A bit of feedback/suggestions

[barrydavis]

@cheesehead

God I really don't know what im doing on these forums, just gave myself negative feedback!!

Anyway, yes I agree your right "being careful" is a gresat idea in hindsight however EOTR seemed a really nice festy with lovely friendly people, it just didn't occur to me to hide everything or pop over to the lock ups.

As I say maybe we have been lucky over the years at other festy's we've been to, we have never had any trouble.

I think it's just unfortunate and I agree with other forum member's I would hate to see lots of gestapo type security that are at other festy's..

[barrydavis]

How do I take the negative strike off??..lol

[cheesehead]

It's not EOTR's fault some knobbers nicked some stuff. If anyone at all is to blame (other than the knobbers, of course), it's the people who totally ignored the advice on the website and programme, didn't use the free lockup service, and made it worth the knobbers time to come.

That will be hard to hear for those still angry about being robbed - sorry - but I think it's really unfair to point fingers at the stewards or the festival for this. I also think it's a mistake to call for any move in the direction of the security you get at other fests. Security patrols and floodlights will reduce crime, but are simply not necessary at EOTR and would detract from the experience. If we are all just a little more careful, this problem goes away.

[cheesehead]

Barry - agree you've been lucky, which probably informs your perspective.

Last time I was at Glastonbury, in the midst of all that security, I had my tent stolen on Friday, I was threatened with a knife on Saturday because I didn't want to buy any pills, and upon giving up on Sunday I found my car smashed up and robbed. I actually preferred Glasto to Reading, though - no-one hit me on the back of the head with a two litre bottle of piss, and no-one groped the wife.

That's why a bit of easily-avoided petty-thievery amidst all the friendliness and good will at EOTR seems small beer to me, and why I'd hate to see an over-reaction. I'm sure it's not so easy to be philosophical for those who were robbed - but I hope you do go again.

[Infinite Jest]

How do I take the negative strike off??..lol

[Insomaniac]

....We will probably return next year, but hide all our stuff in the bottom of sleepng bags..

[barrydavis]

I gave you positive feedback to balance it out ;-)

[perfectpassion]

I think that some people missed the point, it wasnt about "leaving" valuables in your tent, this stuff was nicked from the tents whilst people were sleeping nxt to their valuables. I guess it kind of made me think that I had been way too thoughtless and it could have easily been me.

And if you misunderstood me, I didnt want loads more security, just a similar level to last year/the year before?? And I do not think stewards should be asked to take that responsibility on, they do a great job already and never get thanked enough.

I love EOTR and don't want it to become like the bigger festivals

[Elfy]

I gave you positive feedback to balance it out ;-)

[Insomaniac]

I think that some people missed the point, it wasnt about "leaving" valuables in your tent, this stuff was nicked from the tents whilst people were sleeping nxt to their valuables. I guess it kind of made me think that I had been way too thoughtless and it could have easily been me.

[Insomaniac]

Blimey, I'd never noted the quality voting buttons before

[Better Late...]

Everybody should make a point of getting to know all their neighbours if and when they see them. That way they'll know if they see anyone unfamiliar going in their tents that they should report them.

[Fat_Buddha]

I thought security was much more relaxed this year than last year……..the boys and gals didn't look so much like steroid beasts. I wasn't aware of the robbing until now though.

They had a spate of thefts at Wychood for a couple of years, always seemed to be on the first night though, which seemed to be the case here. Maybe people need to be reminded very strongly before the fest that the place is likely to be targeted on the first night and to be extremely, profoundly cautious.

[perfectpassion]

I thought security was much more relaxed this year than last year……..the boys and gals didn't look so much like steroid beasts. I wasn't aware of the robbing until now though.

They had a spate of thefts at Wychood for a couple of years, always seemed to be on the first night though, which seemed to be the case here. Maybe people need to be reminded very strongly before the fest that the place is likely to be targeted on the first night and to be extremely, profoundly cautious.

[se012g4947]

Hi Guys. Sorry to hear of robberies, always spoils a festival. For next year remember there is a property lockup near gate B on the outside of the arena which is free

[5co77ie]

It's a problem that blights festivals, there's often a rash of thefts from tents on the first night, when people have the most money on them I guess, it does seem to only be limited to festivals where the campsite is outside the arena. Often it's carried out by people who don't even have tickets, turn up on the first night scalp people and then leave. I notice that at Glastonbury it was by far the highest crime figure.

Good news about the propert lock up perhaps that should be more clearly signposted next year for those entering the gates? Perhaps another handy laminated sign? - I was impressed with those on the tables at the gates.

Just out of interest how big are the lockers in the property lock up? At some festivals this year they've been useless consisting of individual lockers about the size of a pack of butter.

