Crowd control issues

[dulcificum]

As OP I've been coming 17 years and have never seen anything like the Arcadia crush from last night. Lots of big crowds especially some of the secret sets on smaller stages like Radiohead but nothing on that scale of scariness or stupidity. Worst before was on train tracks when they fenced off SE Corner and before they had a one way and that was only bad because three out of four sides had fences. This was bad even with overspill into the camping to the north east of the junction. 

 

Definitely feels busier than usual but so much must be incompetent mismanagement as Arcadia was not crazy inside and often lots of space still at the front of many acts. 

[august1]

11 minutes ago, DJL said:

Off the top of my head I’ve heard people complaining about similar over-crowding at Bearded and Primavera.

Could it be a combination of extra ticket sales to address rising costs, people sneaking in as desperate after years off and we are not as used to being in crowds as we used to?

Lots of experienced people left the industry during covid. A mate of mine who does all the summer fests across Europe said he wouldn't be surprised if there was serious incident this year (not Glasto) 

[danbailey80]

2 hours ago, danbailey80 said:

 

 

Edited June 25, 2022 by danbailey80

[dulcificum]

So fwiw in case anyone organising sees this, while I know the economics aren't that straightforward, I think most punters would pay 15% more on tickets rather than 10% capacity increase. 

[Lennoel]

I hate to pile on, this is my 8th time in 20 years but it’s been a bit of a mess. Never seen overcrowding like this. Everywhere is absolutely packed. Thank god there’s not 2007/2016 mud. Would be unbearable.
 

Also, no Wi-Fi at the bars. Absolute shit show. Amateur hour. 

[brendan84]

31 minutes ago, Radiochicken said:

 

For balance, 8th Glasto and doesn’t feel any different to me at all. Popular acts will always be busy, plan your time accordingly.

Yep me too it's always seems busier when it is a dry year.  Move off main paths and quieter.  

[Zoo Music Girl]

31 minutes ago, Reckoner said:

What are the crowds in the SE corner like? Has the balance maybe shifted too much towards the other areas? I know haven’t managed to make it where as often I’d have been a couple times by now. 

I'd also like to know this, haven't heard much about it at all.

[Dennis22]

7 minutes ago, Lennoel said:

I hate to pile on, this is my 8th time in 20 years but it’s been a bit of a mess. Never seen overcrowding like this. Everywhere is absolutely packed. Thank god there’s not 2007/2016 mud. Would be unbearable.
 

Also, no Wi-Fi at the bars. Absolute shit show. Amateur hour. 

Yeah 😂 what an absolute racket that is.

Been able to pay for years on cars, all of sudden first year. No internet anymore, sorry has to be cash. Absolute bollocks

Only the main bars aswell, food vendors or smaller stalls. Seemingly don't have a problems.

 

Hmmmm

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 25, 2022 by Dennis22

[DJL]

12 minutes ago, august1 said:

Lots of experienced people left the industry during covid. A mate of mine who does all the summer fests across Europe said he wouldn't be surprised if there was serious incident this year (not Glasto) 

Yeah, good point 

[Greased-Up Deaf Guy]

Genuinely feared for mine and the 2 girls I was with safety leaving West holts after Sleaford Mods.

There's definitely too many people compared to '19.

Thursday night was a joke.

Arcadia was a joke as well last night and the attitude/ mentality of people pushing through with no care whatsoever is disgusting.

Fatboy slim on Sonic? Really? Dangerous crushes. Horrible scum bags everywhere walking round with balloons thinking they can do what they want.

Are there less water points as well? 

Something different about it this year. 

Sorry for the rant and i know its never going to be perfect but the organisers have got a lot wrong here

Edited June 25, 2022 by Greased-Up Deaf Guy

[Tranquility of Solitude]

35 minutes ago, Lennoel said:

no Wi-Fi at the bars. Absolute shit show. Amateur hour. 

Yep WiFi intermittent at bars and I know it's really frustrating but please remember the staff are just volunteers. Be kind people. ( Not a go at you @Lennoel but it's horrible working behind a rammed bar when the WiFi drops out. 

