Festivals Britannia

[greenfairy43]

Oh dont get me on about Harper! (he looked like a magician didnt he)... he was on at Rhythmn fest a few years ago... but I was fumin. Look... if i want someones political diatribe put on me--I`ll go to Rallies.. I dont wannna pay good money out on drink and drugs and listen to a 7minute intro to a political ramble. I was going f**kin bee-serk.

Its not right. Same as Person Bragg... if you go specifically to see him--fine... but in festival format... I dont like it.

The same year--went to see Santana at MCN..same thing..he started babbling on about Bush and Blair..and the audience,lemming -like all went for it..going wild in compliance.

Once again.. I went wild..but it was that noisy--i was wasting me time.

I think too many musicians push their political views onto audiences.

A political song is another matter, but either way...i personally dont want it thrust upon me.

den

[Big Vern]

excellent documentary charting the history of festivals and the whole youth culture movement.

Although the criminal justice bill etc did put a nail in the coffin for pretty much the whole free festival/unorganised mass gatherings, in reality, after watching that documentary I can understand why, as it is the mindless acts of the few that cause the changes for the majority.

People turning up and literally doing whatever they wanted, to whoever they wanted and taking whatever they wanted, isn't part of youth culture but part of the "f-you" culture and if the good people that attend these things don't self-police, then somebody has to.

[grumpyhack]

Repeated tonight (Dec 19th) BBC4 at 11.45 followed by Radiohead 1997 Glasto set. Both worth catching.

[timespeedsup]

Repeated tonight (Dec 19th) BBC4 at 11.45 followed by Radiohead 1997 Glasto set. Both worth catching.

[Alcatraz]

Just finished watching it.

I enjoyed it and particularly liked its conclusions. I am a modern festival goer. I honestly don't think I'll ever experience anything like those stand out free festivals or free parties even. But going to Glastonbury is always a bit of a personal escape and I always get annoyed when the older generation try and detract from that. It was great seeing that these old crusties still go to their modern day equivalents and still enjoy them for what they are

Edited December 20, 2010 by Alcatraz

[Paul ™]

I V+'d it but watching it just now on BBC4, awaiting the legendary 97 Radiohead set

[LondonTom]

Watching it now, quite interesting and very enlightening to me. It has however made me think, would I have actually gone to the free frestivals or even the likes of the first IoW and if I would have enjoyed it like that.

People also moan about the rubbish now, IoW was far wose than anything I seen

[Paul ™]

.

Edited December 20, 2010 by Paul ™

[eFestivals]

I can't get over how much Roy Harper has changed. Last time I saw him was on a stage made of a horsebox ramp, at a free festival on Wickham Common, Hampshire in 1986/87.

Thos were the days!

Torpedo Town. I was there.

The documentary was better than I was expecting, as it took a different tack from the norm. For example, there was just about no reference to Reading, which was the fest that continued the pay-festivals thing right thru the time of the free festivals.

Meanwhile, at 1 hour 7 minutes and 10 seconds into the programme, there's a brief shot of me.

[grumpyhack]

I've always been happy to pay to go to Glasto. I work at other fests as a volunteer steward but at Glasto I just want to take my 'sensible head' off for a week and chill. I can't see how today you are going to have both 'free' festivals and big names. Performers, quite reasonably, have to earn a living too and that means a payment - even if they do it at a significantly reduced fee for something like Glasto in exchange for the TV publicity.

[rexclark]

Quitre an interesting show. It was good watching how festivals have evolved to what we have now. I can understand why people get nostalgic for the way things used to be, but in todays society it just wouldn't work especially with the ammount of health and safety red tape organisers have to go through.

[gratedenini]

Just finished watching it.

I enjoyed it and particularly liked its conclusions. I am a modern festival goer. I honestly don't think I'll ever experience anything like those stand out free festivals or free parties even. But going to Glastonbury is always a bit of a personal escape and I always get annoyed when the older generation try and detract from that. It was great seeing that these old crusties still go to their modern day equivalents and still enjoy them for what they are

[MrZigster]

I dont think many people are seriously contemplating there might be "free festivals" again.

[llcoolphil]

I thought it was a well put together programme that illustrated well that festivals simply reflect the society they exist in. I don't think we'll see free festivals again, but I do anticipate free parties will make a noticeable come back as a reaction to government policy

[rabid]

I thought it was a well put together programme that illustrated well that festivals simply reflect the society they exist in. I don't think we'll see free festivals again, but I do anticipate free parties will make a noticeable come back as a reaction to government policy

[llcoolphil]

Why's that then?

[gratedenini]

Because massive cuts in public spending, rises in unemployment and shattered opportunities create disaffection and disaffection breeds 'f**k you' revolt.

[llcoolphil]

and who`s gonna pay for all these FREE PARTIES? let me know if theres any going on,cos i could do with a wee swahlie!

[rabid]

Because massive cuts in public spending, rises in unemployment and shattered opportunities create disaffection and disaffection breeds 'f**k you' revolt.

[MrZigster]

and who`s gonna pay for all these FREE PARTIES?

[llcoolphil]

They descended into pretty scary places to be at over time - the bit on the programme about fierce dogs was spot on - but whilst your man might have been in it for one reason, there were plenty that weren't.