Lowlands 2016

[pryce]

Hi all

 

Anyone with any tips for this festival? Thinking of going this year.

 

Main Stage in a tent? is it big enough? thats my first question!

 

 

very good lineup though so it has tempted me away from a 3rd Pukkelpop

[DDave]

Can't help on this one but never knew the main stage wasn't outdoors. Well odd.

[JumboJack]

Hi, I'm also thinking about Lowlands for this summer (last year went to Sziget).

As far as I know all stages are under big tents, and there is no proper Main Stage like other festivals, but only one that is a bit bigger than the others, called "alpha stage". There should be 12 stages in total, divided in 3 areas, plus 7 camping areas. I have read somewhere that organization is perfect, and bands don't clash (I don't know if it's true or how they manage that). 

If anyone can give some tips I'll take it

[Semprini]

I haven't been to Lowlands but I know a few people that have. Yes, all the stages are tents and Alpha is considered the 'Main' one, although there is another of a similar size that has a lot of big bands too (can't remember what it's called but they are all named after the phonetic alphabet - possibly Bravo?). Bands on these two stages do not clash (as soon as one finishes another starts) but there are obviously clashes across all the other stages. Although the headliners usually finish around 1am, the music carries on until 5am with DJs playing in 3/4 of the tents. They have themed nights in Alpha (80's, Britpop etc) and some excellent dance DJs in the others (there's usually a DnB night, a techno one and another for house/electro). The late night programming is really good and well worth checking out if you're into dance music.

Aside from the music, they offer a lot of art, poetry, theatre, comedy and film. It's nowhere near the scale of somewhere like Glastonbury but they put a lot of effort into making it an experience, as opposed to just a big gig with different stages for the music. There's a pretty sizeable theme park next door that I visited about 15 years ago. It was called Six Flags then but it's Walibi World now. There used to be an option to pay a bit extra on top of your festival ticket and you could use the theme park as well but I don't know if they still offer that? 

From what I've been told, the vibe is pretty laid back and camping is fairly close to the arena itself. I did read that they don't open the campsite until 4pm the day before (Thursday) which some people found to be an issue but not sure if that's still the case? It's a good hour on the train from Amsterdam but many Brits spend time there before and/or after the festival, which is never a bad thing! It used to sell out really quickly (sometimes on the day tickets were released) but that hasn't happened for a few years now. If there was some reason why I couldn't go to Pukkelpop one year then I'd definitely do Lowlands instead. I did look at it the very first year we went to PKP but decided not to as there's no hotel options nearby.

[pryce]

one thing that is swaying me is that posh camping is pretty cheap compared to other festivals meaning i can fly easily

 

thanks for the help though!

[JumboJack]

Thank you for the tips. Do you know anything about the food/beer prices? I've been in Holland a couple times and the prices were crazy, I'm afraid that the festival will be even worse on this side.

And also, does anyone know if the lineup is complete or they still have names to release? 

[pryce]

they still have names to release ...no idea on beer/food prices although i think its on the pricey side ...same with most festivals that dont use a cash based system

[asneddon91]

Went to Lowlands last year. Memory is pretty sketchy on prices, but I remember it being quite cheap.

Stages are in tents but after seeing Kendrick & Major Lazer + a few others on the main stage I can say there weren't too many issues. They have barriers set up at the main stage about a third from the front, so skirting around the tent to the front on either side means you can bypass everyone & get quite close. Its a pretty well set out festival. DJs typically play until 0600-0700 at a few of the stages, with the main stage usually wrapped up by 0100.

As far as prices go, it uses a token system which is easy enough to get. From memory a 6 pack of small Heineken cans from the festival store cost about 5 tokens. They put out an offical Lowlands can for the festival. If memory serves me right, inside the festival area, beers cost 3 tokens, cocktails were about 5 tokens and you got about the same amount of tokens as you did for the euros you spent. So 10 euros would get you 10 tokens. Also food was quite cheap from the festival store.

The festival has a free shuttle that takes you to and from the town centre where you can bulk buy drinks & food anyway, and security was pretty lax checking you on the way in to the festival site. Just don't hold it in your hand. Checking into the campsite was non existent. I walked in early friday morning with a shopping bag full of drinks and wasn't looked at. 

I think from memory, £400 did me and a friend for all three days pretty comfortably, and we went pretty hard too. DIdnt really budget.

[JumboJack]

1 hour ago, asneddon91 said:

As far as prices go, it uses a token system which is easy enough to get. From memory a 6 pack of small Heineken cans from the festival store cost about 5 tokens. They put out an offical Lowlands can for the festival. If memory serves me right, inside the festival area, beers cost 3 tokens, cocktails were about 5 tokens and you got about the same amount of tokens as you did for the euros you spent. So 10 euros would get you 10 tokens. Also food was quite cheap from the festival store.

Are you sure? I have read somewhere that 1 tokes is about 2.5€, so it would mean that a beer is 7.5 euros and cocktails 12.5 euros. It would be far over my budget

[neontiger8]

Mostly a beer is 1 token so €2,50-€3,-. I've never been to Lowlands myself but I can't imagine it would be three times as expensive as Pinkpop, Best Kept Secret or Rock Werchter.

