Crowds (/ Overcrowding?)

[kemosabe]

Just wondered what people's experience of crowds has been after two days (especially now we're into the music)? Does the site feel as busy as previous years? 

Wednesday and Thursday traditionally have led to issues for certain acts of course - that used to settled down by the Friday...

Regardless of one's own experience last year, I think we can acknowledge that the festival faced a fair bit of backlash on here/ social media/ in the media (RA article especially) and it seems they've obviously taken steps to improve things. From the extra capacity in certain parts of the site, lower ticket sales, to publishing crowd updates on the website/ social media (probably more too). As someone not there, I wondered if these have led to a different experience at all? 

Edited June 27, 2025 by kemosabe

[1986]

Usual experience of getting nowhere near things that have no competition, (Confidence Man Thursday, Lorde this morning). Besides that though it seems to be a big improvement. 

[northernangel]

A lot of social media feedback that Charli should have been pyramid, sounds like her slower lido sales are in that field. Playing where Raye or Noah is probably right. Also WHs being rammed. Scissor Sisters is the one with no surprise of with parents walking away with their younger kids as it gets too unsafe. I don't think anybody on here thought booking them to headline Woodsies was a good idea. Just booked them 3rd down Pyramid instead of Chic who's done that slot recently enough.

 

It reminds me of football teams who get it wrong all the time lol, if fans who aren't part of a booking team and called it before it's happened then you would think a booking team would know. Their own tour was way too big for a Woodsies headliner. 

Edited June 29, 2025 by northernangel

[HyperTechnoHorse]

This year is immeasurably better and more pleasurable crowd management wise. Having been every year since 2017, I've never see and felt so much space across the site as I have at this festival.

 

Edited June 29, 2025 by HyperTechnoHorse

[JayP1983]

After Charli last night was dangerous. They closed an exit off to the right of the stage leading into railway and sent everyone further down the field towards Arcadia. Once out we couldn’t travel towards SE corner direction as they had closed the railway road and we were getting sent further away and advised to walk through Arcadia field. Took us 75 minutes to get away from it all and into WH field. 

Edited June 29, 2025 by JayP1983

[northernangel]

1 hour ago, JayP1983 said:

After Charli last night was dangerous. They closed an exit off to the right of the stage leading into railway and sent everyone further down the field towards Arcadia. Once out we couldn’t travel towards SE corner direction as they had closed the railway road and we were getting sent further away and advised to walk through Arcadia field. Took us 75 minutes to get away from it all and into WH field. 

That's ridiculous. You've got a lot of her fans no doubt going to Olivia tonight, just put her subbing her. It's would have made more sense to move Raye to Other headliner, Charli to Pyramid sub and Noah across to Saturday sub. Or just switch Raye and Charli.

[Lucy92]

It’s been a lot better than when we last came in 2022, still some stupid booking

positions but it’s felt less crowded in some areas. The other stage field space has made a difference 

[irnkrtn]

1 hour ago, JayP1983 said:

After Charli last night was dangerous. They closed an exit off to the right of the stage leading into railway and sent everyone further down the field towards Arcadia. Once out we couldn’t travel towards SE corner direction as they had closed the railway road and we were getting sent further away and advised to walk through Arcadia field. Took us 75 minutes to get away from it all and into WH field. 

They sent people right to get to Arcadia and left through the Glade to get to SE corner.
 

the signs were huge big lit up arrows saying that that exit was closed and to go each way based on where you needed to go.

 

i thought it was very good crowd management. It’s a bit difficult for them when people then go towards Arcadia thinking they can cut through, get sent up a track and so cut round metal fences and walk through tents. 
 

 

 

[northernangel]

7 minutes ago, Lucy92 said:

It’s been a lot better than when we last came in 2022, still some stupid booking

positions but it’s felt less crowded in some areas. The other stage field space has made a difference 

 

There is at least 10k less on site.

2 minutes ago, irnkrtn said:

They sent people right to get to Arcadia and left through the Glade to get to SE corner.
 

the signs were huge big lit up arrows saying that that exit was closed and to go each way based on where you needed to go.

 

i thought it was very good crowd management. It’s a bit difficult for them when people then go towards Arcadia thinking they can cut through, get sent up a track and so cut round metal fences and walk through tents. 
 

 

 

 

The signs might be good crowd management but the distance you have to go to get out isn't. If you don't bokk acts on stage that need exits closing you don't have to redirect out the way.

[dg.bandol]

3 hours ago, irnkrtn said:

They sent people right to get to Arcadia and left through the Glade to get to SE corner.
 

the signs were huge big lit up arrows saying that that exit was closed and to go each way based on where you needed to go.

 

i thought it was very good crowd management. It’s a bit difficult for them when people then go towards Arcadia thinking they can cut through, get sent up a track and so cut round metal fences and walk through tents. 
 

 

 

Thought the post Charli crowd management last night was good. I came through the Other field after seeing NY and (aside from an expected bottleneck at the exit) it was very clearly signposted. Got up to Park to see the last 3 Caribou tracks then mooched about outside Bimble Inn listening to Alex James’ Brit pop set.

