Crowd control issues

[foolsgold1981]

Im going to post some thoughts on this when I’ve recovered properly (physically and emotionally wrecked!) as I think there’s truth of this on both sides here.

But in terms of the young un’s, there was the most lovely bunch of 18-20 somethings for Noel and McCartney down the front who really made my gig. Seeing this lass who is half my age basically collapse in floods of joyous, emotional tears during Let it Be is one of the most moving and beautiful things I’ve ever seen at Glastonbury.

There were some twits there this year. But to me, seeing first timers properly “getting” Glastonbury like I did when I was 20 is a truly lovely thing

Edited June 27, 2022 by foolsgold1981

[Jon F]

On 6/25/2022 at 10:07 AM, whitehorses said:

Christ 

We were right at the front and didn’t feel crushed at any point. Had no idea that was going on behind us!    Seemed to be a theme through the weekend that it was rammed at back/middle and maybe people could t get through? 

[kingbadger]

2 minutes ago, Jon F said:

We were right at the front and didn’t feel crushed at any point. Had no idea that was going on behind us!    Seemed to be a theme through the weekend that it was rammed at back/middle and maybe people could t get through? 

You could if you just used the sides then went in from there. Piece of piss to move across the crowd horizontally in front of people rather than from behind them.

[Suprefan]

So why did they finally get the bright idea of crowd controlling entry to the park just yesterday? 4 days too late. And Arcadia was much more pleasant last night to go be in for a bit since it was 60% full at most. 
 

Although as mentioned it is an issue with way more stages and areas having just djs be a problem. Silver Hayes 5 years ago was split pretty well on bands and djs. Now its 90% djs. Lonely Hearts is a cool stage but the sound bleed from Other and Wow was a thing.

[strummer77]

1 hour ago, KPSandwiches said:

Totally agree with this. Disappointing to see some of the attitudes here about people not deemed to be "the right sort", feels very elitist.

Yeah I agree. Most of it seems to be people blaming ‘others’ - old people blaming young people and their ‘drugs’, southerners like me blaming ‘scousers’ etc. when I saw enough old people or sober or southerners people behaving the same way. 

But to be honest most people there behaved as they normally do. There were just a few more people on site and some brain dead stewarding (or lack of it) exasperated some issues caused by the booking choices/lack of activities on at another time. That’s what made it unsafe at times. 

Edited June 27, 2022 by strummer77

[LoraMaze]

This was my fifth festival, and it has been the only one that has broken me. We usually leave on Monday morning, but as we sat in Oxlyers on Sunday watching the crowds amass we decided we couldn’t even hack going up to the Park to watch Jack White and Jarvis, so we made the decision to leave just before Pet Shop Boys…who we also wanted to watch.

We we’re involved in several scary crushes, one really bad one on the Arcadia Park junction, getting in was a nightmare with the extra long queues, the stewards didn’t seem to give a shit, and many special security people we spoke to barely spoke English, one even turned away when I asked him a question. 
 

When we got home I couldn’t stop crying. I fucking love this festival, and many points were absolutely magical, but I don’t think I can come back next year if the numbers are going to remain that high. It truly prevented my enjoyment of it. 

[LoraMaze]

3 hours ago, Matt87 said:

Some of the urinals were far smaller than normal, which just seemed odd. The obvious effect this had was lines of guys peeing against the urinal fences. 
 

Crowds, at times, were a bit too much. It definitely felt that there were an extra ~20k people. 
 

Wood chip - More like wood chunks. Nearly twisted my ankle several times. Seems like such an easy thing to get right. 
 

Attendees - By increasing capacity you’ll inevitably get more bucket listers who have no interest in the Healing Fields but just want to go from big stage to big stage and expect to see everyone they’ve highlighted in the programme. But I would like to think that this year was especially bad due to it being the first post-pandemic and many people have forgotten how to treat one another in crowded situations. Basically, a lot more selfishness. I spoke to one girl last night who gave me a ‘tip’ to avoid the crowds leaving a stage: “Fake a panic attack. I’ve been doing it all weekend and it’s so much more convenient”. I replied questioning the morality of that and she just laughed and wandered off. 

