BST Hyde Park 2017

[PurpleH]

The map for Thursday seems to have been updated with the "capacity controlled" space. Good luck to everyone who's trying to get to the front!

[AndrewSmith]

Wristbands were so easy to get even with just general admission. Entered at about 3:30, straight into golden circle straight back out again.

No fuss with re-entering during Pixies.

Killers tomorrow and we have early entry so going to be even easier!

[JSmurphy]

Yeah I probably got into Hyde Park around 17:30 and me and five mates all got wristbands no problem - the sound was just about acceptable where we stood near the front so I imagine it must have been really quiet further back in the crowd. 

I'm fairly disappointed at the setlist - no Molly's Chambers, The End, Around The World, Conversation Piece. Pixies were good tho.

[phimill]

Map hasn't been updated for the Killers - seems as if the front is general free for all - are we sure there will be wristbands for the "golden circle/general admission" tomorrow?

[hpants]

Still stand by BST being the worst day festival there is and yesterday only furthered that. The focus is on the aesthetic not the functionality. Sound at Hyde Park is woeful which doesn't help. You'd have thought by this point and the years of struggling to sell out huge names they would have moved. That aside was slightly disappointed with Kings Of Leon. Think the crowd around me being exclusively made up of people on the lash waiting for sex on fire didn't help along with how bad the sound was where i was stood. As alluded to by others the setlist was also a bit of a let down and for £70 I felt a little hard done by. Oh and the audacity to charge £6 for a can of gin and tonic, I obviously understand the whole festival prices but its just a bit of a kick in the teeth for what it was, if it was an actual spirit-mixer in a cup which wasn't just pulled out of a fridge i would have had less of an issue with it even for the same price. 

[dentalplan]

I think by many accounts the sound and crowd division issues had improved since 2013/14. Seems they've just gone and undone it in an instant and it'll become a no-go area again.

Re: KOL, I think their sets on this festival tour have been heavily panned. My friends that saw them on the tour earlier this year also said what a waste of time and money it was. You've got to wonder how long they can keep wringing their select few hits out.

[willd255]

KOL have been changing up their sets quite a lot and I think last night's was pretty great for proper fans - Trani, King Of The Rodeo etc. I was surrounded by people that were big fans and it was great. The sound was shit but that's to be expected now at BST.

Re wristbands I arrived at around 6.30 - luckily my mate had managed to get me a wristband as the security weren't putting them on people but handing them out instead. Meant he collected some for friends arriving later. Someone else trying to get in at that time was being turned away

[Odessa]

36 minutes ago, willd255 said:

KOL have been changing up their sets quite a lot and I think last night's was pretty great for proper fans - Trani, King Of The Rodeo etc. I was surrounded by people that were big fans and it was great. The sound was shit but that's to be expected now at BST.

Re wristbands I arrived at around 6.30 - luckily my mate had managed to get me a wristband as the security weren't putting them on people but handing them out instead. Meant he collected some for friends arriving later. Someone else trying to get in at that time was being turned away

Sounds like a complete farce of a system, that. Not knocking your mate at all for playing their game and I'm glad you got to the front, but that really shouldn't have happened I'm sure you'll agree.

I'm assuming there will be a fair few more people there tomorrow, but if people were getting wristbands at 5:30 yesterday then I'm bound to be ok at about half 1. Provided National Express actually get to places on time, I have no idea as I've not used them before.

[dan08]

Sounds like it's quite simple to get wristbands. Not much need to queue early then.

[willd255]

33 minutes ago, Odessa said:

Sounds like a complete farce of a system, that. Not knocking your mate at all for playing their game and I'm glad you got to the front, but that really shouldn't have happened I'm sure you'll agree.

I'm assuming there will be a fair few more people there tomorrow, but if people were getting wristbands at 5:30 yesterday then I'm bound to be ok at about half 1. Provided National Express actually get to places on time, I have no idea as I've not used them before.

Totally agree. Glad he took advantage of it from a personal point of view but if I'd been there earlier and was turned down would have been fuming. What makes it worse too is that the 'pit' is actually enormous as well and they don't fill it. There was plenty of space and the back of the pit was very far back from the stage, meaning those without a wristband and in normal general admission were miles away. 

