13 - lucky number for an enlarged festival - an extra 20K?

[iwalker]

Unless they can somehow make the Pyramid Stage area bigger, I really can't see the attendance going up. The idea of getting more camping space is possible, but as there is already plenty of space in the farther reaches of the site I can't see it doing much good (unless they start telling people where to camp, which would be unpopular and extremely hard to enforce).

[LondonTom]

Unless they can somehow make the Pyramid Stage area bigger, I really can't see the attendance going up. The idea of getting more camping space is possible, but as there is already plenty of space in the farther reaches of the site I can't see it doing much good (unless they start telling people where to camp, which would be unpopular and extremely hard to enforce).

[cejx]

the reality has things work differently.

When it's a muddy one, people spend a greater amount of time around their tents, and also tend to trapse around the site less. Less movement equals less chance of an incident related to crowd numbers.

Personally, I'm of the belief that the site could cope with many more people (as it has in the past) - the part that perhaps won't cope is people's desire for a modicum of personal space.

Edited September 20, 2011 by cejx

[eFestivals]

There are quieter areas in the festival, and I'd think it would be a crying shame if these were rammed with yet more people.

there's an opposite side to this too.

There's plenty of places which have huge amounts of space at the busiest times. The reason that some people don't think this is the case is because they're in the busiest places at those times, and end up thinking that everywhere is like that at those times.

For instance: this year there were huge amounts of space in the West Holts field for all of its headliners (tho less so than in other recent years). For the busiest (Kool & the Gang) there could have easily been twice as many in the field, and few people would have had a reasonable complaint of those double-the-numbers changing their experience of that set, cos it wouldn't really have crammed more in, it would have just used more of the field that was instead thinly populated.

The site is able to cope - and cope quite easily. What it won't cope with is a 'new' 20,000 people all going to an already-busy area.

This is a problem caused by too many 'pop' music fans attending, rather than too many people overall. This is a result of the festival having become more 'pop' across all that it's doing ..... and that's the result of too many people having shit music tastes.

Edited September 20, 2011 by eFestivals

[dingbat2]

There are not really that many areas which get overcrowded, the ones I can think of are the Pyramid stage, Shangri La and Arcadia, and the Park when Pulp or Radiohead are on! The rest of the site (including the other stage) are rarely overcrowded. There is also plenty of spare campning space around if you avoid Pennards, etc. We have camped in the Pylon ground the last two years and there has been plenty of space to camp throughot the festival, and its one of the closest camping areas to the Dance Village/JP, I think having more people there will not detract at all from the festival, provided they take a look at the areas which get overcrowded and try to redistibute the crowds somehow. There isnt a great deal they can do with making the Pyramind area bigger, but what they can do is consider who will draw the biggest criowds and put someone bigger on the other stages to compete against them (Elbow v Pulp this year for example). I have nbever seen the Pyramid so (dangerously imo) over crowded as it was for Paul Simon this year (at the sides and back of the stage anyway). I think the reason was not necessairy that people wanted dessparately to see Paul Simon, but there was not a lot happening on the other stages at that time. This was aso not helped by all of the locals (mainly) plonking their chairs down for the entire Sunday afternoon

I do know that if I do not manage to get a ticket in 2013, I will be wishing they had increased the capacity by 20,000!

[LondonTom]

This is a problem caused by too many 'pop' music fans attending, rather than too many people overall. This is a result of the festival having become more 'pop' across all that it's doing ..... and that's the result of too many people having shit music tastes.

[grumpyhack]

The same as much of the crowded bits that felt dangerous this year was down to people being dickheads and using a london underground mentality of getting where their going as fast as possible regardless of other people around them

[markeee]

The version of the story I heard (many hands old, I expect) was Mr. Eavis was enquiring whether the neighbouring farmers would be willing to rent the festival more land for extra car parking around the extremities of the site so more camping space can be provided.

I doubt that an increase in ticket numbers is on the cards. Eavis, MDC & the police have all said that 177,000 is plenty. Not only would there be further congestion on site, but the local entrance routes would probably not be able to handle the extra.

The problem with camping is that, no matter how much extra space is provided around the perimeter, there are many chumps that still insist on pitching their tent as near to the stages as possible. Who are the dipsticks that camp right next to the path between the Other & Dance Village by the ice cream van?

[markeee]

Well you can't blame people for wanting to be closer to the action, I always go see how close I can get but if its to packed move back a bit. The only way to that is some sort of grid system like I believe Coachella uses but people wouldn't like that either.

[Yokel Again]

Hope this isn't true - still wish they hadn't increased it after the 2005 festival! Must have been spoilt in those few quieter years.

