Jump to content

2009 v 2019 - why are tickets so hard to get now?


Jet_Moderno
 Share

Recommended Posts

My view is that it's the value of the ticket. When I was younger Glastonbury always felt like the most expensive option, so like many people I know went to cheaper fests instead like Reading. These days Reading tickets are only maybe £30 less than a Glasto ticket, for a shorter, more controlled (arena-based) festival, and you have to buy the ticket all in one go. Why would anyone NOT put a bit of Glasto money down earlier, see how the lineup rumours/announcements shape up and make the call in the new year, paying the balance that is essentially less than the full ticket price of an inferior fest?

Having been lucky in resales in the past, i've always marvelled how there are so many resale tickets available in April. What are people thinking? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, DareToDibble said:

There are a lot of things but the main one has to be social media.

I had a friend post a picture this year on the Wednesday of her say by the Glastonbury sign so I messaged Thursday evening and said "Were are you camped? Shall we meet up for an act over the weekend?"

Her reply - seriously - was along the lines of "We only came for the Wednesday/Thursday but we've gone home now as we had plans for the weekend.... still done Glasto though!!"

Now as much as they're my friend I can't help but feel they came just for the Instagram opportunity. If we have people trying for tickets who claim they've "done Glasto" and going home on the Thursday then what hope have we got of it ever being anywhere near 2009 levels?

Unbelivable.

Unfriend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, DareToDibble said:

There are a lot of things but the main one has to be social media.

I had a friend post a picture this year on the Wednesday of her say by the Glastonbury sign so I messaged Thursday evening and said "Were are you camped? Shall we meet up for an act over the weekend?"

Her reply - seriously - was along the lines of "We only came for the Wednesday/Thursday but we've gone home now as we had plans for the weekend.... still done Glasto though!!"

Now as much as they're my friend I can't help but feel they came just for the Instagram opportunity. If we have people trying for tickets who claim they've "done Glasto" and going home on the Thursday then what hope have we got of it ever being anywhere near 2009 levels?

Only one acceptable way of dealing with that

giphy.gif.1c362d445b063b76dd51c5b44793dc52.gif

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, UEF said:

I dunno, Weds and Thurs are my favourite days some years 

They can be great days but it doesn't mean you'd bugger off home feeling done then does it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

39 minutes ago, Northtim said:

There are the "bucket list" types, although I do hope some will actually get Glastonbury and then want to come back year after year.

Also if you look at the people like Hugh Jass who list their festival attendances in their signature, it is noticeable for many that there are relatively few Readings, Leeds and others, yet Glastonbury is there every year they can grab tickets.

I have done Reading and Leeds in the past but wouldn't entertain it now, I'm nearly 50 and would feel like a Granddad.  Glastonbury I feel average aged, can wander and chat to anyone, and be constantly blown away by the vibe and happiness.     

So is it that once you have done Glastonbury you have found the best Festival and will always want to try and go again.  All/most of the other festivals don't hold a candle to it.

 

 

I did Reading once; enough to know it wasn't for me! 

I did V a couple of times when I knew no better (fallow year too)

Only one thing's remained consistent.. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

33 minutes ago, matichin said:

My view is that it's the value of the ticket. When I was younger Glastonbury always felt like the most expensive option, so like many people I know went to cheaper fests instead like Reading. These days Reading tickets are only maybe £30 less than a Glasto ticket, for a shorter, more controlled (arena-based) festival, and you have to buy the ticket all in one go. Why would anyone NOT put a bit of Glasto money down earlier, see how the lineup rumours/announcements shape up and make the call in the new year, paying the balance that is essentially less than the full ticket price of an inferior fest?

Having been lucky in resales in the past, i've always marvelled how there are so many resale tickets available in April. What are people thinking? 

Some good points raised here, a lot of other festivals these days have split off to target a very specific market/demographic:

Reading/Leeds - Lineup focuses these days on attracting a younger crowd

Download - Rock/metal

Camp Bestival - Families

BST/APE/TRNSMT - Day festivals with individually curated days

Kendall - Indie

Latitude - Indie for Guardian readers

Boomtown - Hedonism

Glastonbury is the only major festival left that offers something for everyone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

49 minutes ago, Northtim said:

 

Also if you look at the people like Hugh Jass who list their festival attendances in their signature, it is noticeable for many that there are relatively few Readings, Leeds and others, yet Glastonbury is there every year they can grab tickets.

 

I cut my teeth at Reading/Leeds as a teenager before moving on to bigger and better things. I'd still consider going to Reading for a day if the lineup appealed but I have long accepted that I am no longer part of the target demographic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Avalon_Fields said:

Impossible to quantify, but I reckon the demise of other major festivals, and the struggles of others plays a part. A few years ago the UK probably had too many festivals which inevitably led to the failures, plus a limited, finite number of big headline acts to book, so Glastonbury has less competiton than before.

I'm not saying it's the main reason, just another factor.

Certainly it seems harder and harder to get tickets, we've always had at least 4 or 5 groups, it's only the last 3 festivals where we are failing to get everyone with tickets on the main ticket day.

