57 replies to this topic

[mygosh]

Larmer Tree looks like they've really pushed the boat out this year for their 18th birthday ...The Levellers, Bellowhead, Eric Bibb, Orchestra Baobab, Tinariwen, Seth Lakeman and Taraf de Haidouks plus loads of my favourite acts. Mark Almond singing with Jools Holland ....that sounds intriguing!!

I see they only have 149 weekend tickets so I've just got mine!!

[Abstrakt]

mygosh, on Apr 7 2008, 02:50 PM, said:

Larmer Tree looks like they've really pushed the boat out this year for their 18th birthday ...The Levellers, Bellowhead, Eric Bibb, Orchestra Baobab, Tinariwen, Seth Lakeman and Taraf de Haidouks plus loads of my favourite acts. Mark Almond singing with Jools Holland ....that sounds intriguing!!

I see they only have 149 weekend tickets so I've just got mine!!

Congrats! I got mine a couple of months ago- wicked line-up, as ever! Some exciting big names, but I'm really glad to see some of the smaller acts they've announced- the funkadelic Smerins Anti-Social Club   , The Martin Harley Band   and the always memorable Michael Wookey    Can't wait to be back!

[Swindlebiscuit]

Two new members with one post each bigging up the same festival? Hmmmmmm

Still, Larmer Trees looks like a good fest (is it organised by the same folks who do The End of the Road?)

[monxton]

Swindlebiscuit, on Apr 14 2008, 05:39 PM, said:

Two new members with one post each bigging up the same festival? Hmmmmmm

Still, Larmer Trees looks like a good fest (is it organised by the same folks who do The End of the Road?)

I know what you mean, but really, Larmer Tree is a good festival. Same site as EOTR, but the organisers are different.

The festival used to have its own forums, which were quite active, but the organisers closed them down (now where have I heard that recently?) , so I expect some lost Larmer Tree-ers will find their way here.

Edited by monxton, 17 April 2008 - 12:18 AM.

[madsue]

Well I was loathe to register and reply after Swindlebiscuits comment!  But..........my first time at Larmer Tree, and after searching and searching for a forum I have found one!!!!!

[Swindlebiscuit]

Gotta say - Orchestra Baobab and Tinariwen will be brilliant...

[madsue]

It's not so much about who is playing.....I'm going because of the line up.  But I have loads of questions which I can't find answers for on the official website.  Hope someone here can help me!  

I'm old, and live in Spain.  I'm travelling on foot/bus/train to the festival, after flying into Bristol, so obviously weight  is of the essence!  I see I will have to walk from a crossroads, after catching a bus!!  OK, fine.  Is there anywhere near I can buy food, or will I be relying on the festival site for this.  Is the camping actually on site, or do I need to carry everything for the day with me?  Is there a "better" place to camp, bearing in mind I am on my own?  I'm sure this is too many questions, but the only Festival I usually attend is Cambridge, and this year I want to be the ageing hippy before time runs out!!!  Oh, and off topic, I will go on to Trowbridge after

[Swindlebiscuit]

madsue, on Apr 19 2008, 08:12 PM, said:

It's not so much about who is playing.....I'm going because of the line up.  But I have loads of questions which I can't find answers for on the official website.  Hope someone here can help me!  

I'm old, and live in Spain.  I'm travelling on foot/bus/train to the festival, after flying into Bristol, so obviously weight  is of the essence!  I see I will have to walk from a crossroads, after catching a bus!!  OK, fine.  Is there anywhere near I can buy food, or will I be relying on the festival site for this.  Is the camping actually on site, or do I need to carry everything for the day with me?  Is there a "better" place to camp, bearing in mind I am on my own?  I'm sure this is too many questions, but the only Festival I usually attend is Cambridge, and this year I want to be the ageing hippy before time runs out!!!  Oh, and off topic, I will go on to Trowbridge after

Well - I can't help with the specifics about the Larmer Tree Fest itself, but I went to the End of the Road Festival last year and it's on the exact same site.

