Flares or Not?

[dentalplan]

Flags are annoying but harmless. Flares are pretty but dangerous. I'd prefer the first one as it's not worth risking ruining someone else's festival or worse. If the band thinks pyro will make things better, then I'm sure they can put that on with the help of professionals.

Edited June 8, 2015 by dentalplan

[mufcok]

Always gonna be a mixed opinion

The worst thing a steward can do is try and steam into the crowd to confiscate one. If they go up just let them burn.

The only time I've nearly see them go wrong is when stewards steam into the crowd, I've never seen a steward do that at Glastonbury though, think the approach is a little more relaxed

[CanWeRest]

I expected a discussion about trousers. Sorry, carry on lolz

[DeanoL]

They just seem unsafe to me. And if you're staying sober and feel entirely in control and able to let one off safely, if a drunk idiot stumbles over you and hurts himself, you're potentially in the shit (at a festival where there's camera coverage of all the crowd and you just lit your face up).

[___S_o_m_a__]

Can't deny it... they can look good in the right setting.

Also can't deny they can be fuckin' dangerous.

[justanothername]

I think with the courteeners people purposely take them now, because in the past they've had to stop playing and made a point at future gigs of telling people not to bring them.

I know that on the last tour that they actually had to as some idiots thought it would be a good idea to set these thing off Academy venues and that is when it gets really dangerous.

Also I think flares at creating an atmosphere (a band like Arcade Fire I think would be great) but when they're held by screaming morons who wont stop moving and are just doing it for attention is when I hate them.

Edited June 8, 2015 by justanothername

[fur_q]

Some idiots thought it would be a good idea to set these thing off Academy venues and that is went it gets really dangerous.

Did these people learn nothin from Smoke on the Water

[waynewdk]

Guy behind us had one at Kasabian, it looked brilliant, but all the bits that landed on my head were burning.At first it was a shock and tried to run away but no movement in the crowd

[Dan R]

During the stones someone next to us set one off and the smoke was pretty nasty, especially for my mate who was asmatic. Despite this though, they really can look awesome and I'd be sad if they disappeared.

[stardustjunkie]

As someone who spends a lot of time around pyrotechnics, and i have done since the age of about 10, they are perfectly safe in a perfectly safe environment. I've seen fireworks of all kinds, from rookies to full blown 10"+ mortars go very very wrong. I've seen people lose their fingers, houses set on fire and more, by people who are supposedly experts but not when they've been drinking.

I wish people would consider the situation they're in before they light one. Does anyone around them have breathing difficulties? Will the huge amount of dust (and there is a lot of it. I've stood by plenty and you basically go grey with the ash) go in anyones eyes? Could the sparks burn anyone? Is there anyone around you that could react badly due to drugs/drinking etc? And of course.. do YOU actually know what you're doing? It is possible to light a flare incorrectly and seriously burn your hand, which would result in it being dropped.

And most importantly - what would happen if someone was seriously hurt? You're in a crowd of thousands. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has helped to get a paramedics attention in the Pyramid stage crowd - it's a nightmare.

It's not the same for atmosphere, but if someone let off a flare up on the hill above the tipi field, with a handful of people around, it's a very different situation to a stage crowd.

[guypjfreak]

fun from a distance dangerous up close

[efcfanwirral]

I know that on the last tour that they actually had to as some idiots thought it would be a good idea to set these thing off Academy venues and that is when it gets really dangerous.

Also I think flares at creating an atmosphere (a band like Arcade Fire I think would be great) but when they're held by screaming morons who wont stop moving and are just doing it for attention is when I hate them.

I'm in the hate them near me but they look good thing. I think they should be banned for the danger element though. When they first started I ended up with a few near me but I haven't recently. Amazingly even on Friday night nobody too close to me had one. My throat hurt the next day from all the smoke and I smelt a bit like I'd been to a bonfire though!

Liverpool academy in August, someone let one off and as security came over just dropped it on the floor. Luckily, as im sure you can guess as you'd have seen it on the news and I wouldn't be typing this now, the floors there seem to be flame resistant but I know some smaller venues will have normal wooden floors. The most dangerous thing I've ever seen and ruined the song for me and those around completely.

As much of an issue as the nos canisters in my opinion and I think they should be banning them

Oh yeah- another story, at V (guess which band during) someone planted one in the ground and it took off like a rocket fuck knows where it landed

Edited June 8, 2015 by efcfanwirral

[chimpy]

Just to add to the, the worse thing that can happen is they are confiscated.

In 2005 we were sat at our tents after macca and a guy next to use set off a firework. Not a massive one, but nether the less a rocket of some kind. Ten minutes later security turn up with a land rover say right, get in the van you're leaving. If you want your tents and stuff back you can collect the monday. They didnt mess about!

[tom22]

Kasabian was awesome last year with them going off all round, but probably not much fun if you get burnt by one. Will leave it to others to run the risk of being kicked out, but hope to see a few going off at the right times this year.

