Flags

[Harrow Strongbow Ciderman!]

I can of course appreciate too many flags right in front of main stage can be annoying for many

However, I am with Emily Eavis on this and am pro for the flags at Glasto.

They do add some character & colour to the festival. When the flags get in my way too much I try to move to a spot with a better view, and if still no great view it ain't gonna ruin it for me. I'm more into hearing the music & soaking up the vibes.

For some acts I even have my eyes closed whilst I'm singing my drunken head off!

Like 'Staberinde' & others, I think a total ban on flags would be a bad thing for Glastonbury & really take some of the character away from the festival.

However, I do like 'Langdale Wolfs' suggestion of polite requests to minimise the flags and perhaps if this year is still OTT at the main stages & blocking the view for high percentage, then a clamp down in the way of polite requests & on programme, screens, signs etc is the way to go from 2011.

Personally I prefer to have flag pole erected at camp site & makes a good marker etc etc.

I have taken an object/windscok on a pole to the main stages just the odd time, and this is small enough that it doesn't really obscure view for peeps behind me. Plus with frantic waving. I didn't take with the notion of being seen on TV but makes a good marker for others in your group to head for/ meet. Especailly when mobile phones go dead or have no signal which is often the case.

In fact for the Sunday night in 2007 this worked a treat, cos in the rain so many people had umbrellas up and THAT obscured the view for people more so than flags. For 3 persistant umbrella users being shouted at to put them down, I was able to extend my flag pole in fishing rod style... bang on top of the umbrella and they soon put their brollies away, with much cheer to my method from the surrounding crowd.

I suppose it's getting the balance right and some flags especially like the huge windsailer type of 'Mr Sausage' is just blatantly taking the piss of being noticed and is defo inconsiderate to hundreds of people behind who will have view blocked by that flag alone.

Small objects on sticks and a "Band Specific" flag that is just up for one act and then not seen again are all totally ok in my book. I am pro comments like 'Ampersand' having CHAS & DAVE flag at camp & then used during their set. Likewise 'Luscious Lucy' with Orbital flagetc.

I LOVED the "Madness for a Brit award" sign that was seen during Madness set last year. Made me smile.

[zahidf]

people who have tall flags are generally twats. Fact. So anythign which would make them less likely to come is a good thing.

[Mrs*E*]

Take some of these!

Job's a good un!

[Mrs*E*]

The TITP method is to splatter the flag holders in warm beer/piss until it goes down. Never seen it fail! haha

[ampersand]

Small objects on sticks and a "Band Specific" flag that is just up for one act and then not seen again are all totally ok in my book. I am pro comments like 'Ampersand' having CHAS & DAVE flag at camp & then used during their set. Likewise 'Luscious Lucy' with Orbital flagetc.

I LOVED the "Madness for a Brit award" sign that was seen during Madness set last year. Made me smile.

[Glastoboy]

Like 'Staberinde' & others, I think a total ban on flags would be a bad thing for Glastonbury & really take some of the character away from the festival.

[Sabcully]

You young'uns today, can't find your arse without a GPS on your iphone.

[laid back in the sun]

i wonder if a nice long banner unfurled at the front of the stage with 'stop being a dick emily and ban the flags' would work?

[scudetto_boy]

Flag taking and waving history for me and not ashamed to admit:

nowt in the 90s...oh wait, there may have been one made for the Prodigy in 97 but as that gig was cack I didnt bother using it.

2002 - one large fluoro yellow flag with Orbital face logo on...one of the very few flags in field during the gig I am aware of, in shot in the videos...and I didnt even hold it, the guy next to me offered for the whole show! Felt guilty about it blocking views sometimes and it did come down when folks nearby politely asked. But it still makes me a wee bit proud to see it whenever I watch the One Perfect Sunrise video.

2003 - the creation of the infamous large fluorescent yellow Efestivals flag, complete with sparkly silver pyramid, sequins and dancing men. Not used in a crowd, just at the meet at the Jazz Stage. The 'There is no Spoon' flag made a shortlived appearance too and helped kickstart that awesome meet by making all the (sort of) strangers all meeting in the field come together once Neil arrived.

