My music's better than yours

[Pogues Mcgogues]

luckily i've only been in friendly mosh pits. though maybe it depends on the band. who we talking here?

all i know is that when i was about 14 i was afraid to go to slipknot gigs cos of what my brother told me. bloody wish i had done now though.

[ampersand]

Was that when they played the Barra's?

[Pogues Mcgogues]

no idea. was around iowa time i think. basically his mate got a broken wrist i think and just told me horror stories. he was probbably pished out his nut though.

[llcoolphil]

I've came to the conclusion that people who like heavier music are more friendly than those who like other genres. I've still to conclude if not liking heavier music makes you a c**t deep down inside, but yeah you know what I mean?

Edited September 21, 2010 by llcoolphil

[rexclark]

luckily i've only been in friendly mosh pits. though maybe it depends on the band. who we talking here?

all i know is that when i was about 14 i was afraid to go to slipknot gigs cos of what my brother told me. bloody wish i had done now though.

[ampersand]

Well one memory I have was Machine Head at the Barras in 1998, the mosh pit was full of big f**king bullies who were grabbing folk and chucking them in the pit although they were clearly trying to avoid it. At the same gig I was crowd surfing (I know, but I was only 16) and as I got to the front some f**ker bit my arm! He wouldn't let go so i punched him a few times until he did, f**king brutal.

In fairness most times I saw these kinda things happening, it was at gigs in Glasgow, I've never really witnessed it as much at festivals.

[LusciousLucy]

Right...jumping in with both feet and ignoring all the ever present willy waving going on as per usual between all our good friends

I'm actually going to agree Pogo on this one because after 12 or so festivals visited this season the one that stood out for me the most with genuine, forthcoming, decent friendliness was Download. I was really quite struck at how nice people were there. I was actually scared shitless on arrival and had all sorts of preconceptions in my silly head thinking it would be a nasty, rude, heavy handed, very drunken and badly behaved place and actually almost hid in my tent on the first opening night at the camping village (and I wasnt even camping with the punters, I was working on a catering stall!!!) I got the courage to go out at about 10ish and ended up having one of the nicest nights at a festy ever.

Got chatting to people of all ages and basically discovered that Download is just one fecking huge pub back garden party!!! NO twats, no silly badly behaved teens (that I witnessed) mainly because there were so many dads, older blokes, their kids and teenagers in tow as well as the hordes of people age 18-40 of very normal men and women all with one thing in common, they all love the leveller that is rock music.

You all know me well enough to know that I live for electronica from the mid 90s but I had my eyes opened to the obvious thing with rock music and that is this...

name me ONE person in this country that attends music festivals that ISNT moved (even if they dont actually show it) to pick up their air guitar when they hear the opening riff of Sweet Child of Mine. You could be at the biggest rave in this country or the smallest little folk fest and the sound of Slash would have everyone going. Popular rock music does bring a smile to pretty much everyone's face at some point in their lives.

EVERYONE recognises rock music and while some particular sub genres arent to everybody's taste, no matter what, if you are at (for example) a wedding or even the pub for that matter and there is a very wide range of people in attendance, all will probably be happy dancing/rocking out/jigging a bit to an aspect of rock music.

Download was friendly, so bloody friendly because there was absolutely no need for pretense or snobby attitudes. Just joy, happiness and a festival wide excitement for everything that was happening...for christ's sake AC/DC had their own bloody stage! I witnessed one of the best concerts of my life that evening. It totally blew me away and there wasnt one person that evening at the camping village who didnt have a huge grin on their face knowing they witnessed something very very special.

And so, I concur, that rock music festivals ARE the friendliest. IN the arena, in the campsite, in the disco where one minute you are singing along with 5000 people to Blur's Song2 followed then by a bit of Queen's Bo Rap headbanging at the big headbang bit and finishing off nicely with a tent wide simultaneous 'f**k you I wont do what you tell me'...Rock Music it's a leveller. I am just gutted I couldnt go to Sonisphere too.

[ampersand]

lets see neil argue with a fest vet like you

[Pogues Mcgogues]

Is there any subject you cant reach the wrong conclusion about?

Id suggest that the problem with unfriendliness at festivals is more down to you than others - you said you would have felt uncomfortable and out of place had you gone to Eden, even though you said it looked a great festival. Ive never been to a festival where I haven't found some great people to spend a bit of time with

[rexclark]

I have to say, I was happier at Leeds when it was full of Iron Maiden fans rather than say Kings Of Leon fans but I think this arguement only really stands for reading and Leeds as fans of "popular" indie at other fests probably don't act like a bunch of knobs. Then again that's probably because Iron Maiden fans are more of a certain vintage.

