Choosing a festival

[Ronnie_B]

How does everyone make up their mind as to whether or not/which festival they are going to?

Is it a case of seeing whichever has the best lineup or liking one particular festival and going every year no matter who is there?

I know for me it is Leeds every year, just because i love the weekend and even if i don't like the lineup that much, there is always enough to fill the days, and Glastonbury every couple of years depending on if the line up does it for meso just wondered if anyone actually goes purely for the music?

[lharris92]

it's sort of like when back in the day, you first got the Pokemon game, and you had to choose between the 3 of them.

but yeah generally go for the music, i mean why bother going somewhere for £200 just to get wasted when you can do it while enjoying what you went there for (bands)

[mrtourette]

After years and years of going to festivals I've realised Reading just suits me as a person.

[Kyelo]

I've never went to a festival because of the line-up, never will.

[thetime]

LIneups especially festivals like r&l.

The only festival I go to without bothering about lineups is glastonbury, if I can get to it I go(although not been since 2008). Takes something special for me to go to a uk festival otherwise, like radiohead 2009 and the cure this year. Otherwise prefer european festivals with better lineups, better weather, more days for your money etc etc.

Thats probably more to do with my age though when ive seen every headline act that does the rounds and most of the festival fodder you get at reading/leeds/t/v etc etc. I must admit I struggle to understand why people go to the same festival every year for a top weekend with there mates and then they moan about the lineup....but they got to go as they can get mashed with there mates.

[Andre91]

This will be my 3rd time at Leeds in some capacity (day ticket the last two years, this year my first full weekend !) and I just like the festival. Last year the lineup wasn't great (I went on MCR day) but I still had a great time because I just enjoyed being there.

I went to Soni for the Biffy day too and I just didn't like the festival in general. I didn't like a lot of the people tbh, lots of walking around site and people barge into for no reason and then being sworn at trying to make something out of it when there was no need (we were walking through a bloody spacious field to the main stage ffs) and when the acts were on there was a ludicrous amount of piss throwing, which was a f**king piss take (no pun intended ) which is why I'm not keen on going to Download, which I would love to do, but I don't want this kind of treatment really. Not in a 'being a pussy' way but its just plain rude and unecessary, I pay £200 to have a good time watching bands I love, not to get started on and being covered in some dirty sods piss.

Edited May 1, 2012 by Andre91

[rug568]

My friends really.

We got to reading because it is the closest one to us and we have liked the lineup in the last three years.

I suppose the lineup does have some effect, but we really want to go to Glastonbury as it looks beyond incredible. However last year the headliners didn't suit us at all, but we still would have happily gone.

[thetime]

This will be my 3rd time at Leeds in some capacity (day ticket the last two years, this year my first full weekend !) and I just like the festival. Last year the lineup wasn't great (I went on MCR day) but I still had a great time because I just enjoyed being there.

I went to Soni for the Biffy day too and I just didn't like the festival in general. I didn't like a lot of the people tbh, lots of walking around site and people barge into for no reason and then being sworn at trying to make something out of it when there was no need (we were walking through a bloody spacious field to the main stage ffs) and when the acts were on there was a ludicrous amount of piss throwing, which was a f**king piss take (no pun intended ) which is why I'm not keen on going to Download, which I would love to do, but I don't want this kind of treatment really. Not in a 'being a pussy' way but its just plain rude and unecessary, I pay £200 to have a good time watching bands I love, not to get started on and being covered in some dirty sods piss.

[kaosmark2]

Depends on the festival. Lineup is key, but accessibility, other stuff going on, number of friends interested, timing, pricing and very very vitally, previous experiences.

For 3 out of the last 5 years, I've done either Download or Soni, but that's more because my mates most up for doing festivals are often fans of heavy music, but I've only gone on the ones where there's been enough bands I like and at least one I really want to see.

I've done an indoor ATP 4 out of the last 5 years, either in May in Butlins, the not-overnight I'll be Your Mirrors in Ally Pally, or the Nightmare Before Christmas' in Butlins. I absolutely love these, they have a fantastic and eclectic lineup, an amazing atmosphere, and much better food and ale (Butlins one in particular). I struggle to persuade people to go with me though, which is frustrating.

