New Tipi Tent...Thoughts?

[DragKnuckles]

Hi All,

Another great year at EOTR...I had a GREAT time and will definitely be going again next year...highlights for me were Vetiver, Low Anthem and Richmond Fontaine...but there was a whole lot more...

However...

As a big fan of the Bimble I was really disappointed with the new Tipi Tent. Although it looked lovely from the outside I did not get to see one band that I wanted to see in there because it was 1) usually "1 in 1 out" packed and 2) designed in a strange 'L' shape so nobody at the back could see (or sometimes hear) anything!

Anyone else have problems with this? Maybe I was just trying to get into the most popular gigs? (J. Tillman, Peter Broderick etc...).

Am I the first (or only) to ask to bring the Bimble back?!

Knuckles x

[ljsawyer]

Hi All,

Another great year at EOTR...I had a GREAT time and will definitely be going again next year...highlights for me were Vetiver, Low Anthem and Richmond Fontaine...but there was a whole lot more...

However...

As a big fan of the Bimble I was really disappointed with the new Tipi Tent. Although it looked lovely from the outside I did not get to see one band that I wanted to see in there because it was 1) usually "1 in 1 out" packed and 2) designed in a strange 'L' shape so nobody at the back could see (or sometimes hear) anything!

Anyone else have problems with this? Maybe I was just trying to get into the most popular gigs? (J. Tillman, Peter Broderick etc...).

Am I the first (or only) to ask to bring the Bimble back?!

Knuckles x

[airboy paul]

Yeah, I wasn't too keen on the new tipi either. although, I think the old one was a bit of a hassle also. It's okay if you manage to get there early to sit down near the front (at least 15 minutes before the next band are due on), but if not, then there's no chance. I had to change my planned scheduling of stage hopping to take in to account the chance that I wouldn't be able to see a band playing at the tipi unless I got there early enough.

[airboy paul]

oh, and the tipi was way too close to the local stage (or vice versa). it was a bit annoying hearing loud music from the local when at a quiet set at the tipi. ok, i think that's all my moaning done for this cool festival.

[Fareham Grecian]

Spot on. First time for me this year, so have no Bimble experience to compare to, but after trying to get into the Low Anthem set on Friday we wrote off the Tipi completely. Why an L-shape? And it was the only area with conspicuous/heavy looking security too.

But apart from the Tipi....

WHAT A FESTIVAL!! Just fantastic in every way.

[tom225]

Spot on. First time for me this year, so have no Bimble experience to compare to, but after trying to get into the Low Anthem set on Friday we wrote off the Tipi completely. Why an L-shape? And it was the only area with conspicuous/heavy looking security too.

But apart from the Tipi....

WHAT A FESTIVAL!! Just fantastic in every way.

[cherrytree]

Whoever booked the tipi tent made a HUGE mistake!!!

This type of tent is just not suitable for large numbers of people to 'gather' in to listen to great live music. The very nature of it's design from looking at it from outside could tell you that having a band play in one of the 'domes' of the tent would mean that majority of the sound would just be contained within that area!

Such a shame, we tried to see (and listen) to lots of bands in there but ended up giving up as just couldn't hear them.

The 'L' shape of it also didn't help and the only way to get in was by the bar and then you had to try and squeeze past packed area in front of sound desk, two entrances would have helped.

Also the noise from the Local drowned out a lot of what was a very, very poor PA system set up in the tipi.

Please don't book tipi tent again next year!

Apart from that we loved the EOTR weekend, great music, lovely people, sunshine, cider and pieminister

ps. Bob Log III is our new anti-hero!

[spooky]

i rather liked the tipi and the area outside, the local and big tops aren't really sited so you can relax outside and have a smoke, the tipi was good for that. yes we had to queue for blitzen trapper, but security were perfectly friendly and not at all "heavy" ime. no queue for charlie parr (1st set).

but yes, having the local so close (was it there last year? it was down by the comedy the year before wasn't it) didn't work at all.

i say keep the tipi but move the local.

[Tmeister]

I thought the Tipi was a tad strange having an L Shaped bit so people at the back couldn't see plus what was annoying to i found people where coming in and standing where it says keep clear so people sittin near the back couldn't see so in the end we had to stand... i like the tipi idea though but maybe use it for smaller bands... also people have commented on this already but next year can you move the Local because when J Tillman was on you could hear the sound from next door funny thing was he tried to play with the beat.

[ljsawyer]

Valid point about the Local being too close - you can hear Get The Blessing really loudly in the background!

[Heddwch]

I was stewarding the 'exit' of the Tipi tent on Saturday night from 9pm to 3am and totally agree with most of the comments made in this thread so far.

We passed on all the complaints we had to our Team Leader, hopefully something might be done to rectify the situation next year.

[sadwitch]

I actually really liked the new Tipi. The path through the middle meant people could fill up the far end of the L. Yes there wasn't room for everyone but that's because it's a very small tent. The Bimble was very long so only the people at the front could see/hear while the design of this meant it forced people to sit around the edges so people standing at the back could see (most of the time anyway). The Bar at the Bimble was also impossible to get to most of the time. I think the only solution to the problem of people not getting in to see bands would be to make it two or three times the size which would sort of defeat the point of the place or to not put anything remotely popular on in there. Other than that it's like any small venue you have to get there early to make sure you get in (though that would probably interfere with sticking to the laminated schedule).

