Alternatives to Shambala?

[SevenMaus]

Wondered if anyone has any recommendations for an alternative to Shambala? We've been been going for over 10 years and it's time for a change! Looking for another small-/medium-sized festival with similar ethos and vibe, with a hedonistic side and an equally lovely crowd of all ages (we're in our 40s). Musically diverse is a bonus. Family-friendly aspect isn't important. Any ideas? 

[Skip997]

Not been to either, but I've heard that Noisily and Big Love have a similar vibe.

I have been to Shindig which fits what you're looking for.

[SevenMaus]

2 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

Not been to either, but I've heard that Noisily and Big Love have a similar vibe.

I have been to Shindig which fits what you're looking for.

Thanks so much. Really like the look of Shindig and Big Love in particular - hadn't heard of the latter so I appreciate the recommendations!

[pilton digger]

17 hours ago, SevenMaus said:

Wondered if anyone has any recommendations for an alternative to Shambala? We've been been going for over 10 years and it's time for a change! Looking for another small-/medium-sized festival with similar ethos and vibe, with a hedonistic side and an equally lovely crowd of all ages (we're in our 40s). Musically diverse is a bonus. Family-friendly aspect isn't important. Any ideas? 

Shindig is good as @Skip997says, regular for us.  Also think about Beatherder, may be what you want.  Good mixed party crowd, good vibe but less of the Shambala middle class entitlement.  It is well worth us driving to Lancashire each year.

[SevenMaus]

On 10/12/2023 at 1:02 PM, pilton digger said:

Shindig is good as @Skip997says, regular for us.  Also think about Beatherder, may be what you want.  Good mixed party crowd, good vibe but less of the Shambala middle class entitlement.  It is well worth us driving to Lancashire each year.

Thank you! Will take a look at Beatherder too

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

I went to Big Love a number of years ago now (2018), and enjoyed it. I'm not sure (at all) but think it may have changed venue since then. Anyway, it was enjoyable, but in my opinion it was no Shambala. Nowhere near it, in fact. However, You should do some homework on achieving a more up to date report.

[Neil]

On 10/12/2023 at 1:02 PM, pilton digger said:

Shindig is good as @Skip997says, regular for us.  Also think about Beatherder, may be what you want.  Good mixed party crowd, good vibe but less of the Shambala middle class entitlement.  It is well worth us driving to Lancashire each year.

dunno if it'll help anyone but the  beat-hearder reviews on efests have been wrirtten by people who have been to shambala a number of times.....

https://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/beatherder/reviews.shtml

[Skip997]

32 minutes ago, Yoghurt on a Stick said:

I went to Big Love a number of years ago now (2018), and enjoyed it. I'm not sure (at all) but think it may have changed venue since then. Anyway, it was enjoyable, but in my opinion it was no Shambala. Nowhere near it, in fact. However, You should do some homework on achieving a more up to date report.

Thanks for that

I was considering giving Big Love a bash, not so sure now.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

2 hours ago, Skip997 said:

Thanks for that

I was considering giving Big Love a bash, not so sure now.

Hello Skip997,

I fear that you may have misclassified me as someone who knew what was going on! 

The above said, it's like the Dyson advert which states 'If you want something that works like a Dyson, it has to be a Dyson'.

The same would be true of Shambala, in my opinion. 

[Skip997]

28 minutes ago, Yoghurt on a Stick said:

The same would be true of Shambala, in my opinion. 

I think you may be right there Mr Yoghurt

[incident]

1 hour ago, Yoghurt on a Stick said:

The above said, it's like the Dyson advert which states 'If you want something that works like a Dyson, it has to be a Dyson'.

The same would be true of Shambala, in my opinion. 

That matches my experience as well.

I've not yet been to any of those named on this thread, but have a friend who speaks very highly of Beat Herder (there's a very high chance I'll give it a go on his recommendation next year) - although he makes it sound more like a Festival for people who used to like Boomtown, but have grown up (maybe even had a kid) and can't be arsed dealing with the hassle or that crowd anymore.

Shambala remains quite unique compared to any of the other ~15 festivals I've got recentish first hand experience of. I'd say SGP comes the closest that I've seen, in some aspects, but is still quite different overall. It shares some things, but overall is skewed much more towards the hedonistic side, and doesn't have much in the way of environmental ethos (other than the usual token nods you expect these days). And the gate policy (alcohol limits, drugs dogs, etc) is infinitely more restrictive and therefore unpleasant.

Wilderness tries to be like Shambala, in many ways, but mostly fails at it. It copies quite a bit (and indeed, hires a lot of the same people to run stuff) but then has people paying a hundred quid for a posh meal and Festival Republic in the background trying to value engineer everything. It's actually an ok festival if you know what it is and are prepared to accept it on that basis, but does feel like an imitation at times.

[Rufus Gwertigan]

Solfest is on the same weekend 

[BluesManP]

On 10/16/2023 at 11:36 PM, incident said:

That matches my experience as well.

I've not yet been to any of those named on this thread, but have a friend who speaks very highly of Beat Herder (there's a very high chance I'll give it a go on his recommendation next year) - although he makes it sound more like a Festival for people who used to like Boomtown, but have grown up (maybe even had a kid) and can't be arsed dealing with the hassle or that crowd anymore.

