this year's festival phenomonon

[eFestivals]

Judging by the phone calls to efestivals this summer, there's a new festival trend - and that's attending festivals to just see the one band you like that's on the bill.

What's the point of that? Strange.

[fred quimby]

I guess it gives the chance to experience the festival and discover new things. Maybe folk wouldn't go to festival X normally but because band Y are playing and they want to see them they will give it a go

Maybe

Or they are all just odd

[TheGayTent]

Been happening for years surely?

[LondonTom]

It's always happened? I only went to V as my first festival to see Muse? (Admittedly and its not even that long ago , day tickets were reasonable and it was 70 quid against 50 quid for Wembley compared to now where day tickets are round 90 quid for the big festivals.)

Only managed to persuade the girlfriend to do Glastonbury at the time because Muse were playing to .

Or do you mean people actually just turning up to see one band and then leaving?

Mind i noticed this year (probs happens every year but seems noticeable this year), there a few cult bands like MBV only doing one UK show at one festival, so I guess that adds to people going for just one band.

Edited August 15, 2013 by LondonTom

[Ted Dansons Wig]

Springsteen folk packing up and decanting late Saturday night to Hyde Park for Hard Rock Calling in 2009.

And there were a fair few just there for Bozo and chums in 2011.

[The_Amazing_Oblong]

I can understand it for certain bands. I mean how much would a Rolling Stones ticket cost (if you could get one) as opposed to getting a Glastonbury ticket ? Same goes for some other large acts that fleece their fans. They get to see their band of choice for roughly an equivelent price but with the rest of the festival chucked in as a bonus.

I am not one of those people though. I have often missed the band I was most looking forward to at a festival because I happened to be elsewhere doing other things at the time. There are very few acts left that I would absolutely drop whatever I am enjoying at the time to make sure I got to see them. (Bowie being one, fingers crossed for next year).

I know a woman from work who attended her first festival when U2 played. They went just for U2, stayed up in that converted barnhouse (for a couple grand) and they thought it was worth it even though they spent hardly any time (outside of U2) in the actual festival itself.

Have to say though, listening/reading some "music fans" opinions they come across as band fans not music fans, these are not the same thing.

[philipsteak]

Working on a ped gate before the Stones there was a noticible number of people coming in for the first time on a weekend ticket with no camping gear. Now, they could have been meeting friends who were already pitched, but I didn't get the feeling they were.

[eFestivals]

Been happening for years surely?

I guess it has on some level, but as far as I can remember I've never had a phonecall asking what time a band is playing before this summer, and I guess I've had something like 30 calls in the last few months.

That suggests to me that there's been a big increase in it happening this year. It's not a perfect measure of course, but it wouldn't be the first time that i've picked up on a wider trend via (just) efestivals.

[TheGayTent]

I guess it has on some level, but as far as I can remember I've never had a phonecall asking what time a band is playing before this summer, and I guess I've had something like 30 calls in the last few months.

That suggests to me that there's been a big increase in it happening this year. It's not a perfect measure of course, but it wouldn't be the first time that i've picked up on a wider trend via (just) efestivals.

Edited August 15, 2013 by TheGayTent

[eFestivals]

Or do you mean people actually just turning up to see one band and then leaving?

I can't be sure because I've not asked the people who've phoned directly, but my impression from the way the convos go is that this is what's going on.

[eFestivals]

Definitely has happened before - sounds from your experience, that it's becoming more common.

I think it's a bit more than just becoming more common. If I use the phone calls as a guide, then it's a massive increase in people doing it.

That doesn't mean I'm thinking there's a massive proportion of the crowd doing it, but it's still perhaps a sizeable enough number that it impacts back on the rest of us in some ways. For example, if (say) there's 1% of festival ticket holders doing it, that's likely to be nearly 1% less spent at bars and stalls, which might then impact back into the prices that get charged for drink and food.

(I've used 1% as an example only. I've no way of quantifying what the level might be).

[jump]

Neil why are people ringing you to say they are going to see the 1 band at a fest?

I remember the 1st fest I went to, I didn't even know who was playing to after I bought the tix which is strange thinking about it now.

[TheGayTent]

I think it's a bit more than just becoming more common. If I use the phone calls as a guide, then it's a massive increase in people doing it.

[eFestivals]

Neil why are people ringing you to say they are going to see the 1 band at a fest?

they're not. They're phoning me to ask for the times that the bands are playing on a particular day at a particular fest (I think in every instance it's been one of the big fests).

From the feel of the calls (as I say, I've not explicitly asked) I'm left with the impression that there's only a band or two they're interested in seeing, so they want to time their entrance to the festival to catch that band or bands - but that they've no real interest in the festival itself.

[eFestivals]

What's the difference?

just the proportion.

From the impression I'm getting of the rise of it happening, "becoming more common" sounds like an understatement; it's a phrase i'd use for something perhaps doubling but not for a much bigger increase (which is the impression I'm getting).

[zahidf]

I know a couple of Manics fans who went to the Reading Festival a few years ago when they headlined the second stage, and just stayed at the barrier all day waiting for them.

I guess you have the crazy fans like that who are literally following the band around to watch them at all the different gigs they are playing.

Something like the Stones or McCartney say, would get people just wanting to see them, because on depending on location, it might be cheaper to get a weekend ticket for the festival to see them than it would be to see them headline their own gig.

Which bands from the phonecalls you got seemed most popular?:-)

[jump]

they're not. They're phoning me to ask for the times that the bands are playing on a particular day at a particular fest (I think in every instance it's been one of the big fests).

From the feel of the calls (as I say, I've not explicitly asked) I'm left with the impression that there's only a band or two they're interested in seeing, so they want to time their entrance to the festival to catch that band or bands - but that they've no real interest in the festival itself.

[eFestivals]

Do you tell them to fuck off?

In a polite manner, yes.

Edited August 15, 2013 by eFestivals

[fred quimby]

Or there is an increase in people knowing your number and that you have the information

Maybe

or there is an increase in folk getting off on Neil reading out times of bands. Does their breathing get funny when you are talking to them

Edited August 15, 2013 by fred quimby

[eFestivals]

but i don't have the info and they've wasted their time.

[Kizzie]

or there is an increase in folk getting off on Neil reading out times of bands. Does their breathing get funny when you are talking to them

[fred quimby]

but i don't have the info and they've wasted their time.

Edited August 15, 2013 by fred quimby

[mrtourette]

I don't think people going to festival to see one band (or even no bands, just to say they've been there) is new, maybe people are just getting ballsier in trying to find out information or maybe finding out the times as early as possible is the new phenomenon. It may point to more day ticket slaes if people are trying to find out the finishing times of headline acts in order to travel home.

Seems odd to call to try and find out the information though.

Edited August 15, 2013 by mrtourette

[Katster]

I can't be sure because I've not asked the people who've phoned directly, but my impression from the way the convos go is that this is what's going on.

[sifi]

Mine does when he reads an Indian takeaway menu.

Particularly in the style of football results !!!

TMI ?