The Big Chill is a corporate bore

[superdry]

Linky

[eFestivals]

I'd just read that too.

But I think Pete Lawrence's words need to be viewed against his attitude towards the Big Chill even before the Festival Republic takeover - he'd ceased to be involved with BC a year or three before the FR takeover (and sold most or all of his shareholding), and while I've not seen it specifically said anywhere it seems to be the case that he quit because he disliked its growth and what needed to be changed to make that growth.

On the basis of that, much of what he's said could have also been said after last year's festival. The only part which jumped out at me as probably* relating to specifically this year is when he mentions the "VIP areas".

(* I'm not 100% sure, as I didn't go this year, and it's years since I visited the backstage area - but when I did, there was almost nothing there)

I also have to laugh at his presumption that "So at this Big Chill you got a lot of young kids popping pills, not the chilled out audience it had originally.". Has he been walking around for 15 years with his eyes shut? It's always had a huge proportion of pill-poppers attending.

[Insomaniac]

I also have to laugh at his presumption that "So at this Big Chill you got a lot of young kids popping pills, not the chilled out audience it had originally.". Has he been walking around for 15 years with his eyes shut? It's always had a huge proportion of pill-poppers attending.

Edited August 11, 2010 by Insomaniac

[eFestivals]

I think you missed two words in that sentence. Sure there's always been a few pill poppers but they've not been so young. I went this year after enjoying it for the last five years and it really did remind of being at Reading. The campsite appeared to be mostly kids with teen passes away from their parents going berserk. Heard of a few happy slappings, tent burnings, lots of robberies (all the tents in our area were done over). Further more the campsite was a disgraceful mess on Monday morning. I remember the first year I went and how impressed I was with how the site was so spotless on Monday afternoon, as everyone cleaned up after themselves. I will not be going back, it's really a festival for the school kids now.

my 17 year old step-daughter lives local to Ledbury and lots of her friends go, and told me last night that her mates had mentioned tent burnings.

So I guess what you say about it turning into a kids fest similar to Reading is right in some respects. Not good.

However, I'd suspect that, given the ages of the people going now (or more precisely, up til last year [the last time I went]), when BC started many of those people weren't of a much different age.

It's the case all-round (or at least, at many fests) that the numbers of kids (15-18) going is increasing year-on-year, and that they're causing trouble at many of those fests - even WOMAD, one of the most genteel fests in many respects had problemns with gangs of kids this year, and put out an apology statement after the event about it.

I guess this is a consequence of festivals becoming mainstream events rather than something for dirty drug taking hippies (which was the mainstream view in the past), and so many of those parents having attended festivals themselves, making them happy for their kids to attend, knowing them not to be the dens of iniquity they're sometimes still presented as.

[pinback]

This was my first ever visit to the Big Chill and I am really surprised by all the griping on the BC forum post-festival.

A teenager was rude to me on the first night either because I wouldn't sell or buy drugs from him (I couldn't work out which) but as soon as he started being a dick I just said 'bye!' in a sarcastic voice and walked off. Spoke to many other strangers over the weekend and they were all pleasant (including bar staff).

I've had more stress than that at Glastonbury to be honest, though Creamfields still wins the prize for roughest festival I've been to. A lot of BC regulars seem to be complaining that it isn't *exactly* the way it was, but I have no frame of reference for this. I also thought it was quite a beautiful site, and it didn't get muddy either. It wasn't exactly my bag music-wise, but that king of made it more chilled as I was never in a hurry to get anywhere and just went with the flow. I think Caribou was the only time I bothered getting off my arse and leaving my group specifically to go and see someone.

[Medina]

The campsite appeared to be mostly kids with teen passes away from their parents going berserk. Heard of a few happy slappings, tent burnings, lots of robberies (all the tents in our area were done over). Further more the campsite was a disgraceful mess on Monday morning. I will not be going back, it's really a festival for the school kids now.

Also while it's been quite corporate for a while, this year was even more noticeable. Big vodafone banners on the soundtent of the main stage, a stall for Sky TV, and quite a few other high street brand names on show.

Edited August 11, 2010 by Medina

[lynz_star]

On the basis of that, much of what he's said could have also been said after last year's festival. The only part which jumped out at me as probably* relating to specifically this year is when he mentions the "VIP areas".

(* I'm not 100% sure, as I didn't go this year, and it's years since I visited the backstage area - but when I did, there was almost nothing there)

I also have to laugh at his presumption that "So at this Big Chill you got a lot of young kids popping pills, not the chilled out audience it had originally.". Has he been walking around for 15 years with his eyes shut? It's always had a huge proportion of pill-poppers attending.

Edited August 11, 2010 by lynz_star

[lynz_star]

Also while it's been quite corporate for a while, this year was even more noticeable. Big vodafone banners on the soundtent of the main stage, a stall for Sky TV, and quite a few other high street brand names on show.

[eFestivals]

here's an interesting and short read from a parent of some of the kids (that were probably running wild) at Big Chill.

