V virgin what do i need to know?

[deschwah]

bagged a brace of tickets this morning.. well excited but there's hardly any posts on here

what's the craic?

[mongoose]

Lots of silly chavs, lots of awful pop music and associated fans, lots of pint pots full of weewee being hurled into the crowd by the aforementioned chavs..... "Euurrgghhh, that was WARM?!" Haha.

That's the usual anyway - this year they're going to attract a slightly older crowd in part - Stone Roses, Noel, Mondays etc.

I find V very commercial, but music wise if you're into hideous stuff like Chipmunk and that, then you'll be really happy spending the whole weekend there. Not saying Chipmunk is playing (is he?), but you get my point. And that N-Dubs business? Jesus H Corbett!!!

I'm just doing the Sunday, watching Noel and the Roses and staying in a hotel.

Christ, I'm getting old....

[deschwah]

cheers

and yes you must be....

[Big Vern]

youve gotta accept V for what it is and then you'll be fine. The good points - relatively small so easy to get from one stage to another fairly quickly. Food places pretty much all in one place. Bad points are as stated above, but if you stay on the peripherals of the crowd then its not too bad. Get in the mix and you'll get piss soaked and probably near a bunch of fucktards doing their first festival who just want to get hammered, whizzed, skunked before any music has even come on!

That said, the line up this year may just keep a large element of that away, well fingers crossed anyway as I swore I would never go back, but with no Glasto this year and a line up that is great for me, I've bought tickets!

[Dinosaur snr]

Sadly V has taken a turn to the mainstream 'pop chart' acts over the last few years. It's gone down hill since Radiohead in 07 imo. With the lack of decent head line acts touring POP was always going to be the answer and sponsorship makes up for the lack of beer teenage girls drink. After missing a few years Mrs D and myself went with our teenage kids who had a blast. Primal Scream, Gomez and Lost Prophets were great, but it's very much lightweight.

OK if theres nothing better, but and expensive one at that. Chav rating 7/10

[jue jue]

Depends what you want to know???? Try and arrive early on the fri morning to get a choice on where to camp. There is a thread on here somewhere explaining the pro's and con's of each campsite. There were more chavs last year and people have said there was more trouble than any other years, however I never saw any trouble as I was too busy enjoying myself. Hopefully with this years lineup it wont be as bad....Bring as little as poss as it can be a long walk from the car parks to the camp sites. You can take alcohol (not in glass) into the campsite but not the arena (unless you sneak it in), you can buy food and drink in the arena but it is expensive. Entertainment on the fri nite is normally an indie disco in a very large tent and then the lineup on sat and sun nite. Overall the weekend is what you make it and dont let anybody put you off with their negative comments if you want to know anything else ask away............

[minjie]

That said, the line up this year may just keep a large element of that away, well fingers crossed anyway as I swore I would never go back, but with no Glasto this year and a line up that is great for me, I've bought tickets!

[brfcstar]

I agree - V is very commerical and with the average age of people in the crowds about 26. There is nothing to do in the evening apart from go back to the tent and try and find some fun there. Things shut down about 12am if I remember rightly. Don't arrive on a Friday like I did - camping spots very difficult at that stage. Book the Thursday off and get there then. The only none commerical bit is like a hippy bit near the main stages - reminded me ever so slightly of's Glastonbury atmospere. Food is the commerical type burgers, chips etc just like Leeds/Reading/Creamfields. Not a massive choice of food really. Getting drinks wasn't difficult but if I remember rightly it was tokens? Crowd none threatening and people just wanting

a good time. Says no fires but noone listens to that

[mongoose]

Let's put it this way - if you've done Glasto, and 'get' Glasto, V can seem very much a cheap, money-driven imposter. None of the soul, the charm, the magic or the spirit. That said, if you don't have other festivals like Glasto to compare it with, there's every chance you'll have a damn good time.

