Crowd control issues

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

9 hours ago, BBC7BBCHEAVEN said:

They were both the same year. Pulp was fantastic, Radiohead is possibly the worst set I've endured at Glasto

Same. Radiohead sucked and I was so hyped for them as they were my favourite band at the time. Really deflated me.

[Avalon_Fields]

11 hours ago, Guy Incognito said:

 

The Park all weekend was a nightmare. Park hill on the Wednesday was so so packed. William's Green and the SE corner especially felt very very overcrowded this year too. Also the path along the back of the Other Stage next to the campsite was completely blocked pretty much every time I used it. 

They need to reduce the capacity, it's as simple as that. I'm not sure they will though. 

They can't reduce the capacity, they need that income more than ever. I fear the increased ticket sales numbers this year will remain.

Sadly, I think the only solution to The Park is to avoid having acts that attract too big a crowd. I doubt there's any chance of increasing the size to accommodate more people comfortably.

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

50 minutes ago, Avalon_Fields said:

They can't reduce the capacity, they need that income more than ever. I fear the increased ticket sales numbers this year will remain.

Sadly, I think the only solution to The Park is to avoid having acts that attract too big a crowd. I doubt there's any chance of increasing the size to accommodate more people comfortably.

This is a good point. A great example of this from 2022 was Wet Leg. They've had a meteoric rise over in the year leading up to Glastonbury and it was obvious that they were going to attract a huge crowd. The organisers are experienced enough to predict this outcome and if the overall punter levels are to remain for 2023 and beyond, these are the kind of things they'll be needing to consider when they set the stage lineups, times, etc. 

[topmarksbri]

1 hour ago, Supernintendo Chalmers said:

This is a good point. A great example of this from 2022 was Wet Leg. They've had a meteoric rise over in the year leading up to Glastonbury and it was obvious that they were going to attract a huge crowd. The organisers are experienced enough to predict this outcome and if the overall punter levels are to remain for 2023 and beyond, these are the kind of things they'll be needing to consider when they set the stage lineups, times, etc. 

wasn't there some chat that it was wet legs management who wanted them to stay on the park?

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

21 minutes ago, topmarksbri said:

wasn't there some chat that it was wet legs management who wanted them to stay on the park?

Really? That's interesting. Maybe it's already been discussed on here then.

I can see why the band would prefer to play to a smaller, packed field but surely in the interests of crowd safety, the final call and ultimate responsibility for safety is the organisers? I don't want to make too much of the Wet Leg example, I'm not sure if there were any incidents because of how busy it was but if the act dictates the stage, it wouldn't be them that accepts the risk. Because of the additional (reported) 7000 punters, I'm wondering if the days of Radiohead, Pulp, etc secret sets on the Park in particular are also a thing of the past?

[CaledonianGonzo]

Jack White did one on the Sunday.

I'm not aware of any incidents at Wet Leg other than it being busy so people who didn't get there early had a shit view / poor sound.

[vardyvarvar]

12 hours ago, Suprefan said:

Dont think I saw anyone say Big Thief was rammed to the gills when they played. Also, its kinda out if the way, so who wants to go all the way back to the park, up the hill for that set in the evening.

I was there so can confirm Big Thief was plenty of space for everyone. One of the highlights!

[CaledonianGonzo]

Shouldn't have gone ahead anyway just in case.

[Hugh Jass II]

Wet Leg in the Park would have been fine later in the day when there was plenty more going on elsewhere to draw the crowds away.

2pm with nothing of note against them (no, Blossoms do not count) was always asking for trouble.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Defime trouble.....

 

[Hugh Jass II]

1 minute ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Defime trouble.....

 

Far more people trying to cram into a space than that space can hold.

At best you have disappointed punters unable to see or hear anything. At worst....

[mazola]

Just my two penneths worth. Been every year since 2008 and didn't think it seemed any busier than normal. Having said that I avoid the obvious crowd points such as WG on Thursday. Knew wet leg would be rammed so shot up there straight after the libertines and beat most of the crowd. I was in Arcadia when there was the crush outside so dodged a bullet there.Did notice food queues bigger than normal, but think there were a lot less vendors this year than usual. Thought the general vibe was good, although it is definitely a lot less communal then when I started going as there is so much on nowdays you don't need to make your own entertainment on the first couple of days, used to be a lot more sitting round campfires or whatever chatting to strangers

[CaledonianGonzo]

49 minutes ago, Hugh Jass II said:

Far more people trying to cram into a space than that space can hold.