100%, Scotland for example used to have two major camping festivals - TITP and Rockness, which have both met their demise. TITP has been replaced by TRNSMT, which to be honest is piss poor - extremely low effort, corporate sponsorship everywhere, no real attempt at making distinct areas, non camping, beige line up, no dance/electronic music. Basically two plain stages in a park with bars. 

A lot of the people I know or went to those two festivals now all try for Glastonbury...I think it’s probably a similar case for England as well. There’s been a real commercialisation of festivals, which Glastonbury doesn’t have to anywhere near the extent.

I went to Lovebox this summer and it was absolutely garbage for mostly the same reasons as above. But I understand there used to be a real effort with it with NYC Downlow being there on year etc. There just doesn’t appear to be anywhere near the offering/effort of Glastonbury at these major festivals. 

I understand there are smaller festivals that will make a real effort. And Boomtown/Creamfields are probably exceptions due to their production effort. 

Edited by gordong
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Glastonbury has captured the interest of wonderlusters, bucket listers and instagrammers, it's a fashionable spot to spend your time in the summer.

The festival reputation has evolved from a hippy vibe and crazy fence jumping antics to this superpower of commercial festival appeal to people of all ages, those who have been for many years, families, first timers, the wide appeal makes the popularity increase year on year the more people get to experience it and want to return.

Most people know someone who has been so word of mouth is spreading, lots of people casually agree to try for Glastonbury as a result out of curiosity.

The £50 deposit scheme encourages you to register and take a punt on ticket day. 2.4 million registrations, even if only 1.5 million people actively tried for tickets on Sunday that's still a big portion of people who miss out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Hugh Jass said:

Glastonbury is the only major festival left that offers something for everyone.

I'd argue that it's too early to take IOW off the list. Yes, this year the status of the headliners was a notch lower than it had been in the past or than would top the Pyramid. But we don't know whether that's a deliberate change in direction, and even if it's not they apparently still managed to shift a decent number of tickets for it. Maybe we'll find out in a few months, if they announce an exclusive trio of Elton, Fleetwood Mac, and Taylor Swift.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, LSTx said:

My thinking now is will it ever go back down to the days where it wouldn't sell out in half an hour? Probably not, this was my first year missing out on tickets in 5 years and it sucks, swings and roundabouts though. I had a bad feeling about tickets this year.

Let the Levellers and Carter USM headline again. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, incident said:

I'd argue that it's too early to take IOW off the list. Yes, this year the status of the headliners was a notch lower than it had been in the past or than would top the Pyramid. But we don't know whether that's a deliberate change in direction, and even if it's not they apparently still managed to shift a decent number of tickets for it. Maybe we'll find out in a few months, if they announce an exclusive trio of Elton, Fleetwood Mac, and Taylor Swift.

To be honest I'd completely forgotten that IOW existed. Which isn't a ringing endorsement.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2008 didn't sell out as many people were traumatised after the complete washout that was 2007. The Jay Z effect also probably had something to do with it but it's been just as hard every year since I've been going (2005) other than that one year. This time round a combination of sunny weather and the 50th means demand is higher than ever. Last year we had 20 of us trying to get tickets as opposed to 70 odd this year. 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's interesting that both Reading and Leeds and V Festival had really popular patches between 05-10 or so, where they would sell out very quickly and from memory without any kind of deposit scheme. They were arguably doing better than Glasto around that time in popularity.

I did V between 05-07 after seeing the 03 lineup and fancying a bit of that.

Did Reading between 04-12 every single year again because the 03 lineup was crazy good.

Then moved onto Glastonbury in 2009 and it changed everything because Glastonbury became the priority and everything else was secondary.

Bad weather years do seem to make the following year sell out slower.

Edited by robillustrates
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Dave_c said:

This 100%. Too many people want to go so they can take pictures of themselves pretending to be happy in front of the pyramid stage in the hope that they get lots of nice messages from their 'friends' on social media. 

100% true, I remember being up the very front for Arcade Fire in 2014? and the number of people snapping selfies and paying no attention to the music was crazy, they were there to show they were at the Pyramid Stage for a headliner at Glastonbury, they weren't fans of Arcade Fire, some of them couldn't give a toss and spoke over the entire set until they got bored and some moved on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Helsbels said:

2008 didn't sell out as many people were traumatised after the complete washout that was 2007. The Jay Z effect also probably had something to do with it but it's been just as hard every year since I've been going (2005) other than that one year. This time round a combination of sunny weather and the 50th means demand is higher than ever. Last year we had 20 of us trying to get tickets as opposed to 70 odd this year. 

 

 

It's impossible to fathom how 08 didn't sell out with this lineup...

Friday    
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, maelzoid said:

This beggars belief. It's like saying you 'Still done Alton Towers though!' but didn't go on the corkscrew. Or any of the other rides.

Still as long as she's convinced she has done it, I suppose she won't try for tickets ever again.

Appalling.

they got rid of the corkscrew like 10 years ago so not exactly the same ahah.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.



×
×
  • Create New...