The post-festival capacity thread

[ChrisrfomRugby]

Loads of people moaning about how their precious festival isnt so special anymore gets my goat (cue for a Josh T joke !!). I attended this year for the first time and Ive got to say that I dont know what all the griping is about. Of course it's different to last year - they all change. It's a FANTASTIC festival and should be made available to more than just a few nimbies who hate change. Long live EOTR. You regular goers should welcome the young and embrace the old and rejoice in our common purpose (to enjoy music , art , performance and life). There are many different definitions of having a good time and it strikes me that this festival has got most of them pretty well covered. I shall be coming next year irrespective of what the capacity is !!!!!

[Infinite Jest]

If anyone thought the crowds and behaviour there were unacceptabe...you might want to try any price/capacity comparative festival some time for perspective.

[GeordieMartin]

Loads of people moaning about how their precious festival isnt so special anymore gets my goat (cue for a Josh T joke !!). I attended this year for the first time and Ive got to say that I dont know what all the griping is about. Of course it's different to last year - they all change. It's a FANTASTIC festival and should be made available to more than just a few nimbies who hate change. Long live EOTR. You regular goers should welcome the young and embrace the old and rejoice in our common purpose (to enjoy music , art , performance and life). There are many different definitions of having a good time and it strikes me that this festival has got most of them pretty well covered. I shall be coming next year irrespective of what the capacity is !!!!!

Edited September 6, 2011 by GeordieMartin

[Dibford and Son]

I have given it 2 days now to ensure that I don't write some emotional clap trap driven by over tiredness and being generally grumpy. I loved it, again. Number 3 for me and my 13 yr old( a big Okkervil River and Dan Mangan fan) and I thought it was musically the best, by a long way over last year. The increase in capacity certainly made a noticeable difference but try as I might to be miserable about, it didn't really bother me.......well it did a bit, but on reflection did it REALLY, and the answer is no. There were a few things that bothered me at the time, such as more annoying young people being annoying and having fun much as I used to, the very occasional queue longer than 5 minutes for a coffee or food, the noise in the new campervan field from the disco til 0300, but on reflection, they actually didn't!! Did any of the annoying people actually do anything that affected me - no. Did I miss out on coffee? - no. In fact the little Italian motorcycle thingy sold excellent coffee and had no queue of note at any time, so I found something new instead and did the lack of sleep because of the disco noise bother me? Yes it did actually, my only real gripe. The increase in numbers was noticeable in that I found that the stages were busier more often and lacked those special moments when the small crowd got a really special show, however, even then, I found myself asking if I was an organiser is that not what I would want? Every stage busy but not crushed. Seems ideal to me. I still found that even then there was the odd smaller crowd and great moment. Dan Mangan walking the small crowd at The Woods Stage during Robots was superb. Josh T was hilarious and one of my highlights. The Garden Stage did seem busier more often or was I just imagining it in my quest to have something to moan about?

I agree with many of the comments on here and there will clearly be very different schools of thought on this as ultimately it comes down to personal opinion and we are all different, I think! I think the increase in festival popularity generally means that young people will be attracted to them 'cos they are cool, especially if your Laura Marlings continue to gain a following. Apart from the twats who were dancing on the arty monument thing during Okkervil River in the Garden Stage, I didn't see any problems

The food was superb and no matter how hard I try to free myself from their pull, I just cannot stop going back to the Morrocan kitchen for the spicy lamb bartek??

I didn't really notice any real difference in the toilet queues or quality, but I did notice lots of people of all ages wearing very silly clothes and middle aged people like me wearing things that I would never do other wise and I don't really know why!! A neck-a-chief?? I mean. Honestly, what was I thinking of!!

In summary. We had a great time and while busier, it really did not affect our enjoyment which was based around the whole experience, despite me trying very hard to find reasons to moan. The music was superb, the stages were fine. The Woods stage was just a field but it does mean that all the people can now see all the music and not get shut out, so I guess it meets the needs of the festival. The Garden Stage remains brilliant and the sound is superb. The food options and quality were great, the queues manageable, especially if you avoided the obvious peak times I will definitely go again but will wait to see what the line up looks like this time first, for many reasons not related to this year. Especially if they move the campervans further back or the woods disco to Shaftesbury!

[ChrisrfomRugby]

Loads of people moaning about how their FIRST EVER TIME AT THIS festival gets my goat (cue for a Josh T joke !!). I attended this year for the SIXTH time and Ive got to say that I DO KNOW what all the griping is about. Of course it's different to last year - they all change. It's a FANTASTIC festival and should be made available to JUST a few nimbies who hate change. Long live EOTR. You FIRST TIME GOERS should welcome the young and RESPECT the old and rejoice in our common purpose (to enjoy music , art , performance and life). There are many different definitions of having a good time and it strikes me that this festival has got most of them pretty well covered. I shall be coming next year IF THE CAPACITY DOESN'T INCREASE !!!!!

