Your most controversial Glastonbury opinions

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

5 minutes ago, northernringo said:

Are the bars in there open during the day? And is there music playing?

Not really the day as such, sorry, more early evening like 6pm onwards stuff like Genosys is going. I spent a Friday there once from around that time and much preferred it but obviously there are likely to be some big acts on elsewhere at that time.

[Simsy]

10 minutes ago, Gingerfish79 said:

Having an electric car, I would love this. Think we’re a long way off electric charge points on the farm though! 

Not sure how long this will last, surely they can only do it while electric cars are in the minority.

[gigpusher]

21 minutes ago, gooner1990 said:

The problem you would then have is that if you want to stand in the back portion of one of the bigger fields is that it will be completely rammed with chairs. 

I honestly think they should ban them from the main fields or at least have signs on the screens to say 'please fold away chairs during performances'

Was even worse when I went to Beautiful Days last year.

Not really they could just have a seated area. A strip that could have stewards on either side. I think the main issue with chairs is people trying to get way too close to the stage for busy acts or expecting nobody to stand in front of them which is pretty unreasonable. 

A lot of the comments on here are pretty ableist in that there are large sections of society who may not be classed as disabled but can't stand non-stop for 5 days. 

I think basically the chair isn't the issue it's the w*nker part and that's the same with many bad behaviours. The thing itself is fine it's just not having consideration and awareness for those around you. 

[Tommy Dickfingers]

2 hours ago, squirrelarmy said:

The festival would be better without the yearly appearance of the Courteeners (and their fans!)

Care to elaborate? I wouldn’t consider myself a fan of The Courteeners but I don’t like what’s implied here.

 

[ClementsMike]

9 minutes ago, Tommy Dickfingers said:

Care to elaborate? I wouldn’t consider myself a fan of The Courteeners but I don’t like what’s implied here.

 

Odd concept that despite the timeline of buying tickets months before the poster drops, as The Courteeners are announced a load of bucket hat clad, dark fruits drinking northern lads all secure tickets.

I like the band and will be happy to see them play again.

[squirrelarmy]

9 minutes ago, Tommy Dickfingers said:

Care to elaborate? I wouldn’t consider myself a fan of The Courteeners but I don’t like what’s implied here.

 

There’s a subset of their fans that think it’s amusing to throw glass bottles in the air while in a packed crowd. You can usually spot them as they’re wearing coke spoons around their neck. 
 

I know a lot of people partake in a little fun stuff during the festival but be a little less blatant about what you’re doing. 
 

I like the music, just not a fan of the crowd that comes along with it. 

[whitehorses]

Thanks @Tommy DickfingersI think that’s my first ever downvote! 😭😍😂

[DareToDibble]

27 minutes ago, kalifire said:

Every time Chris Martin has guested in somebody else's set, he's improved it.

On that topic. The reputation Chris Martin and Coldplay have on here is completely unwarranted. They are a huge global band who are completely “in” on the festival and share our love for it more than any other acts. 

Edited April 13, 2022 by DareToDibble

[whitehorses]

1 minute ago, DareToDibble said:

On that topic. The reputation Chris Martin and Coldplay have on here is completely unwarranted. They are a huge global band who are completely “in” on the festival and share our love for it more than any other acts. 

Yeah, reluctantly agree. He does cop some flack. Maybe Fat Boy is the only one who loves it more? 

[gooner1990]

23 minutes ago, gigpusher said:

Not really they could just have a seated area. A strip that could have stewards on either side. I think the main issue with chairs is people trying to get way too close to the stage for busy acts or expecting nobody to stand in front of them which is pretty unreasonable. 

A lot of the comments on here are pretty ableist in that there are large sections of society who may not be classed as disabled but can't stand non-stop for 5 days. 

I think basically the chair isn't the issue it's the w*nker part and that's the same with many bad behaviours. The thing itself is fine it's just not having consideration and awareness for those around you. 

I think (and I may be wrong here) this is where the fact that people who previously might have given up festivals now keep going to them because of the options now available to them.

Up until the 2000s it was 'couldn't do standard camping or standing up for five days anymore so then stopped coming to the festival' now instead of that its 'camp in worthy view and bring a big camping chair for the main stages' 

Possibly seated areas would work...but people would then moan about where they are or then probably put chairs down if those areas are full.

I've lost count the amount of times I've gone near to the front for acts and people just don't seem to read the room (field) and keep chairs out even though its plainly obvious that they are causing an obstruction...also trying to get back from the bar or toilet in a dense crowd only to have your path blocked by 7-8 people who all have chairs out, are stood in front of them with a blanket is just plain knobbery. If you're going to watch the band and stand up then put the fucking thing away.

[al_coholic]

The screens round the Pyramid and Other stage are completely shit. The festival need to get with the times and put massive Reading style screens on the 2 main stages. The view from the back of the Pyramid field is terrible.

[Pinhead]

1 hour ago, gooner1990 said:

Not one of mine, but a friend of mine said a couple of years ago

'they should get rid of all the glamping options, if you can't hack slumming it anymore then you should give up going'

(this was after a number of our other friends booked WV/Sticklinch/Tipi for the 2020 festival that never was)

I have yet to hear a reason not to agree with this. I can think of nothing they have leant to the festival culturally beyond some extra money and a a few more ticket sales. Most of them are run by other ladowners around the festival anyway, so I suppose you could argue that the income they drag in helps keep them on the festivals side. I've always felt though that slumming it is part of the experience - relocating your kitchen sink to the site for the weekend hardly 'disconnects' you...

[Pinhead]

1 hour ago, gooner1990 said:

Was even worse when I went to Beautiful Days last year.