[concerned]

Echo other comments, something doesnt feel right.

 

Queues for the toilets are insane in most area even in pylon at times. Camped in the same spot in 2019 and they've definitely reduced the size of the toilets for that field. There were urinals as well which have been removed, certainly not going to help with people pissing on the land. There is a testing site right there on the river so I imagine the festival will get a bollocking once the test results come in.

 

Got caught in the shambles at Arcadia last night as well, people smashed through the hedgerow to gain access because the crowd was insane on the road up to the park. A group of Scottish lads pretending to be security barging through making things worse, although it did make me laugh they pushed up to one of the Arcadia crew bars and flashed a wrist band to be promptly told to fuck off.

 

Even old dirty brasstards at Williams green on Thursday was insane, pulling in big act John peel stage sized crowds, absolutely no where near getting inside the tent. 

[giantkatestacks]

I think some of it is new punters with a different attitude as well. There is less Glastonbury crowd etiquette for example which I think organisers have relied on in the past.

[Leyrulion]

43 minutes ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

I'd also like to know this, haven't heard much about it at all.

No queue to enter the area about 1-2am Friday but queues within places and for Shangri-la 

[DirtyLurker]

Acoustic was too rammed to even contemplate Paul & Jackie so walked via Other past  St Vincent, very small crowd, onto Sonic for Fatboy which was busy as expected, bit of a pichpoint at the back but stewards did fine moving people through, found a spot to left of tent for a couple of tracks dance/hobble with fucked knee.

So yeah, getting stuck in a crowd/pinchpoint can range from uncomfortable to super scary but it can be avoided if you're willing to give up seeing an act you really want to see - for me my own comfort is always more important than seeing an act.

[al_coholic]

It's the balance of the acts across the stages that is wrong. St. Vincent playing to an empty other field. Wet Leg and TLC rammed. They are booking acts as an individual stage and not as a collective. Will be interesting to see what happens tonight with the O-Rod crowd against NGHFB and then later with anything up against Macca. 

[majormajormajor]

Time to call a spade a spade and make the Pyramid the Radio 1 stage. It isn't difficult to figure out what appeals to the masses and what is better suited in a smaller area.

Why bother with something like Robert Plant in that field in the early evening? He would have packed out the Park nicely, on the Pyramid it looked more like Trump's inaugration. It's a waste.

 

[a6l6e6x]

It is insanely busy this year. Very oversold. Feels like there's 30k too many here 

[Zoo Music Girl]

1 hour ago, Leyrulion said:

No queue to enter the area about 1-2am Friday but queues within places and for Shangri-la 

Thanks! So about normal really?

[K2SO]

2 hours ago, FrancisH said:

Also a bit sick of the exclusivity bullshit with special wristbands for access. Feels a bit like a class system within a festival.

I agree massively on this. Was driving me mad in 2019 as well. A bunch of people with T+C or Silver Hayes passes just sit around the front of the Pyramid in chairs. They don't care what's on the stage, they just want to be at the front, and some will sit there for a few hours until it's the time to start their shift, then they leave and swap their place with another person from their area.

When they showed the audience from the barrier on the screen during Billie last night, the majority of them looked like they were waiting for another act to come on afterwards with their emotionless expressions 🤣

[Alex DeLarge]

Might be a bit of a long rambling one.

I'm volunteering at ped gate D this year, if you're there between 6am-12 come say hi to this tall dopey brummie.

The crowds haven't impacted how lovely the punters have been to me this year, only one person was rude and I met Dom Joly who was lovely. Thank you to everyone making us staff feel safe and nice.

That being said, this year is a real struggle for me. I'm feeling anxious, scared, depressed - everything I wouldn't usually feel at glastonbury.

My friends are being really weird and seem to not care I'm here. I could barely leave the tent today I was that low. I thought I could do what I usually do and hit block 9 by myself and make friends, but everyone is aggro, annoyed, hates eacjother. Its a really bad vibe generally and I've taken a bit of a dip. It's really overwhelming and I feel really bad. I don't remember it being like this. Anyone else struggling?