At best you have disappointed punters unable to see or hear anything. At worst....

It's pretty easy to control access to The Park, firstly by turning on the one way system so people can only enter at the top and then just closing it full stop - which they've done in the past for secret sets.  I'm surprised that wasn't initiated this year.

[topmarksbri]

1 hour ago, Supernintendo Chalmers said:

Really? That's interesting. Maybe it's already been discussed on here then.

I can see why the band would prefer to play to a smaller, packed field but surely in the interests of crowd safety, the final call and ultimate responsibility for safety is the organisers? I don't want to make too much of the Wet Leg example, I'm not sure if there were any incidents because of how busy it was but if the act dictates the stage, it wouldn't be them that accepts the risk. Because of the additional (reported) 7000 punters, I'm wondering if the days of Radiohead, Pulp, etc secret sets on the Park in particular are also a thing of the past?

If I remember rightly it was to make sure it was packed but also keep their image as a kind of up and coming/DIY whatever band. But I might be chatting out of my arse. 
 

[CaledonianGonzo]

17 minutes ago, topmarksbri said:

If I remember rightly it was to make sure it was packed but also keep their image as a kind of up and coming/DIY whatever band. But I might be chatting out of my arse. 
 

No, I think you're right. Someone definitely relayed it on here.

[TheWaters]

26 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

It's pretty easy to control access to The Park, firstly by turning on the one way system so people can only enter at the top and then just closing it full stop - which they've done in the past for secret sets.  I'm surprised that wasn't initiated this year.

They seemed to be attempting it after Four Tet this year as while leaving in the crush there was definitely a band of security standing along the bottom saying it reached capacity. Don't think it worked very well though

[DeanoL]

On 10/18/2022 at 12:27 PM, Skip997 said:

They become become massively overcrowded because they're always leaked.

Not leaking them doesn't help. If there's no real info someone will start a rumour anyway. It's obvious if there's a band-sized gap in a tent line-up. It was a few years back The Park finished early and was rammed because people assumed there must be another secret act on afterwards.

If they don't get leaked the issue actually gets worse as you have even more people turning up (because what if it's someone I like?) and then trying to leave (oh it's not).

Like in 2011 we were pretty sure the secret sets at The Park were Pulp and Radiohead but didn't know which days. Love Pulp, zero interest in Radiohead, trudged over there on the Friday then turned right back around again...

[CaledonianGonzo]

What size was the crowd that turned up to see Daft Punk one year when The Park stage closed early?

[JoeyT]

I remember one year squeezing in to the Avalon Cafe because it was rumored Mumford & Sons were doing a secret set.

They didn't.

[CaledonianGonzo]

7 minutes ago, JoeyT said:

I remember one year squeezing in to the Avalon Cafe because it was rumored Mumford & Sons were doing a secret set.

They didn't.

I thought they actually did one year as part of a (boak) Gentlemen Of The Road thing...

[JoeyT]

Just now, CaledonianGonzo said:

I thought they actually did one year as part of a (boak) Gentlemen Of The Road thing...

This was before that I think, I can't even remember the year. All I can remember was it was a wet and the only comfort I took from the situation was that I was in the dry.

[Hugh Jass II]

1 hour ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

It's pretty easy to control access to The Park, firstly by turning on the one way system so people can only enter at the top and then just closing it full stop - which they've done in the past for secret sets.  I'm surprised that wasn't initiated this year.

That does seem an easy and obvious solution and you're right, they have done it before.

Stewarding and general crowd control seemed pretty thin on the ground this year.

[Hugh Jass II]

17 minutes ago, JoeyT said:

This was before that I think, I can't even remember the year. All I can remember was it was a wet and the only comfort I took from the situation was that I was in the dry.

Not sure what would be worse - squeezing into a packed tent for Billy Banjo to not come on, or for them to come on.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Special Guest Jordan Peterson taking one look at the state of the crowd and bursting into tears again.

[Ayrshire Chris]

25 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

I thought they actually did one year as part of a (boak) Gentlemen Of The Road thing...

Boak, lovely apt choice of words.  The Avalon, whether it’s the cafe of the stage, seems to be busier than ever. A few times this year signage had the area full notice up. I recollect the massive crowd there in 2019 for Frank Turner.