What's wrong with Glastonbury?

[dingbat2]

I have been to a fair few festivals in my time but I cannot think of anything that any other festival do better than Glastonbury. In fact, I think if the organisers said this years headliners are Bodger and Badger, Biggles Wartime Band and the Yeovil Town Band (acoustic set) I would still rather go to Glastonbury than any other festival

So what are they no good at, I am really stuggling to think of anything that any other festival does better than Glasonbury, can you? Or anything Glastonbury could do to make them even better?

Some small things I thought of are:

Drainage - but then what do you expect, you are living in a giant bowl for 5 days

Weather - again its June, not August but then I cant wait 'til August for my fix of Glasto

Sound - maybe, its not the best is it?

More Brothers - oh yes deffo, why is there only one at Jazz World. Madness.

I love Glastonbury!

[Kowalski]

Toilets.

[OneLittleFish]

Location after last years 18 hour marathon travel from the northern half of Scotland, but then again it wouldn't be Glastonbury if it wasn't held near Glastonbury town, so can't have it all

[Tugger2k]

radiohead dont play every year

[guypjfreak]

I have been to a fair few festivals in my time but I cannot think of anything that any other festival do better than Glastonbury. In fact, I think if the organisers said this years headliners are Bodger and Badger, Biggles Wartime Band and the Yeovil Town Band (acoustic set) I would still rather go to Glastonbury than any other festival

So what are they no good at, I am really stuggling to think of anything that any other festival does better than Glasonbury, can you? Or anything Glastonbury could do to make them even better?

Some small things I thought of are:

Drainage - but then what do you expect, you are living in a giant bowl for 5 days

Weather - again its June, not August but then I cant wait 'til August for my fix of Glasto

Sound - maybe, its not the best is it?

More Brothers - oh yes deffo, why is there only one at Jazz World. Madness.

I love Glastonbury!

[grumpyhack]

The obsession with the elaborate ticketing proceedure is a pain. One of my mates who had a ticket can't now go having smashed his hip when mountain biking. Another mate would like to go but you can't just pass on the ticket. I know it's supposed to protect against touting but it's gone too far.

[paulo999]

How would you enable ticket transfers, but still prevent touting?

Or do you think it should be an open market?

[LondonTom]

The obsession with the elaborate ticketing proceedure is a pain. One of my mates who had a ticket can't now go having smashed his hip when mountain biking. Another mate would like to go but you can't just pass on the ticket. I know it's supposed to protect against touting but it's gone too far.

Edited March 10, 2010 by LondonTom

[glastofreak]

One of it's great advantages is also a disadvantage. The size of it you can be sure that if there are two bands you want to see they will be on at the same time. (to stop stages being over crowded) but at other festivals if one of the bands you want to see is having an off night you can get to the other stage and see some if not most of the other band you want to see. No such luck at Glasto. And the timing in the year meaning that many stuents cannot know if they can come to the festival due to exams, if you are seriouse about attracting a younger group move it back a couple of weeks.

[20/20]

There ain't much wrong but if i was gonna be picky...

1) cost too high, its gone up loads in the last few years, it's a bloody recession

2) traffic arrangements or lack of them

3) playing silly buggers holding back on the lineup, why why why?

4) gestapo style ticketing arrangements

5) police presence is getting bigger

6) hippy presence is getting smaller

7) too many random charlotte types from slough

[20/20]

One of it's great advantages is also a disadvantage. The size of it you can be sure that if there are two bands you want to see they will be on at the same time. (to stop stages being over crowded) but at other festivals if one of the bands you want to see is having an off night you can get to the other stage and see some if not most of the other band you want to see. No such luck at Glasto. And the timing in the year meaning that many stuents cannot know if they can come to the festival due to exams, if you are seriouse about attracting a younger group move it back a couple of weeks.

[Alty Mike]

There ain't much wrong but if i was gonna be picky...

1) cost too high, its gone up loads in the last few years, it's a bloody recession

2) traffic arrangements or lack of them

3) playing silly buggers holding back on the lineup, why why why?

