Sell Glastonbury to Me

[Cactus Sid]

I've been wanting to go to Glastonbury for years and have watched the coverage on the telly for as long as I can remember, but as my friends have always been to Reading, I've always gone to Reading.

At nearly 23, I've started to find Reading a little tiresome (I've been every year since 2003) and really want to see what Glastonbury is like.

So, can you sell it to me.

I'm not exactly well off at present (struggling to find a decent job after graduating) how much do you usually find is enough to last a Glasto week?

I've always heard about the legendary campsite atmosphere, but what is it really like? I have noticed a certain "Glastonbury snobbery" if you will, where some people seem to feel that being at Glastonbury gives them the right to belittle anyone who criticises it, are there a lot of regulars who are like that?

How easy is it to get around? I'm aware there are tons of stages, so how far is it between stages? Logistically speaking, how easy is it to get from say, the Jazzworld stage to the Pyramind stage?

I do have other thoughts and questions, but I'd really like to hear what people think of Glastonbury is like, honestly. Its quite a lot of money and I really want to know if it will be truly worth it.

Cheers

[reas11]

Im an 19 year old student and been twice to glasto now (2007/8) and managed on about £80 each time which got me food and drink for 6 days just fine. You could manage on alot less id say if you dont drink much alcohol. Its not really that much of a walk inbetween the stages took me about 15 minutes maxium to get from pyramid to jazz world id say but theres alot of stalls and intresting stuff to look at on the walk there so its never really boring or tedious and time flys by lol.

Everybodys pretty friendly around the camp sites and just glastonbury in general your always find someone to talk to and will more than likley end up having a few extra people tagging on to your group.

And just go i have yet to meet a person who didnt love glastonbury =]

[Wooderson]

At nearly 23, I've started to find Reading a little tiresome (I've been every year since 2003) and really want to see what Glastonbury is like.

So, can you sell it to me.

Edited January 2, 2009 by Wooderson

[fullfathom5]

Go mate, you'll love it. You've clearly got good taste in football, so go to Glasto and your taste will be complete.

[Wooderson]

Go mate, you'll love it. You've clearly got good taste in football, so go to Glasto and your taste will be complete.

[glastofreak]

Reading has many advantages over Glastonbury, the main one being that Reading is a much smaller site so you can get round easily. It is also near a town centre so if you want to get supplies and not get ripped off you can.

But on the other hand Glastonbury is harder to get round because it is big (I don't know at what time reas 11 went from the Jazz to the Pyramid but I would put the time as being 20-30 mins) with a lot more going on for a lot longer (virtually 24 hours a day) (and more to do on the Thursday than Leeds has to offer) On food the best choice is available at Glastonbury some at very reasonable prices. (My advice is see what other people get for their money and eat a big meal once a day as £6 on a big meal is a lot better value than buying bits) My personal favourite is Yam Casarver situated on the road from the Jazz field to where the left field used to be.

If money is a problem then bring your own food and booze (just not in a glass bottle) you can take anywhere on site. The only problem with that is you can be parking miles away. Yes miles

As for snobbery you will find it at its worst on this board. As most people on here love and I do mean love the festival and many spend almost every waking hour talking or thinking about Glastonbury. At the festival there is a wide range of people there not just the cult of Eavis types you find on here.

It all depends on what you want, if you want to see some bands (some people prefer the line up at Reading/Leeds) great that’s the festival for you. If you want to see things you would not see anywhere else come to Glastonbury.

One question you did not ask is about the weather. The weather matters more at Glastonbury for a couple of reasons first it is in a valley and since water runs down hill that can be a problem, second the soil is very clayey so water does not soak in as quickly as it could and finally the beginning of summer can be wet so if it rains it could be falling on to soil that is already wet. Apparently it is character building certainly built me in to someone who hates rain.

[lsdmoto]

GO its fookin ace !!! job done !

[Sipperana]

Wot the last dude sed. Its gud.

[Spiky Mike]

It's quite simply better than the best thing ever!

[bertieb73]

Hi Sid. Like you, I have done many other festivals over the years without ever making it down to Glastonbury. This year will be my first one and I am just going to go with an open mind and go with the flow. I'm not sure what to expect apart from the info I've gleaned from this forum over the last few months. With regards to the lack of money situation, I believe Glastonbury would be the cheaper option to Reading. Although Reading would be £30 less for the tickets, the fact you can take your own beer/food to consume anywhere at Glastonbury would surely save you far more than paying £3.50 a pint/£4 a burger in the Reading arena. I think Glastonbury sounds like a festival that is so much more than just the music where festivals like Reading & V are very much music focused so I guess it's personal taste in the end.

[Binky]

sat down one day by an outdoor stage to feed the little uns caught a juggular doing his act

juggled a boiled egg bowling ball and chainsaw

its so much more than the music once you been there once you just have to go back every year

i,ve even forgivern them for turning the dance tent into a seperate full blown village

[glasto_mongrel_2008]

100% agreed.

LFC on dis ting 2009.

[Dave F.]

I've been wanting to go to Glastonbury for years and have watched the coverage on the telly for as long as I can remember, but as my friends have always been to Reading, I've always gone to Reading.

At nearly 23, I've started to find Reading a little tiresome (I've been every year since 2003) and really want to see what Glastonbury is like.

So, can you sell it to me.

