Day Splits announced next week

[smogo]

When a festival organiser says that they "just about broke even" (Rob Da Bank, 2012), the last thing they'll consider doing is expanding the following year by offering more tickets.

[rexclark]

Glad you enjoyed Glastonbury Dave.

[monkey1989]

Some GOOD news about the capacity increase

In response to somebody asking bestival about the increase ....

( also dave I had a great time at glastonbury and always have a great time at bestival I think bestival has managed to forge its identity and you can't complain about the magaluf w*nkers at bestival when there were absolute hordes of them at this years glasto ! )

any way

Yes sure, here's a quote from the Bestival directors to put your minds at ease: "Our new festival license for 79,999 people is in place to cope with the demands of our huge creative and site build teams, as well as the vast number of artists and crews that perform at the festival. We are still only selling 55,000 tickets for festival-goers. No other shows of this size have so many stages and artists, so the capacity increase allows us to keep growing the entertainment at the festival year on year while keeping the festival's boutique ethos."

Unlike · 1 · Reply · 8 hours ago

1 reply

[Bisque]

I have no right talking about Bestival

[hawkzred]

To me, this is the kiss of death for Bestival. No way would that place hold 80,000 people and it be a comfortable environment, least of all sell 80,000 tickets when I'd imagine - with a line-up as sub-par as that (some great bands; just not a lot of them) - they've barely sold the standard 55,000. I mean obviously I don't know what goes on behind the scenes at Bestival HQ but part of me can't help but imagine that the sub-par line-up is a deliberate ploy for financial sustainability; and that being the case 'it IS all about the music'. I wonder where else in 2013 they've cut corners to save money and make more of it. Fatboy Slim as an upgraded headliner is the first thing that springs to mind.

I have no right talking about Bestival because I'm not going but for ages I ummed and ahhhed about going this year. It's a definite no for me now. Before, it was because I was getting married but that's been delayed until next May (Glastonbury honeymoon); so aside from the crowd increase the only reason for me not going now would be justifying the cost of a ticket.

Personally, going to Glastonbury for the first time opened my eyes to the standard of which all festivals should go by; and that being the case, if you pay twice as much to go to Bestival as you would at Glastonbury, despite not even getting a quarter of what's on offer there, then you have rocks for brains - or you didn't go to Glastonbury and Bestival is second best, which says everything. I'm sure 'some' people will have a great time but me, I don't feel that pull anymore; there's no desire for me to go there; the crowd last year did my bloody head in... line-up isn't up to par. I expect much of the same as last year, if not worse because of the crowd increase. 30,000 more lads on tour, Tarquins and Camillas, and Magaluf-types looking for shit E and a quick fuck, carefree to the level of shit they leave behind; like every town centre on a Friday night; oblivious to the fact that you might want to enjoy listening to some music if only you could hear it over their voices.

No thanks.

I talk about Glastonbury now and I have nothing but enthusiasm for it, and everything in general - genuinely a life altering experience - but talking about Bestival always brings out the worse in me and leaves a terrible aftertaste.

I don't often go to the official forums now but it looks like a ghost town; as does this board - not fair to measure the popularity of the whole festival based on that but the lack of excitement in comparison to last year and the year before is an indication of the enthusiasm people have towards it, and I don't say that because I have no enthusiasm for it; I say it because it's true. The size increase is a massive step backwards and motivated by nothing else but money; will anything else increase? Facilities? Stages? Doubtful. Just penned in animals. Live Nation watches with interest.

Edited July 24, 2013 by hawkzred

[kaosmark2]

He does this every year. In 2011 he was planning to go to Reading, then ranted about it saying how Bestival was so much better and was the perfect festival. Last year he went to Bestival and Download, and ranted that DL where he'd just been was so much better. This year he's gone to Glasto and is ranting about how much better that is. It's all pointless twaddle of trying to claim festival loyalty to wherever he's just had a good time.

Every festival has good and bad points, cool people and twattish people. Hedgehog boy just seems unable to get the idea that it's possible to have a positive outlook towards more than one at once.

[Dave The Hedgehog]

It's all pointless twaddle of trying to claim festival loyalty to wherever he's just had a good time.

[kaosmark2]

simply doesn't justify to me the £700 me and my partner would probably end up paying if we had the money to go.