[cherrytree]

I actually really liked the new Tipi. The path through the middle meant people could fill up the far end of the L. Yes there wasn't room for everyone but that's because it's a very small tent. The Bimble was very long so only the people at the front could see/hear while the design of this meant it forced people to sit around the edges so people standing at the back could see (most of the time anyway). The Bar at the Bimble was also impossible to get to most of the time. I think the only solution to the problem of people not getting in to see bands would be to make it two or three times the size which would sort of defeat the point of the place or to not put anything remotely popular on in there. Other than that it's like any small venue you have to get there early to make sure you get in (though that would probably interfere with sticking to the laminated schedule).

[chunt]

I actually really liked the new Tipi. The path through the middle meant people could fill up the far end of the L. Yes there wasn't room for everyone but that's because it's a very small tent. The Bimble was very long so only the people at the front could see/hear while the design of this meant it forced people to sit around the edges so people standing at the back could see (most of the time anyway). The Bar at the Bimble was also impossible to get to most of the time. I think the only solution to the problem of people not getting in to see bands would be to make it two or three times the size which would sort of defeat the point of the place or to not put anything remotely popular on in there. Other than that it's like any small venue you have to get there early to make sure you get in (though that would probably interfere with sticking to the laminated schedule).

[DragKnuckles]

(though that would probably interfere with sticking to the laminated schedule).

[spooky]

i had no problem hearing the band either outside or at the bar (at least when there was nothing on at the local) and tbh after years of gig going i've given up on actually seeing the band most of the time cos i'm usually shorter than at least half the crowd.

[angelheaded hipster]

Have to agree with what's been said - the Tipi Tent was undoubtedly the worst thing about the festival for me this year. There were major problems with the Bimble last year, with people being able to get in/see anything/hear properly, but I thought it was far worse this year. It was a real shame as there were a few bands I really wanted to see in there, but by the time of the later sets it seemed that if you hadn't been camped out for a long time already you had no chance of seeing or hearing anything. It was lovely in there, but especially by later on at night there appeared to be about 10 people in front of the stage who could see, and everyone else had no chance.

I fully understand the issue of making it larger meaning that it detracts from the very idea of the stage - ie. that it is intimate, etc., but I really think that it is the one area that needs some serious brain-storming before next year as there must be something that can be done to improve the situation. Perhaps having more than one stage that continued until 3am with 'secret' and small sets would make a serious improvement - that would split the crowd and improve the chance of being able to see something.

Also, something definitely needs to be done about the sound from the Local. A very touching and wonderful set from Sam Baker was marred by being able to clearly hear the very loud bassline from the Local.

This is all very much meant as constructive criticism though, I truly love this festival, had another wonderful weekend and think they are spot-on with pretty much every single other thing.

[chunt]

Is that a dig?

There were two entrances to the Bimble and even if you stood at the bar there you could see and/or hear the band...this was not the case with the new Tipi Tent...maybe it is just disappointment because I did not get to see two of my must sees but I have a feeling that there may be more to it...

[sadwitch]

Is that a dig?

[DragKnuckles]

Yes but it's a gentle and well meant dig at everyone at the festival including myself.

Edited September 14, 2009 by DragKnuckles

[hhhh]

the new tipi tent was absolutely terribble. when everyone stood up (which was most of the time) you could only see the stage if you were in the first 3 rows, i heard 5 amazing sets in there and saw none.

[pinktequila]

It was inevitable that teething problems would be had ith a new venue, I Liked the tipi tent and its L shape and there certainly wasn't a poor Pa in there although maybe it wasn't the best for that venure. The biggest problem as it was very hot and the local drowned it out and that needs looking at. I think the Bimble created another set of problems that may have not been so obvious but took more dealing with.

[imogenmp]

Hi All,

Another great year at EOTR...I had a GREAT time and will definitely be going again next year...highlights for me were Vetiver, Low Anthem and Richmond Fontaine...but there was a whole lot more...

However...

As a big fan of the Bimble I was really disappointed with the new Tipi Tent. Although it looked lovely from the outside I did not get to see one band that I wanted to see in there because it was 1) usually "1 in 1 out" packed and 2) designed in a strange 'L' shape so nobody at the back could see (or sometimes hear) anything!

Anyone else have problems with this? Maybe I was just trying to get into the most popular gigs? (J. Tillman, Peter Broderick etc...).

Am I the first (or only) to ask to bring the Bimble back?!

Knuckles x

[GeordieMartin]

Firstly may I say I have been to all 4 festivals and this was my best one (band wise) However, I've never understood why a tipi is needed at all. The bimble was a nightmare with the people working there so off their heads it was a joke. Although the new tipi is bigger it's just not a practical venue in my opinion. The local was way too close and should have been a lot further away. I was watching the brilliant J Tillman solo set and magic arm came on and blasted him out of site.

I know there are restrictions on noise levels after a certain time and so there fore needs to be kept at a certain level but instead of a tipi just have a smaller,squareshaped marquee which is far more practical. I missed so many people play because I just couldn't handle the tipi tent, Sam baker, Peter Broderick, Brakes secret slot, oh loads.

I love this festival and will of course still go every year and in the bigger scheme of things having a tipi at a festival is the least of my worries but for me personally to make it the absolute perfect festival I would get rid of it. Either that or have it as a venue for the much smaller, lesser known bands or even an open mic like they did the first year, or a comedy tent, anything but a music tent.

As you were....

[Wiggum]

I thought the tipi tent was a really nice place but agreed it wasn't ideally shaped/situated for seeing bands. About the security, I thought they were alright really and I actually felt quite sorry for them on the Friday, must've been about 12ish or so. They wouldn't let us in but I then noticed some people making rubbish excuses and getting in so I basically said "they just got in...can we come in?" and after a "how many" he let us right in. Big fella but not much of a bouncer.