[Rumblestripe]

17 minutes ago, Alex DeLarge said:

My friends are being really weird and seem to not care I'm here. I could barely leave the tent today I was that low. I thought I could do what I usually do and hit block 9 by myself and make friends, but everyone is aggro, annoyed, hates eacjother. Its a really bad vibe generally and I've taken a bit of a dip. It's really overwhelming and I feel really bad. I don't remember it being like this. Anyone else struggling?

Hi Alex sorry to read that you are struggling get yourself to the medical tent and have a chat with someone. It probably isn't your friends being weird it is your "black dog" lying to you, they probably haven't noticed that you are struggling. It is easy to miss the signs even in someone you are very familiar with. Talk to them they will help you.

Most importantly take care of yourself allow yourself not to feel 100% it happens to all of us sometimes especially when we are telling ourselves we "SHOULD" be having the time of our lives. Mental health is important. You are important.

Love and peace. Sorry I'm sat at home and can't head over to Ped Gate D to give you a hug but consider yourself hugged.

 

For those struggling with overcrowding, take your time, don't be an arsehole, look out for others around you, check your maps and avoid crush points - there are multiple ways to get to most of the stages if you take your time and choose a less direct route.

Be beautiful everyone.

[Skelts]

6 minutes ago, Rumblestripe said:

Hi Alex sorry to read that you are struggling get yourself to the medical tent and have a chat with someone. It probably isn't your friends being weird it is your "black dog" lying to you, they probably haven't noticed that you are struggling. It is easy to miss the signs even in someone you are very familiar with. Talk to them they will help you.

Most importantly take care of yourself allow yourself not to feel 100% it happens to all of us sometimes especially when we are telling ourselves we "SHOULD" be having the time of our lives. Mental health is important. You are important.

Love and peace. Sorry I'm sat at home and can't head over to Ped Gate D to give you a hug but consider yourself hugged.

 

For those struggling with overcrowding, take your time, don't be an arsehole, look out for others around you, check your maps and avoid crush points - there are multiple ways to get to most of the stages if you take your time and choose a less direct route.

Be beautiful everyone.

Goddamit I’m out of upvotes but this deserves one 

[kingbadger]

32 minutes ago, Alex DeLarge said:

Might be a bit of a long rambling one.

I'm volunteering at ped gate D this year, if you're there between 6am-12 come say hi to this tall dopey brummie.

The crowds haven't impacted how lovely the punters have been to me this year, only one person was rude and I met Dom Joly who was lovely. Thank you to everyone making us staff feel safe and nice.

That being said, this year is a real struggle for me. I'm feeling anxious, scared, depressed - everything I wouldn't usually feel at glastonbury.

My friends are being really weird and seem to not care I'm here. I could barely leave the tent today I was that low. I thought I could do what I usually do and hit block 9 by myself and make friends, but everyone is aggro, annoyed, hates eacjother. Its a really bad vibe generally and I've taken a bit of a dip. It's really overwhelming and I feel really bad. I don't remember it being like this. Anyone else struggling?

Happy to meet for a pint if you want a friendly face to chat to for a bit. Drop us a DM if you want. 

[Movingfurtheraway]

36 minutes ago, Alex DeLarge said:

Might be a bit of a long rambling one.

I'm volunteering at ped gate D this year, if you're there between 6am-12 come say hi to this tall dopey brummie.

The crowds haven't impacted how lovely the punters have been to me this year, only one person was rude and I met Dom Joly who was lovely. Thank you to everyone making us staff feel safe and nice.

That being said, this year is a real struggle for me. I'm feeling anxious, scared, depressed - everything I wouldn't usually feel at glastonbury.

My friends are being really weird and seem to not care I'm here. I could barely leave the tent today I was that low. I thought I could do what I usually do and hit block 9 by myself and make friends, but everyone is aggro, annoyed, hates eacjother. Its a really bad vibe generally and I've taken a bit of a dip. It's really overwhelming and I feel really bad. I don't remember it being like this. Anyone else struggling?

I’m camped a 2 minute walk from Gate D in Dairy. If you fancy a beer/catching a band drop me a message but no pressure!