Review your 2013 Wychwood

[ian the worm]

I attended with my 7 year old girl.

My personal highlight was seeing John Otway, Other great acts were Caravan Palace, The Human League The Beat & Public Service Broadcasting. She really enjoyed Mausi. We spent ages in the craft tents. Really enjoyed the games being played there. Punch and Judy, Cinderella, The Enormous Turnip and juggling workshops. Drumming workshop were also great. Met lots of nice friendly and helpful people.

The car queue system for the family camping on Friday was truly awful and really difficult as a solo parent. I also felt the family campsite was too far from the festival village but I think that was pre-festival weather ground related?

Great festival.

[Christian_chambers]

Amazing !! Gutted its all over the weather this morning just made it even harder to leave.

Thought Human League were top notch Phil Oakley voice is red wine.

First time and promise see you all next year!

[dave666]

Another excellent year at Wychwood Festival, I was very sceptical about the line up before hand but was pleasantly suprised by most of the bands. Caravan Palace were awesome, didn't realise I knew so many Human League songs sang along to all of them! Lloyd Yates absolutely blew me away, go check him out if you get the opportunity! Thank you Wychwood, big year in 2014, can't wait!

[si_t]

Thought it was pretty good, on the whole.

Enjoyed: Dualers, caravan palace, dreadzone, bill bailey, Craig Charles. The Beat were brilliant as ever and for me the best band of the weekend.

Couple of gripes - hopefully they are atleast fairly constructive - Why show a link on the website to Soul to Soul playing with a stomping rhythm section - and then have Jazzie B pressing a button. Misleading, and rubbish, to be honest.

No Earl Sixteen with Dreadzone also. I know he's not always about but for last act of a pricey festival the full band would have been nice.

Is anyone able to tell me why I paid something like 70 quid for two campervan passes and then got issued exactly the same wristband as a couple of thousand others who hadn't? we were given a piece of paper to put in the windscreen. What a stupid idea. We didn't display it, we were never asked to, and feel robbed of that 70 quid.

Also, thought the main stage area was just too small, considering the numbers of people plonking down chairs.... and then buggering off.... 'saving their spot'.... never seen that before.

One more I'm afriad - The Bars.... so we know you cant take your own booze in, that's fair enough, but I would then not expect to queue for 15 mins at midday to get a pint, whilst the 'staff' behind the bar are entertaining themselves sellotaping into place a tip box. There were 15 people waiting, one lad serving, and about 5 others looking busy. that's just a bit crap, isn't it?

As I say - enjoyed it mostly.... but won't be rushing out to buy next years tickets.... which... just incase you hadn't guessed, or been told between every single act on the main stage for the last three days, you 'could get for a discounted price of only 95 pounds!!!'... I'll be hearing that in the my sleep for the rest of this week.

[Christian_chambers]

Agree with the chair save space bit, can't blame the organisers, but I just find it very rude.

Think the chairs should be picked up and taken to lost property!

[eFestivals]

Is anyone able to tell me why I paid something like 70 quid for two campervan passes and then got issued exactly the same wristband as a couple of thousand others who hadn't?

because a campervan can't wear a wristband?

The campervan areas were - just as they are at almost all other festivals - in no different an area (in regards of fencing, at least) to the camping areas, and therefore don't need any different wristband to those who are camping.

we were given a piece of paper to put in the windscreen. What a stupid idea. We didn't display it, we were never asked to, and feel robbed of that 70 quid.

Erm, no. You'd have been robbing seventy quid off the festival if you'd had a service you'd not paid for.

Whilst the stewards, etc, might have erred by not checking for the bit of paper, that makes no difference to what you got. You got what you paid for, and to not have paid for it would be dishonest of you - you know, like any thief.

[si_t]

hmmmm.

What I'm getting at is it's the most I've ever paid to bring the van with us to a festival - and to not have a separate area for the campers, or even a nice sticker for the screen was a bit naf.

I have an email from the organisers saying the campervan area is separate. It wasn't.

[eFestivals]

hmmmm.