I also disliked walking on sticks and logs, a minor gripe, but yeah it wasn’t awesome even as an able bodied person

[LoraMaze]

On 6/25/2022 at 8:56 AM, Alvoram said:

Ok so as a first timer then, are these crazy crushes not normal?

Been in a couple already including the Arcadia one. We were at Williams Green all day Thursday, it was insanely busy. (Although you had to laugh at the youngsters rushing into the tent on opening only to walk back out with looks of disgust on their faces when they realised it was a movie! 😂)

We are enjoying it, a lot, but have both said that sometimes the crowds / crushes are a bit scary, do not feel well managed, and almost seem like a disaster waiting to happen. 

In five festivals the only scary crush I’d ever been involved in before this year (when I was in several), was when they put Fat Boy Slim on the Blues stage at 1am when there was nothing else on. They moved the stage the next year.

[Sack truck]

Having only ever been caught up in 2 what I would describe as dangerous logjams of people in 7 Glastonbury’s, I wasn’t best impressed to be caught up in 3 alone this year. Arcadia one was bad but at least most were moving the one way until the top by food vendors when it got bad, the stampede then across the field with tents was a;arming for those there too.

 

much worse was Diana Ross at the entrance down from John peel. Two way traffic, couple of fights almost kicking off and a couple of kids having to be protected as best they can. No idea why the don’t have a one way system up the hill and down, at least then there aren’t people coming in all directions. Guy behind me was just wanting out to toilet and was fully expecting to have to go down my leg

 

Was still great time but get the feeling you have to be prepared to take longer over site, drink less so don’t need toilet as much and get in for acts as soon as crowd from one before leaves 

[willgooneday]

4 minutes ago, LoraMaze said:

This was my fifth festival, and it has been the only one that has broken me. We usually leave on Monday morning, but as we sat in Oxlyers on Sunday watching the crowds amass we decided we couldn’t even hack going up to the Park to watch Jack White and Jarvis, so we made the decision to leave just before Pet Shop Boys…who we also wanted to watch.

We we’re involved in several scary crushes, one really bad one on the Arcadia Park junction, getting in was a nightmare with the extra long queues, the stewards didn’t seem to give a shit, and many special security people we spoke to barely spoke English, one even turned away when I asked him a question. 
 

When we got home I couldn’t stop crying. I fucking love this festival, and many points were absolutely magical, but I don’t think I can come back next year if the numbers are going to remain that high. It truly prevented my enjoyment of it. 

There's a national shortage of security guards - why on earth would any guard work for £9.50-£10.50 an hour (roughly 2019 wage for that job - at which time it was a bit above min wage it's not after 3 years of inflation) at festivals when they can go to doors/supermarkets/local gig venues and not have to camp away from your families/do umpteen hours of unpaid travel and have next to no chance of actually catching live music between anything up to 16 hour shifts and your sleep (often meant to be during the day in boiling hot tents) - and potentially earn £12.00 an hour on a inner city door job - you can earn the same as that £9.50-£10.50 in a warehouse/call centre these days with min wage going up to £9.50. The jobs far more demanding than a lot of people it give it credit for and turnover is insane on a normal season, with thousands of events staff. The last group working the festivals is experienced door/event staff - but the inner city venues are so short staffed they probably won't be able to send their staff of to Glastonbury. I'd imagine there was a lot of non-renewed licenses in the past 2 years from security staff who used to do events as their main income and don't like other gigs in the industry. 

 

Festival security staff used to be primarily students who'd do it during their summers, new staffers to the industry who were getting first experience to move into better roles and a handful of staffers that did it for love of festivals themselves. With an industry shortage the first two groups don't need to festivals when they can move straight to the other roles and many of the latter will have left during Covid for new jobs or took decisions like starting families. I'd not be at all suprised if the demographic has changed massively in terms of staff make up this season. 

