Reading sum up, funny so thought I'd share!

[warriormonk]

Never in a million years would I go anywhere near Reading/Leeds now. Some of the posts here are all too familiar, having heard my mate’s accounts over the years. A shame really, because I used to go to Reading every year when I was a teenager and enjoyed it.

Back then, in the early 80's, when it was 'Reading Rock' I didn't witness the kind of behaviour now associated with this festival. Maybe the odd plastic bottle fire etc. No tent fires, no intimidation...maybe the odd bit of rowdy behaviour.

However, I have to say we are talking about heavy metal fans in the early 80's. A pretty docile lot.

I took a break from festivals for a long time until I went to Glastonbury last year. I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised by the great vibe there...and the way people generally looked after each other.

This year I thought there was a noticeably younger audience at Glasto. I thought the behaviour of the youngsters was pretty damn exemplary. OK so there was a bit of a fashion parade going on at times, but then who cares….that’s their job

The greatest act of anti-social behaviour I witnessed was a group of middle- aged men urinating into a hedgerow. They were promptly surrounded by a crowd of hecklers, informing them such behaviour was jeopardising the festival’s licence…or words to that effect!!

One thing’s for certain though… in the Vale of Avalon there’s a damn sight more to occupy ones time in the wee small hours,

Perhaps this is the key…the devil will find work for idle hands………

Are Reading/Leeds creating an environment where such pathetic behaviour is more likely to occur?

[dacbo]

just got back from reading after a 3 year absence, in favour of glastonbury - went primarily because of radiohead.

pros:

- younger more energetic crowd, first bands on getting people going, massive singalongs (MUCH more so than glasto)

- damn good lineup

- radiohead

cons:

- lord of the flies on sunday evening, we left then because people were just burning everything

- ZERO after hours entertainment (maybe that's why people burn stuff?) excluding the silent disco which is impossible to get in to

- lots and lots of dicks and general w*nkers up for causing trouble. I overheard some guy having a rant at a girl who asking him to stop jumping so hard and bumping into her as she was pregnant (this was fairly far back in the crowd, past the sound desk) and he had a go at her telling her she shouldnt be at a festival, etc.. etc..

- the sound at times was awful. painfully quiet on friday until the deftones when it got turned up - we theorised this was potentially because of surrounding offices/workers? if you weren't in the right place (speakers very directional) then at other times also painfully quiet (prodigy for one)

- less of a party, more of a lets get f**ked atmosphere

- throwing piss. during and before bands at the main stage, cups full of the stuff. my mate got absolutely covered in it when a cup landed on him, ruined his evening.

Edited August 31, 2009 by dacbo

[Glastonbury_2011]

I think i summed up my opinion on Leeds in another thread I started, but I think the general consensus is that Leeds/Reading has seriously gone to shit.

It offers absolutely nothing unique.

[warriormonk]

- throwing piss. during and before bands at the main stage, cups full of the stuff. my mate got absolutely covered in it when a cup landed on him, ruined his evening.

[crimsonking]

You should be grateful for Reading/Leeds. It keeps the idiots away from certain other fashionable festivals.

[hombrederayo]

I've been to plenty of Readings (as you can see from my sig), and when I 1st went in 95, 96 as a teenager I spent the time after the bands had finished generally wandering round the campsite with beers, going from small campfire to another chatting away to randoms, meeting people and enjoying meeting new people.

I would never consider setting fire to other peoples tents, thats just ridiculous!!!

Am so glad that having moved to Reading itself in 2005 that if I do go to the festival now, I dont camp at all, and just go home every night after the bands, so much better!

Dont have to put up with the idiots.

[Paul ™]

Returned to work it again this year after a 3 year absence...

Place is full of scummy little w*nkers who have no respect for themselves or others.

[anx]

this year was my first reading, I'd read all the horror stories on here and the reading forums but it was fine where we were camped (red)

[Paul ™]

Red always is fine

[hatethisandillloveyou]

I knew it was going to be a bad Sunday night before we went to see Radiohead, so when we got back to camp after their set we decided to get a few hours kip and leave early.

This was fine for a while untill we got woke up by explosions and a huge bonfire (in yellow) about 2 tents away from ours. Complete with people trying to steal our tent (with us in it) to put it on the fire! At this point we got up, packed in about 5 minutes and left. Didnt fancy serious injuries, or worse (and i dont think im exaggerating at all)

Walking out was a warzone, people were trying to grab stuff off my sack barrow to put on fires and burn, we saw a group of people who dragged all their stuff, and their tents onto the pathway to avoid it being burnt.

Having never left on the Sunday/early monday before i cant be sure, but it seemed to me like a lot of people were taking the "its not f**king worth it, im goin home" attitude, and i cant blame them!

[warriormonk]

Just out of interest....

Do any veteran festival-goers have any idea....

.... at which festival did this "let's burn all our stuff on the last night" begin?....and what year.

.....and when did it transform into "let's burn other people's stuff too"

I've been on a long long break from festival going (between 94 and 2008!!!!!!!!)

From some of the Reading/Leeds posts it seems like security is pretty damn poor in these campsites.

