Big Chill 2011'

[Gaaz]

Right guys so basically I've just bagged tickets to this year's Big Chill festival and it'll be my first one. I did this because the line up is excellent. I mean what dick head would pass up a chance to see a 10.0 [via Pitchfork] rated artist? That was a joke btw, but Kanye is a real coup. I set up this topic because I want to know more about the festival, the atmosphere, the history, food prices etc. Can be literally anything, so long as it's interesting and conveys a bit of what the Big Chill is (or was) all about.

[Role Model]

I'm going for the first time this year too, love to hear some thoughts on it. Their forum doesn't really seem that full of info.

[Button]

I've been three times and a couple of times I've been I've also gone to Glastonbury the same year and if I'm honest - I've enjoyed BC much more than Glastonbury! I love it, beautiful site, relaxed and chilled but at the same time and you can go crazy if you want.

Going again this year and can't wait!!! Bit gutted as the acts I want to see are all on the Friday night. We had the most amazing memorable Friday night once there, in the dance tent - oh my!

The food is like any festival - sure there's bad stuff but we always went for the lovely food such as noodles, pies and burritos! Yum! Ooooh I can't wait!

[TheSeventhOne]

Loads of stuff I want to see at this, particularly Kanye West, Flying Lotus, Empire of the Sun and Steel Pulse, but no one I know seems up for it so I may end up going alone.

[Button]

I'm sure you'll make friends when there - just say hi to your neighbours when you get there. Flying Lotus, Luke Vibert and Empire of the Sun are who I really want to see.

You never know, maybe one of your friends will change their mind?

[amfy]

I am usually a Glastonbury person and take my own drinks. Can anyone tell me anything about the searching on entry to the arena? From the terms and conditions it seems really specific and therewfore strict. Is security in the gates tighter than say V or somewhere like that? I have been to V a couple of times and found getting drink past security there to be very easy.

tbh it's not so much that I mind buying drinks - more that I hate ending up drinking lager all day. I like to make myself up a strong nice rum and coke in a small coke bottle to last me the afternoon/evening and reduce the toilet stops!

[Button]

I am usually a Glastonbury person and take my own drinks. Can anyone tell me anything about the searching on entry to the arena? From the terms and conditions it seems really specific and therewfore strict. Is security in the gates tighter than say V or somewhere like that? I have been to V a couple of times and found getting drink past security there to be very easy.

tbh it's not so much that I mind buying drinks - more that I hate ending up drinking lager all day. I like to make myself up a strong nice rum and coke in a small coke bottle to last me the afternoon/evening and reduce the toilet stops!

[amfy]

Thanks for that! From what you are describing I think we will get through with our usual method!

[amfy]

Thanks for that! From what you describe it sounds like we'll get through with our usual method!

[Button]

I have just bought tickets and then checked the line up again - Flying Lotus is no longer on the line up!!!!!!!!!!! He's the main reason that I bought a ticket

[west49th]

I am usually a Glastonbury person and take my own drinks. Can anyone tell me anything about the searching on entry to the arena? From the terms and conditions it seems really specific and therewfore strict. Is security in the gates tighter than say V or somewhere like that? I have been to V a couple of times and found getting drink past security there to be very easy.

tbh it's not so much that I mind buying drinks - more that I hate ending up drinking lager all day. I like to make myself up a strong nice rum and coke in a small coke bottle to last me the afternoon/evening and reduce the toilet stops!

[amfy]

Ok! all good advice so far. Now i need to sort out my parking ticket. Arriving Thursday night at the earliest but probly friday and will need to find space for a 5 man tent. I understand that your parking will diatate your camping so which would be the best campsite to head for?

[OliOliOli]

Anyone looking for an extra pair of hands to work at the festival? Give me a shout! Ta.

[Insomaniac]

I've been to the last 6 Big Chills and used to love it, but won't be going again as it changed a lot last year with the new owners. As mentioned above they're fairly strict with checking bags at the gates so hide your alcohol well. Be aware that the main fence is not well guarded so make sure you don't leave valuables in your tent (which should be obvious) as plenty of people jump the fence to go on the rob. All the tents around us (including ours) either had something stolen or were entered on the first two nights.

Not trying to put anyone off, but they are aiming for a younger crowd these days and I'm an old bastard, so I'll be staying away. If you're a teenager who likes laughing gas, ketamine and yelling 'Alan' all night then you'll have a great time, and I'd definitely recommend it if that's the case.