For me, the camping was great - very near to the action and very peaceful. It took me no more than five minutes to pop back to the tent and pick stuff up/drop it off.

In terms of shops and food - as far as I could tell there is basically nothing for miles around. There could be a local shop or two that others will point you in the direction of but a) I'm sure they'll be a car journey away and B ) they might just be newsagents!

At The End of the Road there was plenty of food and refreshment on-site. I guess that if Larmer Trees is a camping event, they MUST have a similar set up or their beloved customers will starve to death, or at least wave limply at Tinariwen before fainting from malnourishment.

Hope that's of some use! It's a really beautiful setting. I'm actually rather tempted to pop down for the Larmer Trees too!

Edited by Swindlebiscuit, 20 April 2008 - 07:52 AM.

[madsue]

Certainly is of help, thanks Swindlebiscuit!!!!!!

[Abstrakt]

Swindlebiscuit, on Apr 20 2008, 08:46 AM, said:

Well - I can't help with the specifics about the Larmer Tree Fest itself, but I went to the End of the Road Festival last year and it's on the exact same site.

For me, the camping was great - very near to the action and very peaceful. It took me no more than five minutes to pop back to the tent and pick stuff up/drop it off.

In terms of shops and food - as far as I could tell there is basically nothing for miles around. There could be a local shop or two that others will point you in the direction of but a) I'm sure they'll be a car journey away and B ) they might just be newsagents!

At The End of the Road there was plenty of food and refreshment on-site. I guess that if Larmer Trees is a camping event, they MUST have a similar set up or their beloved customers will starve to death, or at least wave limply at Tinariwen before fainting from malnourishment.

Hope that's of some use! It's a really beautiful setting. I'm actually rather tempted to pop down for the Larmer Trees too!

Hi madsue, I used to be a volunteer steward at the festival, so know it fairly well. Most of your Q's have been answered, I just wanted to stick my oar in and say that they do have lots of lovely    food to eat on site, and also have a newsagents and health food shop that set up stalls there too. But other than that there is no food for miles around. The camping is right next to the festival entrance, and I've camped there for a few years by myself, and have never had any probs- it's a really friendly fest, and small enough to go back and forth from tent to fest without much bother! You may well find other people going onto Trowbridge after Larmer Tree that might be happy to give you a lift- you should put up a notice at the festival on their Info board and see if there any takers! Have fun!

[madsue]

  Cheers for the info there abstrakt       And I'll put a notice on the info board too!!!!!

[gratedenini]

madsue, on Apr 22 2008, 02:03 PM, said:

  Cheers for the info there abstrakt       And I'll put a notice on the info board too!!!!!

Oh Sue of Madd---- you are going to have so much FAN! Theres even a tapas stall to make you feel like you were old and back in Spain again.... when you`ve been told its in the middle of nowhere... dont think they are eggs-adge-hair-rating... IT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.... but if ever you would like to be in the middle of nowhere--- Larmer is the place.
Fluff the line up--- it is the only festival we go to where we dont give a stuff about who is on.
If you are going for the full duration ie including the now-permanent Jools gig on the wed--- you will find it is a slightyl different atmospere from the thurs onwards.... lots of day ticketers on wed... then most of the festies arrive.
There are various new suggestions for people like yourself to get to Larmer this year... I`m sure the web site outlines them, but tbh--i wouldnt take to chance... it is a long way from the main road.
Whilst it has been mentioned that theres plenty of bait stalls to peruse--- bear in mind that if you are dining out on every occassion... it can become expensive.
Have not a worry for if you bump into us--- we shall be of hospitable nature!
Sure you`ll love it.
den

[marooned]

I speak as a 15 time Larmer Tree bloke, AND was at the 2 End of the Roads so far!! Doesn't make me special, but I can speak with a view of both.....

Yes, they are set in the same location, but the peripheral things, i.e. shops, food outlets, 'global village', bars etc, are much more plentiful at the Larmer Tree Festival. Shame really - it's the only thing that let's the End of the Road down - certainly scores well on it's music offerings. I'm sure that'll improve over the years.

