Bestival 2013 early bird tickets

[Dave The Hedgehog]

Thing is, I'm not actually criticising anybody who works their arses off and uses their money to go to festivals because that's basically what me and my missus do whenever we get our heads down and go to work most mornings. The harder people work for it, the more it feels like a reward, and it encourages you to make the most of your time there enjoying yourself. It's when others make it less than an enjoyable for you that gets my goat. Obviously it's a generalisation to say rich people are c**ts - but rich people are generally c**ts, and people who don't value money/believe in themselves they have a disposable income in this day and age are too.

What I'm actually saying is more a critique of the sort of people who pay that sort of money only to go and take pleasure in other people's misery, of whom ultimately contributed to the overall shitty atmosphere of Bestival this year. It's also a critique of how festivals - major festivals and the chance to see great, prestigious bands - will probably soon be a privilege experienced only by the affluent few, or people who are too stupid to value money in a day and age where generally speaking we're all a bit fucked because of the recession.

If people want to eschew going overseas and have a great holiday doing nothing in the sun in favour of seeing Florence + The Machine on a cold September evening, great, but use your hard-earned money because you WANT to go rather than because you 'can', and don't be a c**t and leave your tent behind, make the place a fly-tipping site, scream abuse at bands you don't like and generally use whatever disposable income you have as a kind of guest pass to be an absolute w*nker to everybody else.

Bestival attracted a completely different audience this year. Don't know if it was the bands or if it's the fact people are clinging on to Bestival as 'the place to be'; but whatever it is, it's gone down a rank for me and considerably less attractive for 2013. A good line-up - more mature, more challenging maybe - would swing me next year but fuck it up with Mumford and Sons or some other Radio 1 toss and I'm off to become a student. Maybe when I graduate and reserve the right to buy a Leavers hoodie, I'll fit right in in time for Bestival 2014 or 2015. I'll even forget to use the bins there, and learn new studenty phrases to show my utter contempt for David Byrne (or whoever) by screaming for Foster The People instead. Either that or age dramatically and turn 50 overnight, divorce my cheating bitch of a wife, go on my own virtually everywhere, be rich but lonely and utterly devoid of any soul whatsoever, and head off to the VIP section - that's the life for me; might even sit down and watch somebody 'do some comedy' and do a dad dance to Chic. Mmmmm...

Seriously though, could you imagine how shit a festival would be if it were solely populated by the lottery winners, people spending divorce settlements, the middle class and a handful of students?

[smogo]

You have a very odd outlook. Did you personally check the bank statements of everyone you didn't like the look of?

You might think that all rich people are c**ts, but that doesn't mean that all c**ts are rich people.

[smogo]

Also: "Bestival attracted a completely different audience this year."

That certainly wasn't my experience of it. Maybe you were just in the wrong places at the wrong times.

If Bestival can be faulted for your experience of that, perhaps it's for putting esoteric acts like The xx and Sigur Rós on straight before more mainstream, populist acts like Florence + the Machine and Stevie Wonder. But that doesn't mean that any of those 4 acts didn't belong on a Bestival bill, because they all fit fine. (And I say that as someone who doesn't like and didn't watch any of them.)

In which case, go to the official forum, and raise that as a constructive suggestion, rather than stomping round going "It was w*nk, it was full of rich c**ts, it was too sunny, I hated everything about it except for the bits where I made myself the centre of attention in the forest."

[Paul ™]

In which case, go to the official forum, and raise that as a constructive suggestion

Edited September 27, 2012 by Paul ™

[Dave The Hedgehog]

He's not wanted there by RDB funnily enough!

[Paul ™]

I think you're a very strange person for linking this thread to the official forums though, Paul. Bit childish and pathetic too.

[Dave The Hedgehog]

It's Bestival related, your comment relates to a large number of people on both forums, people who are my friends from both forums.

You are still a cock.

[kaosmark2]

Personally, Paul, I think you've read far too deeply into this and have misinterpreted what I've said in some way as a personal attack rather than a brief summary of my expectations (and fears) of major festivals of the future. It's worrying to think somebody much older than me would act much younger, or be so stupid. The weird thing is, if your self-serving attitude is actually the future of festivals, or we should all aspire to ganging up on people who show the slightest bit of concern about the direction of something we both clearly enjoyed at least once in our lives - this almost gang/sheeplike mentality - then it kind of backs up what I'm saying about the sort of attitudes of people that make the festival far less appealing for me individually in the future.

