I thought I'd look and see what else was on, as I decided they really weren't my thing after all.

That was when I saw that Keane were actually on The Other Stage, and I was watching The Lost Prophets!

[nu-marc88]

A fairly contradictory post I feel.

He shouldn't be playing, but there was a massive crush because so many people wanted to see him?

Yep the Glastonbury sheep were out in force. Oooo instagramers here's me at Fatboy slim.

Olivia lets get a selfie at Fatboy for Facebook.

I bet only a quarter of the crowd were really there for the music.

[LSTx]

DJ EZ on the WoW stage was ridiculous, left after 10 minutes after going in 40 minutes prior to have a good spot. Place was a safety hazard, people were spilling out back to Oxylers to get in.

[LostRiot]

Virtually everything that was on the Gully.

 

That stage was a disaster, some amazing acts but got swallowed by the bass from the Blues, and just never seemed to attract the crowd - although I didn't go for the headliners). Gonne Choi had about 15 people.

 

That stage should become a tent somewhere near west holts/glade, it would be far far more successful, its a world music stage that's basically as far from west holts as its possible to be...bizarre.

 

Also Hot Chip were probably a bit too popular for west holts, it was rammed! (But that was a good thing)

[Avalon_Fields]

Fair comment, but to sympathise with the festival, they can't know for certain the numbers every act will draw in, and at the time of the booking to the festival itself the act's popularity may rise or fall, weather conditions may affect inside/outside slots, etc etc.

 

They probably get 90% about right, agree some crowds border the unsafe though.

[maelzoid]

Fair comment, but to sympathise with the festival, they can't know for certain the numbers every act will draw in, and at the time of the booking to the festival itself the act's popularity may rise or fall, weather conditions may affect inside/outside slots, etc etc.

 

They probably get 90% about right, agree some crowds border the unsafe though.

 

I totally agree with this. I'm really not trying to have a go at the organisers whom I agree got it right most of the time.

[fur_q]

Also Hot Chip were probably a bit too popular for west holts, it was rammed! (But that was a good thing)

Really? I walked to front halfway through and got within 5 rows of the barrier without having to push past anyone.

[DeanoL]

Frank had a longer slot than Strypes, playing after him, so I imagine his billing was down to fitting in the gig with Billy on Leftfield and then leaving to do Meonfest that evening, than anything else.

Thing is, there are loads of these compromises made every year, that just so happens to be one I'm aware of. People get far to obsessed with stage billings as an indicator of fame/success.

[amfy]

The Diner in Shangri La - why is it there?

I love The Diner, as it has a great feel, and a brilliantly diverse selection of music, but this year I realised that by the time I have battled through the banging, full on crowds of Shangri La, it is just never going to happen for me again.

I really wish it was somewhere else in the festival where I could actually go to it and enjoy it.

[Matt42]

Think there is a fine line between crowded and unsafe, just because it's rammed doesn't mean it's technically unsafe!

 

Pretty sure Jamie T filled the other stage capacity, people stood all the way by the food stalls.

 

On the flipside, Vaccines got a tiny crowd.. should of been headlining the JP that night instead...

[Pinhead]

Although I thought Dreadzone smashed it on the Avalon Stage, I can't help thinking that the Glade PA would have been better for them. Certainly showed its weight at Alabama 3.

[Gnomicide]

Think there is a fine line between crowded and unsafe, just because it's rammed doesn't mean it's technically unsafe!

 

Pretty sure Jamie T filled the other stage capacity, people stood all the way by the food stalls.

 

On the flipside, Vaccines got a tiny crowd.. should of been headlining the JP that night instead...

 

Love the new avatar Matt. Whose the young kid in the picture with you?

[5co77ie]

Although I thought Dreadzone smashed it on the Avalon Stage, I can't help thinking that the Glade PA would have been better for them. Certainly showed its weight at Alabama 3.

oh wow didn't it just? Gig of the weekend for me

[Matt42]

Love the new avatar Matt. Whose the young kid in the picture with you?

Paha what a twist that Matt 42 is actually the Michael Eavis himself

[Pinhead]

oh wow didn't it just? Gig of the weekend for me

 

Danced my little ass off. Deaf in one ear now though due to proximity to speaker stack...

[fatyeti24]

Paha what a twist that Matt 42 is actually the Michael Eavis himself

[nu-marc88]

A fairly contradictory post I feel.

He shouldn't be playing, but there was a massive crush because so many people wanted to see him?

Yep the Glastonbury sheep were out in force. Oooo instagramers here's me at Fatboy slim.

Olivia lets get a selfie at Fatboy for Facebook.

I bet only a quarter of the crowd were really there for the music.

[LostRiot]

Really? I walked to front halfway through and got within 5 rows of the barrier without having to push past anyone.

 

Interesting, I swear this is why its impossible to gauge the size of glasto crowds. I went down after Jamie xx finished on the park so was pretty late. When we got to the field the area around the flags was full and people were standing on the benches so we headed down the side (people were standing on and past the path) a bit and moved across to just after the sound desk. I guess it wasn't full squash rammed, there was room to dance, but the entire field was full, which I haven't often seen at west holts. Swear its usually contained by the paths and sort of stops as the flags start. - Although actually thinking about it, I haven't turned up late to that stage before, so actually I don't really know.   

[Matt42]

 

Seeing that always reminds me of this

 

[sheffieldlady]

Paha what a twist that Matt 42 is actually the Michael Eavis himself

Loving the plot twist!!