BST Hyde Park 2017

[seanz25]

Anyone at Phill Collins clarify the golden circle situation thing?

[atomised]

Its tough to clarify with the plans as they change daily. Todays venue plan shows diamond view and golden circle right across the stage front before you reach general admission so golden circle looks like a paid section that would normally be the start of general admission. 

Green day tomorrow has a front pit but its the same as general admission so I assume it will be first come first served. Then bieber is a different layout again

Edited June 30, 2017 by atomised

[johnl]

24 minutes ago, Paul_w said:

anyone there able to give a rough idea of food/drink prices? first timer heading down tomorrow for green day.

 Not cheap. Last year beer was £5/5.50 a pint depending what you want. Food £7 ish but there is a market place around by the second stage and at least it's nice. 

[Mash011]

They're doing a 2 for 1 ticket deal via tinder for Green Day, Bieber, KoL and Petty. Don't ask me how I know this.

https://www.axs.com/uk/series/4630/barclaycard-presents-british-summer-time-hyde-park-tinder-date-offer-tickets?skin=bst

[Justiceforcedave]

Anyone got the stage times for today for an app-less fella like me.

[Paul_w]

2 minutes ago, Justiceforcedave said:

Anyone got the stage times for today for an app-less fella like me.

https://www.bst-hydepark.com/events/schedule-2017?1_route=/client-embeds/british-summertime-2017/1/1/__/

[Tempest2012]

4 hours ago, Mash011 said:

They're doing a 2 for 1 ticket deal via tinder for Green Day, Bieber, KoL and Petty. Don't ask me how I know this.

https://www.axs.com/uk/series/4630/barclaycard-presents-british-summer-time-hyde-park-tinder-date-offer-tickets?skin=bst

Just signed up to say thanks for that link!

Bit of Green Day and Rancid should help me and the missus get over the post Glasto blues.

[Mash011]

Well this wristband system is a load of total arse isn't it

[Odessa]

2 hours ago, Mash011 said:

Well this wristband system is a load of total arse isn't it

Explain?

[atomised]

I assume its the fact at green day wristbands were issued for the golden circle on a first come first served basis early in the afternoon

[nid4]

I was thinking of going to Tom petty, but don't fancy shelling out for premium view. Does any one know how far back general admin area is?  It's the same layout for Phil Collins if it helps

[atomised]

Its quite a way back unless youre happy with a side view. If its the same as phil collins those blocks are around the width of the shtage itself 

[Mash011]

3 hours ago, atomised said:

I assume its the fact at green day wristbands were issued for the golden circle on a first come first served basis early in the afternoon

Yep. But they handed out the kind of absurdly low number that left the front section genuinely half-empty (wish I was exaggerating) for the entire day, including Green Day.

They also didn't turn on the speakers for most of the field for most of the acts, meaning the sound for anyone outside of that front pit was utterly abysmal. Like genuinely terrible. So we got there to watch The Hives who were probably our most anticipated act of the day expecting the front pit to be accessible as it was when we came to BST a couple years prior, then promptly got turned away and made to watch far back where we could barely hear them, staring at a massive pit of empty space right in front of us that we weren't allowed into. The funny thing is that by the time Green Day came on, all their efforts had accomplished was to move the crowd crushes further back as people piled into the limited spaces near the second barrier that had a decent view not blocked by the sound towers. So basically, an utter failure on multiple counts from BST there.

If you're going to one of the remaining shows on a GA ticket, get there early and head straight for the front pit to get a wristband. Otherwise you're in for a shite time.*

*We managed to have a decent enough day anyway. Green Day were fun enough. Hives put on a great set but sadly experience was ruined by BST. Good sets from Public Access TV and Sunflower Bean on the tiny Summer Stage which was a nice escape from the bollocks of the main one. Rant over.

[dan08]

Think The Killers have the same layout as Green Day so will bear that in mind.

I presume once you have the wristband, you can go in and out of the front section as much as you like?

[atomised]

Yes. Free to come and go from the front pit once youre wristbanded up

[seanz25]

I'd echo these sentiments, or recommend upgrading to the summer garden thing. No idea how much it costs. But probably well worth it to guarantee being down the front. Green Day where great. Seen a lot of it before but still real fun. Hives where best out of the rest. 

[atomised]

Was very disappointed with Rancid. The crowd on the whole just werent into it and if band feeds off crowd reaction it really showed there

[jump]

Yeah the crowd was piss poor, I thought it may have been a casual crowd because of it being British Summer Time but the line up was cultivated with a punk crowd in mind rather than chucking up any pop punk rubbish so I'd thought that would guarante a lively audience.