A few pointers to help out:

When you wake up on the Sunday or Monday morning in dire need of a dump, get up straight away and head to the portaloos. A five minute wait quickly turns into a fourty minute wait around 0700. If your bowels are of an unpredictable persuasion, it may be a wise move to pre-empt this with an early morning alarm on your phone.

The dog poo next to your tent that you happen across at 4 in the morning isn't dog poo.

Keep a keen eye trained along the metal fences at the edge of the campsites adjacent to the woods. Any shift in linearity is a telling sign that it may have been breached and is indeed a ticket to a convenient lavatorial visit in the wilderness. Remember the point at which you get through the fence - use familiar tents or flags as a mental reminder. Just be mindful of the whereabouts of any security staff if and when you decide to go all Ray Mears.

Remeber to take some bog roll when you go Ray Mears.

Don't spend 200 quid on a ticket then spend hours walking around with your eyes glues to the muddy matted grass searching for empty pint cartons in order to recoup a tenner. It's a false economy. Your friends think you're an idiot. Everyone watching you thinks you're an idiot.

Don't drain your phone's battery sending irrelevant texts to your friends, or calling them and holding it in the air while you're six rows from the front of the headline act for them to be greeted by a distorted crackly mess of noise. Reserve your battery for faecal alarms or emergencies.

Be careful where you pitch your tent. Avoid groups of cerebrally challenged teenaged girls who seem to derive immense pleasure from nonsensically chanting 'Jason Derulo' throughout the whole damn weekend.

Bring water. And if you bring disposable BBQs, think about some sort of mini gazebo setup that will keep it dry during the inevitable fine rain (that soaks you through). But proper gazebos are not really allowed. So improvise.

Don't overpack. The walk from the carpark to where you finally decide to pitch can be long, muddy, sweaty and arduous.

Look out for your mates, don't get too smashed, look after your belongings, and look out for the wronguns. There's always a small percentage of attendees who are there to steal or worse, unfortunately.

Lots can be had on Monday morning if you have a wander. My alcoholic mate bagged at least a gallon of canned cider and lager within half an hour just by asking around.

Enjoy.

[brfcstar]

Let's put it this way - if you've done Glasto, and 'get' Glasto, V can seem very much a cheap, money-driven imposter. None of the soul, the charm, the magic or the spirit. That said, if you don't have other festivals like Glasto to compare it with, there's every chance you'll have a damn good time.

A few pointers to help out:

When you wake up on the Sunday or Monday morning in dire need of a dump, get up straight away and head to the portaloos. A five minute wait quickly turns into a fourty minute wait around 0700. If your bowels are of an unpredictable persuasion, it may be a wise move to pre-empt this with an early morning alarm on your phone.

The dog poo next to your tent that you happen across at 4 in the morning isn't dog poo.

Keep a keen eye trained along the metal fences at the edge of the campsites adjacent to the woods. Any shift in linearity is a telling sign that it may have been breached and is indeed a ticket to a convenient lavatorial visit in the wilderness. Remember the point at which you get through the fence - use familiar tents or flags as a mental reminder. Just be mindful of the whereabouts of any security staff if and when you decide to go all Ray Mears.

Remeber to take some bog roll when you go Ray Mears.

Don't spend 200 quid on a ticket then spend hours walking around with your eyes glues to the muddy matted grass searching for empty pint cartons in order to recoup a tenner. It's a false economy. Your friends think you're an idiot. Everyone watching you thinks you're an idiot.

Don't drain your phone's battery sending irrelevant texts to your friends, or calling them and holding it in the air while you're six rows from the front of the headline act for them to be greeted by a distorted crackly mess of noise. Reserve your battery for faecal alarms or emergencies.

Be careful where you pitch your tent. Avoid groups of cerebrally challenged teenaged girls who seem to derive immense pleasure from nonsensically chanting 'Jason Derulo' throughout the whole damn weekend.