What I'm getting at is it's the most I've ever paid to bring the van with us to a festival - and to not have a separate area for the campers, or even a nice sticker for the screen was a bit naf.

I have an email from the organisers saying the campervan area is separate. It wasn't.

I guess that comes down to a definition of 'separate'.

It's certainly the case that the campervan areas were distinct and separate from the camping areas (tho there were a number of tents pitched next to the campervan they were to do with).

[Humpy]

Had a really great festival this year with my family. Been going for the last five years however whilst the sun made this year great there were a few things lacking/ that had changed. Now I understand a festival needs to change but I thought there was less this year. We thought the marble run last year was great kids played with it for hours, shame it wasn't there this year, in fact that whole corner was closed off. The drama workshops also didn't go on this year - I spoke to one of the 'musical drama workshop' leaders who said it had been replaced with those and was more suited to older children - not for my 7 year olds then. We looked forward to these each year. No swing boats either, they were ace. I think you could also do with an area specifically for under 3's - you could put it on that flat bit of dusty ground in front if the slide and inflatables as that area looks a bit desolate . Could have a large tent with soft play, water play, some messy/texture play. There's not very much for little ones, of course they are generally happy hanging around with family but it would be nice to have an area specifically for the under 3's. The craft tent was not for kids this young, everything means sitting on a chair with a wriggling one on your knee - doesn't really work. My 2 year old headed for the muddy puddles and so did many others I saw.

Highlights were Roald Dahl, Bill Bailey, caravan, dreadzone, Sam Sam bubbleman, clay modelling.

[Christian_chambers]

Do you want to start a separate thread over the campervan and associated stickers?

Think we are moving away from the jist of this thread.

Back on track need to comment on Toploader, in good form.

Also The Beat set up the weekend. Soul ii Soul, did let down a great main stage opening night.

Disappointed in Mr Bloom, kids might love him but it was a shoddy hour of this is a carrot and this is a cauliflower as I state on another thread the bubble man would have put on a better show!

[si_t]

Do you want to start a separate thread over the campervan and associated stickers?

[Emandjay]

I had a good time. I thought there was a very relaxed atmosphere. I wish I found out about it a few years ago when my daughter was younger. Enjoyed both Caravan Palace and Human League more than I thought I would.

On the downside, I agree with si_t about the time it took to get served in the bars. And the chairs and picnic blankets in front of the main stage were a pain. I can understand people doing it, especially as most people had young kids, but there needs to be more space.

[ian the worm]

The problem I had was when leaving the big top, I had to walk past Toploader to get back to the campsite. Hmmmppppgh.

[pagandave]

Thoroughly enjoyed the festival this year - not sure what the problem with campervan tickets was, we had one and were quite happy. For fire regs the vans have to be seperate from tents ( small "pup" tents, and awnings are allowed at all festivals I have been to).

We did discuss the chair problem, and wondered whether the answer would be to use the " u" shaped path as a border, with no chairs being allowed between the path and the stage - seen similar systems in place at other festivals, ie Trowbridge, Cambridge, and it works well.

Highlights for us were the beat, the sexy weirdoes ( should have been on the main stage and later in the day, as we're only seen by a small number of people being the first band on in the beer tent. )' human league, bill bailey, caravan palace, and the genius of John otway! And of course wychwood got the weather booked right as ever!

[grumpyhack]

Our group's 'scores' for what they were worth

Bill Bailey - 10+

Lo'Jo, Gaz Brookfield - 9

Wedding Present, Caravan Palace, Soul II Soul, John Otway - 8

The Beat, Toploader, Eddie & The Hotrods, Police Dog Hogan - 7

Human League - 6

Public Service Broadcasting - 5

Several other notable acts were no doubt good and would have scored well but you can't be everywhere and see everything.

Other facilities

General location - 9

Toilets and Beer (funny how they often go together) - 9

Food and Campsite - 8

Would we go again - Yes.