Unless, you can get off-site to visit Shaftesbury or Verwood, you'll be stuck on-site, so take loads of grub or loads of dosh to BUY grub. No bus service to either of the towns I mentioned - deffo a car ride!!

Camping, as said, is a stones throw (or a stoned walk) from the gates. The age make-up of both is a wee bit different - I certainly felt more Vic Meldrew than Vic Reeves at EOTR - Larmer Tree has toddlers AND Pension Types!!

Hard to choose between them - both great - LT can be really HOT - EOTR can be quite chilly (September innit).

[Swindlebiscuit]

I never really considered Larmer Trees before, but the more I hear about it, and the more I look into previous and current line-ups, I think I've been missing a trick all these years!

I think a double visit to Larmer Tree Gardens next summer might well be on the cards.

marooned, on May 1 2008, 04:14 PM, said:

Yes, they are set in the same location, but the peripheral things, i.e. shops, food outlets, 'global village', bars etc, are much more plentiful at the Larmer Tree Festival. Shame really - it's the only thing that let's the End of the Road down - certainly scores well on it's music offerings. I'm sure that'll improve over the years.

That's interesting. I did think the choice was a bit limited at EOTR, albeit with some pretty nice stalls, as these things go (big fan of the Goan Fish Curry stand). I'm hoping they add at least a few more food stalls and perhaps an on-site "shop" style thing, like Glasto or the like, instead of having to rely on that little stand for cigarettes etc (not that I smoke, but the other half does)

The queue for the Pieminster truck was something to behold! And they'd run out of blimmin pies by the Sunday.

Does Larmer Trees cater for a larger amount of people? Or is it roughly around 5000, like EOTR?

Edited by Swindlebiscuit, 01 May 2008 - 05:24 PM.

[marooned]

Swindlebiscuit, on May 1 2008, 04:33 PM, said:

That's interesting. I did think the choice was a bit limited at EOTR, albeit with some pretty nice stalls, as these things go (big fan of the Goan Fish Curry stand). I'm hoping they add at least a few more food stalls and perhaps an on-site "shop" style thing, like Glasto or the like, instead of having to rely on that little stand for cigarettes etc (not that I smoke, but the other half does)

The queue for the Pieminster truck was something to behold! And they'd run out of blimmin pies by the Sunday.

Does Larmer Trees cater for a larger amount of people? Or is it roughly around 5000, like EOTR?

___________________________________________

I think the crowd size is more or less the same.

The 'lack of shops etc.' thing is (I think) only due to the fact that EOTR is a 'baby' compared to the LT Festival - 2 yr.old compared to 18! Therefore, as yet, it probably doesn't have the 'pulling power' for would-be traders - but, as I said, that WILL get better once it gets more established.  Hope so anyway, cos the wife likes to lose herself for the odd hour or two (DAYS at Glastonbury!), but it's kinda hard when there are only 4 or 5 outlets!!

Pieminster - yes, you'd have though they'd have restocked for Sunday - they had a constant queue from Friday afternoon, so it wasn't hard to predict they'd run out - you're fired!!!

Being Mr.Positive again - I must confess to having almost no knowledge of the EOTR line-up in both of it's years, but have been blown away with it's quality and diversity - hats off to the organisers...

[madsue]

Oooh good, more info   Unfortunately I won't have a choice but to eat on site, as I will be walking and carrying (or rather pulling) my tent along behind me!   Mind you the food does sound delicious, so no hardship to anything but my bank account!!  I am there for the whole 5 days, and as I fly into Bristol on the Monday, I do have a couple of days to wend my way through the countryside.

Perhaps I should make a sign saying "madsue - please help", or do you think that would frighten would be picker uppers

[Abstrakt]

Swindlebiscuit, on May 1 2008, 04:33 PM, said:

I never really considered Larmer Trees before, but the more I hear about it, and the more I look into previous and current line-ups, I think I've been missing a trick all these years!

I think a double visit to Larmer Tree Gardens next summer might well be on the cards.




