Levellers ‘94 - 300k - how?!

[Spindles]

Aye, it used to be that when it got dark the upper half of the pyramid field was dotted with fires and candles, wouldn't be safe with it as busy as it is now.

[guypjfreak]

I believe that it Was in 2000 that they say that they the most people on site which is why they built the super fence... 

 

[uscore]

I was there in 2000, and whilst it was definitely quieter the year the fence went up, it definitely feels much busier nowadays

[uscore]

In fact it feels busier on Wednesday nights these days than it ever did in 2000.

[philipsteak]

38 minutes ago, uscore said:

In fact it feels busier on Wednesday nights these days than it ever did in 2000.

True, but pretty much everyone is in by that point and you havent got 100000 in the Pyramid field, 40000 in the Other field etc

[gooner1990]

On 2/29/2020 at 1:43 PM, MaxPower said:

God look at all the campfires, wish that was more common these days. Going to try and buy some bundles when we get there this year.

Campfires in front of the stage reminds me of the early Reading festivals I did 1999-2004 ish

[gooner1990]

On 2/29/2020 at 7:02 AM, eFestivals said:

not sure where that estimate is from, but the last year before the 'superfence' was muuuuch! busier and that was estimated at the time to be 250,000 (in the site, not in front of one stage).

And nowadays that 250,000 estimate isn't believed, as the site is much busier now despite the site being bigger.

How many do you think were on site that year?

it was a little bit before I started going but I do recall a very large amount of people I know jumping the fence that year and even more went on the Sunday specifically to see David Bowie.

[Pinhead]

There is no way there was that level of peeps there in 94 (and yes I was there). Looking back it didnt extend to the Pyramid campsite line like it has a number of times since. That said, crowds seemed more dense in those days (there is deffo less density these days - can get thro fairly easily now these days - back in the day it was a real fight to get tho I remember). Was still an amazing gig tho - just come back from a Levs gig in Liverpool - got the "Uncooperative Crusty" t - shirt and all.

[Pinhead]

Thinking about it too I cant believe they are still going I mean they are either in or approaching their 50's and there they are as energetic as ever, new album out - ffs and show no signs of hanging up their coats or anything...

[eFestivals]

8 hours ago, gooner1990 said:

How many do you think were on site that year?

it was a little bit before I started going but I do recall a very large amount of people I know jumping the fence that year and even more went on the Sunday specifically to see David Bowie.

no idea really, tho 1995 was the first year there were a lot of ticketless turned up. There was nothing particularly busy about '94.

[gooner1990]

1 hour ago, eFestivals said:

no idea really, tho 1995 was the first year there were a lot of ticketless turned up. There was nothing particularly busy about '94.

I suppose you have Channel 4 to blame for that

[eFestivals]

5 minutes ago, gooner1990 said:

I suppose you have Channel 4 to blame for that

nah, Oasis.  

[Homer]

I was there and it wasn't noticably busier than most headliners. I personally thought 99 was peak crowded (see moshpit here):
 

 

[gooner1990]

4 hours ago, eFestivals said:

nah, Oasis.  

ha! good point!

[mr flow]

I went in 2000 and it was really busy getting between stages, but once there, it wasn't as busy as it is today. No way did they have as many as 250k on site.

[Homer]

99 was a bit scary. Underworld subbed the Pyramid and Orbital headlined the 'Jazz/World' stage on the Sat night. The entire Pyramid field leaving at the same time and going en masse to the same place felt slightly dangerous.

[gooner1990]

18 minutes ago, Homer said:

99 was a bit scary. Underworld subbed the Pyramid and Orbital headlined the 'Jazz/World' stage on the Sat night. The entire Pyramid field leaving at the same time and going en masse to the same place felt slightly dangerous.

Wasn't there but I've heard that Portishead in 1994 in a tent was dangerously tightly packed and Moby in 2000 at the Other stage.

Some of the worst crushing i've seen was Liam Gallagher in 2017 on the Other stage (partly caused by Toot and the Maytals not turning up on West Holts just before) and trying to get out of the Pyramid field before Paul Simon round by the toilets near the cider bus...was swaying all over the place.

 

[gooner1990]

I also purposely missed The Rolling Stones in 2013 as I felt i wouldn't enjoy it crushed - went and watched Public Enemy instead.

[eFestivals]

34 minutes ago, gooner1990 said:

Wasn't there but I've heard that Portishead in 1994 in a tent was dangerously tightly packed

I've no idea how tightly packed the tent was, as I couldn't get in the field because it was so tightly packed.

[Upside down frowner]

Personally think acts like Ed Sheeran/Kylie/Lionel all seemed bigger than the biggest crowd in 2000

[Chubby Dude in a Tiny Car]

On 2/29/2020 at 11:53 AM, Splonk said:

 

...bit of a shame really because I literally can't remember any of it 🤪

 

ha!

i hear that - the only thing i have any memory of from '94 is Levellers and Back to the Planet.

Edited March 4, 2020 by Chubby Dude in a Tiny Car

[Spindles]

'94 is the one year that I REALLY wish I'd been able to attend.  My daughter had just been born and it was the year that all my mates bunked in and I had to stay home, from all accounts from the various friends that attended it was an absolute gem of a year.

[stuartbert two hats]

On 3/2/2020 at 1:36 PM, Homer said:

99 was a bit scary. Underworld subbed the Pyramid and Orbital headlined the 'Jazz/World' stage on the Sat night. The entire Pyramid field leaving at the same time and going en masse to the same place felt slightly dangerous.

But having said that, I remember sitting down on the ground whilst Orbital were on in the Jazzworld field and being able to walk down the sides pretty easily.  

[Mr.Tease]

On 2/28/2020 at 11:28 PM, stuartbert two hats said:

It's total bollocks innit?  I was there in 2000 when there was no SE corner and no Park and there's no way there were twice as many people there as these days.  It's crowded now!

Oh man, all these years I've just believed all the posts on festivals where people say "it was so busy in 2000, I honestly feared for my life"- I feel cheated! 😂

[stuartbert two hats]

Just now, Mr.Tease said:

Oh man, all these years I've just believed all the posts on festivals where people say "it was so busy in 2000, I honestly feared for my life"- I feel cheated! 😂

The crushes were worse though.  The pressure of people trying to get across those narrow bridges was much worse in the pre-fence days.  And being no "circle" at the Pyramid or as many of the chair+rug crew meant that you would get squashed much more often.  Part of that is that as a teenager, I was much more likely to push forwards, but even so - the infrastructure and the nature of the crowd was different.

But there were fewer people.