[Paul ™]

Personally, Paul, I think you've read far too deeply into this and have misinterpreted what I've said in some way as a personal attack rather than a brief summary of my expectations (and fears) of major festivals of the future.

Edited September 27, 2012 by Paul ™

[Dave The Hedgehog]

Myself and a lot of my friends go to multiple festivals, you're basically calling us scum.. what's not to take personally?

OR perhaps you are now back peddling to try salvage what little of your reputation you have left on here and the official forum.

[Paul ™]

I do take things seriously when it potentially slanders a group of friends no matter where it's written or being said.

We are lucky enough to have a large circle of people that we class as our festival family, people who I go to festivals and also other gatherings such as weddings, nights out etc and this is a very large community of people who do take care of each other and are there when we need them. This is made up from people on here, Facebook, other forums and is a close knit community, we respect each other and respect the festivals we attend.

At most, we work hard to attend multiple festivals and are far from scum, most definitely don't act like people you are describing, but then I never seen that at Bestival this year either as I was with my family enjoying the festival.

Fair enough on your stance on your comment, am not going to go into this much further, but my take on what you said stands.

[rachbon]

Just because someone goes to loads of festivals doesn't automatically mean they are wealthy. It's ridiculous to make that assumption. You don't know what else they've had to give up to afford festivals.

I make a lot of sacrifices to go to festivals, some of them are pretty big sacrifices. But it's all worth it because I love festivals so much.

[smogo]

I'm not one to defend "the rich", but to suggest that all rich people are one homogenous group, that have the exact same attitude to things as each other, is just as ill-informed as saying that all men are rapists.

If you walk around casting judgement on anyone you see that you don't like the look of, then you're obviously going to have a bad time wherever you go. And you'll absolutely despise Glastonbury.

We all do it to an extent (eg I laughed at a young fogey in tweed plus-fours yesterday, the dickhead), but at a happy, fun festival like Bestival I think most of us cast our prejudices aside and enjoy each other's company, whoever those other people are.

Maybe you are better suited to Download, where everyone dresses the same so you can't tell who's rich and who's poor and who's in the middle, where everyone's there mainly for the music (because there's fuck-all else to do there), and where for some reason you're happy to drop your otherwise high standards regarding quiet campsites and keeping the site tidy. Enjoy Donington, and say hi to Alan for us.

Edited September 27, 2012 by smogo

[Rufus Gwertigan]

It's an important distinction to make. Incidentally I made the decision that I probably won't be going to Bestival before Rob said he didn't want me there; sort of "yeah well we didn't want you here anyway."

I think you're a very strange person for linking this thread to the official forums though, Paul. Bit childish and pathetic too.

[5co77ie]

I hate to say it but I see Dave's point and actually agree with some of what he says. Particularly in regard to the ethics, attitudes, and atmosphere created by those with high amounts of disposable income who are currently 'festival tourists' not really interested in the music or the event environment they are attending.

I've seen these people appear at festivals en masse over the last decade - sometimes at small indie fests that you wouldn't expect them to have even heard of - they have all the kit bought, most of which they trash and leave on site. They are rude and loud and put people off festivals - I remember asking one noisy posh speaking oik probably not old enough to shave, to shut up at Glastonbury around five years ago during a quiet set by The Low Anthem, he drew out a roll of a couple of grand worth of £50s and asked me "how much do you want to f**k off?" And I think theat pretty much sums it up.

I can't prove it but I suspect at some festivals over the years they have royally pissed off so many people (at an event they have only attended that year), that the next year there's a dent in ticket sales as most normal festival people don't want to attend a festival that's spoilt by 'that crowd'.

Edited September 27, 2012 by 5co77ie

[eFestivals]

I do take things seriously when it potentially slanders a group of friends no matter where it's written or being said.

We are lucky enough to have a large circle of people that we class as our festival family, people who I go to festivals and also other gatherings such as weddings, nights out etc and this is a very large community of people who do take care of each other and are there when we need them. This is made up from people on here, Facebook, other forums and is a close knit community, we respect each other and respect the festivals we attend.

At most, we work hard to attend multiple festivals and are far from scum, most definitely don't act like people you are describing, but then I never seen that at Bestival this year either as I was with my family enjoying the festival.

