Flares

[Inconspicuous]

I'm talking about the big red distress flares people let off in the crowd...

It seems like there have been more and more of them in recent years, there were bucketloads at Kasabian last year.

What do people think of them? I don't mind them personally, I think they look good and create a great atmosphere, I assume they are against festival rules though. Has anyone ever seen someone ejected for using one?

[FuzzyDunlop]

I'm talking about the big red distress flares people let off in the crowd...

It seems like there have been more and more of them in recent years, there were bucketloads at Kasabian last year.

What do people think of them? I don't mind them personally, I think they look good and create a great atmosphere, I assume they are against festival rules though. Has anyone ever seen someone ejected for using one?

During Arcade Fire 4/5 security grabbed one from someone in the front pit who set one off. They just marched it through the crowd. To be honest what they did was much more dangerous. He was on shoulders and had it well above everyone. They had it held down, between people and marched through and out if the pit. They lobbed water and sand on it in the area between the pit and the next barrier.

The person who set it off was not ejected.

I have never seen security do that before or since (I was at all 3 pyramid headliners last year)

I was quite near the side for Kasabian though as I didn't plan to watch them. Got there pretty late

Edited March 10, 2015 by FuzzyDunlop

[Hugh Jass]

They look great when they go off on the opposite side of the field to where you are, but I can imagine they're pretty dangerous to be stood next to. Don't think I'd want to be either directly in front of or behind one either.

[Spindles]

I think that at the right moment they really add to the atmosphere of an outdoor gig. As to safety, I have the same concerns others do. A mate who was right by one in 2009 had his coat ruined, by his account.

[chimpy]

I had to take the mrs to Worthy hospital halfway through Bruce as an idiot set one off at arms length and part of it went in her eye. She was lucky and just needed an eye bath, could have been much worse.

Oh and Worthy Hospital is well interesting at that time of night!

[Hugh Jass]

Oh and Worthy Hospital is well interesting at that time of night!

Maybe I'll check it out if I don't fancy any of the headliners one night.

[FuzzyDunlop]

They look great when they go off on the opposite side of the field to where you are, but I can imagine they're pretty dangerous to be stood next to. Don't think I'd want to be either directly in front of or behind one either.

This

[mr flow]

I was stood next to someone who let one off during Kasabian last year. It kept spaying off hot debris which kept hitting me. Also, at one stage during Kasabian, about 5 were let off at the same time all roughly in a line going back through the crowd. They were all 20-30 metres apart, so I have a feeling it was set up to add to the atmosphere.

Says all about Kasabian if that's what they think they need to start a good atmosphere really...

[SirDaniel]

Oh, you mean w*nker beacons? Yeah, they can fuck off and die with their Kasabian-fan, Burton-shopping, 'Cheeky Nandos?' c**t owners.

[chimpy]

Maybe I'll check it out if I don't fancy any of the headliners one night.

Two pole dancers came in from shangrila with a bloke with a broken leg. There was quite a bit of vommiting going on too...

[coma girl]

I used to think they looked cool when I'd seen them from a distance or on TV but I soon changed my opinion when someone lit one very near me when I was watching the Stone Roses in Glasgow. I'd never noticed them at Glasto until Kasabian, seemed to be loads that night.

[LondonTom]

They look great when they go off on the opposite side of the field to where you are, but I can imagine they're pretty dangerous to be stood next to. Don't think I'd want to be either directly in front of or behind one either.

Quite, I think thats most people view on them isn't it?

I can't deny I quite like the look/the atmosphere when one goes off....but I don't want it to be to close to at all!

So on the basis of that, keep them away from tightly packed crowds of people =p

[Mezhyp1]

Visually fantastic, helps create a right buzz in the atmosphere at the right act, realistically not that dangerous if handled correctly and not in the middle of a seriously packed part of crowd

I'm a fan, I know it's a debatable subject though

[Lois.]

I love how the crowd boo every time an idiot lets off a sky lantern!

[tiffpietiff]

Dangerous, a little annoying, but fucking hell if they don't add something to a set at night.

Best examples I've seen recorded are during Rebellion (Lies) on the Pyramid last year, and this at 2:05:

They're cool as hell, but obviously if people stopped bringing them altogether and a lantern-style stigma arose, that would probably be for the best.

[Badlands]

Some fella lit one up during Disclosure, tried to get on his mates shoulders, fell, and nearly set his head alight!

[Northernsoul45]

i think they can definitely help the atmosphere / bring the the crowd scenes to life if your watching it on telly / from a distance, so im all for it....if i were next to the guy with them, i'd probably be very pissed off.

its very similar to them being used (along with smoke grenades) at football stadiums by 'ultras'...i think they make the atmosphere and it looks fantastic if done correctly....but pity if you are the old boy with asthma and you then need to be whisked off to A&E

[johnomatic]

I reckon they look brilliant, but they're certainly dangerous, especially in certain contexts. I've complained about this before on here but during MGMT in the John Peel last year one idiot near the edge of the crowd set one off holding it right up near the skin of the tent.

[Winslow Leach]

Dangerous, a little annoying, but fucking hell if they don't add something to a set at night.

Best examples I've seen recorded are during Rebellion (Lies) on the Pyramid last year, and this at 2:05:

They're cool as hell, but obviously if people stopped bringing them altogether and a lantern-style stigma arose, that would probably be for the best.

I was there, and it was one hell of a moment. There's not been many live music moments that have rivalled it for me.

But generally I feel the same way about flares as I do about the sky lanterns: they can look lovely but there's so many other reasons to just not have them.

[The Placid Casual]

I've been next to a flare being lit and didn't think much of it.

I've been hit on the bonce by one of those bleeding flags though.

[Matt - Ed Banger Records]

Inadvertently part of an anti-Glazier march at United a few years back, tons of flares going off and didn't bother me too much, although admittedly didn't get too close to them, think they look pretty good in a crowd but the problem is often the people pulling them are battered and they then become far more dangerous than they probably are

[guypjfreak]

i use those things you put in your fire to check the draw ....much safer but alot less dramatic lol

[The Placid Casual]

I use one of these bad boys

I'm clearly the banter king

[Gnomicide]

They can even make Coldplay look good.

Edited March 10, 2015 by Gnomicide

[Staff_Sav]

From a distance look great, but it's only the battered w*nker sorts who go to the effort of bringing a load in. I've seen someones 'safe disposal' method being to just lob it in front of them into tHe crowd. That being said, they are better than flags

flags

Edited March 10, 2015 by Staff_Sav