Getting to the Front

[smiley4999]

I was just wondering how easy it is too get to the front of some of the bigger stages? To have a decent spot do you have to camp all day?

And by decent spot I dont mean pushed up against the barrier more that your better off looking at the stage and not the screens.

cheers!

[LostRiot]

Glastonbury is unlike other music festivals I've been to in many ways not least the fact that it has about 20 more stages than reading/leeds/V/T etc.

This means that after every act most people will want to leave to head to another stage. This is especially true earlier in the day and on the smaller stages.

The only acts that get so busy it hurts are the top acts on the other or pyramid stages. Pyramid is on a hill, so you'll never have any problems, and you can generally walk round pretty freely up to the mixing desk. The other stage is a bit more annoying but if you want to make sure you get a good spot turn up a couple of acts early.

[pezzypops]

course not, when one act finishes a lot of people leave the crowd, if you get as far forward as you can during the preceding band (politely, of course, and no elbows) then you can slip forward when the people at the front start to leave.

of course i don't recommend this if there's a crowd of you, but one or two people can get quite far forward without inconveniencing/annoying others if its timed right.

[scappaflow]

I love being down the front at gigs.

[grumpyhack]

The secret is a fold up chair.

You turn up (particularly at places like the Acoustic Tent but other stages too) as the previous act is finishing and everyone moves away.

Go to the front, open your fold up chair and sit down. There will be a few other really keen people who will also be there waiting for the next band that you want to see.

Strike up a conversation then ask: "Would you mind looking after my chair while I get a bite to eat?" Add: "You're welcome to sit in it if you want."

Usually the other person is so grateful to have a chance to sit that they willingly accept.

You then go off for a bite to eat/drink/fresh air.

When you return the front of the stage area is packed.

Fight your way to the front and there will be the person looking after you chair.

Thank them, fold up the chair and you've got a space at the front.

Never failed. Never lost a chair.

[glasto_mongrel_2008]

The secret is a fold up chair.

You turn up (particularly at places like the Acoustic Tent but other stages too) as the previous act is finishing and everyone moves away.

Go to the front, open your fold up chair and sit down. There will be a few other really keen people who will also be there waiting for the next band that you want to see.

Strike up a conversation then ask: "Would you mind looking after my chair while I get a bite to eat?" Add: "You're welcome to sit in it if you want."

Usually the other person is so grateful to have a chance to sit that they willingly accept.

You then go off for a bite to eat/drink/fresh air.

When you return the front of the stage area is packed.

Fight your way to the front and there will be the person looking after you chair.

Thank them, fold up the chair and you've got a space at the front.

Never failed. Never lost a chair.

[Josie's Cat]

The whole chair thing though - if you need to 'fight your way to the front' anyway, why bother with the chair? Why not just bundle down to the front anyway?

[ivan]

Back in 2006 with no Glasto , myself and mates went off to Roskilde.

Now I knew that they had a system in place down the front , with traffic lights and thought it would be be pants.

You could only get to the front via the sides , and after a band had finished they put the red lights on,

cleared the area of fans and give it a clear up.

But I must apologise and say it worked really well.

If you wanted to see an act at 9.00 pm , You were quaranteed a spot at the front if you were one of

the first in when the lights went green. The numbers were monitered and when it was considered full

the lights went to red.

Also if whilst watching a band , you need to nip out for a beer or loo , you had no problem getting

back in

[grumpyhack]

The whole chair thing though - if you need to 'fight your way to the front' anyway, why bother with the chair? Why not just bundle down to the front anyway?

[Joshuwarr]

No offence guys but the whole idea of camping at the front with a chair totally goes against the whole experience of a gig. People stand at the front for hours on end to ensure a great spot (my dad stood in the same spot for 11 hours at IOW in 2006) and it would piss me off to see someone abusing the system. And people with chairs really pissed me off last year sitting so close to the stage. Ridiculous, they cant even see coz they're sitting down so f**king move for those who do want to stand and watch!