I did Bestival last year, and Latitude the year before, as more all-round festivals with good lineups, despite being out of the way. I enjoyed Latitude, but absolutely loved Bestival. I'm doing Bestival again this year, and probably will for the foreseeable future unless the lineup is ever absolutely awful or it changes majorly. Both of them are a humongous pain to get to, but worth it.

2008 I went over to Belgium for Rock Werchter and had a really good time. It was a lot more chilled out atmosphere than UK fests, a lot nicer weather, and a lot cheaper. Eurostar + trains + festival ticket cost me £170, less than a Reading ticket alone. I'd love to try out more European festivals, as they've got stronger lineups (in terms of size of acts), are a lot cheaper, better weather, and if you can plan it right you can get a 10-day holiday inc. a fest for similar price to just a festival over here, the problem is persuading mates.

I end up doing Reading in some capacity most years, despite really disliking the atmosphere. I haven't camped since '09 and don't intend to again, I'm happy enough leaving during the encore of the last band to catch the last train to my 'rents'. Every year I remember the generally twattish behaviour going on, then every year there's just about enough on the lineup to tempt me. I didn't bother in '10 and wouldn't have last year if I hadn't got a half-price ticket. There's probably enough this year for me to go, with The Cure, ATDI, Lanegan, Justice and Mastodon all being favourites I'm itching to see again, and I suspect I'll end up getting a ticket soon enough. The crowd at Reading is fantastic as well, I think it's an awful festival, but it's got 2 things that keep me going back, acts I love and want to see on exclusives, and it's just so damn easy for me to get to.

Thats probably more to do with my age though when ive seen every headline act that does the rounds and most of the festival fodder you get at reading/leeds/t/v etc etc. I must admit I struggle to understand why people go to the same festival every year for a top weekend with there mates and then they moan about the lineup....but they got to go as they can get mashed with there mates.

[thetime]

I've done an indoor ATP 4 out of the last 5 years, either in May in Butlins, the not-overnight I'll be Your Mirrors in Ally Pally, or the Nightmare Before Christmas' in Butlins. I absolutely love these, they have a fantastic and eclectic lineup, an amazing atmosphere, and much better food and ale (Butlins one in particular). I struggle to persuade people to go with me though, which is frustrating.

[kaosmark2]

Have this problem every year!

Never done the weekend ones as no one ever wants to go, I would even just go on my own if I could!!! You have to get chalets thoughs so a bit pricey getting a 4 bed chalet for 1 lol.

[kev1664]

This will be my 3rd time at Leeds in some capacity (day ticket the last two years, this year my first full weekend !) and I just like the festival. Last year the lineup wasn't great (I went on MCR day) but I still had a great time because I just enjoyed being there.

I went to Soni for the Biffy day too and I just didn't like the festival in general. I didn't like a lot of the people tbh, lots of walking around site and people barge into for no reason and then being sworn at trying to make something out of it when there was no need (we were walking through a bloody spacious field to the main stage ffs) and when the acts were on there was a ludicrous amount of piss throwing, which was a f**king piss take (no pun intended ) which is why I'm not keen on going to Download, which I would love to do, but I don't want this kind of treatment really. Not in a 'being a pussy' way but its just plain rude and unecessary, I pay £200 to have a good time watching bands I love, not to get started on and being covered in some dirty sods piss.

[Andre91]

Download is much friendlier than Leeds. A much better attitude all round from everyone. Much less piss chucking, not that it does not go on.

[kaosmark2]

Yeah I know it happens everywhere, but Soni was ridiculous :L it was non stop for about 40mins :L

[Spud001]

I went to Download last year and felt that the atmosphere and attitudes shared between attendees was brilliant! Felt strangely family friendly

[chriseede]

I'm at the age that Reading is a rite of passage, but even at 18, I'm starting to feel that the festival is not for me because the lineups just aren't suiting me and after experiencing Glastonbury last year, it pales in comparison, because there is so much to do and it feels less controlling/restrictive. It'll take a very good lineup to get me back to Reading next year (The Cure, ATDI, Foos and Black Keys are main factors in me going this year) and I'll probably choose Bestival on the grounds that its lineups over the last few years have very much suited me, just need to convince others to go.

