Hop Farm Festival 2011 !

[glasto-worker]

I arrived at Hop Farm last Thursday and once I got my tent up in the crew area I took a female friend to the little Pub { it may be called the Brewers Fayre } which is hidden from the road the cars enter to the carpark - we bought a few pints { £ 3 for Carling } and walked out to the beer garden and it was packed out by WBC staff { for some weird reason Hop farm is the only camping event where the WBC does not have a staff bar } so it was a very enjoyable night.

I had two friends who are from Iceland and they were due to arrive Friday morning so I was waiting in the coach drop off point and every few minuets a Shuttle bus would arrive from the local station - it was weird because there was no signs up pointing to the public way in although there was lots of staff hanging about so people would have been able to ask but a sign costs very little .

Due to shifts I was not able to sit and watch many bands but did see Patti Smith { she was good although a rather short set } a really bad set from Lou Reed { who tried to sing John Lennon's ' Mother ' and he killed it stone dead } a very active set from Iggy Pop.

Staff was shifted about for the Sunday so ended up working in the campsite bar on the late shift - lager/cider four cans for £ 6 so we sold loads after Prince.

It was mainly a friendly crowd although I did run into four jokers who I would not sell to as they were drunk - I was right to refuse them as while I was checking another customers ID all of a sudden three of them turned on the fourth and they started beating their friend - lucky it was close to the bar and bar Security called up a mobile unit { Specialized Security } and they were there within seconds - I don't have a clue why they started fighting and I expect they don't have a clue either.

I know that some people complain about Specialized Security but if they need them I expect that some people would change their mind.

I have worked at Hop Farm before but this was the first time I have seen the public camp site and it looked fine to me and tents were well spaced out together.

Don't have a clue about the public facilities although did notice a long queue at some toilets in the arena although as I was not hunting I don't know if that was typical.

The last feedback I got was drink sales was steady but not sure if this picked up when Prince started early Sunday evening { I never entered the arena on the Sunday so cant say first hand }

[Mardy]

I only went for the Sunday, never been before, not far from my house and I think Prince is great, so, what the hell..

Anyway, the Sunday certainly, was not really anything resembling a festival. It was essentially a Prince gig in a field with a fairly ropey undercard.

Lots of positives, there were plenty of toilets, all of which seemed clean, no queues for beer, plenty of places to sit, very relaxed day, loads of families there, although looking round at peoples' wrists, it was apparent that the vast majority of the crowd were only day-trippers down for the Sunday.

The supporting acts, well, they tried, but there was no hiding the fact that this was all about Prince. It was a Prince crowd and there was no 'festival' feeling whatsoever. Certainly the contrast between this and Glastonbury the weekend before couldn't have been starker, the entertainment on the other two stages finished before Princes' set, there was no option but to worship at the altar of the Purple one.

Tinie Tempah bombed, to be quite honest. He had a good go, and he's clearly a likeable, charismatic pop star but this wasn't his crowd, wasn't his day. A predominently middle aged crowd weren't here to see him do his thing, and his exhortations to the crowd to crouch down and then spring up were met with the uncomfortable glances of people who were more concerned with their dodgy knees and not spilling the chocolate with their churros.

But, all that aside, prince came on and was magnificent, playful, masterful, clearly really up for it and mercifully not too many overlong funk jams. Firt half was all killer, loads fo top quality singles that you forget he had. Great stuff.

A festival? No, a gig in a field, yeah, and a damn good one.

[fairy_]

We went on the Sunday and had a brilliant time! Saw Aloe Blacc, Tall Ships, Eliza Dolittle, Labrinth, The Go! Team, Tinie Tempah and Prince.

Prince was incredible; put on such an amazing show and the whole crowd seemed to be having a great time. We all loved it, including one of my friends who only really knew the "hits" (she realised hlaf way through that there were actually more Prince hits than she realised!).

I also enjoyed Aloe Blacc, Tall Ships, Labrinth and the Go! Team (the tent emptied between Labrinth and Go! Team so we were right up at the barrier). Thought Tinie Tempah was a bit lacklustre; he also came on 15 minutes late but finished on time so it seemed to us that he didn't have enough material for a second headline slot.

I went to Hop Farm for a day last year and had a good time, but this year totally surpassed my expectations. I don't live too far away either (one train stop) so this was perfect for me - I'll be there next year!

[evergreenh]

I only went for the Sunday, never been before, not far from my house and I think Prince is great, so, what the hell..

Anyway, the Sunday certainly, was not really anything resembling a festival. It was essentially a Prince gig in a field with a fairly ropey undercard.

Lots of positives, there were plenty of toilets, all of which seemed clean, no queues for beer, plenty of places to sit, very relaxed day, loads of families there, although looking round at peoples' wrists, it was apparent that the vast majority of the crowd were only day-trippers down for the Sunday.

The supporting acts, well, they tried, but there was no hiding the fact that this was all about Prince. It was a Prince crowd and there was no 'festival' feeling whatsoever. Certainly the contrast between this and Glastonbury the weekend before couldn't have been starker, the entertainment on the other two stages finished before Princes' set, there was no option but to worship at the altar of the Purple one.

Tinie Tempah bombed, to be quite honest. He had a good go, and he's clearly a likeable, charismatic pop star but this wasn't his crowd, wasn't his day. A predominently middle aged crowd weren't here to see him do his thing, and his exhortations to the crowd to crouch down and then spring up were met with the uncomfortable glances of people who were more concerned with their dodgy knees and not spilling the chocolate with their churros.

But, all that aside, prince came on and was magnificent, playful, masterful, clearly really up for it and mercifully not too many overlong funk jams. Firt half was all killer, loads fo top quality singles that you forget he had. Great stuff.

A festival? No, a gig in a field, yeah, and a damn good one.

[Paul ™]

prince will have his own security? all weekend it seems prince will have his own security force on site, taking the place of the normal security foke.

[glasto-worker]

Good to see you briefly