I'm not exactly well off at present (struggling to find a decent job after graduating) how much do you usually find is enough to last a Glasto week?

I've always heard about the legendary campsite atmosphere, but what is it really like? I have noticed a certain "Glastonbury snobbery" if you will, where some people seem to feel that being at Glastonbury gives them the right to belittle anyone who criticises it, are there a lot of regulars who are like that?

How easy is it to get around? I'm aware there are tons of stages, so how far is it between stages? Logistically speaking, how easy is it to get from say, the Jazzworld stage to the Pyramind stage?

I do have other thoughts and questions, but I'd really like to hear what people think of Glastonbury is like, honestly. Its quite a lot of money and I really want to know if it will be truly worth it.

Cheers

[Tugger2k]

Right , i'll do my best for this one as well

1st off money - ive been when ive been flush and when ive been skint. obviously having a bit of folding in your pocket is nice but not absolutely essential. i tend to take enough booze for my consumption at the camp, but it can be a long haul back so i buy my beer in the beer tents along with a bottle (plastic) of spirits down at the stages. food wise i load up on carbs at the campsite in the morning and then just wander the food stalls when im hungry (food wise it is quite possibly one of the most exotic and varied places in the world - a fact overlooked on many occasions) and most stufs is around £5. 1 year i spent £500 notes (not including ticket), and another year i went with 30 cans of cheap lager, a bottle of tequila, some other supplies and 15 pot noodles and 3 loaves of bread - total outlay not including ticket = £70 (i was brasic, shouldnt have really gone, but you cant miss it once the tickets in your hand).

2, the so called snobbery - it only exists on these boards. people on here are very passonate about the big G and tend to take any critisism of the festy as if one of their family had been assaulted but if you go, get into the campsite you will finally understand why it can happen. it truly is a unique place and has to be experienced to be described (and even then, not very well described) and you will feel the glasto love all around you

getting around - its easy - sometimes. basically i have found that it entirely depends on the weather - as long as the site hasnt turned into a mudbath (as it has 4 times out of my 10, but still not a bad %) its no bother. it is bigger than any other festival so you just have to allow a little more time if your going from the outskirts (ie John Peel stage to Acoustic Stage is probably the longest ive had to traverse and thats 20 mins - if im not stumbling )

so to sum up - go, try it for yourself, because i promise you that if its for you, then you will never want to miss it again

[hallamboy]

Cactus, all I can say is there is no need to sell Glasto. Suck it and see if you like the taste. If you decide not to that is fair play as well, but you will always be left thinking if it is any good or not

[pehaw]

You could watch this and get a flavour of things...

Edited January 2, 2009 by pehaw

[alframsey]

"Sell Glastonbury to me!"

Erm...NO!

I'm not being rude, but i dont think Glastonbury can be sold, or even needs to be! If you want to go you will go and will love it, without doubt. If your forced to go or aren't really bothered whether you do, you will never go, and if you do you wont enjoy it!

So my advice is, if you want to go, like you say you do, then you and you WILL enjoy it. It WILL be the best weekend of your life!!!

[superdry]

Regret the things you do, not the things you don't do.

[strudders]

Ill have a bash

Been going on and off to both since I was 14 and I am now 37

Last year was my return to Reading for some time and the two still do not compare. They are totally different experiences. But both great.

Money wise as the guys have said, take your own food and beer and you will be fine, or take your own beer and buy a few drinks around the site and you will be fine.

A rucksack full of spirits and Westons always goes down well!.

Things that happen at Glastonbury that always amaze you in so many ways, (stone circle for example) it might be the people or the music or the weather. If you want to compare Glastonbury to Reading then I would say it if defo more relaxed, much more forgiving and the food and toilets are a thousand times better. (no wee mud on a sunday )

However I will be at both this year again becuase they are so different, but for me personaly and it is personally, Glastonbury is my festival home.

On the snob front, loads of them on here, because they are passionate. But then again its the same on the other forum as well.

Anyway dude, come along if you can and see for yourself. If it is rubbish you can come on here after and tell us we were wrong and we can tell you that you that we obviously did not meet up!

Happy New year!

[Wooderson]

I thought that your answer to the questions was superb. In fact it made me feel all excited about Glasto 09. Then I spotted this one and my excitement instantly turned to revulsion! I can't believe that crest made it past the moderators. Absolutly disgusting!

[Tugger2k]

Bollox to that chief.

LFC 2 RUN DEEZ TINGS '09.

[LostRiot]

If you want to tick off all the 'must see' bands of the year go to reading, if you want to go to the best damn festival on earth go to glastonbury.

Last yar I went with 3 or so people who had only been to reading before, one of them isn't going to any festivals this year and the other too aren't going to reading, but are going to glasto instead - and its so much better a second time - you don't get lost so much.

[glasto_mongrel_2008]

and if not '10.

or if not then '11.

or if not then '12.

it's always next year with the bin dippers

[Chocscoffer]

If you want to tick off all the 'must see' bands of the year go to reading, if you want to go to the best damn festival on earth go to glastonbury.

[scudetto_boy]

Just go & find out for yourself. How can you really rely on the opinion of people you've never met & have a strong bias in it's favour? It would be a one-sided arguement -all be it mostly positive one- & much might depend on whether you've been to a festival before & enjoyed it.