Common misconceptions about Glasto from people who haven't been?

[SteveTLizard]

Back in my younger days it was, toilets, mud and drugged up hippies that got work colleagues and family in a flap.

Now it's: -

Them .... "Aren't you a bit old to be going to Glastonbury"

Me ........ "I didn't know there was an age limit on fun"

I don't understand the idea that you somehow morph into a miserable old git as soon you turn 40.

[The Placid Casual]

43 minutes ago, H.M.V said:

Not just that but still goes back for his victuals. Crying laughing

I'm surprised the butcher lets him back in.

 

IF the story isn't complete bullshit anyway.

[alien]

Most people I speak to don't seem to realise how much larger the site is and how much more there is on offer than whats televised.

And then they think I'm boasting when I try to explain how much there actually is.

Its like finding gold, wanting to share it with people, and having them resent you for it. Madness.

[cammie81]

1 hour ago, SteveTLizard said:

But likewise I've never noticed any stench issues on mass, sure the occasional babywipe/deodorant phobic cheesy quaver, but few and far between.

The only time I notice is when the Sunday local ticket holders go by and I think, what's that smell. Oh, it's cleanliness. 

[MetaKate]

42 minutes ago, Room to sway said:

This weekend I met up with a guy I've known most of my adult life and I'm going to my 8th Glastonbury this year (I think). (I mean I think it's my 8th not that I think I'm going).

Ever year it's the same response - "It's full of fucking hippies". Like, even if that were true... so what? I always say there are a few but he just shakes his head. Obviously he'd know better than me. It's full of 'em. Those bastards.

This guy has three kids. Imagine him telling me he's having another one and all I say back is "What's the fucking point they just shit everywhere and take up all your money and take over your life, there's no point".

c**t*

To be fair, he would hate it if he went but that's fair enough, it's just the kind of person he is.

 

I've had, from a few people, "I'll just put a tent in my back garden and get someone to pour water over it constantly while listening to it on the radio" ... OK pal that's 100% the same experience, I am such a mug for throwing my money away.

I've also had a slightly patronising "It's great you've never grown up" from a relative with kids. I'm single with no kids and I'm 39 (I turn 40 a month after Glasto I CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT) but apparently wanting to let go and enoy yourself for five days means you've never grown up???

* Nah he's alright.

1.I can't imagine it being the same without the hippies. I love the hippies. Drugs love and music, I'd take them over most people any day.  

2. My friends call me Peter Pan.  I think they're just jealous I don't have to change diapers and pay a mortgage, and I have the disposable income to get get off my face in a feild for 5 days.

Edit: Why is it okay to make patronizing judgemental statements about lifestyles that are not the status quo. Imagine if we started the opposite? "Oh, I think it's great you've decided to have no freedom for at least the next 18 years." 

Edited May 8, 2017 by MetaKate

[Room to sway]

7 minutes ago, MetaKate said:

1.I can't imagine it being the same without the hippies. I love the hippies. Drugs love and music, I'd take them over most people any day.  

2. My friends call me Peter Pan.  I think they're just jealous I don't have to change diapers and pay a mortgage, and I have the disposable income to get get off my face in a feild for 5 days.

Edit: Why is it okay to make patronizing judgemental statements about lifestyles that are not the status quo. Imagine if we started the opposite? "Oh, I think it's great you've decided to have no freedom for at least the next 18 years." 

I realise I'm agreeing with you agreeing with me but... yeah you're bang on

It's the inclusiveness that makes it special - the very opposite of the attitude of "other kinds of people". There's just people.

Sometimes I think the negative peoples' lives are so full of things they don't really want to do that the idea of doing something that has more downsides seems so totally awful to them? I dunno.

I have a mortgage but I've literally never actually wanted kids... it's not like it's a choice I made. Thankfully I've never been subjected to pressure from family / friends to fit into that mould so I do find it slightly weird.

But yeah each to their own, it's the utter bemusement towards wanting to go to Glastonbury that I don't get.

[Mr.Tease]

2 hours ago, Room to sway said:

This weekend I met up with a guy I've known most of my adult life and I'm going to my 8th Glastonbury this year (I think). (I mean I think it's my 8th not that I think I'm going).

Ever year it's the same response - "It's full of fucking hippies". Like, even if that were true... so what? I always say there are a few but he just shakes his head. Obviously he'd know better than me. It's full of 'em. Those bastards.