Shambala remains quite unique compared to any of the other ~15 festivals I've got recentish first hand experience of. I'd say SGP comes the closest that I've seen, in some aspects, but is still quite different overall. It shares some things, but overall is skewed much more towards the hedonistic side, and doesn't have much in the way of environmental ethos (other than the usual token nods you expect these days). And the gate policy (alcohol limits, drugs dogs, etc) is infinitely more restrictive and therefore unpleasant.

Wilderness tries to be like Shambala, in many ways, but mostly fails at it. It copies quite a bit (and indeed, hires a lot of the same people to run stuff) but then has people paying a hundred quid for a posh meal and Festival Republic in the background trying to value engineer everything. It's actually an ok festival if you know what it is and are prepared to accept it on that basis, but does feel like an imitation at times.

 

I been to Wilderness but not to Shambala. From what I read about Shambala, Wilderness is nothing like it. It's more of a generic festival imo. It has a bit of everything but doesn't excel at anything. I would say that it's a festival mostly for people who don't go to festivals.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

1 hour ago, BluesManP said:

 

I been to Wilderness but not to Shambala. From what I read about Shambala, Wilderness is nothing like it. It's more of a generic festival imo. It has a bit of everything but doesn't excel at anything. I would say that it's a festival mostly for people who don't go to festivals.

Shambala is a festival for abandonment of the norm. There's a certain regimentation of layout, but it's not confining. It's the people that make the place work. 

[BluesManP]

15 hours ago, Yoghurt on a Stick said:

Shambala is a festival for abandonment of the norm. There's a certain regimentation of layout, but it's not confining. It's the people that make the place work. 

Btw, I was describing Wilderness when I said this: " It's more of a generic festival imo. It has a bit of everything but doesn't excel at anything. I would say that it's a festival mostly for people who don't go to festivals. "

[Skip997]

On 11/12/2023 at 2:50 AM, Yoghurt on a Stick said:

Shambala is a festival for abandonment of the norm. There's a certain regimentation of layout, but it's not confining. It's the people that make the place work. 

Quite correct.

The main mystery for me, is how they've managed to keep the attendees fitting in with the ethos and vibe.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

19 hours ago, BluesManP said:

Btw, I was describing Wilderness when I said this: " It's more of a generic festival imo. It has a bit of everything but doesn't excel at anything. I would say that it's a festival mostly for people who don't go to festivals. "

It's OK, I understood that you were talking about Wilderness. I was trying to springboard off your post to indicate that Shambala is, as far as I can tell, for those who have festival experience ie are match fit.

Edited November 13, 2023 by Yoghurt on a Stick

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

44 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

Quite correct.

The main mystery for me, is how they've managed to keep the attendees fitting in with the ethos and vibe.

Well, it's not all sweetness and light. I once had a camera stolen from my rucksack in my tent. Sounds like a silly thing to do to leave a camera in a rucksack in one's tent, but it wasn't exactly that straightforward stupid of me. I say this because although I saw that the contents of my tent had been ruffled, it wasn't until then that it dawned on me that I'd left the camera in a pocket of my rucksack from a previous non festival camping experience. I do not, as a rule, leave valuables in my tent at a festival.

So, there are some none fitting attendees, but the figures for theft are low, I believe. 

[Skip997]

6 minutes ago, Yoghurt on a Stick said:

Well, it's not all sweetness and light.

I did once see a fight in the middle of Kamikaze on the Saturday night/Sunday morning. 

Can't remember the year, but it was a Glastonbury fallow year. There was a somewhat non-Shambala vibe around at times. Some regulars blamed it on Glastonbury punters seeking an alternative.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

4 hours ago, Skip997 said:

I did once see a fight in the middle of Kamikaze on the Saturday night/Sunday morning. 

Can't remember the year, but it was a Glastonbury fallow year. There was a somewhat non-Shambala vibe around at times. Some regulars blamed it on Glastonbury punters seeking an alternative.

Fighting is repulsive on all levels. I haven't been for a number of years, but did also frequent it for a number of years. I never saw any moodiness. Just loveliness. I only have the happiest memories from that place. It was the first time that I (unknowingly!) walked in to a cafe early one morning (we had been up all night - natch.). Anyway, we got our food and went and sat down and began eating. About 5 minutes later, all the staff left their positions and put a performance / danced on through the tables, to Elbow's One Day Like This song.

To me and Shaun's eyes it was a delight to behold. Our addled mind's needed 'art', right then. 

It was the Hurly Burly Cafe.

A Cafe that kind of sums up Shambala. 

 

 

[Neil]

On 11/12/2023 at 6:44 PM, BluesManP said:

Btw, I was describing Wilderness when I said this: " It's more of a generic festival imo. It has a bit of everything but doesn't excel at anything. I would say that it's a festival mostly for people who don't go to festivals. "

reading that last line triggered a memory of one of my own shambala visits. can't remember the year, but we were parked up in the campervan field and had an older couple pull up next to us , the wife chatted with them,  it was their first festival, was something said ([i forget now] about their daughter, who'd recommended it, or was working there or something).next day when we came back to our van one time, they'd gone, it obviously wasn't a festival for people who don't go to festivals.

[Neil]

On 11/13/2023 at 1:42 PM, Skip997 said:

Quite correct.

The main mystery for me, is how they've managed to keep the attendees fitting in with the ethos and vibe.

by keeping the music bookings very low_key, i'd say.

[Skip997]

24 minutes ago, Neil said:

by keeping the music bookings very low_key, i'd say.

Yea

With the exception of DnB, where they regularly get top names.