The alternative Fest

[ben dover]

Never got tickets to this year and STILL ain't over it. I don't think anything will come close but I'm gonna throw my self into the festival mix and see if I can calm these emotions.

Can anyone recommend a close second? I would have defo went for Big Green Gathering or Big Chill but neither are happening :-(

So far, Kendal Calling and Lattitude are raising my eyebrows.

321-go!!!!

[bsolxiv]

Perhaps check out /topic/177452-any-other-festivals-this-year/?hl=%2Bother">this thread.

[airwaves]

Latitude - did this for its first three years. Became filled to the gunnels with hoo-ra henries / henriettas and posh (ie public school) kids glamping it up big time. Not pleasant

[Dave The Hedgehog]

I think the logical second place is probably something like Bestival. Not my cup of tea anymore - great in 2011 but 2012 was a bit shite for me, personally. Seems like the only sort of thing I'd enjoy once unless the bands were good.

Similar sort of vibe as at Glastonbury but don't get caught under the illusion that it's more than just music; it's not. Granted they go to great lengths to make the place seem magical and hippy-like but all the 20ft papier mache flowers and Lionel Richie heads can't hide the true mediocrity underneath. That's me being harsh. Those who are concerned about getting the same bang for the buck as Glastonbury should tread with caution with Bestival because it's really not a cheap festival to go to, and with the line-up this year (90% of which for me are personally appealing) seeming so cheap and lazy, it's really hard for me to justify paying so much when I'll basically be sitting around trying to find my own amusement for X amount of hours before I venture out of my tent dressed as a submarine wandering into the 'Ambient Forest'.

It's a shame because in spirit it has all the makings of a truly great festival, albeit an expensive one, but unfortunetly it seems to be heading the way a previous user describes Latitude (even though I've never been; have heard the reputation that place has) with the posh crowd on one hand. Or the other extreme which is a crowd of Joey Essex's/V Festival doofuses. Either way, there's very little festival spirit there to be had. The line-up this year as well - for me, this is a semi-independant festival clinging on to it's last few straws; deliberately getting cheap(ish) bands and not offering much in the way of 'mainstream' talent (though largely incidental) as a means of sustaining festival longetivity. That's corporate thinking in my eyes.

Bestival's a bit like a drink's company that used to include good, ethical, natural and healthy ingredients in it's products only to see the doom on the horizon and begin to cut corners by deliberately introducing bad ingredients, charging the same price and hoping nobody notices.

Edited July 6, 2013 by Dave The Hedgehog

[Thearg]

You cant get another festival that covers everything like Glastonbury but if you like the late night areas them Boomtown and if you like the greenfields then one of the Hippy festivals etc

[pjadnoo]

From the (admittedly limited) festivals I've been to there are only 2 I'd consider as viable alternatives to Glasto:

I know it's got a reputation as a fairly middle class festival, but I really liked Latitude. It's much smaller than Glasto, but has a similar focus on lots of things beyond music (talks, theatre, arts, etc.), and the atmosphere was really nice last time I went. Also, the space is really cool; lovely small woodland, a lake (with a stage for music + theatre), and generally a great crowd.

Further afield I really enjoyed Roskilde. Superficially it seems more akin to Leeds/Download (mainly music focussed, separated camping/arena space, etc.), but it has a history of strong charity focus. It's absolutely huge too, and (presumably due to it being Denmark's one huge summer festival), the line up always seems very strong (especially compared with the UK fests where I suppose the big bands can spread over many more events), with a broad focus across regular indie/rock through to metal and dance and pop. When I went the lineup included; Tool, Guns N Roses, Kanye West, Roger Waters, Bob Dylan, Morrisey, Scissor Sisters, The Strokes, Sigur Ros and Franz Ferdinand.

[russycarps]

End of the road and bearded theory were ok the other year

Edited July 6, 2013 by russycarps

[Thearg]

I went to the second Latitude,very posh.I enjoyed myself during the day,good music and very clean etc but at night all they had was that guilty pleasures,funny for half an hour but then we wanted some tunes so really crap at night

I suppose that stops the likes of me going back!

Edited July 6, 2013 by Thearg

[Dave The Hedgehog]

Couple of people once told me that Shamballa has a similar sort of feel to it as Glastonbury - significantly cheaper, very family friendly and chilled out but no real major bands if that's the sort of thing you like. I considered going there and Beacons this year but finances at the minute aren't working out that way but otherwise if I could, I probably would.

I'd only ever go to Bestival again if they had the same level of bands on the table as 2011. Felt like it was made for me that year.

[grumpyhack]

I don't think anything compares to Glasto so for alternatives don't go for poor second bests pick something totally different that doesn't attempt to be Glastonbury.

[Mardy]

EOTR is my 'listen to music' festival, Glastonbury is my 'holy fucking shit' festival. Both good, but grumpyhack nails it there, I think.

[dost]

Shambala gets my vote. Love it.

[fantomas]

Agreed on End of the Road, it's very much a music festival, but really pleasant and with some great bookings usually.

[Craigston]

I don't think anything compares to Glasto so for alternatives don't go for poor second bests pick something totally different that doesn't attempt to be Glastonbury.

[Greenish]

the green gathering is happening https://www.greengathering.org.uk/