Are these festival organisers waiting for someone to die before they get a handle on this??

[Paul ™]

From some of the Reading/Leeds posts it seems like security is pretty damn poor in these campsites.

[smog]

I'm actually shocked reading all this - I didn't know stuff like this went on at all, never mind the fact it seems to happen on a yearly basis. Never been to Reading or Leeds and at least now I know to avoid it.

I hope you and your co-staff escaped unscathed Paul? Ive had some small scale hairy moments working at festies and know for a fact I wouldn't fancy being in a small crew of 4 or 5 people with hundreds of the little feckers grouping on a rampage.

[warriormonk]

You obviously have no idea what you are on about

[Billy09]

Just out of interest....

Do any veteran festival-goers have any idea....

.... at which festival did this "let's burn all our stuff on the last night" begin?....and what year.

.....and when did it transform into "let's burn other people's stuff too"

I've been on a long long break from festival going (between 94 and 2008!!!!!!!!)

From some of the Reading/Leeds posts it seems like security is pretty damn poor in these campsites.

Are these festival organisers waiting for someone to die before they get a handle on this??

[Red_Eye_Jedi]

It seems the teenagers are getting blamed for the trouble at reading? Hm. As a teenager myself, its bloody right! we have a few too many trying to out-drink each other and get in terrible states and do utterly stupid things. I was at reading in 2006, yes i got a bit too drunk but i didn't burn any tents!!!! I might of shouted some catch phrases late at night or fallen over some guy ropes but nothing serious.. and then it happend! GLASTONBURY! I finally understood what a real festival was, with a real atmosphere and amazing people. You cannot compair the two what so ever. Over all glastonbury is a proper festival and well.. reading is a big gig with drunken kids. Thats my imput anyway

[meatyparson]

I think people need to take a chill pill here.

Every festival has its arseholes. There was plenty at Glastonbury this year too, the tent robbers and the drunken / coked up arseholes (read the terrible stories from Glastonbury).

Unfortunately the very few tarnish the many, most of the young 'uns at Reading were there to have a good weekend.

As for security, I think they do a good job in general and we only ever hear of the 'bad' stories not all the good things they do. I saw a lad getting jumped by 4 others at Reading this year, security were chasing down the lads who did the jumping and caught them, I helped them out by verifying who did what, I must say I was impressed with the speed and professionalism of the security guys deal with the little bollockses.

This was my first and last Reading, I liked the arena / music etc, but have to say the age demographic there was not to my liking, im more than happy to leave Reading to the younger generation and I will continue to enjoy IOW / Glasto / Bestival.

[Annie H]

As a Glastonbury devotee who went to Reading for the first time in 13 years, I just wanted to add my bit:

Overall I had a top weekend; how can one really criticise sitting in a field drinking and watching some wicked live music.

HOWEVER, Reading is NOT comparable to Glasto - never was never will be. Can't say I won't go back (as I've said about V), but there is no doubt that it has some big negatives: Far too many idiotic kids running around offering 'free hugs', 'high fives', writing all over them (what is that about?!) and that's before I even get onto the more serious stuff.

My big tip though for anyone who wants a bit of normality is to camp in white campsite - brilliant! None of the negatives (well a long walk, but used to that from Glasto) and lots of positives (including showers - I had my first EVER shower at a festival - bliss!).

Anyway my final comment is that I hope that all these kids stay at Reading and Leeds each year and don't discover Glastonbury (apart from the nice ones, which to be fair there will be many)

[llcoolphil]

Far too many idiotic kids running around offering 'free hugs', 'high fives',

[Paul ™]

Then I am so dumb as to even wonder whether some festival organisers are hiring sufficient numbers of security staff to steward these campsites....

Edited September 1, 2009 by Paul ™

[sadwitch]

The kind of 'feral youngster' referred to in previous posts wouldn't have lasted very long back then.....in a campsite dominated by very very scary bikers. As a teenager it was an unwritten rule you kept a low profile in the presence of these guys.

Edited September 2, 2009 by sadwitch

[brighteyes]

For the other person who asked I went from 1999 to 2004. In 1999 it was fine, by 2003 it was pretty um lively and sunday 2004 was the first time I saw it turn into the war zone/refugee camp hideous nightmare.

[sadwitch]

That's the exact same years I went to. But then I returned for 2008 and 2009 and it was the same as your description for 2004.

[tomdsjames]

I'm glad I go to Leeds and not Reading as Reading sounds horrible! I haven't experienced any trouble whatsoever at Leeds, I met lots of friendly people and am eager to return next year. I actually found the atmosphee at V much worse than Leeds.

I'm hoping to do Glastonbury next year, maybe that will change my mind on how good Leeds is

[crimsonking]

Just reading therough the Reading festival forums, and it just seems the place just turns into a complete lawless wasteland for 3 days, with feral youths getting trollied, starting fights and setting fire to anything hey can get their hands on. Amazed it is allowed to go and recieves no adverse publicity from papers etc. Just wondering how it would play out if similar things happened at say the Notting Hill carnival, The Daily mail would have a field day.