[Infinite Jest]

Well said Dibford, and I'm going to shut up now (after this ).

With regard to the capacity in general: I hope they concentrate on making the festival right, rather than bigger (or smaller). What I mean is - if the best headliner level bands to book are Midlake and Okkervil River - book them, and have a 5K festival. If the best bands around are the National and Arcade Fire, book them and have a 15K festival*. Don't try to be bigger for the sake of being bigger, or smaller for the sake of staying small. Just keep booking the best bands that they can - the best, not the biggest necessarily - and build the festival around that.

*OK, Arcade Fire are too big for that, but I can't think of another good example right now...

Edited September 6, 2011 by Infinite Jest

[ChrisrfomRugby]

Nice reply Let's just say I'm of the older generation and have been to many other festivals so can speak with some experience and whilst I sympathise with your views becauwe you obviously have seen changes over the years that you've been going to EOTR , I really think that overall it's a really smashing festival and it's inevitable in this day and age that good things get more popular. We all fall in love with festivals and with bands but inevitably they all change to some degree. As long as the festival sticks to it's fundamental principles and the organisers don't sell out all will be well. Have faith. Hope to see you there next year dude.

[Dibford and Son]

With regard to the capacity in general: I hope they concentrate on making the festival right, rather than bigger (or smaller). What I mean is - if the best headliner level bands to book are Midlake and Okkervil River - book them, and have a 5K festival.

Totally agree. I thought Midlake put on a great show and would have been a great headliner at the Woods or Garden stage.

[GeordieMartin]

Nice reply Let's just say I'm of the older generation and have been to many other festivals so can speak with some experience and whilst I sympathise with your views becauwe you obviously have seen changes over the years that you've been going to EOTR , I really think that overall it's a really smashing festival and it's inevitable in this day and age that good things get more popular. We all fall in love with festivals and with bands but inevitably they all change to some degree. As long as the festival sticks to it's fundamental principles and the organisers don't sell out all will be well. Have faith. Hope to see you there next year dude.

[Joe_the_Great]

End of the Road got bigger every year and I'm sure there will be another small increase next year. Early bird tickets sold out in 5 hours compare to 9 last year so clearly the demand is there (and these are people who love the festival, not ones waited till they know who are headlining).

And guess what, if you really dislike the larger crowd that much, they've now gone so far as to organising a whole new festival just for you... See you at No Direction Home next year

[zahidf]

With regard to the capacity in general: I hope they concentrate on making the festival right, rather than bigger (or smaller). What I mean is - if the best headliner level bands to book are Midlake and Okkervil River - book them, and have a 5K festival.

Totally agree. I thought Midlake put on a great show and would have been a great headliner at the Woods or Garden stage.

[GeordieMartin]

End of the Road got bigger every year and I'm sure there will be another small increase next year. Early bird tickets sold out in 5 hours compare to 9 last year so clearly the demand is there (and these are people who love the festival, not ones waited till they know who are headlining).

And guess what, if you really dislike the larger crowd that much, they've now gone so far as to organising a whole new festival just for you... See you at No Direction Home next year

[clareandguy]

No one knows how many people that is going to be yet as far as i'm aware. Will I go? Probably. With a name like that it suggests to me it may have a more Alt-country feel to it which would be right up my street to be honest, less indie pop stuff and more Americana/Country/Folk. All guess work at the moment of course, hopefully get some news soon.

[perfectpassion]

Arghhhh please stop, with all this posting I just cannot keep up. Have just found my tin of corned beef and read the programme. It was a good weekend. I hate change but it was ok. I wish it could be smaller but then I wish I could eat fudge at 9pm, no I just wish I could eat fudge...

Whats all this about more class A drugs??? Am sure someone spiked my drink on Sunday eve, I heard this terrible noise and wailing.

Teenagers, I had the pleasure of one of those JNlovingyoungpeople in the tent next to me. Awful snoring. Terrible taste in music. Bad shoes.

[bennyhana22]

For the three millionth time, I DO NOT SNORE :angry: !

Fudge was bloody great, though - the Fudge Stall people were looking out for me when I came back there each day!

Ben

Edited September 6, 2011 by bennyhana22

[killyourtv]

As an EOTR-first timer, I'm finding this debate very interesting. The view about dissipation of the magic as numbers increase has parallels on the Manchester City fans website (Blue Moon) - the music/football may be better, but there's less of a shared experience with people who are there because you are.

It's fascinating how many EOTR regulars imply that the move from the small and varied to bigger and varied names is bad, but are waiting to see who's on the bill before they book for 2012. I'm trusting Simon and co. to put on a varied bill of good music at No Direction Home, but won't really mind if it's all new to me. At least half my time was spent on non-music activities (not just eating) this year.

There's a lot of comments on noisy idiots, but I thought the atmosphere at some of the quieter sets was reverential compared to many non-festival gigs; I particularly appreciated the lack of calling out for "golden oldies".

