Attracting a younger audience?

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

Many of you have been fortunate enough to attend lots of Glastonburys and have seen many changes over the years. Some welcomed, others criticised. I recall Michael Eavis saying a few years back that a during a certain year there were 'too many old people' and that he hoped to attract a younger crowd. With Beyonce headlining last time out and the rumour of Rhianna to possibly appear somewhere on the bill how would people feel about a potential change in target audience?

Positive? Negative? Progressive? Another nail in the coffin for the 'old' Glastonbury? Or did that come years ago?

Maybe there's always been these kind of acts and the majority of people concerned about a new direction are overreacting?

Next year will be my fourth Glastonbury and I wish I'd been to more, especially pre-superfence but I'm interested to read what the regulars have to say

[tommmy]

Could do with some younger birds.

[rug568]

They would have to change the dates as state schools are still on.

Also Reading/Leeds have the younger market covered and they're struggling a lot more than glasto are.

So all in all, I doubt it.

[tommmy]

In the John Peel tent?

[little_jim]

This has been the downfall of Reading Festival. Not all but a large selection of a younger crowd attend Reading festival and see it as their first weekend away from the parents so lets get well and truly smash out of control and go on a full scale riot. Anyone that has been there in the recent years will know what im talking about, "Sunday night riots".

Then again i came across some groups of youngsters behaving and acting quite responsible.

There seems to be this attitude "Im at a festival init" normal rules that apply on the outside of the wall don't apply inside with both young and old.

[JBarbour]

I don't think you can attract a certain crowd (young or other) without announcing any bands first and the nature of getting Glastonbury tickets makes it difficult.

[Spindles]

Word is that Reading has peaked for that sort of thing (I was last there in '08 and it wasn't so bad then, tbh) and those I know who went this year described it as being nothing but a good time with friendly atmosphere and no trouble. If anything V is where the cnuts go now.

I have my suspicions that the audience make-up this year is going to be largely affected by the results of the ticket scramble favouring the kind of people who were up, organised and informed on ticket day, whether that means an older or younger audience it remains to be seen.

I'm bringing 3 under 21s with me, so I'll do my bit for the younger demographic. Then I'll fuck it all up with my big grey beard and bad taste in trousers.

[mike99]

Eavis says a lot of things

[Becoming a veteran]

Personally I think the worse thing that could be done is aim for a younger audience, as I see that as a way for it to all go wrong and for them to lose touch. There's nothing wrong with new music and scenes etc and that should be encouraged but one thing that Glastonbury is great for is variety and youngsters love classic bands as well.

As for Reading I would say there has been a noticeable decrease in the average age over the years especially with the Posh/Private school crowd, but It might just be me getting older. Reading was my first festival as a 16 year old in 98 and that wasn't trouble free as toilet blocks went up in flames and again the following year, and I'd say that was just before the whole festival boom. It just turned nasty in the mid 2000's when it was tents and anything in the vicinity of a big fire was being ripped up and thrown in the fire. I ended up squaring up to some lads as they tried to rip up a girls tent. I'm pretty mild mannered and was about 10 years older than them but had to do something. I think this as Spindles has said has reached its peak now and with no fires allowed on Sunday night it is controlled much more.

[rug568]

This has been the downfall of Reading Festival. Not all but a large selection of a younger crowd attend Reading festival and see it as their first weekend away from the parents so lets get well and truly smash out of control and go on a full scale riot. Anyone that has been there in the recent years will know what im talking about, "Sunday night riots".

Then again i came across some groups of youngsters behaving and acting quite responsible.

There seems to be this attitude "Im at a festival init" normal rules that apply on the outside of the wall don't apply inside with both young and old.

[JBarbour]

You certainly haven't been for a while. Peaked in 2009. There was a bit in 2010 but none in 2011 and 2012. The ban on campfires after 8pm has defiantly helped.

[Somersetsun]

Word is that Reading has peaked for that sort of thing (I was last there in '08 and it wasn't so bad then, tbh) and those I know who went this year described it as being nothing but a good time with friendly atmosphere and no trouble. If anything V is where the cnuts go now.

I have my suspicions that the audience make-up this year is going to be largely affected by the results of the ticket scramble favouring the kind of people who were up, organised and informed on ticket day, whether that means an older or younger audience it remains to be seen.

[abdoujaparov]

we'll be bringing a 4 month old baby and an 8 year old - that should lower the average age a bit

[little_jim]

You certainly haven't been for a while. Peaked in 2009. There was a bit in 2010 but none in 2011 and 2012. The ban on campfires after 8pm has defiantly helped.

[BA4 4BY]

I don't understand why there is this desire to attract a younger audience; why, do us old farts not enjoy ourselves enough or something? I personally don't really care too much about the line up, I go for the festival itself and if the music is good too then it's a bonus, so putting on music to attract a younger audience isn't going to drive me away I'm afraid.

My best Glastonburys have arguably been when the line up wasn't that much to my taste, as it gave me more of an opportunity to explore and find some of the things that the barrier huggers may never see.

There are so many of us that go for more 'spiritual' reasons, and with the ticketing situation as it is I don't think things are going to change that much. Besides, I've read posts on here about people in their 60s going to Glastonbury as their first ever festival, and I think it's great that they felt comfortable enough to do that. Could it be that the reason people feel comfortable at Glastonbury is because the demographic is a bit older?

The day it will change for me is the day I come back to my tent to find it melting on top of a bonfire, or something equally as depraved.

[mrtourette]

Children are the future, from a business perspective it makes absolute sense to be aware of the need to replace older attendees as they decide to hang up their boots/die.

If young music are all arseholes or the festival can't attract the right type of young music fan then yes there may be a problem, but snagging them early and educating them may be a better option than hoping that kids who go to V or R&L naturally gravitate towards Glasto when they get 'too old' for V and R&L (especially given the disdain that there seems to be for those that go to V and R&L).

Edited November 15, 2012 by mrtourette

[guypjfreak]

theres probably more young ones going to glasto simply because they know how to use these computers better than us older ones ...................................imo

Edited November 15, 2012 by guypjfreak

[whisty]

A lot of us oldies take our kids, ensuring the future

[Pilgrim S]

A lot of younger festival goers don't like the Glastonbury line-up. They think it's too conservative and look to go to some of the smaller festivals with more specialist line-ups.

The main stage is very safe in my opinion. It never used to be.

If you banned fold up chairs from the Pyramid stage, it might reduce the average age of the festival goers.

[abdoujaparov]

The main stage is very safe in my opinion. It never used to be.

[tommmy]

I believe the children are our future

Teach them well and let them lead the way

Show them all the beauty they possess inside

Give them a sense of pride to make it easier

Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be.

[Pilgrim S]

If you look back at pyramid stage bills in the 80s and 90s, you'll see it's just as mainstream as it is now...

[abdoujaparov]

I think they did take more risks back then. The main difference is that they had current bands headlining. None of the legend type headliners that started with Bowie in 2000.

[rug568]

A lot of younger festival goers don't like the Glastonbury line-up. They think it's too conservative and look to go to some of the smaller festivals with more specialist line-ups.

The main stage is very safe in my opinion. It never used to be.

If you banned fold up chairs from the Pyramid stage, it might reduce the average age of the festival goers.

[grumpyhack]

When they can sell out in record time I don't think they have to worry too much about the demographic.