[sheffieldlady]

Not a fan of them near me, I'm asthmatic and manage it quite well but standing next to someone with a flare and the smoke is not an ideal situation to be in - especially when you're at a festival. I agree that they do look awesome from a far and yes, they make it look amazing in pictures and on the television.

But, with my safety hat on all I can think of is drunk people plus fire is bad. During Arctic Monkeys at Sheffield Arena some twat decided to use one during the set, sure to say, security came over, threw the flare on the floor and firmly escorted the guy out the building.

If people were sensible all the time with them, it wouldn't be a problem! Sadly, you can't make people take idiot tests prior to using them.

[ProperTea]

As someone who spends a lot of time around pyrotechnics, and i have done since the age of about 10, they are perfectly safe in a perfectly safe environment. I've seen fireworks of all kinds, from rookies to full blown 10"+ mortars go very very wrong. I've seen people lose their fingers, houses set on fire and more, by people who are supposedly experts but not when they've been drinking.

I wish people would consider the situation they're in before they light one. Does anyone around them have breathing difficulties? Will the huge amount of dust (and there is a lot of it. I've stood by plenty and you basically go grey with the ash) go in anyones eyes? Could the sparks burn anyone? Is there anyone around you that could react badly due to drugs/drinking etc? And of course.. do YOU actually know what you're doing? It is possible to light a flare incorrectly and seriously burn your hand, which would result in it being dropped.

And most importantly - what would happen if someone was seriously hurt? You're in a crowd of thousands. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has helped to get a paramedics attention in the Pyramid stage crowd - it's a nightmare.

It's not the same for atmosphere, but if someone let off a flare up on the hill above the tipi field, with a handful of people around, it's a very different situation to a stage crowd.

What a great post. This sums up the issue for me - if you set one off you're an inconsiderate prick IMO.

[hogboy]

I'd just assumed that it was "official" when the flares went off during Kasabians set, they seemed to be quite evenly spread across the field so I thought they had people planted in the crowd for this. Either way, it looked class.

[tom22]

I'd just assumed that it was "official" when the flares went off during Kasabians set, they seemed to be quite evenly spread across the field so I thought they had people planted in the crowd for this. Either way, it looked class.

It also smells awesome.

[Peroni]

thanks for all the thoughts guys, been really interesting reading the different perspectives. Whilst they might look awesome, theres quite a bit of a downside and probably one that most people haven't considered have thought about,

Hopefully this helps to spread the common sense.

Peroni x

[wetflame]

I'd just assumed that it was "official" when the flares went off during Kasabians set, they seemed to be quite evenly spread across the field so I thought they had people planted in the crowd for this. Either way, it looked class.

First thing I thought of when I saw this thread. I don't mind Kasabian, I'm no big fan or anything but that experience on the Sunday night with the crowd bouncing and singing along, with flares let off in the crowd was immense. I had such a great time and I was way at the back, ended up telling my mates it was one of the best acts I saw at the festival just for that view of the Pyramid stage in front of me, everyone in the moment and those huge flares going off. Having said that, because I was at the back I wasn't stood right next to someone with one so that might have meant I had a better time watching them.

So basically, if it's dark and you've got enough space around you that you're not going to burn someone or piss them off, then I'm all for it.

[Ponyegg]

[Chimps in Balaclavas]

They look fantastic, but they're dangerous and are a risk to peoples health/safety. I wouldn't want one lit next to me in a crowd... especially as I could be three sheets to the wind and become disoriented and end up setting myself on fire.

Then you have the smoke from one which can get on your chest, in your eyes or even obscure your view of the gig.

So, although they look great and do add atmosphere, I've got to place myself in the NO camp.

[StevieMcK]

I'm not going to give and argument for or against them. However I will share my view of it last year.

[justanothername]

I'm in the hate them near me but they look good thing. I think they should be banned for the danger element though. When they first started I ended up with a few near me but I haven't recently. Amazingly even on Friday night nobody too close to me had one. My throat hurt the next day from all the smoke and I smelt a bit like I'd been to a bonfire though!

Liverpool academy in August, someone let one off and as security came over just dropped it on the floor. Luckily, as im sure you can guess as you'd have seen it on the news and I wouldn't be typing this now, the floors there seem to be flame resistant but I know some smaller venues will have normal wooden floors. The most dangerous thing I've ever seen and ruined the song for me and those around completely.

As much of an issue as the nos canisters in my opinion and I think they should be banning them

Oh yeah- another story, at V (guess which band during) someone planted one in the ground and it took off like a rocket fuck knows where it landed

I only heard about it through my mates who are massive Courteeners fans (I can't stand them but each to their own) and they were showing me a video when someone set one off in one of the Academy venue (can't remember which one) and they thought it was cool. When I complained about the one during Kasabian after the gig they all thought it was amazing. Also they said during the last Courteeners tour that the police had to get involved over flares but then again I don't think they're a reliable source so I'm not too sure that is true

[mufcok]

I'm not going to give and argument for or against them. However I will share my view of it last year.

That's unreal