Bring water. And if you bring disposable BBQs, think about some sort of mini gazebo setup that will keep it dry during the inevitable fine rain (that soaks you through). But proper gazebos are not really allowed. So improvise.

Don't overpack. The walk from the carpark to where you finally decide to pitch can be long, muddy, sweaty and arduous.

Look out for your mates, don't get too smashed, look after your belongings, and look out for the wronguns. There's always a small percentage of attendees who are there to steal or worse, unfortunately.

Lots can be had on Monday morning if you have a wander. My alcoholic mate bagged at least a gallon of canned cider and lager within half an hour just by asking around.

Enjoy.

[brfcstar]

I meant get there, stay in a cheap hotel near the site and be ready for when it opens smarty pants

[Vfestival_alan]

• Don't expect too much sleep if your camping by teens might want to take ear plugs.

• If your near the front of the crowd expect showers....they tend not to be water

• people falling over your tent late at night

• over priced food

finally a good laugh with your friends whilst listening music and drinking ale!

[Delboy71]

Dude? Im a woman

[DeejayDawn]

Let's put it this way - if you've done Glasto, and 'get' Glasto, V can seem very much a cheap, money-driven imposter. None of the soul, the charm, the magic or the spirit. That said, if you don't have other festivals like Glasto to compare it with, there's every chance you'll have a damn good time.

[xxtinkerbellxx]

nothing beats live music with a buzzin’ atmosphere!

[phil the shrew]

As others have said if you have been to Glasto or the more arty festivals V is rather boring as its very commercial and has little of the quirkiness of other festivals.

However if you plan it right the small site allows you to see lots of acts. While many of the new acts don't appeal in recent years I've seen I am Kloot, Miike Snow, Fenech Solar, Paul Heaton, Primal Scream, Doves, Big Audo Dynomite and many other established acts. They are often on the small stages which are less crowded which is good

The teepee food area is a good place to relax for a bit and the new comedy tent is a welcome addition.

Admittedly I don't camp as I live near the site, but it can be a good festival so don't be too put off by the suggestions it's very teen orientated

[juliebee_moosic]

This year will be my 3rd V. Wasn't going to bother until I saw Stone Roses were headlining (couldn't make the Heaton Park gigs and was gutted). I haven't been to another festival and I love it but I'm going to "upgrade" to Glasto next year I reckon!

I didn't see much trouble last year and the toilets were better than the year before. The thing I don't like is the over-excitable 16 year old girls who go to get drunk on 3 cans of beer and spend the night screaming then complain when the rest of us are up at 7 and making quiet conversation. you know the ones. They can't live without they're hair straighteners for 3 days.

[Big Vern]

I find V to have a large number of teenage, drunken c**ts who just plough their way through the crowd when an act comes on they want to be right at the front for. I swore not to go back after 2010 but the Roses, Killers and Gallagher made me change my mind this year, however I shall be on the peripherals of the crowd.

[hoochi]

can i just ask i see a few people are stoping in hotels do you mind me asking which ones are local to the v as we was going to stay in a hotel but i could not find any close, obviosly i was not looking properly, thanks

[xxtinkerbellxx]

can i just ask i see a few people are stoping in hotels do you mind me asking which ones are local to the v as we was going to stay in a hotel but i could not find any close, obviosly i was not looking properly, thanks

[bbodiene]

I have been to Glasto, Leeds Fest, Creamfields and such - and V Fest for the first time last year and had a BLAST!!! I have to say Glastonbury is my total fave, but i dont put V Fest down for it, its just different. Go to as many festivals as you can and enjoy each one for what it is x

Have to say - finding a gap in the metal fencing near greenery with a goodly amount of bushes to be able to do what bears do in the woods made V Fest one of the best festivals ive been to just for lack of having to stand in line for the smelly portaloos!!! The security guards kept coming and fixing the fence with those big plastic garden ties and we or ppl near us would just wait til theyd gone and open it up again - good times!!!

Heading to the same spot this year!