Glastonbury needs 2012 off....

[TheBoyBilly]

....to rethink whether it should have dross like Beyonce Knowles 'headlining'
What next, Cheryl Cole?
You could tell by the cheers at the end the average age of the audience. Probably 15.

 

[XmisterIS]

I don't go to festivals any more, back when I was a teenager, they were headlined by the likes of Prodigy, Metalica, Killing Joke, etc., the Police presence was virtually non-existent and the crowd was totally chilled out on cheap booze and a communal cloud of pot-smoke. Nowadays, it's mainstream, over-policed, over-hyped, over-commercialized, and full of lairy chavs looking for a punch-up. Not good.

 

[Fnaar]

It's also full of flipping middle aged middle class people with too much money, who should know when to leave it to "the kids".
Like Cameron's friend who died... when did Glasto become an event for local Conservative party chairmen, staying in the Winnebago section?

 

[yello]

....to rethink whether it should have dross like Beyonce Knowles 'headlining'

I think it probably decided to take that direction in the first place! In fairness, it always has intended to be a mix of music - so why not "dross" too?! I do empathise with what your saying though. Thing is, it's big business and probably too big to change direction or formula. What it needs, in that respect, is not a year off but a 'Son of Glastonbury'... a smaller spin off. Which I'm sure already exists in the form of other music festivals.

Btw, I quite like Beyonce. Not enough to buy an album but I do find myself liking some of her tracks I hear on the radio.

 

[John the Monkey]

The rumoured secret acts (Radiohead, Pulp) seemed much more exciting than the headliners (U2, Coldplay) to me.

 

[Archie_tect]

In my day they had proper mud.

 

[Globalti]

For a long time Glastonbury has been on the list of social "must dos" alongside Henley, The Proms, Wimbledon, Cowes week and the rest. Just another money-making opportunity really.

 

[John the Monkey]

In my day they had proper mud.

Yeah, not like the mud they have nowadays, with knives in it, and aids. /stewart lee

 

[MontyVeda]

what is all this 'back in my day' moaning... The first time I went to Glasters you just walked round the back and through a gate if you didn't have a ticket. Then i heard the shouts for 'hash for cash' and 'mushie brew' and thought this is the coolest place on earth. Not so much when one hears 'smack' being offered alongside the mushie brew and weed... but each to their own. Over the next 5 days (I arrived early), numerous reports of muggings and robbery were heard and rather than being the coolest place on earth, it was an anarchic free for all, which is probably better on paper than reality.

The 2nd time I went was the first time the fence went all the way around and it was much harder to nick in... although not impossible the crusties selling 'hash for cash' seemed to be replaced by scallies giving it the hard sell (and it was probably mud).

both times I wasn't tickled by the headline acts and spent most of the time exploring the smaller stages in cafes and the like... I'll never forget Nick Turner's Fantastic All Stall being the compare to a juggling act in some circus tent... some young chap with a strat and god knows how many effects pedals doing the most beautiful electric ambient music I've heard... Deryke Drow's front man dancing around like tosser trying to act all 'rock god' in front of an audience of maybe 20... and more I've long since forgotten.

what am I saying.... Glastonbury is much more than the sum of its headline acts... and if i went again, I'm sure I'd see a much safer and better organised festival than 20 odd years ago, and I'd still avoid the main stages.

 

[Iainj837]

As far I know there isn't Glastonbury festival next yr due to the Olympics.

 

[MontyVeda]

they have a 'fallow' year every now and then... not sure if next years is 'due to the Olympics'... but I know Eavis is 'lending' his toilets to the Olympics... probably for some money.

 

[Kirstie]

I've put in for tickets for 2013 as I fancy going as a punter. I used to work there in the 1990s - I actually got paid a tenner to go and it was always a brilliant week! There's so much going on that you could always avoid the main stages and see all the mad performance stuff that goes on there. It's a shame the tickets are so expensive, but i would imagine it's because of the security needs to stop people getting in over the fences. When thousands of people used to jump the fences a decade or so ago, it put massive strain on the site so that the infrastructure they had just couldn't cope with it ie water, sanitation, medical, food etc. the place resembled a refugee camp after three days. The mainstream bits are, well, mainstream. Other bits aren't. I'll have to save up for my ticket - I've got plenty of time though.

In terms of Beyonce, I think she's brilliant and I would like to see her live. I love the fact that her band is all female. People who know me know that is unusual for me, but nothing beats a truly polished performance like the ones she gives. I think the same of Lady Gaga too.

 

[Ludwig]

I read that the stall holders were paying £250 on average for electricity alone and there were 650 stalls. Has to be the most expensive electricity in the world. But it is off due partly to the olympics

 

[Rhythm Thief]

There's so much going on that you could always avoid the main stages and see all the mad performance stuff that goes on there.

That's a fair point, although it seems a bit odd to pay all that money (what, 200 - odd quid?) for a ticket and then avoid the main events. Were it me, and were I a festival sort of person, I'd just find a smaller local festival.

 

[sheddy]

I heard an american lady saying on the wireless that Glasto 2012 couldn't be held, because all the portapotties were going to London.