[Christian_chambers]

The big news to a newbie like me is how do you get to see so much??? Bloody struggled to see what we did with a three and six year old, in fact leaving the area between the xrecycling point and bubble tent was hard work unless BBQ and food was on the cards

[dave666]

I think the problem with banning chairs and blankets within the path area is when it's early on in the day with not many people around there will be nobody in that area making it a ghost town, not very nice for the smaller bands that play whilst people are in the workshop area, campsite etc. There is no room behind the stage to go back as the area has a one way system of roads to allow access to vehicles, there is also no room behind the shops opposite the stage. The stage also has to face in its usual direction because of the nearby houses in Prestbury, probably part of the license. When the racecourse start developing the area where the food stands are and the beer tent then there may even be less room, (though they are still awaiting planning permission), so we should appreciate the room we have at the moment. It is a pain with people sat in front of the stage when the headliners play but we have found if you dance like a crazy person in front of them they generally move! Lol

[jollynolly]

Fantastic weekend as always

Highlights for us were

[jollynolly]

The Beat, The sexy weirdos lol

The workshops, lovely food, friendly faces the silent disco and as always great facilities that make Wychwood the little gem that it always is. Roll on next year

[5co77ie]

my review here:

http://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/wychwood/2013/review-overview.shtml

and 300+ photos here:

http://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/wychwood/2013/galleries.shtml

[5co77ie]

Had a really great festival this year with my family. Been going for the last five years however whilst the sun made this year great there were a few things lacking/ that had changed. Now I understand a festival needs to change but I thought there was less this year. We thought the marble run last year was great kids played with it for hours, shame it wasn't there this year, in fact that whole corner was closed off. The drama workshops also didn't go on this year - I spoke to one of the 'musical drama workshop' leaders who said it had been replaced with those and was more suited to older children - not for my 7 year olds then. We looked forward to these each year. No swing boats either, they were ace. I think you could also do with an area specifically for under 3's - you could put it on that flat bit of dusty ground in front if the slide and inflatables as that area looks a bit desolate . Could have a large tent with soft play, water play, some messy/texture play. There's not very much for little ones, of course they are generally happy hanging around with family but it would be nice to have an area specifically for the under 3's. The craft tent was not for kids this young, everything means sitting on a chair with a wriggling one on your knee - doesn't really work. My 2 year old headed for the muddy puddles and so did many others I saw.

Highlights were Roald Dahl, Bill Bailey, caravan, dreadzone, Sam Sam bubbleman, clay modelling.

Edited June 6, 2013 by 5co77ie

[grumpyhack]

Good review Scottie.

On food, I was delighted to see Just Desserts there (I first discovered them at Trowbridge. But it did lack a decent curry/veggie curry stall. (It's hard to beat Suresh's Veggie Curry stall on the bridge at Glasto).

The timing of the festival was also perfect as it served as a good shake down and check out of equipment for the rest of the season.

The 'headline' bands may have been a bit of a disappointment but were more than compensated for by some unknown (to me) bands further down the list.

My only worry was that it seemed a lot less busy than 2012. I hope the economics worked out OK for Graeme.

Edited June 6, 2013 by grumpyhack

[the 1 and only elfie]

had a great time this year. wasnt too impressed about having to carry mountains of camping stuff for what seemed like miles. was knackered before we even put up the tent. last year we drove round and while i was sorting stuff out hubby parked the car, maybe was parked up for 10 mins max. that was my only complaint.

loved the Beat always get you up and dancing.

Craig Charles wow what an amazing D.J he even had me dancing to saturday night fever!!!! mega shock that 1 lol.

just loved Public Broadcasting. they where great. in fact we found out they where playing near to where we live and suffered hours of sunburn expensive beer and festival goers who where so *up themselves* just to see them play again. and will be seeing them again in october in london. (we groupies now lol)

Bill Bailey he had me roaring with laughter. was really enjoying him when a hippie and a punk had a fight right in front of us.(sounds like the start of a sad joke)

the facilitys where clean (thanks) found a great greasy spoon in town for breakfast each morning.

just enjoyed myself, took me a few days to recover but hey was worth it.

cant wait for next year!!!