Last night and The Strokes are the only shows I've enjoyed there, both in the pit. Thought Arcade Fire were awful there when I was miles away, makes a huge difference.

 

[Odessa]

1 minute ago, willd255 said:

Totally agree. Glad he took advantage of it from a personal point of view but if I'd been there earlier and was turned down would have been fuming. What makes it worse too is that the 'pit' is actually enormous as well and they don't fill it. There was plenty of space and the back of the pit was very far back from the stage, meaning those without a wristband and in normal general admission were miles away. 

Last night and The Strokes are the only shows I've enjoyed there, both in the pit. Thought Arcade Fire were awful there when I was miles away, makes a huge difference.

The people I feel the most sorry for are those who are unaware of the system who will be there all day, but chill further back for the first few acts and then head to the front later on only to be turned away. I'm legging it straight to the front as soon as I get there for The Strypes, I don't care that they're absolutely dire haha.

I really wanted to go down for that Strokes gig but it was bang in the middle of my A levels which was a shame. That video of Alex Turner and Miles Kane in the crowd was cool.

[Abingdon]

Where do you you have to go to get the wristbands?

[RaphPH]

Managed to get into the front section without a wristband at 8pm last night just by being patient and relying on people who didn't need theirs...

 

Also the setlist was excellent - best I've seen KoL and really good if you are a fan.

 

[CajunMoon]

Never been to this BST before but am appalled to learn that for Tom Petty on Sunday (which I'm attending) they have TWO exclusive areas at the front of the stage, no wristband policy – at least you guys have had the option to get there early and be near the front. Unless I want to upgrade mine and my wife's GA ticket at an EXTRA cost of either £380 (very front pit) or £120 (second level pit) then it seems we're going to be stuck in the main area with restricted views and crap sound... Has really taken the shine off what was supposed to be a great day away without the kids, so to get anywhere near the front of the GA area we'll have to get there early and spend all day buying overpriced drinks/food and miss the rest of the festival around us in case we lose our spot. Not even got there and already feeling full on fleeced! I can only assume the reason they have done this (as for Phil Collins) is by general the crowd on the day will be older and they (by assumption) will have more money to waste. What a farce!

Edited July 7, 2017 by CajunMoon

[dan08]

How many rows of people can fit in the front/wristband section?

[RaphPH]

56 minutes ago, CajunMoon said:

Never been to this BST before but am appalled to learn that for Tom Petty on Sunday (which I'm attending) they have TWO exclusive areas at the front of the stage, no wristband policy – at least you guys have had the option to get there early and be near the front. Unless I want to upgrade mine and my wife's GA ticket at an EXTRA cost of either £380 (very front pit) or £120 (second level pit) then it seems we're going to be stuck in the main area with restricted views and crap sound... Has really taken the shine off what was supposed to be a great day away without the kids, so to get anywhere near the front of the GA area we'll have to get there early and spend all day buying overpriced drinks/food and miss the rest of the festival around us in case we lose our spot. Not even got there and already feeling full on fleeced! I can only assume the reason they have done this (as for Phil Collins) is by general the crowd on the day will be older and they (by assumption) will have more money to waste. What a farce!

They have done this every year - for Rolling Stones / Carole King / Stevie Wonder / Kylie / Neil Young etc - definitely for those as I had the Premium view tickets which got me into the front..

 

What I will say is that there is so much entitlement at Hyde Park. People think they can sit down with their blankets and kick off if you stand on their blankets or block their view. I think they think it's Party In The Park. I tell myself no more Hyde Park gigs every year....

[CajunMoon]

36 minutes ago, RaphPH said:

They have done this every year - for Rolling Stones / Carole King / Stevie Wonder / Kylie / Neil Young etc - definitely for those as I had the Premium view tickets which got me into the front..

 

What I will say is that there is so much entitlement at Hyde Park. People think they can sit down with their blankets and kick off if you stand on their blankets or block their view. I think they think it's Party In The Park. I tell myself no more Hyde Park gigs every year....

