flag ban

[Red Day]

No problem having a massive flag at your tent for a landmark, think it's those who block everyones view at the stages that's the problem

[Derby_Dave]

Hey Guys,

Me and my mate will be taking a flag to glasto next year but it's not because we want to be seen on telly or anything it's because we need a flag so we can find our tent when we go back for a kip in the night. If they ban flags then how the hell are we going to find our tent??

Cheers,

BlackHole2006

[amfy]

I never take a flag to landmark my tent but in fairness I do use other people's! I always look round to see what flags I am camped near to.

Then they mess me up by taking their flag out with them and getting back later than me!

[AndyJ]

I never take a flag to landmark my tent but in fairness I do use other people's! I always look round to see what flags I am camped near to.

Then they mess me up by taking their flag out with them and getting back later than me!

[BlackHole2006]

How about leaving it at your tent? Unless you actually camp directly in front of the stage I would imagine no problems!!

[alframsey]

I welcome this flag ban with open arms!!! The one thing that actually annoys me about Glastonbury, I pray the day comes when flags are banned!

[gemstarrr]

oh no i wouldn't like this.

went to leeds this weekend and hated not having flags.

takes away from the atmosphere and made it impossible to meet up with friends at main stages! i had to spent the whole of friday night on my own because of it

[benissright]

oh no i wouldn't like this.

went to leeds this weekend and hated not having flags.

takes away from the atmosphere and made it impossible to meet up with friends at main stages! i had to spent the whole of friday night on my own because of it

[mikeb]

I have been many times, never took a flag, always found my tent.....

at some point that flag will end up in the crowd in front of a stage

A small minority take flags to find their tent

the vast majority don't, how do the majority find their tent...?

use landmarks and other tents to find your own, its not hard

Edited September 3, 2009 by mikeb

[Spider43]

Whilst i'd definitely like it can you imagine how difficult it would be to enforce a total flag ban at Glasto. Easy enough to do at Reading where there is an arena entrance but just not workable here..

Ideally people would just not be so desparate to take a flag with them to watch Bruce Springsteen. 'Stoke City, We are Premier League' Who gives a fcuk..!

[benissright]

Just a simple request by Eavis should cut down on them though?

Glastonbury is all about being considerate right?

[LusciousLucy]

How are out mates going to find us in the crowd? How are WE going to find our mates in the crowd?

Hi...I'm stood next to 80,000 other people...come and find me! Riiiiight!

In ye olden dayes of before flags were used by idiots just trying to get on tv, they DID serve a good purpose of being very useful for being a good tool for locating each other in the crowd. Too ridiculous now I admit tho.

'Dad's here!' How is poor little Johnny going to find his dad now if they get parted?

Wolves Flag RIP

Pigeon on a Stick...NOW....are creatures on a stick banned too? Afterall, you can rather easily see past these small toys on a tall stick! Melvin Benn has some real issues if he wants to get those banned too.

[Craigston]

Reading goer in.

The lack of flags this year was fantastic. Made a real difference.

[benissright]

How are out mates going to find us in the crowd? How are WE going to find our mates in the crowd?

Hi...I'm stood next to 80,000 other people...come and find me! Riiiiight!

In ye olden dayes of before flags were used by idiots just trying to get on tv, they DID serve a good purpose of being very useful for being a good tool for locating each other in the crowd. Too ridiculous now I admit tho.

'Dad's here!' How is poor little Johnny going to find his dad now if they get parted?

Wolves Flag RIP

Pigeon on a Stick...NOW....are creatures on a stick banned too? Afterall, you can rather easily see past these small toys on a tall stick! Melvin Benn has some real issues if he wants to get those banned too.

[grumpyhack]

Finding people doesn't need flags just a system.

We have two methods.

A) Triangulation. Pick two points like the Oak Tree at the top of the pyramid stage and the right hand speaker stack. Walk from one to the other in a straight line till you are at right angles to another landmark - like the St John's Ambulance van and that's where you'll find us.

The Clock System. Stand facing a stage. The stage is12 O'clock. The mixer desk at the back is 6 O'clock. Half way between the two pouints is the centre. From there you can work out 3 O'clock, 9 O'Clock etc. A quarter of the way from the cente to the 3 O'clock edge is a Quarter to 3. Half way we call 3.30 etc.