[llcoolphil]

Right...jumping in with both feet and ignoring all the ever present willy waving going on as per usual between all our good friends

I'm actually going to agree Pogo on this one because after 12 or so festivals visited this season the one that stood out for me the most with genuine, forthcoming, decent friendliness was Download. I was really quite struck at how nice people were there. I was actually scared shitless on arrival and had all sorts of preconceptions in my silly head thinking it would be a nasty, rude, heavy handed, very drunken and badly behaved place and actually almost hid in my tent on the first opening night at the camping village (and I wasnt even camping with the punters, I was working on a catering stall!!!) I got the courage to go out at about 10ish and ended up having one of the nicest nights at a festy ever.

Got chatting to people of all ages and basically discovered that Download is just one fecking huge pub back garden party!!! NO twats, no silly badly behaved teens (that I witnessed) mainly because there were so many dads, older blokes, their kids and teenagers in tow as well as the hordes of people age 18-40 of very normal men and women all with one thing in common, they all love the leveller that is rock music.

You all know me well enough to know that I live for electronica from the mid 90s but I had my eyes opened to the obvious thing with rock music and that is this...

name me ONE person in this country that attends music festivals that ISNT moved (even if they dont actually show it) to pick up their air guitar when they hear the opening riff of Sweet Child of Mine. You could be at the biggest rave in this country or the smallest little folk fest and the sound of Slash would have everyone going. Popular rock music does bring a smile to pretty much everyone's face at some point in their lives.

EVERYONE recognises rock music and while some particular sub genres arent to everybody's taste, no matter what, if you are at (for example) a wedding or even the pub for that matter and there is a very wide range of people in attendance, all will probably be happy dancing/rocking out/jigging a bit to an aspect of rock music.

Download was friendly, so bloody friendly because there was absolutely no need for pretense or snobby attitudes. Just joy, happiness and a festival wide excitement for everything that was happening...for christ's sake AC/DC had their own bloody stage! I witnessed one of the best concerts of my life that evening. It totally blew me away and there wasnt one person that evening at the camping village who didnt have a huge grin on their face knowing they witnessed something very very special.

And so, I concur, that rock music festivals ARE the friendliest. IN the arena, in the campsite, in the disco where one minute you are singing along with 5000 people to Blur's Song2 followed then by a bit of Queen's Bo Rap headbanging at the big headbang bit and finishing off nicely with a tent wide simultaneous 'f**k you I wont do what you tell me'...Rock Music it's a leveller. I am just gutted I couldnt go to Sonisphere too.

[llcoolphil]

When it comes to Eden, I was piss taking a bit and you knew that. With all that being said, I would probably find myself a bit uncomfortable there, more on the sense of that some of my behaviour may be taken offence to given that it appears to have a kind of 'hippy' vibe. So no, it's not that there might be arseholes there, it links to the last sentence above. See?

[rachbon]

maybe rock festivals are friendly but i'm sticking with my point that rock pubs and clubs i've been to have been very unfriendly.

And why is it if blokes argue it's willy waving but if you come wading in that's a different matter?

[philipsteak]

How friendly are Simply Red crowds.

[Paul ™]

name me ONE person in this country that attends music festivals that ISNT moved (even if they dont actually show it) to pick up their air guitar when they hear the opening riff of Sweet Child of Mine.

[Pogues Mcgogues]

What behaviour would have been taken offence at cos it was a hippy vibe?

[rachbon]

Me

[ampersand]

How friendly are Simply Red crowds.

[Pogues Mcgogues]

does everyone else you know dress the same as everyone else in solid or rufus? because i don't, i never have and i think that's the reason i get funny looks and rudeness when i go to these pubs.

the cathouse and classic grand could just be general rudeness by drunk idiots, it's the same in other clubs.

[Paul ™]

i hate air guitar.

[rachbon]

Me too..

I've been in Solid a few times with a mate (who is a moderator on the Official Download forum) and I find it a very anti-social place to go to unless you fit in with the crowd there, probably down to what clothes/look you have.

Edited September 21, 2010 by _rachelbon

[Paul ™]

yeah if you don't have long hair and a metallica t shirt, they look at you like you're a freak. i've been going to solid for a few years and used to go when i was blonde and fake tanned and dressed very "normal" (whatever that is), the looks i got were ridiculous. it get the same now, although my style is a bit different now. especially in rufus. probably because i'm not really manly looking like most of the girls in there.

[ampersand]

i hate air guitar.

[rachbon]

Venue sorted for the eFest meet then

[philipsteak]

too friendly, but there was dad dancing. it was quality!

check out the show on saturday night, after xfactor. it's going to be a ratings winner!