This guy has three kids. Imagine him telling me he's having another one and all I say back is "What's the fucking point they just shit everywhere and take up all your money and take over your life, there's no point".

c**t*

To be fair, he would hate it if he went but that's fair enough, it's just the kind of person he is.

 

I've had, from a few people, "I'll just put a tent in my back garden and get someone to pour water over it constantly while listening to it on the radio" ... OK pal that's 100% the same experience, I am such a mug for throwing my money away.

I've also had a slightly patronising "It's great you've never grown up" from a relative with kids. I'm single with no kids and I'm 39 (I turn 40 a month after Glasto I CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT) but apparently wanting to let go and enoy yourself for five days means you've never grown up???

* Nah he's alright.

I do like your description of children 

Edited May 8, 2017 by Mr.Tease

[Penrhos]

Glastonbury was always on my bucket list but having a "glass" back and "responsibilities" meant I was doomed to watching it on the TV and going to Gigs or festivals where you could leave and stay in a cheap B&B for the night...

Then I came into some money, paid off the mortgage and all our debts. My son left home and got married (Finally) so there was just me and the missus left, we did some research and discovered the camper van fields - that was 2010, not missed one since, hired a camper van the first couple of times then bought a tatty but working VW T2 and we used that (which is stuck at home this year as I'm going Solo and camping).

BTW : how long has there been proper camper van fields - as that's how many I've missed I probably could have done?

My parents, Son & his wife think we're mad and me more so....

"We could go on holiday for that!"

"Why put yourself through all that mud for a few bands"

"Watch it on TV - you'll see more".

"I can't see the point it's just noise and filth".

And my favorites this year (because I'm going Solo).

"They'll find you dead in a tent on Monday"  from my Son - I think he's after his inheritance. 

"I can't believe your going without me and camping" from the wife who said she wouldn't camp and said "NO" when asked if she wanted a ticket when I had the resale booking page up on screen in front of her.

[Room to sway]

5 minutes ago, Mr.Tease said:

I do like your description of children 

Hey I was pointing out only the negatives to make a point!

Usually I just think of them as little idiots. Oh you've got a twig have you? Fuck me that's new.

[stuartbert two hats]

4 minutes ago, Penrhos said:

 

BTW : how long has there been proper camper van fields - as that's how many I've missed I probably could have done?

 

Decades.  I'm not sure exactly when the fields were introduced, but they've been around as long as I've been going and that's 20 years.

Edited May 8, 2017 by stuartbert two hats

[Yokel Again]

5 hours ago, miffmiffy said:

I find attitudes are vastly different now to what they were when I first started going.

When I went to my first in 2000, the very same people (family mainly) who looked at me utterly aghast are the ones who now say its on some sort of bucket list for them.

I think toilets and wet wipe washes are the main thing they struggle to get their noggins around.

I'd agree with this. 

Most people I speak to these days say 'I'd love to to one day' rather than 'how could you .....'.

 

[CaledonianGonzo]

No one at my work believes me when I tell them that it isn't just full of people chanting 'NFR NFC' at one another all day.

[Penrhos]

8 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

Decades.  I'm not sure exactly when the fields were introduced, but they've been around as long as I've been going and that's 20 years.

Bugger - that means I've missed a couple of dry ones....

Having said that it was a big ask for the wife to use a camper van - she normally insists on a hotel with 4 stars or better and we couldn't have afforded the tickets and hiring a camper van before 2009 as the mortgage was killing us..

Edited May 8, 2017 by Penrhos

[st dan]

"Mehhh ... Don't Coldplay headline there every year?"

 

 

 

 

... Its every three years actually I'll have them know! 

[Hugh Jass]

If you ever want to make yourself irrationally angry have a read of the comments section under any Guardian article to do with the festival.

It's just full of idiots who have clearly never been moaning about how posh/middle class/commercial/shit it has become.

[stuartbert two hats]

5 minutes ago, naughtygeorgie said:

All of the above

Plus the old ...how much? You could book on a package holiday for that! 

Yeah mate then I'd be stuck on a godawful package holiday  

 

I went on holiday last month.  No bands at all.  Rubbish.

[dentalplan]

1 minute ago, Hugh Jass said:

It's just full of idiots who have clearly never been moaning about how posh/middle class/commercial/shit it has become.

[Havors]

One preconception I may have is.... its cheaper for food and drink while there compared to the likes of V Fest, Leeds etc??

Last year a Carling was bascially £5 (the guinness stall vanished! fuckers!) A burger is roughly £7-8. 

Am I wrong?  

