Never again.

[gondrup]

Let me start by saying I have attended V Festival in Chelmsford twice in the past (2003 and 2004). I decided to go again this year with my girlfreind who had never been.

We bought our tickets way before the line-up was announced to avoid the disappointment of not being able to go and having to pay the higher ticket prices. Unfortunately when the line-up was announced it was pretty weak and seemed to attempt to appeal to all crowds but in fact alienated most. The fact that the tickets were not sold out when we got there says it all. It was not all bad though, we have varied tastes in music and there were two or three acts in there for each of us.

On the day of arrival the red camp site was full of tents even though we turned up earlier than the stated gate opening time of 12pm. We had to cart our stuff right to the back of the field to find the only remaining space. The tents were pitched a lot closer to each other than the last time I went where I remember having to leave a decent gap between guide ropes for fire safety but this appearently doesn't matter anymore, ticket sales are more important. The amount of toilets on the site were considerably less than in the past but were at least kept cleaner than usual. The only water point near us packed in on the saturday meaning we had to pay for our water at the nearest burger stand at £2.20 a bottle.

We were lucky enough to pitch our tent next to a tent full of 20 something girls who enjoyed nothing more than to get completely hammered, vomit everywhere and shout about which random men they had slept with over the weekend at all hours. One of the girls from the tent actually slept with a bloke she had brought back outside her tent on the Saturday night, classy... To the other side of our tent was a group of lads who had somehow got into the site with a megaphone which they used to go round the campsite and shout unsuspecting campers who were fast asleep. I have no issues with noise in the night at festivals but this was just ridiculous.

As for the arena itself I have never seen so many half naked women and blokes with baseball caps, waxed chests and fake tan on at a festival. There was even an instant tanning stall as you entered the arena. It was a complete chav/nob-fest. The general atmosphere of the festival just wasn't there. People didn't come for music, they came to be part of the scene, show of their bodies and do whatever drugs were going. During some of the acts, people near the front of the crowd were either standing with there back to the stage or actually sitting down wating for the act that followed. There was just a complete lack of respect in general, everyone was out for themselves and couldn't give a shit about anyone else.

I lost count of the amount of time people disregarded queues for toilets, bars and food stalls and just jumped straight to the front. And the amount of drinks and piss that were thrown was just ridiculous. I always expect to get beer and other drink thrown over me at festivals but not piss, it's just disgusting. Also, the majority the bottles of drink which were being thrown still had lids on thanks to the V organisers allowing people to keep the lids (this hasn't changed since 2004 but surely it should, a full bottle of water to the face can be quite painful).

The bad experience hit its peak when a group of yobs decided it would be funny to steal my girlfriends hat which we had bought earlier that day (I say group of yobs, they were type of people that typified the crowd at V this year). They snatched it off her head as we were walking through the crowd and denied doing it even though she saw them take it and either throw it or conceal it. When confronting them they started to get offensive and threatening. In that situation we were forced to leave it and walk away for fear that we might end up being physically harmed for the sake of a £10 hat.

On the last night we were treated to a spectacle of people setting fire to tents and engaging in other general yobbish behaviour which made it feel as though we were staying in a third world country.

I am just glad the festival is over now and would never consider going back. It's shocking how much the people who attend the festival have changed, I was expecting a bad festival when I saw the line-up dominated by pop acts but didn't expect the crowd to make it so much worse.

[rug568]

Very interesting and well written. I don't think I have ever heard more horror stories about a festival.

But to be fair my sister camped and had a fantastic time. It was her first festival though so she had nothing to compare it too.

[tom taylor]

Been going to V for the last 5 years, I thought this year had the least amount of piss thrown if I am honest. There were an awful lot of people in baseball caps, which did ruin it abit, but overall the festival feel felt very good, and one of the best I have witnessed. I also camped in Red Camp, but didn't come across any of this, although I camped inward from the paths so less noise perhaps...it's a shame you had such a bad experience this year, but like you said, the line up didn't help!

[adrianro]

Gondrup,was just going to write similar article, the hat incident happended to my friend too, but was taken by two girls, when my mate confronted them, 3 blokes rocked up in front of them, and demanded £40... He obviously walked away from these chavs/pikeys!! And before that, did anyone see the 30 man brawl that broke out with girls beating up girls and blokes hitting girls? It happended whilst madness were on at the main stage.. Never seen anything as ugly as that!!!!!!! Shocking

[cdm22]

And then theres the people pissing in the crowd...and then some!

[StuartG20]

Good write up sad to hear how crap ur time at V Fest was

Gotta say we camped at Weston for the fourth year and granted it was a much weaker line up this year but have to say in terms of piss and beer throwing it wad nowhere near as bad I must've been lucky with the toilets never ended up in a particularly nasty one this year, did see a few more fights than normal this year though

[liam]

Gondrup I agree it's been a massive change in clientele since 2003 (Chelmsford). I went this year but didn't camp, but the type of people that go (in the main) seem to be pretty irritating to say the least. Had this conversation with a few other randoms at the festival who thought the same, and people wonder why ticket sales were poor this year!

At least Stone Roses saved the weekend!

[Phil_87]

so glad I don't bother with V any more. gave up for good in 2009. It's a shame because back in 2003 it used to be a reasonably good festival and had the added bonus of being on my doorstep. I notice from talking to people who went, most of those who had a good time have never been to any other festivals.

one person even said, "it was good this year because I didn't get hit by piss" that's rather a sad reflection that you expect their to be piss throwing going on.

