Pyramid Stage crowd control

[chestwig]

I was just looking at photo from I think last years festival at the Pyramid stage. It seems they have a fence to control the flow of crowds to pyramid stage. I don't actually remember this myself as never spent to much time at the pyramid last festival.

Does anyone know if they will have a similar fence this year and how the flow of people is controlled in and out?

I personally don't like these fences, they can totally kill the atmosphere. But if they do have it imposed it my stop the use of flag near the front of the stage.

[Guest]

Don't see what the problem with it is... anyone can get 'inside' the barrier, and if there was ever a crush, it dissipates the pressure. And I've never noticed it have anyeffect on the atmosphere.

[ancient_one]

The fence isn't a problem. It is a sort of curve, about 20-30 yards back from the stage, with openings at either end (so no actual entry/exit control). There can be a bit of pushing & shoving as one act ends, their fans try to leave, and the crowd for the next one tries to get in (the Leonard Cohen / Verve changeover springs to mind). But once you are in there, it is ideal if you want to be close.

[JC-Mo'Fucka]

Yeah its quite unnoticable and has little drawbacks. Absolutely nothing like the ones youd find at titp/hyde park etc.

[chestwig]

Cool stuff. Pleased there is no real control on it. I'd imagine they must put security out though if to many people are trying to get down the front. Although clearly as it's quite new we have not seen them have to do that yet.

Edited January 1, 2013 by chestwig

[Dan R]

Cool stuff. Pleased there is no real control on it. I'd imagine they must put security out though if to many people are trying to get down the front. Although clearly as it's quite new we have not seen them have to do that yet.

[guypjfreak]

It's nothing new, I thought they were added to most major festivals after the Roskilde incident in 2000.

[chestwig]

It's def new to Glastonbury. As I am certain it's only made an appearance in the last couple of years.

[Dan R]

It's def new to Glastonbury. As I am certain it's only made an appearance in the last couple of years.

[Rufus Gwertigan]

I was just looking at photo from I think last years festival at the Pyramid stage. It seems they have a fence to control the flow of crowds to pyramid stage. I don't actually remember this myself as never spent to much time at the pyramid last festival.

Does anyone know if they will have a similar fence this year and how the flow of people is controlled in and out?

I personally don't like these fences, they can totally kill the atmosphere. But if they do have it imposed it my stop the use of flag near the front of the stage.

[Rufus Gwertigan]

Sorry the above post came out harsher than I meant. I am arguing with a teenage son at the mo.

Sorry

[Pinhead]

This went up first time in 2007 - at the time I was afraid that it might have been the beginnings of a Golden Circle, but its actually mainly there for the benefit of Specialised I think who put about 4 bods inside the two fence 'bracket' who can jump out and deal with any trouble and get people out of the crowd and into the safe zone inside the bracket if necessary. Also provides a buffer to crowd surges, which used to be pretty rough if I remember my time during the 90's when I used to spend a lot of the day at the barrier of the Pyramid getting crushed.

[Dan R]

I know Glastonbury isnt a particularly pushy crowd so it might not be so bad for crushes, but I've seen some very dangerous crushes at festivals before, dread to think what they would have been like without crowd surge barriers.

[Guitargeek]

Was there my first year in 2009. I except they started cropping up quite a bit post Roskilde. 2002 might even have had one.

[Paul ™]

Been there since 2007

[ian the worm]

Benefits:

1) Its quite nice to lean on.

2) There is water handed out there.

3) The telly man runs up and down getting face shots.

4) Forces people who want to move to the front go round the side which prevents an awful lot of "being shoved past" if you happen to be stood near the center line.

[chestwig]

This was my worry. That it was going to become some kind of "Golden Circle" type farce; where by you get down the front first and get a stamp to come in and out etc. Or that they may actually be charging more people to be able to get close to to the stage.

Clearly though it seems not to be so I have no issue with it.

What I would however have a serious issue with is the RDR wrist bands for a money free system. Seriously uncool!!

[glasto-worker]

This was my worry. That it was going to become some kind of "Golden Circle" type farce; where by you get down the front first and get a stamp to come in and out etc. Or that they may actually be charging more people to be able to get close to to the stage.

Clearly though it seems not to be so I have no issue with it.

What I would however have a serious issue with is the RDR wrist bands for a money free system. Seriously uncool!!

[Wooderson]

I think the festival was lucky that the queuing into the late night areas (particularly on the railway) didnt cause more problems. Thankfully this was noted and changed.

Worst crushing I've experienced in the Pyramid area was after Amy Winehouse couple years back. A right old mess.

[LondonTom]

I wouldn't mind the T In The Park style one either at the Pyramid, lots of idiots about at the front of the Pyramid who could do with a little more control at some points! Where it's still free to get in, there's no stamp or what ever but they close it off at the ends and force people to queue to get into it. Actually found it to be the best of experience of being at the front of a festival stage as the numbers are a bit more controlled.

At last years festivals (Hackney And Reading) both had a similar barrier to glastonbury, where it's open at both ends (and they both had the more pointed in the center front one to) and I decided to head for that rather than right at the front for most acts and quite enjoyed it from there! So might do the same for glasto this year!

[rexclark]

Can't say I have an issue with these barriers as I always stay well away from the front anyway.

[abdoujaparov]

Can't say I have an issue with these barriers as I always stay well away from the front anyway.

[Ted Dansons Wig]

As generally agreed - they're a positive thing. My only observation by the way of variation from the way these barriers seem to be normally used is the complete absence of control over the numbers "stage side". Usually at big gigs they seem to control the numbers in the front area to avoid a massive crush and allow quick access/ exit where required (limited numbers of wrist bands for example) .

They dont do this at G of course and it can get mighty tight down the front on occasion as a result. Particularly remember the crush at Kasabian a couple of years back. Not that I'm advocating controlling it mind. They just need to keep the exits well wide to let people out if it gets bad - or in this case once the full horror of Kasabian became apparent.

Maybe I'm just old.

[Sketchead]

We can bring this back up when all hell breaks loose during/after the Stones in the summer

[Gparsfan]

Yeah its quite unnoticable and has little drawbacks. Absolutely nothing like the ones youd find at titp/hyde park etc.