Reading reaction

[Bloodflowerbill]

Reading Festival has become so regimented these days. The hordes of yellow jackets reinforced by sniffer dogs at the station, who pluck bemused travelers from the crowd and escort them, arm tightly gripped, to the make-shift Transport Police marquee outside the entrance. The vast police presence on-site, many of whom were on horseback in an apparent bid for intimidation (although, admittedly, they offered to most a decent photo opportunity); and chiefly, the riot squads drafted in to control the ensuing mayhem on the sunday night which has become synonymous with the festival itself. Sub-contracted security firms were hired in and given fluorescent reign and a free license to prowl the campsites, ears pricked and itching for the slightest sign of back-chat and non-compliance. Of course, the reasoning behind all of this is the growing problem of controlling such a vast and often hot-headed amount of revelers, all of whom are drunk, drugged and seemingly separate from the toils of day-to-day life. The price of cigarettes alone is enough to convince one that he is in another world. More than with any other festival I've found Reading has this sense of a separate entity; that different rules apply here and all are happy to exploit. A close friend overheard a conversation between two lads, whose solution to a lack of money was to 'pick-pockets some mugs.' Couple this mentality with the descent into a primal state on the Sunday evening - mass burnings of tents, beating of oil-drum bins, intoxication from chemical fumes, and you have your justification for such a hefty presence of enforcement. However, although I rarely find this imposing (after all, I have no particular need to), I also fail to find encouragement or need in such a heavy handed approach. It's a sad state of affairs which detracts from the festival as a whole.

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[inspectedinspector]

f**k da Police

[moz4pm]

stick it to the man!

[Matticus]

so your little radiohead was pulled apart by horses, and the joy was indeed formidable.

DEFTONES

[JameSemajj]

I tend to agree really.. But it comes down to one thing... Money... it's just a business, and to protect to organisation, they need to enforce an awful amount of security. Let face it, if you were running a

cigarette shop, you'd increase the prices sky high! anyone would! People don't want to walk 2 miles, and would rather pay the extra amount due to convience.

Rise above the problems.. I could create a thread about all the positive things about Reading, but lets face it, it wouldn't be worth reading. It's so easy to list problems about anything! You know the old saying 'No news is good news' I had an fantastic weekend, my phone got stolen on the wednesday, infact, i hadn't even entered the festival! But i had a wonderfull time anyhow!

[micawber]

Reading Festival has become so regimented these days. The hordes of yellow jackets reinforced by sniffer dogs at the station, who pluck bemused travelers from the crowd and escort them, arm tightly gripped, to the make-shift Transport Police marquee outside the entrance. The vast police presence on-site, many of whom were on horseback in an apparent bid for intimidation (although, admittedly, they offered to most a decent photo opportunity); and chiefly, the riot squads drafted in to control the ensuing mayhem on the sunday night which has become synonymous with the festival itself. Sub-contracted security firms were hired in and given fluorescent reign and a free license to prowl the campsites, ears pricked and itching for the slightest sign of back-chat and non-compliance. Of course, the reasoning behind all of this is the growing problem of controlling such a vast and often hot-headed amount of revelers, all of whom are drunk, drugged and seemingly separate from the toils of day-to-day life. The price of cigarettes alone is enough to convince one that he is in another world. More than with any other festival I've found Reading has this sense of a separate entity; that different rules apply here and all are happy to exploit. A close friend overheard a conversation between two lads, whose solution to a lack of money was to 'pick-pockets some mugs.' Couple this mentality with the descent into a primal state on the Sunday evening - mass burnings of tents, beating of oil-drum bins, intoxication from chemical fumes, and you have your justification for such a hefty presence of enforcement. However, although I rarely find this imposing (after all, I have no particular need to), I also fail to find encouragement or need in such a heavy handed approach. It's a sad state of affairs which detracts from the festival as a whole.

http://www.######/content/...p;type=Features

[robsadler]

i think i paid £6 for 20 marlboro lights, which isn't too bad. cheaper than if you buy from a machine in a pub.

with regards to beer, i collected a few cups on the way to the bar and usually got a pint for about £2.50 which is the same price as the pub and a lot cheaper than at a gig. security were pretty friendly, from the little contact i actually had with them.

i was drunk the whole time but not really smashed at any stage.

another doom monger!

when you get that many young people in such a small area, you are going to get quite a few pricks. it is not so much reading's fault but an issue for the country as a whole.

i went to leeds and hardly saw any police, certainly none on horse back!

[rexclark]

I find the title of this thread misleading.