4) gestapo style ticketing arrangements

5) police presence is getting bigger

6) hippy presence is getting smaller

7) too many random charlotte types from slough

[20/20]

an incredibly sensible response and no offence taken...like i said i was being picky and somewhat tongue in cheek

[Alty Mike]

an incredibly sensible response and no offence taken...like i said i was being picky and somewhat tongue in cheek

[tinpottery]

The most British thread ever. Take something you love and start picking flaws in it.

[Tugger2k]

7) too many random charlotte types from slough

[mario man]

It's not long enough. An extra couple of weeks would be smashing, thanks

[Tugger2k]

Something wrong with glasto, the elitist attitudes of some of the punters with regards to muse or other festivals.

[rock n roll star]

It's not long enough. An extra couple of weeks would be smashing, thanks

[G1T]

5) police presence is getting bigger

6) hippy presence is getting smaller

[cejx]

There ain't much wrong but if i was gonna be picky...

1) cost too high, its gone up loads in the last few years, it's a bloody recession

2) traffic arrangements or lack of them

3) playing silly buggers holding back on the lineup, why why why?

4) gestapo style ticketing arrangements

5) police presence is getting bigger

6) hippy presence is getting smaller

7) too many random charlotte types from slough

[Tugger2k]

These two for me, but then it's been going that way for years anyway.

[Langdale Wolf]

A few points I have:

Timing of the festival - shouldn't be changed. Summer Solstice and Glastonbury should always go together. It'd be lovely to change the weather, but that's just pot luck. Let's face it, over the past few years, we'd have had mud baths even in August.

Ticketing and pricing - as fair as can be and superb value IMHO. In an ideal world, there'd be no such thing as touts, people could transfer tickets in situations like Grumpy's etc. But it's not an ideal world and I think the system protects those of us who love the festival from such 'people'. It's as fair as can be. People moaning about not getting a ticket are 99% of the time those who weren't up at 8.45, laptop on, cup of tea by computer ready for the chaos. If you're organised, you'll get a ticket. I can't complain at the price either, especially when Wooderson and The Nal told me that a ticket to see Macca came out at around £150!!!

Crowds - I do think the volume of people of site is ever so slightly too much, and I'll be interested to see if the new camping fields make a difference. But I suppose that due to demand, it's always going to be like that. And I remember Glastonbury 2000 and thank god that we don't have to suffer those kind of scenes again. That was f**king dangerously overcrowded. It's a shame that a dickhead minority still get in and many fields were targetted by thieves when I last went in 2008 (including my mates) but having seen those youtube clips of Oxegen, let's just be thankful the majority of Glastonbury-goers are like they are. Decent.

As for the Police presence - I'm afraid I have no sympathy for someone who is arrested/told off/moved off for taking drugs - even at Glastonbury. It's still against the law, and you should still abide by those laws. No-one can have any complaints about being told off or whatever if they're partaking in an illegal activity. The Police I have encountered at the festival are friendly, happy and are basically enjoying themselves. When my mate went mad after a policeman took his weed off him, I did remind him that we were still in the UK and therefore UK laws still applied!! I suppose it helps that the only drug I touch is alcohol. Don't see the point in anything else personally.

A fault I can pick though - PLEASE get the Red Flag ready for opening on the Wednesday!!! I know it's ale (the good stuff) and it takes longer to get it ready, but we are impatient, thirsty punters.

And a major fault - I won't get to attend next year or subsequent years for a long time. Dammit Eavis - I'm loyal - give me a free ticket and some spending money!!!

Edited March 10, 2010 by Langdale Wolf

[ampersand]

damn policemen, trying to keep us safe!

whatever will they ruin the festival with next?

[russycarps]

To improve the festival I would like to see

1. The curfew being extended to well into the night. Ideally I'd like to see the headline acts take to the stage around 1am. Of course this will never happen and I understand why not.

2. I'd like to choose the line up

Apart from that, it's all good. I think it is a fair point about the price however. Whilst it is still remarkably good value, the percentage increase in recent years has been vast in comparison to price hikes previously. I would hate to see the "ordinary" glastonbury goer priced out and be replaced by a load of rich kids though. I think when the prices top £200 the people that make the festival special will no longer attend, and be replaced with the sort of whoppers noone wants to see at the festival.

The organisers need to be very aware of this.