[Kyelo]

No offence guys but the whole idea of camping at the front with a chair totally goes against the whole experience of a gig. People stand at the front for hours on end to ensure a great spot (my dad stood in the same spot for 11 hours at IOW in 2006) and it would piss me off to see someone abusing the system. And people with chairs really pissed me off last year sitting so close to the stage. Ridiculous, they cant even see coz they're sitting down so f**king move for those who do want to stand and watch!

[Chimps in Balaclavas]

I don't think he means for the chair to be getting used while the acts are playing, more so the time between the acts when people are waiting around and sitting on the ground themselves.

I'd rather wait for the next act on a chair than stand or sit on the ground.

Grumpyhack I applaud your ingenuity m8.

Edited April 24, 2009 by DAVA

[grumpyhack]

I don't think he means for the chair to be getting used while the acts are playing, more so the time between the acts when people are waiting around and sitting on the ground themselves.

I'd rather wait for the next act on a chair than stand or sit on the ground.

Grumpyhack I applaud your ingenuity m8.

[staggerlee]

I remember getting back from Glasto 2004, having been at the Front for Oasis (god know's why) and Macca. I returned to Liverpool and when I attended the Mathew Street festival a couple of months later I remember the crowd there was harder to negotiate than Glasto.

[flibbitybob]

I found it incredibly easy to get to the front even for the massive acts at the pyramid last year. As people have said, at the end of one act, there's so much movement that if you want to go forward, it's very easy to do without having to really push. I also found people a lot more polite than at gigs, I had a lot of apologies from people who did really squeeze through, and I have a lot of short friends, and we were offered better places loads of times so we could all see... there's much less of a spirit of barging to the front for your own experience!

[tylerdurden]

Sorry I may seem like a "Rude Chav" to some people here or something?

But!... I shall be f**king pushing right to the front for Kasabian and Springsteen.

I'm normally full of Shame, but the ale and drugs shall help me with this and I'll bloody be at the front on Saturday.

[Kyelo]

Sorry I may seem like a "Rude Chav" to some people here or something?

But!... I shall be f**king pushing right to the front for Kasabian and Springsteen.

I'm normally full of Shame, but the ale and drugs shall help me with this and I'll bloody be at the front on Saturday.

Edited April 25, 2009 by BenchBuddah

[tylerdurden]

Somebody pushed past my mate like that(is now no.1 hammer thrower in Britain)at a gig and he walked up behind him, put his hands on the guys shoulders and picked him up(rag doll like lol). Turned and plonked the guy behind him. Was frigging hillarious, the guy mate a rapid escape lol

[Kyelo]

Hahahaha Comedy,

no but I neither dress nor act like one of those people, and shan't be pushing rudely,

I just thought the declaration that I'd be doing so may come across like that ayee

[Josie's Cat]

I can see that the chair would be folded up, but what I was getting at was that you still had to fight your way to the front to get to the chair anyway! So kind of defeating the porpoise. But you are saying the chair holds a space.

I agree with Joshuwarr, if you wanna see the band that much, you gotta be prepared for some waiting pain.

Chairs are cheating.

[scappaflow]

I found it incredibly easy to get to the front even for the massive acts at the pyramid last year. As people have said, at the end of one act, there's so much movement that if you want to go forward, it's very easy to do without having to really push. I also found people a lot more polite than at gigs, I had a lot of apologies from people who did really squeeze through, and I have a lot of short friends, and we were offered better places loads of times so we could all see... there's much less of a spirit of barging to the front for your own experience!

[grumpyhack]

Really never understood the point of people sitting about a mile away from the stage and not bothering to get right to a decent spot. I'm not saying, right at the barrier where it can get mental, but just a decent level that you can see the band without a telescope.

[mandypants]

The problem I find is that if I'm not literally at the barrier, then I can't see a thing cos I'm only short So it makes better sense to me to stand further back where I can see, even if it is only the screens, than to stand close to the stage but behind half a dozen taller people so I can't see anything at all. I do squeeze to the front for my faves though, and I agree with waiting till the crowd start moving after the band before the one you want to see, there is so much movement that you can easily slip into spaces as other people leave. Which is the advantage of being short