I saw everyone on the mainstage plus Hey Charlie (who were fantastic), Culture Abuse and only half of The Living End. Green Day easily the best band but they are always this infectiously fun with The Damned properly 2nd, I loved how they came on stage and said hello Croydon. I was disappointed with Gogol Bordello, they were fine but I've seen them be so much better so many times before. Stiff Little Fingers really could of done with an extra 10 mins, a bit more banter and an extra song or two would of helped them. 

[strummer77]

4 hours ago, atomised said:

Was very disappointed with Rancid. The crowd on the whole just werent into it and if band feeds off crowd reaction it really showed there

I thought Rancid played well, but it was extremely difficult gig as the pit was empty because of the shitty wristband situation and the sound mix was awful. The speakers were so quiet and at points you could only hear the drums and the singing. Everyone who actually wanted to see them couldn't get close and instead we had loads of us pushed up against the crush barrier trying to get involved but not being able to.

Ended up a bit like hearing Rancid playing down the road. Which would obviously be cool, but for £70 you want more...

 

7 minutes ago, jump said:

Green Day easily the best band but they are always this infectiously fun with The Damned properly 2nd, I loved how they came on stage and said hello Croydon. I was disappointed with Gogol Bordello, they were fine but I've seen them be so much better so many times before. Stiff Little Fingers really could of done with an extra 10 mins, a bit more banter and an extra song or two would of helped them. 

The Damned were great and the Captain rose to the occasion as normal. Thought Green Day seemed fun but the wheeeey ohs are a bit much aren't they?

Edited July 2, 2017 by strummer77

[strummer77]

Just seen this photo on twitter, which sums up how stupid the system was.

If they want a wristband system, where people can leave to go toilet/get food etc. they should have had given out wristbands of different colours as you leave. The wristbands could represent timeslots/bands. That way you could leave for a short period of time to refresh but you can't just bugger off for the day.

The fact that so many could get a band at 12.30, leave the pit all day and return at the end for Green Day was a joke.

[Mash011]

14 minutes ago, strummer77 said:

Just seen this photo on twitter, which sums up how stupid the system was.

If they want a wristband system, where people can leave to go toilet/get food etc. they should have had given out wristbands of different colours as you leave. The wristbands could represent timeslots/bands. That way you could leave for a short period of time to refresh but you can't just bugger off for the day.

The fact that so many could get a band at 12.30, leave the pit all day and return at the end for Green Day was a joke. 

Or recognise that this is an all day festival not a gig and such a system simply doesn't work. 

But of course, the aim of it is to send people to the BST box office where they were selling ticket upgrades that'd get you straight in there. Benefits no one but the organisers wallets. 

[bigsliceoflemon]

Can't believe they still haven't got the crowd distribution right... when I saw Libertines a few years ago it was only so dangerously rammed because there was a huge EMPTY section at the front

[strummer77]

19 minutes ago, Mash011 said:

Or recognise that this is an all day festival not a gig and such a system simply doesn't work. 

But of course, the aim of it is to send people to the BST box office where they were selling ticket upgrades that'd get you straight in there. Benefits no one but the organisers wallets. 

Yep, that's the correct way.

Anyone remember how they did it for Blur in 2015? I went to that on one of those £3 tickets and up down at the front - no recollection at all of how but didn't think I had a band?

[giggoer]

I was at BST yesterday and sure the wristband scenario was a bit of a joke but all in all a good day though SLF were on far too early. Good sets by The Damned, Bash & Pop, Rancid and the Stranglers in particular. Also enjoyed Hey Charlie on the small stage

Quick question - anyone know the name of the Pilsner lager sold in the Craft Beer bar by the Barclaycard stage?

many thanks 

 

[Mash011]

16 minutes ago, strummer77 said:

Yep, that's the correct way.

Anyone remember how they did it for Blur in 2015? I went to that on one of those £3 tickets and up down at the front - no recollection at all of how but didn't think I had a band?

No bands and never saw a sign of it getting overcrowded! Went twice in 2015, both times we went in the pit just before the subs came on and got good spots absolutely fine with plenty of space around us. Heard word that it was getting closed off when it reached capacity but never saw it shut myself. Considering how little the festival has changed otherwise it's fairly clear that their current system is based entirely around money grabbing rather than crowd control. It's a farce, really.