Newbies not 'getting' Glasto?!

[mrtourette]

Most of my friends who've gone really enjoyed it.

Quite a few friends don't want to go - seem to have a block about the festival and be insistent that they won't go. I think it is partly due to the number of people running round w*nking on about the 'amazing spirit' of Glastonbury and 'unique vibes'. I think it bugs people who haven't been.

Always found it weird when people who think of themselves as the epitome of liberal are so keen to demand that everybody shares their views. If someone thinks that they'd rather not have a music festival dominated by people protesting tax avoidance then that is their choice. Doesn't mean people aren't within their rights to go ahead with the protest, I just don't like the implied bullying and dismissal of people with other views.

[mrtourette]

I've a bit of an issue with the "getting" Glasto thing. People are entitled to "get it" or not.

I know from a lot of my mates who haven't been, the "getting it" thing puts them off. Makes the people who say others don't "get it" appear as exclusive snobby c**ts.

[Sketchead]

The amount I've 'bigged up' Glasto to my friend, he better enjoy it. Gonna be his first festival too..

[Wooderson]

At such a big event variances in the experience one can have are still possible. Theres hedonism but also a gentler family aspect. Theres full on muso and full on crusty. Acoustic and electronic, political and apolitical.

"Not getting" Glastonbury is not having an open mind.

Same can be said of course of someone arrogant enough to accuse anyone of "not getting" Glastonbury.

[mr gumby]

I think the only people who get on my nerves a bit are people like Vicky, the girl who wrote the blog some of us were discussing on another thread. People who go once, spend a couple of hours looking round the greenfields, theatre and circus, avalon, leftfield, king's meadow etc. then spend the rest of the festival camped in front of the Pyramid stage, before going home (leaving all their crap behind). They then make out they're an expert, and encourage other similar people to come along and treat the place like a throwaway entertainment venue, without scratching the surface, and exploring all (or even some) of the other elements which set Glasto apart from other festivals.

[Wooderson]

A huge majority of people are like "Vicky" so.

[lucyginger]

I think you can tell the 'real' (for want of a better word) Glasto lovers by the way they tidy up after themselves, as mentioned in the Vicky thing.

You see people just chucking their litter down, or you see people making a small pile of it to dispose of on their way to bed after a night up at Stone Circle.

[Mardy]

yeah, everybody gets it in some way, everybody gets a different thing out of it, I quite like the diversity, pilled up club heads, folky pweter tankard types, earnest old hippies, dopey youngsters. The diversity is what's great. Not sure I fancy a festival where it's full of people who 'get it'. Sounds a bit dull and earnest to me.

[BA4 4BY]

I'm not sure recent newbies will ever get what it used to be like pre fence no police era.

[The Nal]

yeah, everybody gets it in some way, everybody gets a different thing out of it, I quite like the diversity, pilled up club heads, folky pweter tankard types, earnest old hippies, dopey youngsters. The diversity is what's great. Not sure I fancy a festival where it's full of people who 'get it'. Sounds a bit dull and earnest to me.

[amfy]

The OP seems to be referring to people who go once and don't really like it and don't go again, rather than people who keep going but "aren't the real deal" in some way. In that sense there are 2 different types of "not getting it",& whilst not liking it and not wanting to go again is hard for those of us that love it to understand, but I'm not going to knock anyone for giving it a go.

I think the only type of "not getting it" types that annoy me are the people who leave litter everywhere they go, and/or abandon their entire campsite at the end of the weekend because they think the ticket price covers someone picking up after them. I don't even mind the young people who do this so much because there's a chance they'll grow up, but grown adults who think it's OK to just leave the remains of their dinner on it's paper plate in front of the stage when they pack away their picnic rug really annoy me. I make no apologies for judging these people.

[Morter]

I think the issue with people not clearing up after themselves says a lot about their general attitude to life - I'm a great believer in ensuring that my actions don't negatively impact others in any way as I don't have the right to do so.

[DVG81]

yeah, everybody gets it in some way, everybody gets a different thing out of it, I quite like the diversity, pilled up club heads, folky pweter tankard types, earnest old hippies, dopey youngsters. The diversity is what's great. Not sure I fancy a festival where it's full of people who 'get it'. Sounds a bit dull and earnest to me.

[tijuana_man]

"Judge not, lest you be judged yourself." Except for the selfish ignorant types about which you speak. Then you're totally justified. I make a point of telling them they've "forgotten" something in a loud voice. One of these days, I will get hit, but think I get away with it more at Pilton.

Edited November 2, 2012 by tijuana_man

[MEGABOWL]

People 'get it' in different ways. Don't hinder anyone elses enjoyment, clean up after yourself. After that, it's not up to anyone else to decide how someone else 'gets it' and there's definitely a bit of snobbery about where 'getting' Glastonbury is concerned. If someone wants to spend their weekend in front of the two biggest stages watching acts they could watch anywhere else but have a great time doing it, help other people to have a great time, pick up their litter and contribute positively to the atmosphere so what? Is that not Glastonbury enough? It is for me.