2004 - the fluoro yellow Efest flag makes a re-appearance definitely blocking views during Macca but wasnt up for long.

During the ENO also had a cardboard cutout of the Pimms guy with an extra sign on that said '60,000 of you, The ENO and me? I make that Pimms o'Clock'. Went down very well as we went through the crowd selling cups of Pimms...but wasnt shown on telly.

I just take ye olde homemade Efest flag to the fest now...and only use it for the cider bus meets.

The flags and chairs these days are ridiculous but unless there are screen announcements to put chairs and flags away during performances and flag poles are not sold on site, stopping the overabundance is going to be hard.

[scudetto_boy]

A lot of the flag bearers are selfish arseholes and a polite request from an individual probably wont work with these people BUT you'd be surprised how effective a 'wall of sound' can be. I think Mr.Zigster's charming chant from page 4 will do the trick wonderfully and I shall be using it at every opportunity.

Alltogether now...

Put the flags down,

Put the flags down,

Put the flags down selfish c***s,

Put the flags down selfish c***s.

[Glastoboy]

Like your profile picture of the Tor, mind if i copy it?

[scudetto_boy]

Help yourself, I nicked it myself.

[jameshunt]

It is possible that Emily is not aware of the problem of people holding up flags at the front of the crowds making it impossible for the majority of festival goers to see the bands. When people mention to her that they would like the flags banned she may be thinking of the colourful flags she provides on the huge metal poles around the site. Could simply be crossed wires...

[Staberinde]

It is possible that Emily is not aware of the problem of people holding up flags at the front of the crowds making it impossible for the majority of festival goers to see the bands. When people mention to her that they would like the flags banned she may be thinking of the colourful flags she provides on the huge metal poles around the site. Could simply be crossed wires...

[ukslim]

Spot the tribute:

There's a lot of flag-wavers,

Who have got too much freedom,

I want to make it legal

For security to beat' em.

'Cause there's limits to our liberties,

At least I hope and pray that there are,

'Cause those liberal freaks go too far.

[laid back in the sun]

I would think that's the case.

[jameshunt]

only if shes a total moron! why would anyone want the flags the festival erect banned????

[MrZigster]

QUOTE (Glastoboy @ Feb 2 2010, 12:40 PM)

A lot of the flag bearers are selfish arseholes and a polite request from an individual probably wont work with these people BUT you'd be surprised how effective a 'wall of sound' can be. I think Mr.Zigster's charming chant from page 4 will do the trick wonderfully and I shall be using it at every opportunity.

Alltogether now...

Put the flags down,

Put the flags down,

Put the flags down selfish c***s,

Put the flags down selfish c***s.

Well said, tho a bit strong.

Like your profile picture of the Tor, mind if i copy it?

[sisterofmercy]

I don't mind the flags. My eyesight is shit and I'm short so I can never really see anyway, makes no difference to me.

I like some of the more interesting flags as well, though I guess it must be a little annoying if they obscure your view of a band you really want to see.

[laid back in the sun]

Your post seems at odds with your username.....

I do know that she received complaints about the amount of and the positioning of flags at flagtopia the first year they were there, as attractive as they were they did kind of ruin the point of going up there for some as it was difficult to get a panoramic shot of the site - although taking photos of hundreds of flags wasn't a problem...

[jamiejc]

A good example of too many flags is in this years efestivals calendar showing the main stage in June...

[al_coholic]

If they dont ban them then they really have missed an opportunity this year. As a previous poster said "its fine for emily at the side of the stage" but the rest of us have to suffer.

I dont have twitter but I think a twitter campaign should be launched on emily to get them banned.

[ollyog]

Join the facebook group to get them banned, spread the word...

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4600...5116&ref=nf

Edited February 3, 2010 by ollyog

[al_coholic]

Join the facebook group to get them banned, spread the word...

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4600...5116&ref=nf

[NeilVJ]

Consider me joined. Maybe this could be a featured link at the top of the forum?

Please ?

Pretty Please?

Otherwise I'm going to stalk EE on twitter