That's interesting. I did think the choice was a bit limited at EOTR, albeit with some pretty nice stalls, as these things go (big fan of the Goan Fish Curry stand). I'm hoping they add at least a few more food stalls and perhaps an on-site "shop" style thing, like Glasto or the like, instead of having to rely on that little stand for cigarettes etc (not that I smoke, but the other half does)

The queue for the Pieminster truck was something to behold! And they'd run out of blimmin pies by the Sunday.

Does Larmer Trees cater for a larger amount of people? Or is it roughly around 5000, like EOTR?

I think they do cater for a similar number- I'ver never been to EOTR (always too late in the year for me), but the Larmer Tree is a very intimate number of peeps- probably aroung 4000 or 5000. The food can be quite expensive- but always soooooo good! Larmer Tree always has the Goan Fish and Piminister- honestly I ate so many pies and lovley pizzas last year-my friends had to roll me off-site!!   I do try to bring a bit of food with me (cans of things like fish or pate) and attempt at making me own snacks/dinners as eating at the stalls can get quite expensive. But I also think they have a couple of convenience stores at the Larmer Tree- a corner shop-stylee and a healthy whole foodie one- so that might help people of the oatcake and tinned sardines persuasion! One thing I will say about Larmer Tree is- the amount of other stuff going on at the festival is pretty special- it's not just about music- and you can get lost doing a hundred and one other things- variety is the spice of life as they say

[gratedenini]

Its amazing isnt --how you stumble across fests a that. Larmer Tree IS a bit special though... everything about it has a certain quality that makes it quite unique.
I do however abhor the fact that The Js have taken their ball back and withdrew the forum.... there was a good likkle community going on there which made the whole thing even more enjoyable imo.
den

[marooned]

As you know Den, I agree - the LT Forum was one of the (or even THE best) Forums around.

I don't think they took too kindly to the (pretty mild) criticism thay took after last year's festival - hence  the 'we can't cope with all the porn attack' bollox they used as an excuse to 'bin' the forum.

And what have they replaced it with - an official site where the only 'punter input' seems to be taking part in daft polls, designed as a 'pat on the back' for the Festival AND J&J!!

We are, rightly, disconglomorated at the whole LT Forum affair...........


....but still a 10/10 Festival!!!

Edited by marooned, 07 May 2008 - 12:21 PM.

[gratedenini]

marooned, on May 7 2008, 01:15 PM, said:

As you know Den, I agree - the LT Forum was one of the (or even THE best) Forums around.

I don't think they took too kindly to the (pretty mild) criticism thay took after last year's festival - hence  the 'we can't cope with all the porn attack' bollox they used as an excuse to 'bin' the forum.

And what have they replaced it with - an official site where the only 'punter input' seems to be taking part in daft polls, designed as a 'pat on the back' for the Festival AND J&J!!

We are, rightly, disconglomorated at the whole LT Forum affair...........


....but still a 10/10 Festival!!!

I dont mind admitting that I`m a right fookin saddo because I`m really upset with all that business. I do feel (rightly? wrongly?) a bit responsible in a way because of some of my posts (dont flatter yourelf den!) --- but the excuse about the russian porn etc etc was shite imo. Why isnt the likes of this HUGE set of forums inundated with spam? There must be easy filter things to put in place surely?
However--i dont know how much time and effort is req to moderate a forum --so knowing that it must be hectic for them there--there might be a grain of truth in their explanation.
I agree with the "new" website... typically Pimms and Cardigans--wishy washy with copioius amounts of "we" floating all over.
A website is really for the punters--not for some alto-ego trip.
However--- all the necessary info is there for festy goers--but pointing people towards Mysapce and Fatbook as means of keeping up to date---thats shite--all yer get is "thanks for the advert"--I`m a Friend bull.
You know Masher---if the fest wasnt really as good as we keep saying it is--- I`d be covering it with a shit on fire--and sending it way downstream--and thats a dilema constantly in my mind--and that of course coming from ME--- with our love affair with the place.

Edited by gratedenini, 07 May 2008 - 04:43 PM.