Forget Specsavers, you should have gone to GLASTONBURY!

[Dirty_Dave]

Firstly, you are a cock.

Secondly, I think the 2 festivals are of a similar level all considered. Glastonbury is a nightmare to get to, far too busy and too spread out.

[Dave The Hedgehog]

I'm going to Leeds this year purely because my girlfriend preferred to go there over Glastonbury or any other festival that came first to mind. When I looked at the line-up for Glastonbury - when we both did, come to think of it - we regretted the decision of not getting tickets for there. Neither of us know anything about festivals, neither of us know how to compare any of the festivals or what to look for, so I just booked tickets for Leeds because I seem to remember it being the only festival she ever spoke about and in her mind Glastonbury was always "a problem" - but I've never really found out what the problem was because by and large her opinions for it are second hand and so have no basis of truth at all.

Our first taste of what it 'might' be like at the festival was Radio 1's Big Weekend (which she got tickets to because she lives in North Wales) and after that I think we both caught the festival bug. So we researched more and more into festivals to see which others we could go to and worked out from all of the different line-ups that Leeds/Reading is perhaps the shittest festival this year, which is really unfortunate because I spent £400+ getting tickets to the bugger.

I think one of the problems I'd have with going to Glastonbury is - as others have mentioned - the sheer volume of things to see and do there. It's quite daunting looking at the line-up and seeing... well, over a hundred bands? That's a lot of things to miss, albeit a lot of good things too.

Next year we're going to be aiming for Latitude, Glastonbury, Oxegen and All Tomorrow's Parties if we get enough money to go to all of them. Latitude is the one we both wanted to go to this year in addition to Leeds but we have other plans because it falls on my birthday. I'd have liked to have gone to the Supersonic Festival at the end of the October too because Swans, Godflesh and Melt Banana are playing there but luckily I've got tickets to see Swans at Manchester Academy on the 30th of October anyway... and I wouldn't swap that for the world. Greatest band to have ever existed.

But yeah, Leeds is our first festival experience and we'll go to enjoy it. It might have a fairly shit line-up (with some exclusions) and the crowd might be full of w*nkers but we'll go and enjoy it as best we can.

[PurpleFire]

50 STAGES!!! SOO WHAT!!! you can only be in one place at once.

Leeds is just Genre specific and thats why people go, i dont wanna see Sissor Sister, Kyle, Rolf Harris. I missed out on Muse and Vampire Weekend in my opinion they would be the only 2 who i could have seen without moving 4miles to another stage.

Glasto is the best and biggest festival in the world, but the bands, size and the amount of people that go isnt a big draw for me.

[Hart Attack]

Bands I like at Glastonbury this year: Coheed & Cambria, Muse, Slash, Reef

Bands I like at Reading this year: Blink-182, Paramore, Lostprophets, Limp Bizkit, Pendulum, Weezer, Enter Shikari, All Time Low, You Me At Six, Billy Talent, A Day To Remember, Young Guns, Kids In Glass Houses, Serj Tankian, The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner, Biffy Clyro, Queens Of The Stone Age, Guns N' Roses, NoFX, Zebrahead

So yeah, bit of a no contest for me really.

You would think a festival the size of Glastonbury would have bit more diversity in the line-up - it has plenty of indie, pop and oldies, but barely any heavy music at all. With the number of stages they have there, they really ought to have one dedicated to rock/metal to broaden the appeal a bit.

Edited July 8, 2010 by Hart Attack

[systm]

Well it's easy: The Libertines.

the end.

but i'll go to Glasto one year, mb next.

Though, if you want to compare festivals this way, i'll ask you:

"why don't you go to Benicassim ?"

P.s: As Kevin butler said: "Imagine you have an amazing girlfriend, and someone else has an amazing girlfriend, you know who wins? EVERYONE!"

Edited July 8, 2010 by systm

[Tom1889]

Too far, too early in the year, tickets go on sale at an awkward time because I never have money by then, too big, nice to watch on the red button, not enough heavier bands, and above all else...

I loathe and detest anything to do with hippies and hippie culture. It annoys the f**k out of me. Knowing my luck, I'd go and end up camped next to the biggest bunch of hippies there, wanting to discuss 'loving the earth and loving others' and all that shit.

Edited July 8, 2010 by Tom1889

[thesecretingredientiscrime]

I'm a first time Glasto goer this year, but I was at Reading last year and will be this year.

I've got to admit I probably wouldn't have gone to Reading this year if it wasn't for The Libertines but I am.

No offence to you Dirty Dave, but it's things like this, that give people a negative perception of Glasto. We know how good it is, and that's all good and well, but people have the opportunity to discover this for themselves if they want to. By going onto the R&L forum and writing how great it is, it just baits the negative Glasto comments.

I can't fault Glasto at all, it's literally incredible, and I'd fully recommend it to everyone one year, but if Reading/Leeds is your thing fair enough. It's not impossible to do both because as some people have said, they're at the opposite ends of the summer. Just to add, the reason why Glasto don't have heavy bands anymore is due to the Rokslide incident in 2000, or that was the official reason given back in the day anyway. The amount of people on site at Glasto, especially back then, made Eavis thought it would be dangerous.

