Put Thursday night live bands on bigger stage?

[Alan_C]

I've seen loads of people say that Williams Green is ridiculous for getting in on the Thursday for the live bands. Would it not be a better idea to change the stage for the Thursday? Maybe John Peel or West Holts?

[stuartbert two hats]

I don't think they're licenced

[Rose-Colored Boy]

Just having a second tent doing the same thing alongside William's Green would surely do the trick.

[Mash011]

Honestly I feel like how packed that gets has been a bit exaggerated, I was there for Drenge and Wolf Alice and didn't find it that bad. Maybe it sucks for some people who can't deal with a bit of a squash, that's understandable but I think it was neat to see those bands playing on a smaller stage. Certainly a better atmosphere in there than I found in John Peel, imo.

[FuzzyDunlop]

Just having a second tent doing the same thing alongside William's Green would surely do the trick.

This. Shangri Hell stage maybe

[Rose-Colored Boy]

This. Shangri Hell stage maybe

Opening Shangri La earlier on Thursday so people can have a wander around before the crowds set in would be a good idea anyway, so I'm all for that.

[Keithy]

Interestingly*, the licence has yet to be released under a FOI request

 

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/glastonbury_festivals_premises_l

 

Certainly opening up JP stage would spread the crowds a bit but don't think it can happen

 

 

 

* I use that word loosely.

[Keithy]

There's some info here on the license

 

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/215792/response/536945/attach/7/355%20Response%20Three.pdf

 

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/215792/response/536945/attach/6/355%20Response%20Two.pdf

Edited July 2, 2015 by Keithy

[Northernsoul45]

The Wow stage on the Thursday was yet again (from my visit in 2013) too small to host the djs they had on there when there is less other options on site.

[Mezhyp1]

I agree if they opened Shagri La on the Thursday and had some music on Hell Stage it would make a big difference, they shouldn't open up any of the main stages anyway, that wouldn't be the same

[incident]

I agree if they opened Shagri La on the Thursday and had some music on Hell Stage it would make a big difference, they shouldn't open up any of the main stages anyway, that wouldn't be the same

But Shangri-La was open on Thurday, and they did have music on the Hell Stage?

[ghostdancer1]

The Wow stage on the Thursday was yet again (from my visit in 2013) too small to host the djs they had on there when there is less other options on site.

 

gave it a miss for this reason, heard it was absolute mayhem.

they really need to hire a larger tent for Wow as there were many acts throughout the weekend that packed it out and had hundreds, if not thousands outside. the lack of a proper indoor tent in Silver Hayes for house/techno acts these days is daft.

[Mezhyp1]

But Shangri-La was open on Thurday, and they did have music on the Hell Stage?

Opened it earlier on, so acts could play to clash with Williams Green, is what I meant

[eFestivals]

I don't think they're licenced

 

Correct.

 

From my attendance at licence hearings I reckon it's very unlikely they'll ever be permitted to have bands on the major stages before the Friday.

[DeanoL]

Opened it earlier on, so acts could play to clash with Williams Green, is what I meant

Hell Stage started live music at 8pm on the Thursday, half an hour before the first live band slot at Williams Green.

It's not the size of the venue but the volume levels anyway. Hell was a lot quieter on the Thursday than the rest of the weekend. They could probably wing having acts on the Other stage or even Pyramid, but it'd be pointless as they'd not be able to go above a volume you could hear beyond an area about the size of WG anyway...

[ClementsMike]

Honestly I feel like how packed that gets has been a bit exaggerated, I was there for Drenge and Wolf Alice and didn't find it that bad. Maybe it sucks for some people who can't deal with a bit of a squash, that's understandable but I think it was neat to see those bands playing on a smaller stage. Certainly a better atmosphere in there than I found in John Peel, imo.

 

Same here, it was busy but not that bad. Given the buzz about Wolfalice and the certainty that it was them in the TBA slot I expected much much worse.

[RossTC]

I think the last two years at WG have bordered on dangerous, both years ive tried and got nowhere near the tent and still been very uncomfortable. This year i didnt even stay i left and went for a wonder elsewhere which was a shame as i was keen to see Wolf Alice. 

[TomWales]

Honestly I feel like how packed that gets has been a bit exaggerated, I was there for Drenge and Wolf Alice and didn't find it that bad. Maybe it sucks for some people who can't deal with a bit of a squash, that's understandable but I think it was neat to see those bands playing on a smaller stage. Certainly a better atmosphere in there than I found in John Peel, imo.

 

We got there for Wolf Alice about 1-2 songs in to their set and couldn't even get in the tent, and you can't hear anything properly outside.

[kingcrawler]

I didn't think last year in Williams Green was too bad. We were at the back of the tent for most of The 1975 and had a decent amount of room around us, moved further forward for Metronomy where it was busier but not dangerously so. This year was a bit more dodgy, especially when loads of people pushed in at the same time halfway through Drenge.

[hfuhruhurr]

Couldn't get near the tent for Drenge - eventually wriggled just inside but it was a crush.

On the way out peeps were getting pushed hard and upset - mentioned this to a steward "why not open up the sides?" and she said I wasn't the first to ask and that it was up to the venue managers - they'd been asking for the same.

 

My daughter was at the front, squished and couldn't get out.

 

It was a bit of a fuck about.

[Lubic]

There were a lot of people waiting outside while Drenge were on. Managed to squeeze in for Wolf Alice during the changeover

[GlastoSimon]

As it was put on the night, the only reason WG gets rammed is cos there's nowt else on. Wolf Alice was pretty difficult to get a place for, even after getting to the tent before the end of Drenge. However, when I watched the Vaccines play a secret set there in 2013 on one of the 'music days' (to my surprise it was actually alright in there) it was busy but not rammed. And you'd imagine the Vaccines would have been a bigger draw. 

[CraigyLee]

It's getting into the tent that Is the problem once I was in for Drenge and Wolf Alice we had a canny bit room tbh

[Bradders]

That Vaccines set on WG in 2013 wasn't even a secret IIRC. Definitely could do with there being more than one place with some relatively well known bands on. Hell seems to be the best option.

[Staff_Sav]

That Vaccines set on WG in 2013 wasn't even a secret IIRC. Definitely could do with there being more than one place with some relatively well known bands on. Hell seems to be the best option.

I thought that was the point when the whole of Williams green was full that year? Took about 20 mins to walk through the bottle neck towards West Holts direction cos of the sheer volumes of people