[OliOliOli]

Anyone looking for an extra pair of hands to work at the festival? Give me a shout! Ta.

[amfy]

Settling in beautifully. No sign of troublesome yoofs from last year- all living up to the name so far! Definitely far from sold out so theres plenty of camping space & the loos are in great nick! Hardly any queuing and a notable absence of litter! Enough here for the party tho - just room to breathe! If anyone is still considering it then I'd say grab your tent & get yourself down here!

[eFestivals]

Kanye West "I'm not a phoney" - sung thru a vocoda. PMSL.

Way to go Kanye - you drove a sizable number away from the stage with that rant, tho I'm not sure you'd have kept them anyway. You managed to make a cold electronic performance by the Chems the previous night feel like a warm and fuzzy intimate live set by being a thousand degrees colder.

Still, I'm sure the Jessie J fans thought it was just perfect.

[si_t]

Kanye West "I'm not a phoney" - sung thru a vocoda. PMSL.

Way to go Kanye - you drove a sizable number away from the stage with that rant, tho I'm not sure you'd have kept them anyway. You managed to make a cold electronic performance by the Chems the previous night feel like a warm and fuzzy intimate live set by being a thousand degrees colder.

Still, I'm sure the Jessie J fans thought it was just perfect.

[eFestivals]

ugh! what a shame....

used to have a lot of time for the big chill - some great memories. Funny now thinking back to the press releases at the time of handover to Festival republic about it not changing for the worse.

Was it busy?

it was around as busy as it was when I last went (which was 2 years ago, I think).

But back then it was a festival with a strong identity but lacking in atmosphere. Now it's a festival with no identity and still no atmosphere. I'll be quite surprised if it's still going in 5 years unless it changes somehow, because I can't see who it'll attract in enough numbers once the fashionistas stop going to festivals - which is, I think, going to happen within the next few years.

[Macca3031]

People treat me like Hitler

I didn't go but that's what I heard he said on stage. I would be quite up for seeing Kanye but he does say some silly things sometimes.

[eFestivals]

People treat me like Hitler

I didn't go but that's what I heard he said on stage. I would be quite up for seeing Kanye but he does say some silly things sometimes.

He ranted on for ages, with all sorts of worthless crap - "I'm not in it for the money", "I'm not a phoney" (sung thru a vocoda, you can't get more phoney), and loads more. He's so hard done by, eh, that he has to take hundreds of thousands of pounds to tell us all about it from the stage.

If the rest he did on stage was any good then it might have washed over me, but the rant was by far the best bit.

I wonder if him and Jessie sat down for a cuppa after his set, to talk about how great they both think themselves? Their time would be better spent on making music that had an audience beyond puberty I reckon, instead of stuff that Stock, Aiken & Waterman would be rightly ashamed of.

[ethereal]

Only went Sunday, line-up looked truely woeful Fri/Sat for my tastes. Quite impressed overall for 1st visit, did come across some of the aforementioned 'troublesome yoofs' at the end of the day though

[Sparticus]

He ranted on for ages, with all sorts of worthless crap - "I'm not in it for the money", "I'm not a phoney" (sung thru a vocoda, you can't get more phoney), and loads more. He's so hard done by, eh, that he has to take hundreds of thousands of pounds to tell us all about it from the stage.

If the rest he did on stage was any good then it might have washed over me, but the rant was by far the best bit.

I wonder if him and Jessie sat down for a cuppa after his set, to talk about how great they both think themselves? Their time would be better spent on making music that had an audience beyond puberty I reckon, instead of stuff that Stock, Aiken & Waterman would be rightly ashamed of.

[eFestivals]

Neil, you're just under three years too late for bashing kanye west using a vocoda.

I'm not bashing him for using a vocoda, I'm wetting myself at the irony of him singing "I'm not a phoney" thru a device that's designed to make a phoney of his voice.

----

Anyway, I've not yet read them myself yet (the missus has), but apparently The Guardian's reviews of Friday and Saturday hit the nail on the head for what the fest was like this year.

[amfy]

Only went Sunday, line-up looked truely woeful Fri/Sat for my tastes. Quite impressed overall for 1st visit, did come across some of the aforementioned 'troublesome yoofs' at the end of the day though