[jannybruck]

Scissor Sisters at Woodsies was such a stupid booking - they've just completed an arena tour and have big nostalgia hits, the crowd was always going to be there. Would've been perfect sundown on Pyramid.

[matrainertje]

4 minutes ago, jannybruck said:

Scissor Sisters at Woodsies was such a stupid booking - they've just completed an arena tour and have big nostalgia hits, the crowd was always going to be there. Would've been perfect sundown on Pyramid.

I'm not from the UK and I am completely surprised that is the case actually. They had that one hit a whiiiiiile ago, but I never recalled this band being that big? Big nostalgia hits, which ones? 

[jannybruck]

2 minutes ago, matrainertje said:

I'm not from the UK and I am completely surprised that is the case actually. They had that one hit a whiiiiiile ago, but I never recalled this band being that big? Big nostalgia hits, which ones? 

Take Your Mama, Filthy Gorgeous, Comfortably Numb, I Don't Feel Like Dancing, Let's Have a Kiki, Mary were all hits or at least played on the radio/TV here.

 

They were huge in the UK in the early 00s so there was always going to be a nostalgia crowd for them, it's like the festival never learns their lesson about acts like this.

[kemosabe]

6 hours ago, Lucy92 said:

It’s been a lot better than when we last came in 2022, still some stupid booking

positions but it’s felt less crowded in some areas. The other stage field space has made a difference 

This is great to hear and what I wanted to check. obviously they’re never gonna get booking completely right, but if you’re able to walk around the site without it feeling crowded all the time then that’s a massive win 

[northernangel]

2 hours ago, jannybruck said:

Scissor Sisters at Woodsies was such a stupid booking - they've just completed an arena tour and have big nostalgia hits, the crowd was always going to be there. Would've been perfect sundown on Pyramid.

I would have been there, bizarre placement booking that highlights how the festival let themselves down when knowing the market.

[AdrianH]

Hell of alot better in my experience this year - The Other extension is excellent and general crowd management seems more proactive. I haven't seen anything Avril Lavigne like anyway which was close to a very serious incident.

[dotdash79]

4 hours ago, jannybruck said:

Scissor Sisters at Woodsies was such a stupid booking - they've just completed an arena tour and have big nostalgia hits, the crowd was always going to be there. Would've been perfect sundown on Pyramid.

The arena tour sold really badly to be honest. 

[danbailey80]

1 hour ago, AdrianH said:

Hell of alot better in my experience this year - The Other extension is excellent and general crowd management seems more proactive. I haven't seen anything Avril Lavigne like anyway which was close to a very serious incident.

I agree. It’s been the best year for crowds for last 6 odd years 

[WS_Jack_III]

It has been better this year. Although I annoyed I just tried to get to Nile and they've blocked the route off. 

[northernangel]

1 hour ago, dotdash79 said:

The arena tour sold really badly to be honest. 

But what do you think everyone who bulked at the prices thought who had Glastonbury tickets? To be honest, scissor Sisters announcement for the festival with having tour wasn't planned the best.

[K2SO]

5 hours ago, jannybruck said:

Scissor Sisters at Woodsies was such a stupid booking - they've just completed an arena tour and have big nostalgia hits, the crowd was always going to be there. Would've been perfect sundown on Pyramid.

 

I said this a few weeks ago - They should have been on the Pyramid before Rod. They have just the right amount of hits to pack an hour out and have minimal fluff. If they'd been on that slot, they'd have been one of the biggest hits of the weekend

[northernangel]

34 minutes ago, K2SO said:

 

I said this a few weeks ago - They should have been on the Pyramid before Rod. They have just the right amount of hits to pack an hour out and have minimal fluff. If they'd been on that slot, they'd have been one of the biggest hits of the weekend

I'd have put them 3rd down or even before Olivia myself

[K2SO]

9 hours ago, northernangel said:

I'd have put them 3rd down or even before Olivia myself

 

Sub is a good shout, but I was thinking more of a way to get them in there without eating into that top 4 on the Pyramid today, which was incredibly strong (though what I know of Noah Kahan, I think we could have had more energy for that slot)

[northernangel]

1 hour ago, K2SO said:

 

Sub is a good shout, but I was thinking more of a way to get them in there without eating into that top 4 on the Pyramid today, which was incredibly strong (though what I know of Noah Kahan, I think we could have had more energy for that slot)

He's just a bit of a boring booking.

[MEGABOWL]

1 hour ago, K2SO said:

 

Sub is a good shout, but I was thinking more of a way to get them in there without eating into that top 4 on the Pyramid today, which was incredibly strong (though what I know of Noah Kahan, I think we could have had more energy for that slot)

I didn’t see Rod Stewart but that top 3 was superb. Kahan is an Arena act and BST headliner so a very strong sub. Scissor Sisters fifth down would have been a great shout. If they had to be on Saturday swapping them with Ezra Collective might have worked.