[Radiochicken]

From a positive perspective, once you were in a busy crowd I thought almost across the board they were really up for every act this year. Big energy. Perfect storm of covid release / weather / more (?) young’uns

[Crazyfool01]

7 hours ago, Gashead86 said:

Not sure he was joking? 

I am sorry to add to the stereotype confirmation, but the only people I’ve ever met who have successfully jumped the fence have been scousers. 

See also the fella who got in with a female ticket by wearing full make up and a wig!! 

I am sure it’s a minority of course, but do feel that they don’t help their reputation with their behaviour sometimes to be honest. 

Someone I know jumped the fence … and he’s very much not scouse … I went and found his bag !!! … you wouldn’t recognise where he was from as he doesn’t have a strong accent … of course there will be plenty of others that have done the same from all parts of the country … Glastonbury has a strong pull and after 3 years people want to let their hair down …. And yeah some people broke in 

[iwalker]

I last went in 2013 and people were saying they should put a lid on secret sets on smaller stages back then but they still seem to be doing them.  For comparison the only time I was involved in anything resembling a crush was at the side of the Pyramid Stage when people were trying to get away from Gorillaz so it sounds like it has become more common place since.

[Jay Pee]

2 hours ago, RaphPH said:

I had an amazing time

amazing friends. Amazing bands. Weather could have been much, much worse. 
but the Glastonbury magic was a bit diminished this year because everything felt like an ordeal. Too many people everywhere. 2019 was the perfect GLASTO. 

100% agree. Was mega this year but the crowding was incredible in places 

[strummer77]

The main crushes I saw/heard about were probably preventable with more-joined up:
 

• Before TLC (I was caught up leaving Sleaford Mods) and this could perhaps have been solved with some quicker stewarding 
• Mel C - Daft to keep that Williams Green stuff going with few alternatives (and none on the same level). Thursday needs some work (possibly even Weds too as the queues for the fields for the fireworks weren't always pleasant)
• Diana Ross - There needs to be bigger clashes against the Legend slot. Fontaines DC/Amyl (an annoying clash for me) are great but not pulling the majority of casuals away from the Pyramid. Needs a huge Other Stage act against the Legend in my opinion. There are already more people on site, and less feeling motivated to move around, more camp chairs out etc. I got stuck for a bit in this trying to help someone who was finding it all very stressful - and to be honest it was terrible.
• McFly - Way too much of a draw to be playing afternoon Avalon slot with all the families about. Why didn't they clash with Diana for example?

I think some Secret Sets also need a rethink. Yeah it's been fun, but the pre-planned ones mostly leak well in advance and all that ultimately happens is you end up with angsty and disappointed punters unable to see and fighting for very limited positions. Fair play to Secret Glasto etc. for not publicising the Nutini at Rabbit Hole as they may well have saved some injuries.

Edited June 27, 2022 by strummer77

[Chicken Bob]

6 hours ago, Miss_Boo said:

I love Glastonbury but the queues/crowd issues were something else this year. 75% of the time I couldn’t get a drink, couldn’t get any food, couldn’t get to a toilet, couldn’t get to see the band I wanted to! It was a joke… it felt so much busier this year than other years. Like many pp have said, it felt dangerous at some points. Half the time I just couldn’t be arsed to keep fighting my way through everything and just sacked off my plans and went elsewhere. 
 

The crowd seemed much more edgy too, less people there with good intentions wanting to have a good time. So many people pushing in everywhere, no respect for anyone around them. I went to Lost Horizons (a really chill, clothing optional, hippy place!) and there were groups of youths in their little caps and man bags in there pushing in front of everyone for the showers. Total piss take. It’s definitely attracting the wrong type of festival-goer these days, sadly. 

I got a drink and some food whenever I wanted because I wasn’t a sheep. People just follow other people because they don’t think for themselves. I watched them do it all weekend, in the co-op, in the toilet queue, in the food queue, and in the bars. They join the biggest possible queue at the nearest point just like everyone else. If people used their brains and think outside the box a bit it would be easier. The co-op left hand side queues were 6 deep whilst the check out staff at the right side end queue were constantly waving their hands trying to get people to go them. With the toilets bars and food. All it takes is to walk along a bit further awAy from the busy area and there’s no queue. I didn’t queue for anything all weekend and That’s not because I’m queue jumper either. Most people have Sheep mentally and that will always continue. I’m glad it does because it Allows people like me to out think them. 