Fuckin chairs at BD last Aug - could barely get through into a venue at times... There's got to be a balance somewhere when it comes to chairs and pic blankets at festivals - I mean there were hardly any years ago, so why the obsession now - and its certainly not all down to aging punters.

[Bradders]

We camp in Oxlyers, next to the toilets and next to the path, it’s a perfect spot and I don’t understand what people have against it.

[Florian Saucer Attack]

8 minutes ago, Pinhead said:

I have yet to hear a reason not to agree with this. I can think of nothing they have leant to the festival culturally beyond some extra money and a a few more ticket sales. Most of them are run by other ladowners around the festival anyway, so I suppose you could argue that the income they drag in helps keep them on the festivals side. I've always felt though that slumming it is part of the experience - relocating your kitchen sink to the site for the weekend hardly 'disconnects' you...

What about people with disabilities, children, older folk and people who fly in from other countries just to go to the festival?

[kalifire]

41 minutes ago, whitehorses said:

Yeah, reluctantly agree. He does cop some flack. Maybe Fat Boy is the only one who loves it more? 

Chris, Norm, and Lars are surely the superfan trio.

[faymondo]

2 hours ago, Gacheezbo said:

Couple of those after drinking cans of lager gets you bollocksed though, only properly enjoy them if it's hot

I enjoy a couple myself but was just a little deflated at how it was dished out. Was expecting each flavour to at least have its own pump. Cant wait to neck another one though in 10 weeks. 

[fraybentos1]

4 minutes ago, Florian Saucer Attack said:

What about people with disabilities, children, older folk and people who fly in from other countries just to go to the festival?

Disabilities fair enough but if you choose to fly in for the festival then that doesn’t warrant special treatment 

[gooner1990]

14 minutes ago, Pinhead said:

I have yet to hear a reason not to agree with this. I can think of nothing they have leant to the festival culturally beyond some extra money and a a few more ticket sales. Most of them are run by other ladowners around the festival anyway, so I suppose you could argue that the income they drag in helps keep them on the festivals side. I've always felt though that slumming it is part of the experience - relocating your kitchen sink to the site for the weekend hardly 'disconnects' you...

I think people in general now want as many creature comforts from home at festivals, I'm now 40 and I take an inflatable mattress, pillow and a camping chair (which stays at the campsite) with me...things that I didn't take when I was in my mid 20s and when I started doing festivals in my late teens, didn't exist.

I think a lot people go to festivals for different reasons now, it used to be as you say to disconnect from the outside world and go back to basics and not hear about anything for a while.  Sadly, the world has changed and people want to have the experience of getting high on booze and drugs, watch some bands whilst also living in relative comfort at their chosen camping spot, whilst also being chained to their phones for the most part.

[gooner1990]

16 minutes ago, Pinhead said:

Fuckin chairs at BD last Aug - could barely get through into a venue at times... There's got to be a balance somewhere when it comes to chairs and pic blankets at festivals - I mean there were hardly any years ago, so why the obsession now - and its certainly not all down to aging punters.

I think I first saw them in 2003, before that everyone sat on the grass or a mat if it was a bit muddy! 

Yes, BDs was ridiculous last year...we were stood near a couple for The Levellers who refused to put theirs away, only until some poor bloke was coming back from the bar with a few pints in his hand and went straight through the middle of them and onto the floor (it was dark and he didn't see the chairs)

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

The glamping thing is a complex one, if you like the festival in its current incarnation then the glamping options help it to be what it currently is. If you prefer the festival like it was 20 years again and would like it rolled back to that, then getting rid of glamping would help that.

[Pinhead]

8 minutes ago, Florian Saucer Attack said:

What about people with disabilities, children, older folk and people who fly in from other countries just to go to the festival?

My comment is a generalisation, therefore not intended to cover every experience or need. I'm sure children used to go before five grand yurts appeared though, and older people seem to be more into caravans / campervans. Not sure having to fly in creates a definitive need for them either.

[balti-pie]

Remove all mobile phone reception over the entire festival area, except for two windows of access between 8 and 8.30, morning and evening. There's a festival going on, put your bloody phones down and enjoy yourself. I will reluctantly allow mobile phone usage for cameras, but you cant post anything to twitter or instagram or any of that nonsense. 

(the windows of access are to appease anyone who needs to be contactable for whatever's happening out there in the real world, the rest of us should exist on rumour or conjecture and maybe Cliff Richard will actually die this year, like he did every year before widespread smartphone ownership) 

[gooner1990]

3 minutes ago, Pinhead said:

My comment is a generalisation, therefore not intended to cover every experience or need. I'm sure children used to go before five grand yurts appeared though, and older people seem to be more into caravans / campervans. Not sure having to fly in creates a definitive need for them either.

When did glamping first appear? 

I know at Reading it first appeared in 2006

Worthy View was 2013 IIRC

I do wonder if all the glamping/pre-errected options are why now some of the Western parts of the site are now so sparce throughout the weekend.

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

1 minute ago, balti-pie said:

Remove all mobile phone reception over the entire festival area, except for two windows of access between 8 and 8.30, morning and evening. There's a festival going on, put your bloody phones down and enjoy yourself. I will reluctantly allow mobile phone usage for cameras, but you cant post anything to twitter or instagram or any of that nonsense. 

(the windows of access are to appease anyone who needs to be contactable for whatever's happening out there in the real world, the rest of us should exist on rumour or conjecture and maybe Cliff Richard will actually die this year, like he did every year before widespread smartphone ownership) 

I think the worst thing about people using their phones is filming everything though! I don’t see many people actually on their phones at Glastonbury.