[nelnontwisa]

I went last year, spent around €220 I believe. Don't remember exactly. But I did buy pretty much everything I wanted to buy, wasn't on budget or anything. Festivals are always expensive, but definitely no beers for €7,50. Like the guy above me said, more like €3,-.  

[BigPapi]

Hey.. Wifey and I have booked up for this year! 

Gone for the posh camping for obvious reasons but just shouting out for any more info about anything to do with Lowlands if anyone got anything to share.

Much love.

[Pline75]

Does anyone know if there are still shuttle buses from Lelystad? Website says Droten, info here says Lelystad

[BigPapi]

There are shuttle buses from both 

If you go on twitter and ask question on the Lowlands English account they are great at getting back with answers.

[bss444]

Hi everyone. 

I'm thinking of going to Lowlands this year. It is my first festival. Can anyone give me some information?

How the tokens sistem works?

Is there any possibility to have electricity in the camping site?

What can i find to eat at the festival? there are eating sites only in the festival or also in the camping site?

 

Thank you all and sorry, i'm a little inexperienced.

 

[rickholland]

21 hours ago, bss444 said:

Hi everyone. 

I'm thinking of going to Lowlands this year. It is my first festival. Can anyone give me some information?

How the tokens sistem works?

Is there any possibility to have electricity in the camping site?

What can i find to eat at the festival? there are eating sites only in the festival or also in the camping site?

 

Thank you all and sorry, i'm a little inexperienced.

 

Hi Bss44,

I was following this topic and i can easily answer your questions. I am from The Netherlands and this year is my third time lowlands.

The token system is easy, you can buy coins for €2.60/€2.70 per unit. A beer is one coin. On the camping site their is no electricity. You can get food both on the camp and at the festival.

   

 

[Mr. luiguibangbang]

47 minutes ago, rickholland said:

Hi Bss44,

I was following this topic and i can easily answer your questions. I am from The Netherlands and this year is my third time lowlands.

The token system is easy, you can buy coins for €2.60/€2.70 per unit. A beer is one coin. On the camping site their is no electricity. You can get food both on the camp and at the festival.

  

 

Going as well this year! First time in Lowlands.

How harsh is the camping control? Are we allowed to take beers, alcohol, grill equipment etc. In their web page it doesn't says anything.

[rickholland]

On 21-7-2016 at 11:43 AM, Mr. luiguibangbang said:

Going as well this year! First time in Lowlands.

How harsh is the camping control? Are we allowed to take beers, alcohol, grill equipment etc. In their web page it doesn't says anything.

You can take your own beers with you(max 24 cans), also grill equipment. Next wednesday they release all the information about the festival and the timetable. 

[pryce]

which would be the best train station to arrive at from Amsterdam airport?

 

thanks

[Trufflehound]

On 25/07/2016 at 2:19 PM, pryce said:

which would be the best train station to arrive at from Amsterdam airport?

 

thanks

Get one of the 4 direct trains an hour from Schiphol to Lelystad Centrum (two are fast intercity's taking 45 mins, two are slow trains that stop everywhere and take longer). There's a shuttle bus from Lelystad station to the festival.

NB That's assuming you arrive on Thursday, or Friday before 22.00. Apparently there's engineering work on the line after 22.00 Friday, so after that time you'd have to get a train to Zwolle, then change onto a train to Dronten, from where there are also shuttle buses to the festival. Looks like on the return trip you'd also have to go back via Dronten/Zwolle as the engineering works are continuing until the following Friday...

Edited July 27, 2016 by Trufflehound

[pryce]

cheers for that

 

now for the hard stuff

LCD Soundsystem and Last  Shadow Puppets vs James Blake, Katyraanda, Foals and Thee Oh Sees

Muse Vs Biffy Clyro

Disclosure vs M83

Anderson. Paak vs Local Natives

 

Some tough clashes

[rickholland]

3 hours ago, pryce said:

cheers for that

 

now for the hard stuff

LCD Soundsystem and Last  Shadow Puppets vs James Blake, Katyraanda, Foals and Thee Oh Sees

Muse Vs Biffy Clyro

Disclosure vs M83

Anderson. Paak vs Local Natives

 

Some tough clashes

pfff.. indeed some heavy clashes. Also important to know is that a walk from Bravo to Alpha is around 15 minutes.

[pryce]

1 hour ago, rickholland said:

pfff.. indeed some heavy clashes. Also important to know is that a walk from Bravo to Alpha is around 15 minutes.

ive factored that into my planning

5-10 mins for Heiniken to Alpha?

 

 

[rickholland]

21 hours ago, pryce said:

ive factored that into my planning

5-10 mins for Heiniken to Alpha?

 

 

Yes, it's between 5-10 mins. 

[BigPapi]

Due to unforseen circumstance, me and wifey will be unable to attend Lowlands.

We have a 4 person Sahara tent in the Gllamcamp section we need to sell. €520 face value could possibly take a little less. Just need to email the change of name to Gllamcamp and recieve email to print off ticket.

 

Cheers