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-are-liberal-parents-just-hypocrites-2049972.html

[gooner1990]

I went to Big Chill last year, enjoyed it immensly and was hoping to return this year but for one reason or another it didn't happen.

Based on 2009 the only thing that really shocked me was the amount of school kids abusing class-A drugs. I will admit i've done my fair share but at 15 it was only the odd toke on a badly rolled spliff at a party (I didn't start attending festivals till I was 17)

On the first night some kids camped not far from us asked to join us as we had a gazebo (it had rained that night) and a small stereo....whilst we were "dabbling" ourselves in our tent away from prying eyes, the 5 or so 15 year olds that joined us had no hesitation in racking up lines of speed in full view of us and any security that might walk past...they had also bought some pills which seemed to be having a good effect, and enquired about relieving us of some of our coke which we had bought for the weekend.

Is this just me being naive or sheltered is it common for kids this age to be battereing every drug in sight...this was by no means an isolated incident, the camp behind us reported similar (they were guys in their 40's)...and it all seemed to be local kids....again not that i have a problem with it i was just very suprised!!!

I thought it was an exellent festival and had planned to return next year as it falls on my 30th birthday...

[5co77ie]

here's an interesting and short read from a parent of some of the kids (that were probably running wild) at Big Chill.

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-are-liberal-parents-just-hypocrites-2049972.html

[gooner1990]

5ottie > On the friday morning another group arrived from Wales...this is what we had entertaining us for that morning and the whole weekend (I'm the one in the striped polo shirt with a bottle in my hand pacing about!)

[rabid]

There's certainly a growing number of post GCSE brats in packs at festivals over the last two years. It used to just be festies like Reading but they're everywhere now.

Edited August 15, 2010 by rabid

[Matticus]

i dont mind having youngsters there so much, ( i was 15 when i attended my first festival) but the culture was different. me and 2 mates wanted to go to experience the music, we knew we were younger and didnt want to stand out, so we acted mature. Yes we drank and had fun but the kids that go nowadays genuinly think its organized for people like them as an alternative to newquay or a piss up in greece.

Im sure there are loads of kids going who dont cause trouble, but they are probably ones with a keen interest in music, whereas most of the kids nowdays go just because channel 4 said its cool to go to festivals.

[fowls]

I'd love to know where these mythical tent burnings have come from. I had friends working as fire marshalls (both in the day and night shift), so I asked them about these rumours of tent burnings. Apparently there were only 4 or 5 fires all weekend. They were all tiny and none involved tents. Having fire marshalls at all seemed to be a bit of a waste of money.

There was a lot of problems with thieves though, especially in Lavender. There were LOADS of holes in the fences which were fixed only for new holes to appear. Seemed to be a fence jumpers paradise to be honest. Sadly, thievery and big festivals are pretty much synonymous now and I don't think that can be blamed on the crowd, no matter how rowdy they are.

In relation to the article, I think it's pretty much inevitable. Small festival starts up, gains a loyal following but isn't economically viable. It can either die or become big and corporate, either way the vibe the loyal fans remember is lost. If people want to go chasing the great small festival atmosphere then they'll have to move from new festival to new festival.

Edited August 17, 2010 by fowls

[eFestivals]

I'd love to know where these mythical tent burnings have come from. I had friends working as fire marshalls (both in the day and night shift), so I asked them about these rumours of tent burnings. Apparently there were only 4 or 5 fires all weekend. They were all tiny and none involved tents. Having fire marshalls at all seemed to be a bit of a waste of money.

There was a lot of problems with thieves though, especially in Lavender. There were LOADS of holes in the fences which were fixed only for new holes to appear. Seemed to be a fence jumpers paradise to be honest. Sadly, thievery and big festivals are pretty much synonymous now and I don't think that can be blamed on the crowd, no matter how rowdy they are.

I've been told someone I know supposedly has video of a tent burning at this year's BC, sent to her by a mate who was there. When she's back from her hols next week I'll double-check with her, and post here to say whether the claimed video does actually exist or not.

[fowls]

I've been told someone I know supposedly has video of a tent burning at this year's BC, sent to her by a mate who was there. When she's back from her hols next week I'll double-check with her, and post here to say whether the claimed video does actually exist or not.

[elfweirdigan]

In relation to the article, I think it's pretty much inevitable. Small festival starts up, gains a loyal following but isn't economically viable. It can either die or become big and corporate, either way the vibe the loyal fans remember is lost. If people want to go chasing the great small festival atmosphere then they'll have to move from new festival to new festival.

[fowls]

Umm... there definitely ARE small festies around that've been going for quite a few years that haven't become big and corporate ...and nor have they died.

Solfest, Knockengorroch's World Ceilidh, BeatHerder, Croissant Neuf Summer Party... these are just the ones I know well. There are others. Support them, so that they may continue!!!

[THEBOILERMAN]

Sorry, I meant specifically festivals which aren't economically viable.

Edited August 19, 2010 by THEBOILERMAN