[Rose-Colored Boy]

15 minutes ago, strummer77 said:

 

• Diana Ross - There needs to be bigger clashes against the Legend slot. Fontaines DC/Amyl (an annoying clash for me) are great but not pulling the majority of casuals away from the Pyramid. Needsa huge Other Stage act against the Legend in my opinion

They tried this in 2014 and 2016 and it just resulted in Sam Smith and Years & Years each playing to one man and his dog, which is embarrassing for all concerned. The only time a clash with the legends slot has had the desired effect in recent years was The Killers in 2019 but there isn’t an endless supply of previous Pyramid headliners just lying around waiting to be booked for John Peel. Unlike with the issues TLC, McFly etc which can be relatively easily avoided, there’s no easy way out of the Legends Slot being such a massive draw (short of booking less interesting legends, but even ELO pulled a huge crowd). 

Edited June 27, 2022 by Rose-Colored Boy

[Matt87]

2 minutes ago, iwalker said:

I last went in 2013 and people were saying they should put a lid on secret sets on smaller stages back then but they still seem to be doing them.  For comparison the only time I was involved in anything resembling a crush was at the side of the Pyramid Stage when people were trying to get away from Gorillaz so it sounds like it has become more common place since.

I think this year they updated the app the morning of each secret set. Not saying it worked, as I was at Jack White and had a girl barge past me, stop and utter, “Oh, guess it’s not Arcade Fire then”. 
 

I was also at John Peel for Just Mustard and the compère had to make an announcement at the end of their set along the lines of, “If you’re here waiting for Green Day then you’re going to be disappointed because they’re not playing.”

[BenG92]

Any good reason legends slot needs to stay at 4 in the afternoon other than tradition? Trying to put a real alternative opposite is always gonna be hard at that time when the biggest competition is a band the size of Fontaines rather than Years & Years. 

[willgooneday]

1 minute ago, BenG92 said:

Any good reason legends slot needs to stay at 4 in the afternoon other than tradition? Trying to put a real alternative opposite is always gonna be hard at that time when the biggest competition is a band the size of Fontaines rather than Years & Years. 

Presumably so to the kids can go to it. Move it to Thursday night would be in the inspired move no? Keep as many people as you can away from the night spots? 

[Ozanne]

10 minutes ago, Rose-Colored Boy said:

They tried this in 2014 and 2016 and it just resulted in Sam Smith and Years & Years each playing to one man and his dog, which is embarrassing for all concerned. The only time a clash with the legends slot has had the desired effect in recent years was The Killers in 2019 but there isn’t an endless supply of previous Pyramid headliners just lying around waiting to be booked for John Peel. Unlike with the issues TLC, McFly etc which can be relatively easily avoided, there’s no easy way out of the Legends Slot being such a massive draw (short of booking less interesting legends, but even ELO pulled a huge crowd). 

Morale of the story is to book The Killers more 😉

[Justcalledtosay]

Took me and my wife 45 minutes to walk down the side of Arcadia on Friday night. Put a real dampener in an incredible day to that point.

[steviewevie]

So jumping the fence is a thing again? Might have a go at that next year, bit of nostalgia.

[Billy Corgans hair]

2 hours ago, KPSandwiches said:

Totally agree with this. Disappointing to see some of the attitudes here about people not deemed to be "the right sort", feels very elitist.

Not sure it's elitist to call nobheads acting like nobheads nobheads 

[willgooneday]

7 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

So jumping the fence is a thing again? Might have a go at that next year, bit of nostalgia.

I doubt the fence was actually jumped (would take some skill) - I'd imagine a bit like the Wembley final underpaid 18-21 year old security guards new to the industry and probably only working for a weekend were accepting a few bob to look the other way. 

 

A few more jail sentences for it might finally get these scum out the industry. 

Edited June 27, 2022 by willgooneday