[AiiShotTheDJ]

I've written a similar post in the Weston Park side - I will never attend this festival again after 6 years which is a shame as I would have been a customer for as long as they'd had me based on the first couple of years. Never seen so many pricks off their faces on ket, coke and pills in my entire life. Had a woman throw a can of pringles in my face, a man punch me in the back of the head for no reason, lads pissing and puking all over and round our tents, the list is endless. Have a look at my thread if you'd like the full rundown - it is a novel haha. Now, I've just seen on the V page that V have posted "so funny, yet so wrong" over that video - almost like saying it's ok for the girl to be pissing there. That is the final straw. It might sound petty to some but that isn't the V I know and used to love.

[CDESSEX]

It seems a lot of people don't go for the music, they just go to fight and ruin everyone's weekend.

Too many dickheads bowling it around thinking they're a bit of a lad. Some of the girls were just as bad as the guys. Nothing happend to me or my group but I saw and heard enough.

Seriously, some people need to learn to handle their drink and drugs.

I think I might go to Reading or Glastonbury next year

[AiiShotTheDJ]

It seems a lot of people don't go for the music, they just go to fight and ruin everyone's weekend.

Too many dickheads bowling it around thinking they're a bit of a lad. Some of the girls were just as bad as the guys. Nothing happend to me or my group but I saw and heard enough.

Seriously, some people need to learn to handle their drink and drugs.

I think I might go to Reading or Glastonbury next year

[CDESSEX]

Same old shit every year now

Edited August 21, 2012 by CDESSEX

[Indie53]

There were an awful lot of people in baseball caps, which did ruin it abit

[tom taylor]

wow

[xxtinkerbellxx]

I'm off to Glasto next year (if I can get tickets) or I'm going to attempt T. Would never go to V again which is a shame as they've lost a loyal customer.

[AiiShotTheDJ]

Unfortunately it's not just V though. A guy off here (cant remember username) who camped with the efest lot last year told us that there was a group of teenage lads at T last year ess aytch one teeing in their hands and throwing it at random people in the campsites & smearing it all over peoples tents. Plus the worst things I've ever seen were at Glasto, its a great festival but still full of scumbags as much as V is. There was a big group of guys camped next to us who tied a lad up, threw him down a ditch and p'd on him because he told them to p off when they were trying to get him to give them beer. Everyone in the campsite tried to help him but they threatened everyone saying if you get him out then we'll put you in there too! We told security and it took them over an hour to go and help the poor guy! I think all major festivals seem to be full of idiots now, hence why I'm sticking to small independent fests in future.

[xxtinkerbellxx]

Wow - that sounds awful. I thought/hoped Glastonbury would be different. I love my music and loved V until the last couple of years - last year I thought it was bad but thought I'd give it one more go. This year just confirmed that I'll never attend it again. Might have to start trying some of the more local, smaller ones but I go for the big acts e.g. the ones you'd have to pay £50+ to see

[the salmon]

Glasto is better. There's more of a mix of ages rather than 90% being 15/16yr olds. It is still full of idiots though. I think music festivals have turned in to a kind of 'fashionable' thing for people to do now, there seem's to be more people going to just drink & cause trouble than to enjoy live music. If you've never been then I'd deffo say you have to do it at least once just for the experience but just don't expect it to be nob head free.

[xxtinkerbellxx]

What really gets me is £200 for a ticket (rising every year), £15 to park my car, £10 for a lanyard and then £4.20 for a drink, even bringing my own food to cook some lunch before heading to the arena and having a few beers to get me on my way and smuggling some wine in with me I still went through nearly £200 (and I am a tight Yorkshireman!).

[Anthonym93]

Didn't have a problem in red camp what so ever. Better than last year! Would happily go again.

[wilko8]

Your first mistake was buying a ticket to V.

Your second mistake was choosing Chelmsford.

[joelovesleeds!]

I'm sorry to hear about your bad experience but unfortunately I have to say it doesn't surprise me in the slightest. On a personal note I really enjoyed the festival but think we got lucky with a good camping spot and avoiding idiots across the weekend.

What you say about the punters is spot on- it's only been 3/4 years since I last attended and it has gone seriously downhill. The average V goer isn't there for the music- they're there to act like animals and create an unpleasant atmosphere.

Despite not being a direct victim of any of the behaviour described above, I too have seen enough this weekend to put me off attending again- and that is in spite of some brilliant sets over the weekend.

[DarthSaul]

This was my first V and im 16 but before you say anything I didn't drink at all, stayed in quiet camp and went solely for the music. I loved the weekend and saw loads of bands ive always wanted to see and just stayed clear of the dicks! I dont get why everyone is slating it so badly!

[AiiShotTheDJ]

This was my first V and im 16 but before you say anything I didn't drink at all, stayed in quiet camp and went solely for the music. I loved the weekend and saw loads of bands ive always wanted to see and just stayed clear of the dicks! I dont get why everyone is slating it so badly!

[DarthSaul]

I think in a respectful way, it was probably because it was your first festival. Myself and others on here know what it can and used to be like. We took our friend for his first ever festival aged 25 and he absolutely loved it - encouraging me to come and sit with the blokes throwing piss everywhere and taking a crap in a bag and throwing it. That isn't the V that I knew and loved - people were there for the music and the chilling/beers/etc was a part of the weekend but there was only a few morons who couldn't handle it but it didn't in any way ruin the weekend as there wasn't enough of them. The last two years have been over-run by tools who think it's ok to have no respect, lose all morals and act like a complete nob because they've had a couple of drinks. I'm glad you enjoyed it though