[smogo]

I agree that Besti's lineup isn't as stellar this year, but it's not a sign of things going downhill, just that it's having a little bit of an off year. Glastonbury this year, now THAT was a mediocre lineup.

[kaosmark2]

I agree that Besti's lineup isn't as stellar this year, but it's not a sign of things going downhill, just that it's having a little bit of an off year. Glastonbury this year, now THAT was a mediocre lineup.

[rexclark]

I agree that Besti's lineup isn't as stellar this year, but it's not a sign of things going downhill, just that it's having a little bit of an off year. Glastonbury this year, now THAT was a mediocre lineup.

[Dave The Hedgehog]

Festivals develop and change but I don't think the atmosphere last year is anywhere near as divorced from '11 as you've made it out to be.

[smogo]

Yes, the organisers' ultimate goal is to give YOU what you want.

[kaosmark2]

You've previously described the atmosphere at Bestival '12 as closer to R/L than to Bestival '11. You said Download '12 had a more friendly vibe than Bestival '12. Having gone to Download, Reading and Bestival last year, that was complete and utter nonsense. You might have encountered a couple of knobs, but I found Bestival last year to again be the highlight of my summer, while I found Download to be by a phenomenal distance the worst festival I've been to. That was the moment I stopped taking you seriously.

Beyond the 2nd and 3rd headliners (which won't necessarily be to my taste), yeah, later Bestival announcements will generally be DJs, modern mainstream acts, and smaller acts. That's the same with all festivals. Not many leave booking the meat of the lineup that late, and exciting later additions tend to be because another act that had been lined up dropped out (though not necessarily previously announced). Are there any festivals you can think of that have really exciting announcements after the first 2-3?

[Matt - Ed Banger Records]

Whilst I don't agree with much of what Señor Hedgehog has to say I would say that for me the atmosphere was demonstrably worse last year in comparison to 2010 and 2011. I noticed far more idiots there last year than before and I guess in many respects that's to bestivals credit - they've managed to capture the new festival goers in a very tough market!

Having said all of that there were plenty of places where the atmosphere was basically the same or better this time around so it's all swings and roundabouts really. Would certainly appreciate a reduction in the vest and SnapBack crowd this year though - at the risk of sounding like a nazi the majority of these folk were very selfish and at times downright rude and aggressive but that's as much to do with the recent rise in house music becoming more mainstream and popular as the festival itself.

[Dave The Hedgehog]

You've previously described the atmosphere at Bestival '12 as closer to R/L than to Bestival '11. You said Download '12 had a more friendly vibe than Bestival '12. Having gone to Download, Reading and Bestival last year, that was complete and utter nonsense. You might have encountered a couple of knobs, but I found Bestival last year to again be the highlight of my summer, while I found Download to be by a phenomenal distance the worst festival I've been to. That was the moment I stopped taking you seriously.

[weirdfish]

Dave you clearly don't understand that concept yourself. Please refrain from spouting your repetitive, toxic drivel on these forums any longer.

[Dave The Hedgehog]

Dave you clearly don't understand that concept yourself. Please refrain from spouting your repetitive, toxic drivel on these forums any longer.

[kaosmark2]

So what we've established there is that we have different tastes in music and desire/understand different things about 'festivals'. Well done, you.

[martyn187]

Just throwing a curveball into this thread: Any news on the day splits?

[Macca3031]

Last on the official forum they said "on its way soon...our elves are very busy at the mo...plus we have our little sibling show coming up shortly " that was on 12th July. But considering they've said they won't be releasing the times before the festival I wouldn't hold your breath.

Someone on TOS has done an unofficial day splits based on info from other places, which is quite interesing. http://forums.sundaybest.net/site/forums/viewforum.php?forumId=8&name=Bestival%20Banter&threadStart=15&showthread=13663

My guess from that is Chic are subbing for Elton which will quite possibly be the best thing ever. Flaming Lips on Friday (again I'm assuming subbing) may well be the highlight, though I'm not going to bash Fatboy, think he'll be great as well.

[smogo]

My guess from that is Chic are subbing for Elton

[Leggins]

Out of interest, what is the logic of not revealing the running order/stage times etc before the festival? Is it purely to flog more programmes?

[weirdfish]

pretty much. fortunately there's usually a decent clashfinder out by the time I leave

[monkey1989]

Yeah I think it was 8 quid last year bit annoying but tis quite a nice one and if it get one between a few of you salright