Fair enough on your stance on your comment, am not going to go into this much further, but my take on what you said stands.

all very nice Paul .... but you've missed out the part where one or more of those "friends" robs one or more of the others.

[rug568]

I hate to say it but I see Dave's point and actually agree with some of what he says. Particularly in regard to the ethics, attitudes, and atmosphere created by those with high amounts of disposable income who are currently 'festival tourists' not really interested in the music or the event environment they are attending.

I've seen these people appear at festivals en masse over the last decade - sometimes at small indie fests that you wouldn't expect them to have even heard of - they have all the kit bought, most of which they trash and leave on site. They are rude and loud and put people off festivals - I remember asking one noisy posh speaking oik probably not old enough to shave, to shut up at Glastonbury around five years ago during a quiet set by The Low Anthem, he drew out a roll of a couple of grand worth of £50s and asked me "how much do you want to f**k off?" And I think theat pretty much sums it up.

I can't prove it but I suspect at some festivals over the years they have royally pissed off so many people (at an event they have only attended that year), that the next year there's a dent in ticket sales as most normal festival people don't want to attend a festival that's spoilt by 'that crowd'.

[5co77ie]

I think there are problem people from all stratas of society - just as the 'chavs' you mention were easily identifiable, 'rich' people can be easily identified too. Basically people who are twats can come from all walks of life, and the trouble with festivals is once you identify them at a festival you keep noticing them. This year at one festival I kept noticing 'racists' - it's just something you have to recognise that whilst you're noticing them many, many people there probably aren't.

[Paul ™]

all very nice Paul .... but you've missed out the part where one or more of those "friends" robs one or more of the others.

[jump]

I hate to say it but I see Dave's point and actually agree with some of what he says. Particularly in regard to the ethics, attitudes, and atmosphere created by those with high amounts of disposable income who are currently 'festival tourists' not really interested in the music or the event environment they are attending.

I've seen these people appear at festivals en masse over the last decade - sometimes at small indie fests that you wouldn't expect them to have even heard of - they have all the kit bought, most of which they trash and leave on site. They are rude and loud and put people off festivals - I remember asking one noisy posh speaking oik probably not old enough to shave, to shut up at Glastonbury around five years ago during a quiet set by The Low Anthem, he drew out a roll of a couple of grand worth of £50s and asked me "how much do you want to f**k off?" And I think theat pretty much sums it up.

I can't prove it but I suspect at some festivals over the years they have royally pissed off so many people (at an event they have only attended that year), that the next year there's a dent in ticket sales as most normal festival people don't want to attend a festival that's spoilt by 'that crowd'.

[zahidf]

Did you take the money?

[eFestivals]

True Neil, but thankfully those people have now got all their money back and word has been spread amongst the festival community enough now to hopefully avoid it happening again. And the support those people got when that happened was remarkable.

Unfortunately there are scumbags in every walk of life, and this has made people more aware of who they can and can't trust I guess. I agree with you, no one can be 100% trusted though.

You've completely missed my point.

Dave gave a selective view of Bestival. That made you angry, because you feel it slurred your friends.

You gave a selective view of your friends.

Spot the difference?

PS: it might surprise you to know, but you and your friends are not "the festival community". You are just a group of friends no different to any other group of friends.

And as far as I'm aware, no attempt has been made to spread around what happened, in fact I'm aware of the exact opposite happening, of attempts to hush it up because (I presume) the embarrassment it's causing by the fact that some were ripped off.

Edited September 28, 2012 by eFestivals

[5co77ie]

I didn't take the money, I flounced off to Rough Trade to buy the almbum, realised I didn't have enough money on me (it was Sunday I think) and wished I had taken the cash

[loosechange]

I wouldn't get too hung up on bad crowds: try to base it more on line up and stuff to do. Bestival seems to have a million stages, like glastonbury, so i doubt they'd all be inhabited by twats.

[Paul ™]

PS: it might surprise you to know, but you and your friends are not "the festival community". You are just a group of friends no different to any other group of friends.

And as far as I'm aware, no attempt has been made to spread around what happened, in fact I'm aware of the exact opposite happening, of attempts to hush it up because (I presume) the embarrassment it's causing by the fact that some were ripped off.

Edited September 28, 2012 by Paul ™