[Devafeva]

Agree Tipi much improved and liked the bar area as well. However any chance of increasing the height of the stage ? I heard several bands while standing in the Tipi and saw hardly any of them !!

Loved Lanterns in the Lake in there and the Wilderness of Manitoba but I like to see the skill of the musicians playing the music as well as hearing it and a bit of elevation would have helped.

Edited September 17, 2010 by Devafeva

[GTG]

Just out of interest how big are the lockers in the property lock up? At some festivals this year they've been useless consisting of individual lockers about the size of a pack of butter.

[mattybeans]

Hi Y'all. First forum post after a first EOTR

I loved this festival, really pleasant vibe, nice people and some amazing music. The thing that really impressed me the most was the sound quality on the two main stages. It was really, REALLY good. I've done many different festivals, some do OK, but most have truly terrible sound, but EOTR absolutely nailed it I think, you could really hear the intricate percussion during Caribou's set. Well done engineers, no wonder you were quick to grab the tarpaulin during the Monotonix beer throwing frenzy!

Highlights for me were, Edwyn Collins, what an amazing guy. Wilco were as ever awesome but too many ommissions :-) Low Anthem, (just beautiful), Django Django (very cool) The Snorkel dudes (hilarious)

Warning minor whinge coming up....I have ONE major gripe and that is with the Friday night DJ's in the Local tent. What a joke! I have never seen such a shambolic display. They didn't know what to play, arguing with each other over what tune to put on. They didn't know how to play, but most of all they had no concept of how to please a crowd, one of the pair preferring instead to get battered and prance around like Mick Jagger at Wembley, as if we were all there to watch him live out his bedroom rock star fantasies! I'm sorry but a 12-2am DJ slot at a festival is a prime spot. I don't expect big name DJs but please at least get someone who can string a set together and work a crowd. I'm not talking about a big ravey dance set, I'm happy to be taken on any musical journey, but a selection of 60s beatgroup singles punctuated with the odd bit of Pixies is not good! Sorry but it was truly terrible! :-( (apart from Psycho Killer, that WAS fun!)

Chin chin

M

[Fareham Grecian]

Great post mattybeans - my second EotR and there are loads of great things about it - but surely the single best thing is the sound quality, which combined with the respect most of the crowd give the artists, means that you can hear every word and every note played; the silence during Low Anthem's beautiful Charlie Darwin, or The Unthanks Patience Kershaw was awe inspiring. And as Matty says, that quality applies in the Big Top too, even for the noisier acts.

At the risk of sounding like a sycophant, I agree with him on the DJs too - and I have to say that as much as I love Jarvis and Richard Hawley, they weren't very good either! Best disco for me was the secret one in the woods...

[festyfan]

RE Tent thefts.....i too had mine done,apart from the scumbag that did it i blame myself, left my jeans near door and away they went, i know better than that.

I thought security did a good job to be honest, its a large site to cover with just a few men, and well done for catching some of the shitheads, i thought the security manager, think he was called Steve did a great job and helped us in a calm confident polite manner.

Cheers

[Hotcider]

Thought I would wait a bit to sum up my EOTR 2010. Had an excellent time again, this really is the best festival there is.

Highlights :

Edwyn Collins

Wilco

Wolf Parade

Phosphorescent

Brakes

Yuck

Ruby Suns

Freelance Whales

Monotonix

Daredevil Christopher Wright

Allo Darlin

Felice Brothers

Low Anthem

Gordon Southern

Thursday opening

The new Tipi layout

Disco in the woods

Talks at the library in the woods

The bigger Local

Real ales & Freedom lager

Goan curry, goat curry, bhatti wraps, pizzas, veg thali

Lower lights

Not winning the pop quiz even though Shoebox wasn't there

Real ales selling out quickly

Cider bus new location

Not being allowed on stage to dance this year

Roll on September 2011 !

[thedailygrowl]

The thieving episode wiped out a good chunk of my Friday. We got done on the Thursday night, and a lot of stuff was taken, most of which was discarded nearby, and we got pretty much everything back from security by the Friday afternoon (apart from my hip flask, and bizarrely, an electric toothbrush) in various states of messiness. The most inexplicable thing was that my bag, still containing my iPod and spare car keys was discarded, but a canvas bag full of baby food, and a rucksack containing nappies and kids clothes were taken away to their 'stash' tent. Maybe the fact that they were quite wasted by the time they got to us may explain this.

There were three blokes, two of which got caught and arrested by the cops. When they were approached by security they offered my tickets as evidence for their legitimate presence on site. Of course the tickets could be traced back to me and this became one of the main pieces of evidence to incriminate them.

We'll be back next year, but with more padlocks, and definitely not camped next to the fence!