[rexclark]

I've only took one newbie with me. It's my mate who I used to always go to Leeds with and he's never been that bothered about Glastonbury and I din't know if he'd really get it but when I bumped into him one night in Shangri La and he was wasted with his face painted like a skeleton I knew that he got it. Glastonbury is what you make of it. If you throw yourself in and let yourself go it will be one of the greatest experiences of your life. If you stand on the sidelines you'll just never really get it.

[falkirk bairn]

For those who don't get what IT is, we say sorry but hope you find something to like and that gives you as much pleasure as Glastonbury has given us over the past 5 years as we turned into pensioners.

Our first year was 2007 and being 2 any festival virgins and 58 and 57 yrs of age, we decided to go all in and go for the biggest.

We had always wanted to go and watched for years on telly but never ever made a big effort till my wife had a life changing health scare.

We decided it was now time to do it and live life doing the things instead of talking about it.

We booked a caravanette cos it would be easier for her but could only get tickets for those using public transport so had to cancel booking and beg, buy and borrow camping equipment.

We read every thing on E festivals and Glastonbury site so were well prepared with waterproofs, just in case and just as well as it was one of the wettest weekends.

Despite all the mud and the constant drizzle we managed to see all the bands we wanted and spend whole weekend constantly amazed at what we stumbled across as we explored the site.

Highlight was getting near the front of Other Stage for Rufus Wainwright, Arcade Fire and Bjork and the amazing site of tiny patches of green oasis appearing as some left early and space under their tent was exposed.

Some people actually went over and stood on these tiny green spaces just to have somewhere so sit and relax without putting down plastic bags first.

When it was over and we were tired, wet and happy on a steam filled bus on way home, it was easy to decide to go again as we took the view that we'd survived and loved our first Glastonbury when the weather was at its worst so next time could only be better.

This has proved to be correct and culminated in 2010 with wall to wall sunshine for the whole week.

We will be there next year for our 5th and are looking forward to it just as much as the first having learned to pace ourselves as we've got slightly older and slower over the years.

Edited November 2, 2012 by falkirk bairn

[amfy]

I have run out of 'likes' today Falkirk Bairn butt I really liked that.

[mrtourette]

If you have fun and want to go back then you get it. What it is is personal to everyone, you could tell someone else until you're blue in the face what is is that they need to get but that's your interpretation of what getting it is, not theirs. Trying to measure whether someone gets it against anyone else's yardstick other than their own isn't right.

[whisty]

Why don't you all just change the term "got/get it" to "really enjoyed it & want to go back forever"

Edited November 2, 2012 by whisty

[zoso70]

The OP seems to be referring to people who go once and don't really like it and don't go again, rather than people who keep going but "aren't the real deal" in some way. In that sense there are 2 different types of "not getting it",& whilst not liking it and not wanting to go again is hard for those of us that love it to understand, but I'm not going to knock anyone for giving it a go.

I think the only type of "not getting it" types that annoy me are the people who leave litter everywhere they go, and/or abandon their entire campsite at the end of the weekend because they think the ticket price covers someone picking up after them. I don't even mind the young people who do this so much because there's a chance they'll grow up, but grown adults who think it's OK to just leave the remains of their dinner on it's paper plate in front of the stage when they pack away their picnic rug really annoy me. I make no apologies for judging these people.

[Wooderson]

First Glasto was 97. Lasted a night. Didnt return until 04. Havent missed one since.

Did I "get it" as a newbie?

[Keziah]

Last year our neighbours camp had a fair few tents, it was a big group. They had a festival newbie couple with them, One of the guys came back wasted Thursday day and fell asleep in their tent covered it in mud. He was really sorry for doing it and offered the couple his tent, lilo, blankets and everything or he would buy them new... they threw a fit and went home (to Portdmouth) on Friday morning before the music even started. Wtf??

[DJL]

As i've said on another thread i first went in 2000 and will openly admit i didn't get it. Arrived late as, at v and reading (which were all i'd been to), i'd endured rather than enjoyed camping and i was only there for the bands. Camped in the worst possible space, spent all weekend on three of the larger stages, stayed completely sober (as i was heavily into sport at the time), saw a few groups of thieving scallies and generally had a decent but hardly life changing time. Went back a few years later and saw a completely different side to glastonbury, which i loved.

As long as people don't litter and aren't rude to others nothing at glastonbury really annoys me - including those who 'don't get it' or those who complain about people who 'don't get it'. Life, and more importantly glastonbury, is too short.

[markeee]

Thing is in a way I can understand people who want to be entertained with the 'I've paid 200 quid for a ticket' as it is an expensive cost the ticket/travel/drink /food it all mounts up and to be honest you could probably go abroad on holiday for less?

So some people will look at it like that

But comparing it to other festivals well there's no contest..and when you compare gig prices to Glasto ticket cost..agaion glasto seems amazing value!!