[Benj]

I thought this was a superb way to describe the differences!

[zeppelin]

in my opinion the 2 cannot be compared, they're just too different. I love both for different reasons. However if I had the choice between the 2 Glastonbury would win every time! (which it did this year, until I decided to work Reading)

I'd recommend trying Glasto at least once to everyone, if you don't like it then hey, fair enough but there's some things that you just don't get anywhere else: the variety of music available, the late night areas, the amount of small stages/bars/places to discover.

Granted, it doesn't cover the heavier side of music but it then covers everything else R/L has and more.

[kev1664]

" I loathe and detest anything to do with hippies and hippie culture. It annoys the f**k out of me. Knowing my luck, I'd go and end up camped next to the biggest bunch of hippies there, wanting to discuss 'loving the earth and loving others' and all that shit. "

I love this like...It speaks so much truth.

I wonder what is gonna happen in 2012 when Glastonbury takes a year out. I bet all of those slagging every other festival off decide to filter down into these very same festivals.

Plus this years line up at reading and leeds blows glastonbury out of the water from my point of view. Looking at the line-up I don't think there is one time where I would not go to see a band. Glastonbury did have a few acts I'd have seen but they were all massively spread out which is no good to me, and yes you had Stevie wonder but I'd have only seen him out of intrest.

P.S U2 are the single worst and most annoying band to ever grace this earth. With the most annoying C**T walking the earth as its front man!!!

[thesecretingredientiscrime]

People don't seem to realise that Glasto isn't just about the music though. When people say they go and only see three bands for the whole weekend, it isn't because there wasn't anyone they wanted to see, it was because there's so much other stuff to do. You could go, literally not see a band, and still have an amazing time.

[Tom1889]

P.S U2 are the single worst and most annoying band to ever grace this earth. With the most annoying C**T walking the earth as its front man!!!

[Dave The Hedgehog]

People don't seem to realise that Glasto isn't just about the music though. When people say they go and only see three bands for the whole weekend, it isn't because there wasn't anyone they wanted to see, it was because there's so much other stuff to do. You could go, literally not see a band, and still have an amazing time.

[Gre]

It is good, Disney Land is a better place, the rides are mileeeees better at Alton Towers

[thesecretingredientiscrime]

First of all - you f**king f**k f**ker

Sorry. I just cannot stand people who overuse the word 'literally' anymore unless it's to make some sort of figurative or metaphorical allusion to something. 'Obviously' seems to be the new one going around.

[JBarbour]

Im loving all the slagging off of both Glasto and R/L, makes me laugh. Happens every single year and will prob still continue to happen. Some people take it too personal.

Glastonbury and Reading/Leeds are totally different. Glastonbury you go for a festival experience, whereas R/L is all about the music. Thats not a bad thing because thats why I buy tickets for Leeds every year the line up is cracking. I seen prob about 5/6 bands at glastonbury, I'll see more than that in one day at Leeds. I love both of them and can't knock them. But when you have done both you'll know what I mean when I say its like comparing Alton Towers to Disney Land

This hippie bashing is just stupid, grow up

[Dave The Hedgehog]

Oh I'm sorry for using a word once in one paragraph in the right context. That's massively overusing it isn't it? I'd suggest some maths lessons next time

[Dave The Hedgehog]

Oh I'm sorry for using a word once in one paragraph in the right context. That's massively overusing it isn't it? I'd suggest some maths lessons next time

[Dave The Hedgehog]

Apologies for the double post.

[Dave The Hedgehog]

But when you have done both you'll know what I mean when I say its like comparing Alton Towers to Disney Land

[thesecretingredientiscrime]

English. Not maths.

How can something be "literally incredible"?

You're using the word literally as a means of emphasising a word that already emphasises something. It's like me explaining something to somebody in a kitchen - "yeah, shove it in literally for 5 minutes." Or speaking to somebody in a pub about an encounter I had in a Starbucks - "yeah, he literally came over and stole my chair."

It's just an overused word that irks me. There's no malice towards you; nothing personal. I'm sure you're a lovely person. But when people use buzzwords on a consistent basis, it annoys me.

[Dirty_Dave]

People don't seem to realise that Glasto isn't just about the music though. When people say they go and only see three bands for the whole weekend, it isn't because there wasn't anyone they wanted to see, it was because there's so much other stuff to do. You could go, literally not see a band, and still have an amazing time.

[Jimmyeatspeople]

The simply fact is, until you have been to Glastonbury; you just dont get it!! Fact! Enough Said.

...and with regards to the hippy-bashing. If i had to chose between being a peaceful 'loved-up' hippy or a chav 'pissing up everything vertical / setting tents on fire / lets go start fights with security scum bag ....i know which way i would turn!

Peace and Love.

Dave

[lharris92]

The simply fact is, until you have been to Glastonbury; you just dont get it!! Fact! Enough Said.

...and with regards to the hippy-bashing. If i had to chose between being a peaceful 'loved-up' hippy or a chav 'pissing up everything vertical / setting tents on fire / lets go start fights with security scum bag ....i know which way i would turn!

Peace and Love.

Dave

[Dirty_Dave]

and until you go to R/L you wont get it either..

Now F*** off