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

1 minute ago, Havors said:

One preconception I may have is.... its cheaper for food and drink while there compared to the likes of V Fest, Leeds etc??

Last year a Carling was bascially £5 (the guinness stall vanished! fuckers!) A burger is roughly £7-8. 

Am I wrong?  

I don't remember a pint being above the £5 mark anywhere at Glastonbury but it's definitely close, £4.80 something like that.

[Havors]

31 minutes ago, Penrhos said:

Glastonbury was always on my bucket list but having a "glass" back and "responsibilities" meant I was doomed to watching it on the TV and going to Gigs or festivals where you could leave and stay in a cheap B&B for the night...

Then I came into some money, paid off the mortgage and all our debts. My son left home and got married (Finally) so there was just me and the missus left, we did some research and discovered the camper van fields - that was 2010, not missed one since, hired a camper van the first couple of times then bought a tatty but working VW T2 and we used that (which is stuck at home this year as I'm going Solo and camping).

BTW : how long has there been proper camper van fields - as that's how many I've missed I probably could have done?

My parents, Son & his wife think we're mad and me more so....

"We could go on holiday for that!"

"Why put yourself through all that mud for a few bands"

"Watch it on TV - you'll see more".

"I can't see the point it's just noise and filth".

And my favorites this year (because I'm going Solo).

"They'll find you dead in a tent on Monday"  from my Son - I think he's after his inheritance. 

"I can't believe your going without me and camping" from the wife who said she wouldn't camp and said "NO" when asked if she wanted a ticket when I had the resale booking page up on screen in front of her.

I couldnt go to a festival on my own, I wouldnt want to be "that" guy...

[Beerqueen]

My friends and family are remarkably understanding of me, a 54 year old woman, going to Glasto on my own. In fact it was my boss who told me to go for it when I realised that my friend 's reg number was wrong so I couldn't get a ticket for her and couldn't get in touch with her before the general resale.

But yeah the sheer scale and variety of stuff to do/see is the biggest misconception.

[Havors]

Just now, naughtygeorgie said:

Mate you'll not want a burger the food stalls are so varied & amazing...probably be around 7 or 8 quid but that'll be a plate full of food not a shity burger

Beer prices I can't help you with...cider is about a fiver or exactly a fiver but you can take as much of your own as you like so doesn't matter what the bars are charging 

Please for the love of all things festival never compare glasto to V, please I beg you

 

I just did! Deal with it sister! The prices are basically the same! hahaha!  

V used to be great... after 2013 it has died on its ass and become a Summer Pops festival like local radio stations host. Full of kids as well! 

[deebeedoobee]

6 hours ago, eFestivals said:

it's true all the same. If Michael puts on an odd one, he gets his ear bent for the next year about it, so he tries to avoid that happening.

Maybe from his other half or some village hoypaloy but not the people who actuly live in Pilton.  Trust me

[eviepeach]

5 hours ago, jparx said:

I have a friend who loves music festivals and would absolutely fall in love with Glastonbury, however she always says it's too big and busy for her. I went to NOS Alive last year with her and she loved it, although I actually found it much busier and more hassle than Glastonbury. Even though Glastonbury is a huge site, for me it never feels that big when you're there since each area has such a strong identity and unlike, say Download, you don't spend ages walking from your tent to the arena. It feels like a collection of smaller festivals rather than one mega event. The only time if ever feels like you're in a sea of 135,000 people is when you watch a Pyramid headliner.

So I guess the "busyness" is one of the big misconceptions I deal with. And the view that the lineup is pants based on three headliners.

One of the beauties of Glastonbury is that you can do it how you want it. I dislike large crowds and would much rather be sat down relaxing out of the crowds at the back as opposed to at the front getting squashed. Because the festival is so big you can have the best of both worlds- there are places to chill but there are also much busier, livelier areas too. It's difficult to convey that to someone who hasn't been before as they've probably just seen what's on the TV and newspapers.

[waterfalls212434]

2 minutes ago, eviepeach said:

One of the beauties of Glastonbury is that you can do it how you want it. I dislike large crowds and would much rather be sat down relaxing out of the crowds at the back as opposed to at the front getting squashed. Because the festival is so big you can have the best of both worlds- there are places to chill but there are also much busier, livelier areas too. It's difficult to convey that to someone who hasn't been before as they've probably just seen what's on the TV and newspapers.

thats one thing i missed from last year, I love going to the healing/green fields to relax and get out the crush for a bit....couldnt even get near it last year because of the mud