So if we agree to meet at, say, the Acoustic tent we agree what O'clock we'll meet at or the person who gets there first texts the others to say what O'clock they are. Usually works and you don't need flags.

[Madyokel]

We took our flagpole to Glasto this year..

Stuck it next to our tent in Paines Ground and strung fairy lights up with the flags.

Got us home each night and the neighbours liked it too.

Would never take it down to the stages though. Many times cold not see the stage for flags.

Deal with Noodle (daughter) if we get lost meet at WaterAid tent..

Flag ban in front of acts has to be a good move.

[Derby_Dave]

No sorry it's not because we want to take it down to the main stage, it wont be anywhere near the stages, it will just be where our tent is and wont be moving from there.

[AndyJ]

Cool, The more flags around campsite the better. We relied on the welsh flag on park home ground to find ours.

[budvar]

I'm certain that Glastonbury will never ban flags (the quickness of the press release seperating Glasto from MB's policy at Reading/Leeds tells us this)

That said the Beeb will have had a word with the organisers after the problems flags caused them this year (particularly during The Boss) as such I'd expect to see a request that glags aren't put in front of the mixing desk. This will be self policing and I trust the Glasto crowd to do it well.

This won't stop anyone from putting a flag outisde their tent, but will stop the people who stand in front of stage with one to get on the TV. In terms of atmosphere the permanent flags (e.g. those in Jazz World and Pyramid fields) should go someway to make sure that it's still got that Glasto feel.

Fingers crossed.

[Pauljoanss]

Looks like I am in the minority but I love the flags and feel they really add to the atmosphere. A person posted here recently comparing Blur at G and Hyde park. He thought he disliked flags but after Hyde Park (no flags no atmosphere) he has changed his mind.

The issue of blocking peoples view is more relevant to the TV cameras than present audience. My view was totally blocked for 50% of the time by someone in front of me and shorter wife probably 75% of the time, but that is what you expect at openair gigs. Sound is not effected and for most of the audience the stage view is very small so spend a lot of time looking at screens which for the most part are showing feed from cameras in front of flags.

Anyway how would you "ban" flags at Glasto, it does not fit with the culture, there are never any PA announcements from stage, even though they could be useful at times.

Keep the flags, keep the atmosphere, keep Glastonbury different.

[eFestivals]

How are out mates going to find us in the crowd? How are WE going to find our mates in the crowd?

Hi...I'm stood next to 80,000 other people...come and find me! Riiiiight!

In ye olden dayes of before flags were used by idiots just trying to get on tv, they DID serve a good purpose of being very useful for being a good tool for locating each other in the crowd.

hows about using your eyes?

It's not respectful of other people's festival experience to spoil what might be the most important part of their festival (seeing the band they wanted to see) by blocking their view with a flag. Next time it might be your experience that f**ked up by someone else.

Of course, I don't really expect people to go with that, but it remains true all the same.

[jamiejc]

Ah, remembering every person i walk past going to the bar or loe, i seem to find my frinds quite easily. Now, i know not every person such talents has i do, just comes with years of experience ...

Edited September 4, 2009 by jamiejc

[denwyn]

I'm certain that Glastonbury will never ban flags (the quickness of the press release seperating Glasto from MB's policy at Reading/Leeds tells us this)

That said the Beeb will have had a word with the organisers after the problems flags caused them this year (particularly during The Boss) as such I'd expect to see a request that glags aren't put in front of the mixing desk. This will be self policing and I trust the Glasto crowd to do it well.

This won't stop anyone from putting a flag outisde their tent, but will stop the people who stand in front of stage with one to get on the TV. In terms of atmosphere the permanent flags (e.g. those in Jazz World and Pyramid fields) should go someway to make sure that it's still got that Glasto feel.

Fingers crossed.

[benissright]

Ill repeat, if you need to find your friends using a flag, it means you are one of those dicks that is constantly pushing past people to get to that good spot. Meet outside the inner circle by a stall and go in together. We've done this every single festival we've ever been to so why cant everyone else do it!?

[Al the CAT]

Leeds goer in too.

Concur totally.

So refreshing to be about 20 yards from Thom Yorke without fecking flags in the way (although I'm not usually a moaner about this contentious topic!)