[The Mean Bean]

Leeds fits me best music-wise, I might end up loathing most bands on the line-up, but it's such a massive fest that I'll still be more than happy with whatever's left. The line-up seems to have a bit of everything, with rock being the main attraction, that's me, I love pop, dance, hip-hop, metal, reggae, jazz and loads of other stuff, but rock is what I love the most by far. V fest does sort of appeal to me music wise, they're never short of bands I'd watch, but it's the massive shit-storm of acts I wont watch that attracts the crowd full of imbeciles that puts me off. In '09 I bought a day ticket for Leeds Radiohead day and V Oasis day and then stayed over in each campsite overnight, I'd been to Leeds for the whole weekend in '08 and loved it and expected V to be much the same, I'd watched 2 Oasis shows Heaton Park a few months before V and loved every second, but I hated my V experience, the crowds were awful and the security was worse, so heavy handed, everything was forbidden in that campsite, and all the other punters were nobheads. I went to Leeds the following weekend and loved it again, despite the fact that V had my favourite band playing top billing and Leeds had one I barely cared about, I loved it again, the campsite, the crowds, the acts, it was brilliant. Bought my ticket for 2010 as soon as they went on sale after the fest. My plan was to go to only Glasto in '11, but I missed out on tickets and ended up back at Leeds, and had the best time yet. This year's line-up might be my least favourite since I started going, but it still beats every other british fest for me.

[LondonTom]

Depends on the festival for me, Glastonbury I think i wil try to go when ever I can. There's just something about it and with the amount of stages it has, its nearly impossible to hate the line up. It's the only festival i've been back to as well. I orginally went cos Muse was rumoured but last year laid out money regardless of rumours etc.

This year, i been in a pickle most line up's haven't grabed me that much to make me certain. Plus I've got time to choose (Settled on Reading and Bestival now) alot of people who I talk to about Glasto seem to be going Bestival and its rated on here as fairly close to what you get. Plus i quite like a mix of genres but it didn't have that big band to draw me in...

So yeah pretty much lineup for me, apart from glasto...who knows Bestival/Reading might get me to lay down cash early next year without line up. I just don't see what else there is to do at reading/leeds if you don't like the lineup...

[Gingo]

I go to TITP every year as it is an hour and a half away from me and a few of my friends go to it plus the lineup is usually decent enough for me to warrant paying the money as well as being an excellent weekend.

However, next year I am hoping to try out another couple of festivals on top of TITP probably Download and another one depending on the lineup if it takes my fancy.

[evilduck]

Myself and a group of friends go to Reading every year, as it's one of the closer large festivals with a lineup we always like. We're not into Download or Soni's music, Isle of Wight is a bit sparse for the price and Bestival and Latitude are too much of a hassle to organise everyone. I used to do a day of V each year as well, picking the best one depending on the lineup, but it's gone so downhill now I don't even bother. We did The Big Chill for a few years though, and that was based more on the atmosphere than the lineup.

[GRichards23]

Depends really... For me, it's about which of my mates are actually going to a festival, i base the line up and ticket on how many bands I'd like to see, then of course it's about actually getting up there. Never again will I go up to Leeds on the train, flipping nightmare, coach all the way!

Saying all that though, I'm only doing the IOW fest this year as none of my mates wanna do Download or Reading, I'd especially like to go to the Sunday at reading but those day tickets are sold out and the tickets are extremely pricey on ebay.

[rug568]

wait until a couple of weeks before the fest and they will likely be a lot cheaper.

[Martino231]

I'm a fan of rock music in general so the three big UK festivals that fit me most of all are Reading, Download and Soni. I like Reading generally because you get a better variety of music but with a decent line up I may do Download next year.

[Dead throne]

I'm already packing for sonisphere..OH HOLD ON.

[kevinboyle82]

In no particular order

Line-up

Vibe

Friends going

Beer

It's the first fest of the year for me at the weekend, Brew at the Bog near Inverness. Ticks all of the boxes.

Reading is probably 75% there - the beer is shit.