To Plan or not to Plan

[stuartbert two hats]

This cropped up on the Q Magazine thread and I thought it deserved its own thread.

Do you like to plan every last band on every day on every stage? Was Halvin your favourite man in the world last year? Do you run from stage to stage trying to get the most performances out of your ticket price?

Or, do you think this cuts against the grain of Glastonbury Festival, best enjoyed bimbling across Worthy Farm, being surprised by some brilliant little act you'd never have planned to see. What you want to do is relax. You may decide whether you're going to see the headliners or not, but that's about it.

Personally, I like to do BOTH! I meticulously plan where I want to be on every stage at every minute and then take great pleasure in ignoring the vast majority of my plans. It's satisfying in the same way that knocking down a house of cards can be. Plus, when I am bimbling find myself at a loose end for a second, all those weeks of study allow me to know intuitively which stage to go over to next. I might not make it mind, perhaps if I encounter someone on stilits playing didgeridoo, my plans will go down the toilet again!

Which are you, planner or bimbler or something else altogether? Discuss!

[a robot]

i do the same as you. grab halvins stuff, print it off, highlight in pink everything i want to see, fold it up neatly, pack the car, get to the festival, leave halvins thing in the glovebox and then wake up on monday

[paulo999]

Very firmly in the camp of:

1. Make precision plan as soon as a clashfinder is available.

2. Don't bother even taking the plan with me, and just see what happens.

I find both steps very enjoyable.

[r0cky]

I like to look through Halvin's clashfinder and work out anything that is must-see for me. I then try and get to some of it during the festival. It's nice having one or two things each day to aim for, and the rest to just see what happens etc.

[stuartbert two hats]

I didn't realise detailed planning and aimless wandering at the same time was so popular!

[paulo999]

i do the same as you. grab halvins stuff, print it off, highlight in pink everything i want to see, fold it up neatly, pack the car, get to the festival, leave halvins thing in the glovebox and then wake up on monday

[Mardy]

i go through phases

1) look at line up, realise there's loads I want to see and it's all too much

*sulk*

2) on reflection decide that there's actually nobody i REALLY want to see

*sulk*

3) arrive at festival, get blown away by it, every time

4) start watching someone I want to see, then worry there might be somethng else better somewhere else so wander off

*get sidetracked*

5) see about 2 bands all weekend

*sulk*

I f**king love it. COME ON!

[scappaflow]

I have to say I am a planner... I don't want to be shackeled to my plans but I know I will do this when I have the line-up.

I do this a lot at T and usually manage to see a lot of bands.

I hope to be a bit more relaxed this year and go with the flow, but I know I will at least plan it all and have wee notes with times and stages etc down.

[mouth]

never see the point in planning. it only leads to dissapoinment if you miss something or forces you to leave something amazing you have stumbled upon. I always have a couple of acts i want to see a day and leave it at that.

[mynameisearl]

Personally, I like to do BOTH! I meticulously plan where I want to be on every stage at every minute and then take great pleasure in ignoring the vast majority of my plans. It's satisfying in the same way that knocking down a house of cards can be. Plus, when I am bimbling find myself at a loose end for a second, all those weeks of study allow me to know intuitively which stage to go over to next. I might not make it mind, perhaps if I encounter someone on stilits playing didgeridoo, my plans will go down the toilet again!

[stuartbert two hats]

This sums it up for me, fantastically put!

I doff both my hats to you sir.

Edited May 5, 2009 by stuartbert two hats

[airds]

Like everybody else, I plan then ignore plan

Except, I will have 1 or 2 must sees, which I will do anything and everything to see, like John Cale last year

The Fun loving criminals were playing at Jazz World and as the set went on I was getting further to back, ready for a quick dash up to the park to see John Cale...I *nearly* ran , but remembered I was a glasto and running it not allowed

[mynameisearl]

You wear two hats too? Very sensible at a festival.

[Homer]

I plan meticulously and actually see pretty much everything I've planned to too. The only things that tend to fall off the bottom are (literally) one or two acts I wasn't that bothered about anyway.

I don't think there's a right or worng way - it's just the way I am!

[hazey_jane]

I decide who are the people that I point blank refuse to miss out on, so last year you could have offered me a million quid not to see Edwyn Collins and I would have turned the money down, so excited was I about seeing him and damn fine he was too.

There's usually only 2 or 3 of these the whole weekend, the rest is all pretty much 'maybe' and if I get sidetracked by something else then all is fine. Also, if there's a clash between someone I've never seen before and someone I have, usually the one not seen before wins.

[stuartbert two hats]

I plan meticulously and actually see pretty much everything I've planned to too. The only things that tend to fall off the bottom are (literally) one or two acts I wasn't that bothered about anyway.

I don't think there's a right or worng way - it's just the way I am!

[strudders]

I have planed and I have just gone with the flow.

On reflection going with the flow, with an Idea of who you would like to see is best in my view.

I have always found something to do, may have not what I was expecting but never had a bad time!

So do what you want to do and let the festival glide you along is my advise.

[Paul ™]

I plan a rough guide based on Halvin's clashfinder, highlight must see's and probably watches and take it with me.

Usually see 2 or 3 acts per day based on that, the rest goes out the window when I find something else to do/see/touch/smell

[ktej]

Try to be aware of who I would like to see then go with the flow

[Pilton]

I do both when I can, but because I have to be at some bands to photograph them ( Even some I don't like ) It can get a bit tricky.

Last year I was passing a band I had never heard of and simply had to stay, they were soooo good.

They were called Manuchoa, they were brilliant, I danced my sox off and did not leave until they were done, I missed a band I was suppossed to photograph, but I just couldn't help my self

[ukslim]

I print the clashfinder and take it with me - but I don't really look at it until Friday morning, and I refer back to it throughout the day.

Often there'll be an act that catches my eye in the morning, but when it comes to the time, I'll be bimbling on the wrong side of the site, so I'll see what's in some other tent and watch that instead. I have become less and less organised as the years have gone by.

[Rachie]

honestly im not a planner at all. I'll have a band or 3 that i CAN NOT MISS. but the rest ill just go with the flo.

I used to be 'bands bands bands' when i was younger (with leeds fest ect) but now im just too lazy, and with me ive realised the time with friends (or even strangers!) are always my fonder memories of festivals.

I count myself lucky if i get to watch a handful of bands a day...if that. One of my friends goes off by himself and see's like 12-15 a day. My god has he got stanima! i truely admire him!

Edited May 5, 2009 by Rachie

[HurrahBrother]

I print off clash finder, keep a copy on me, plan one or two must sees each day and play the rest by ear (Hmm, I'm around here, who's on at the nearest stages in the next half hour?).

[tylerdurden]

There'll be acts that I WONT be missing, either because I've avoided buying tickets to their gigs or because I know I wont be seeing them again,

But aside from that, let the good times roll on.

[howlin_pete]

I'l spend a long time looking at the lineup/clashfinder, make a mental note of who I want to see but don't really do anything till I get there. I make most of my general plans each morning based on how I feel, like last year noticing the Wurzles were starting in 1/2 hour and making a made dash to the cider bus to pick up some supplies before heading off.

Obviously there are a few bands I wouldn't miss but I've never been much of a planner and I just find the whole concept of trying to decide beforehand something as vast as Glastonbury daunting!

Edited May 5, 2009 by howlin_pete