Does the GA barrier in the golden oldies layout go past the first sound desks or sit behind them?

TBH I had already resigned myself to the fact I must be a failure in life because I can't afford the extra fleecing of the front pit tickets and therefore don't deserve to be there (especially as travel from Manchester and hotel have to be factored in). However what is really bothering me is hearing how bad the sound is outside of the exclusive areas which implies I also won't hear Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers properly let alone see them. When I booked the tickets I had wrongly assumed the exclusive Gold and Dimond tickets just mean't extra private bar access maybe a view from a throne on a plinth at the side not the whole front of the stage area! 

[hpants]

3 hours ago, willd255 said:

Totally agree. Glad he took advantage of it from a personal point of view but if I'd been there earlier and was turned down would have been fuming. What makes it worse too is that the 'pit' is actually enormous as well and they don't fill it. There was plenty of space and the back of the pit was very far back from the stage, meaning those without a wristband and in normal general admission were miles away. 

Last night and The Strokes are the only shows I've enjoyed there, both in the pit. Thought Arcade Fire were awful there when I was miles away, makes a huge difference.

 

For Arcade fire I was very close and for me it goes down as one of the best gigs i've ever been to - and i'm not even that great a fan. I remember kinda of just sauntering up to the stage as Jake Bugg came on and it was much more relaxed than it was yesterday and in general made the day better. 

[Diamond24]

I had a great time at Kings of Leon yesterday. Arrived at about 5pm and got myself a wristband. I then got a bit merry down at the cocktail bar and then arrived back for Kings of Leon and loved it. I do agree that the system was a bit unfair, I did see individuals grabbing 3 or 4 wristbands at a time. They shouldn't be allowed to do it. Being in that front pit really made all the difference though. I was miles away for Mumford last year and didn't really enjoy it.

Also managed to meet up with someone whilst in London today who had a spare ticket for the killers, so I'll be back tomorrow! 

[Mash011]

5 hours ago, dentalplan said:

I think by many accounts the sound and crowd division issues had improved since 2013/14. Seems they've just gone and undone it in an instant and it'll become a no-go area again.

I imagine the sound is relatively unchanged, it's just that people are getting shut out of the front area where the decent sound is and having to deal with how atrocious it is further back - or at least that's how it was for me. Green Day was fairly bad, and we positioned ourselves right by a sound tower, but Hives was atrocious. Yes, I'm still not over that.

Sounds like people were being given bands much later yesterday so either they've upped the capacity or people are less fussed about KoL (quite understandably). Did the pit have miles of empty space further back?

[Rose-Colored Boy]

Tom Petty sold out too, now. Feels like it's sold a lot better overall this year, fair play.

[Diamond24]

24 minutes ago, Mash011 said:

I imagine the sound is relatively unchanged, it's just that people are getting shut out of the front area where the decent sound is and having to deal with how atrocious it is further back - or at least that's how it was for me. Green Day was fairly bad, and we positioned ourselves right by a sound tower, but Hives was atrocious. Yes, I'm still not over that.

Sounds like people were being given bands much later yesterday so either they've upped the capacity or people are less fussed about KoL (quite understandably). Did the pit have miles of empty space further back?

Gates opened at 3pm for Kings of Leon  which I believe is quite a bit later than the other days? So have to bare that in mind. I was only at the main stage for Kings of Leon and there wasn't loads of empty space at the back. It was full but there was a bit of room to move around, everyone wasn't jammed in.

[Mash011]

9 minutes ago, Diamond24 said:

Gates opened at 3pm for Kings of Leon  which I believe is quite a bit later than the other days? So have to bare that in mind. I was only at the main stage for Kings of Leon and there wasn't loads of empty space at the back. It was full but there was a bit of room to move around, everyone wasn't jammed in.

Ah that makes sense... perhaps a combination of the two, then. From what I could see there was a big empty space at the back of Green Day's pit.

[RaphPH]

Also here are some (lo-rez) photos from last night

[zahidf]

How intensive/long were the searches to get in?