[craiga]

Perhaps extra space is planned, while either keeping the numbers onsite the same, or a very modest increase.

[Sawdusty surfer]

it's not gospel. i'm reporting what a very local landlord told me last saturday. so, what the farmers are saying is second hand, but the idea of a larger crowd size has been floated before, i believe. the landlord also said he'd heard there's to be no more free tickets for locals from now on, which might seem odd, considering their support might be needed to get permission from the council. or has the council already quietly given the nod...

[Ed209]

You can guarantee those 20000 will mostly be made up of half arsed teenyboppers excited by being away from mummy for the first time and impressing their friends on facebook by wearing one of those fucking flower crowns around their head.

Great

[neilloggie]

Bring it on, if it's true it totally blows the story of the festival having only a few years left to run or maybe just cashing in on the last few years?

[strummer77]

I would prefer to see a decrease in numbers attending,cut the ammount by 30k and put the ticket prices up to cover the loss of income. Bigger is not always better ?

[dingbat2]

You can guarantee those 20000 will mostly be made up of half arsed teenyboppers excited by being away from mummy for the first time and impressing their friends on facebook by wearing one of those fucking flower crowns around their head.

Great

[Bobs]

I'd say no to more people.

And hope that the spirit of 2010, and the people who made it so much more friendly then, i don't know maybe it's just selfish on my behalf but i felt the whoppers who were creeping in (sadly mainly scouse pricks, shamefully for me) who just ruined it for many and me, personally loved getting my waterproof ripped off my back my some nobs subsequently ruining my u2 experience...

Keep it at 175,000 and hope all those good free-spirited people get tix!

only 355 days til ticket day!

[russycarps]

if a bigger capacity means ticket prices are lowered accordingly then I'm all for it. I'm all for anything that will make the festival more accessible to people on lower incomes. I hate that the festival has been claimed by the upper-middle classes.

if a bigger capacity means no reduction in ticket price but more ridiculously expensive acts like beyonce, lady gaga etc on the bill then it will probably be time to call it a day for me.

I wonder which of those 2 scenarios is more likely?

[Pinhead]

I hope they don't expand - its diluting the creativity that Glasto is already famous and respeccted for.

[dingbat2]

I dont see why increasing the capacity would dilute GLastos creativity, so long as they have a proportinarte increase in the number and size of different areas.They have increases capacity quite a bot over the last decade but it has worked for me because they have also added and developed new areas in proportion, such as the Park, Arcadia, Shangri La, etc.

Increasing the capacity could work if they found a way of moving people away from the areas which get crowded - The Pyramid Stage, Shangi La, Arcadia The Park stage. Another stage (say where they had the footie to the west of the Dance Village) could attract people away from the Pyramid and hopefullly reduce the overcrowding in the key areas at peak time. I like the idea of having a new stage and just put on unnannounced sets from say 6pm each night - I would get people away from the Pyramid but would need to be of sufficent size to avoid the Park overcrowding of recent years during the secret sets

[eFestivals]

I like the idea of having a new stage and just put on unnannounced sets from say 6pm each night - I would get people away from the Pyramid but would need to be of sufficent size to avoid the Park overcrowding of recent years during the secret sets

while a stage like that would attract some people, the vast majority would go for the certainties rather than something they might not like.

This is pretty much proven by the numbers who go to The Park for their 'secret sets' - not a huge number unless it's a massive act and their appearance is already known.

It's a fine idea but not one that would work in attracting people away from the busiest areas to any great extent.

[dingbat2]

I still think another 'other' stage could work, whether its secret sets or not. It would need some big bands on it, so not sure if there are anough bands around to fill it. Could be themed maybe, have a 70s night on friday, 80s ngiht on saturday, 90s night on Sunday. There must be a way I can get Kraftwerk and Gary Numan to play Glastonbury - it is my mission on life!

[eFestivals]

I still think another 'other' stage could work, whether its secret sets or not. It would need some big bands on it, so not sure if there are anough bands around to fill it. Could be themed maybe, have a 70s night on friday, 80s ngiht on saturday, 90s night on Sunday. There must be a way I can get Kraftwerk and Gary Numan to play Glastonbury - it is my mission on life!

hmmm .... there was a 70s themed stage this year. Mostly it attracted less than 20 people.

[Karlhippy]

hmmm .... there was a 70s themed stage this year. Mostly it attracted less than 20 people.

[dingbat2]

Was that really a 70s stage though - more of a stage of acts who happened to perfom iat the festival in 1971, so very early 70s - most people hadnt heard of any of the actrs.. A late 70s would be better. Then you could have Kraftwerk headlining, With Gary Numan under them, And Tubeway Army under him. Mike Oldfield under them. Back of the net!