[sadwitch]

Back to chat!

I do not think it was crowded. I think it was less crowded than 2009 (2010 was the one year I haven't been) around the stages.

I didn't queue for anything for any length of time apart from coffee in the morning for 20 minutes which made me desperate for caffeine but the coffee was wonderful. I'm sure I could've got some shitty instant somewhere else quicker.

I've seen cleaner toilets at little festivals such as Endorse It but they weren't bad and they were on top of the situation.

I don't have a problem with the Woods stage I think it's a good idea.

The point someone made about the big top is true, what he was saying was not that the big top shouldn't be there but that it's just a tent with a stage in it just like you get at Glastonbury and Reading and so on and so on and no one minds it, so why the hate for another non unique (woods) stage.

What I would really like to see is the much improved Local staying as it is now with late night sets and the Tipi or something similar moved away and used as an impromptu/secret acoustic stage like an indoor/alternative to the piano stage. Or something.

Do you think the new festival will really be alt folk and americana? *rubs thighs*

[Joe_the_Great]

Big top wasn't nice at all this year, sound quality was bad, ground was getting muddy towards the front. It smells really bad as well.

[Fat_Buddha]

I have to differ from everyone saying that this was the best year for music………it was the worst year for music. It was a brilliant line up, but nowhere near as good as other years and not as many brilliant surprises.

In terms of people not having the same negativity towards the Big Top as the Woods, I think the issue is about ambience more than aesthetics. A fabled EOTR vibe is usually retained in the Big Top but not so much at the Woods.

If the new festival is more about Americana and Alt Country, I'm in.

Would be nice to know a bit more about the thing, if only the size of it.

[Dom Dom Dom]

Loads of people moaning about how their FIRST EVER TIME AT THIS festival gets my goat (cue for a Josh T joke !!). I attended this year for the SIXTH time and Ive got to say that I DO KNOW what all the griping is about. Of course it's different to last year - they all change. It's a FANTASTIC festival and should be made available to JUST a few nimbies who hate change. Long live EOTR. You FIRST TIME GOERS should welcome the young and RESPECT the old and rejoice in our common purpose (to enjoy music , art , performance and life). There are many different definitions of having a good time and it strikes me that this festival has got most of them pretty well covered. I shall be coming next year IF THE CAPACITY DOESN'T INCREASE !!!!!

[Timberford]

Interesting that all the guesses i've read so far about No Direction people are presuming (hoping) the music will be even more folk orientated than EOTR.

To have any potential cross-over between the two would seem like an odd move to me. I wouldn't be surprised if the 2nd festival is to allow for an entirely different musical vibe to be explored. With no cross-over with EOTR.

The lineup this year definitely had more electronic, shoegazey, prog/post rock bands than ever before (Lyyke Li, Austra, Zola Jesus, Wild Nothing, Twin Shadow etc.). Is this a reflection in the evolving musical tastes of Simon & Sofia? I wonder if the new festival might push this further and go for the chilled out dream/synth pop angle...

Think School of Seven Bells, M83, The Radio Dept., A Sunny Day in Glasgow, Toro Y Moi, Washed Out, Memory Tapes, Ariel Pink, Beach House etc. etc.

Just a theory, thought i'd throw it out there.

Edited September 6, 2011 by Timberford

[Thowky]

To have any potential cross-over between the two would seem like an odd move to me. I wouldn't be surprised if the 2nd festival is to allow for an entirely different musical vibe to be explored. With no cross-over with EOTR.

[thedailygrowl]

Well, despite all the fears, they totally pulled off the upgrade in fine style.

I've been at every EOTR, and I enjoyed this year's fesival more than most of the previous years, though that may be related to getting a better balance between children's wants and needs and our (the parents) wants and needs. So I got to see more music this year than pretty much every year apart from our childless 2006.

One of the highlights for me was putting the workshops/kids stuff/etc in the gardens near the Pavillion. That whole aspect of the festival seemed so much better thought out than previous years, when it just seemed to be a couple of tents stuck at the end of a field. And the amount of work put into the wee passport books for the kids was impressive. The result was that I spent a lot of time in the gardens and really ejoyed it. Plus it had the bonus of being near to the Garden Stage so you could at least hear some music whilst keeping children amused.

And the Woods Stage was perfectly fine. It may not have the magic of the Garden Stage, but it's much easier to lounge there - the Garden Stage is so much more cramped and always has been (first year excepting). It's good not to have to worry about encroaching on other people's space and having people tramp on your feet trying to get past.

So great festival, and I've got no complaints at all, apart from the bloody path in. Just order a finer grade of stones next year and all should be fine.

[Infinite Jest]

Or, have midlake or okerville river where they are, and have a big (but good) name headliner. That way, you can see two great shows!

[magick melvin]

"If the new festival is more about Americana and Alt Country, I'm in."

Me too.

"...it was the worst year for music"

I agree.