Victorious Festival 2018

[Tommy101]

Victorious have posted 'Our DJs will be keeping the party going until the early hours here at the Strongbow Yard'. With main stages finishing at 11 there might be an opportunity for a late night boogie this year? I didn't spend too much time their last year but seemed like a decent enough area and certainly looked ace after dark.

[BananaFudgeCake]

14 hours ago, Smigglepiggle said:

I can’t try and answer a few of these. 

 

1.  Depends on the station I’d say Portsmouth & Southsea or fratton are probably the closest(?) and about a good 20 minutes walk. 

 

2. It’s not far but it’ll be busy. There’s also a few trees and buildings in the way. I’d allow 15 mind or so personally. 

 

3. I think Lord John Russel on Albert Road would be a good bet. Palmerston Road will have a lot going on too as is right nearby. Times like this make miss Scandals (RIP). 

 

4. Sadly, probably a lot, Aqua will be rammed and Uber too. You could prebook but likely to require missing out on some random fun. There can be a few “discrepancies” in charging driver to driver. I’ve travelled from Southsea to Drayton and it’s cost £30. Add to that if it gets past 12 it’ll be Bank Holiday surcharge. Maybe ... £50. Probably not so much but there’s a lot of extras that could mount up. 

 

Youll love it though!

Thanks for your reply, I thought the cab would be a fair whack given it was going into Bank Holiday and high demand.

Will keep a look out for those pubs!

[BananaFudgeCake]

3 hours ago, Tommy101 said:

1. it's about 2km from Portsmouth & Southsea to the part of the common where the main entrance normally is. There's pubs on the way but if you don't stop at any it really shouldn't take 30 mins. Depends on your walking pace I guess.

2. As it's been mentioned it's not far but between those two stages are the busiest part of the site so crowds are more of an issue than distance. Depending on where you are in the crowd it can be worth going the long way through the world area and past the acoustic rather than 'Market Way' which can get congested.

3. Covered pretty well above, I also posted about a few other pubs last week if you go back a few pages.

4. I have heard horror stories about queuing for hours for a taxi from the festival site. I'd definitely recommend finding a suitable establishment to let it die down a bit. The local Aqua is probably your best bet for a cab - 02392 654321 but it can be a nightmare getting through to them at the best of times so don't expect anyone to pick up the first time you call.

Hope you have a good one.

Thanks for the cab number and the guidance, I am liking the sound of the Strongbow Yard so will probably check that out after Prodigy and see what thats like for a while !

[Tommy101]

1 minute ago, BananaFudgeCake said:

Thanks for the cab number and the guidance, I am liking the sound of the Strongbow Yard so will probably check that out after Prodigy and see what thats like for a while !

No worries. I'm there this evening so will try and find out how long it'll go on each night and report back.

[rseamer]

For anyone going to Victorious on Sunday - be warned there's gonna be a fair bit of rain and wind, so with the site being a seafront location you could get very wet (driving rain) and also cold. Take an extra layer of clothing and a good mac. It might sound like obvious advice but I saw quite a few people on Friday night looking very very wet and very cold on site! Also there may be issues with the sound as the wind will blow it all over the place. I was near the front for Kaiser Chiefs and it sounded really quiet and could at times hardly hear Ricky's voice. For The Libertines we stood further back at it was actually louder and much better.

Saturday's weather should be fine though.

[Tommy101]

I was pretty near the front for both and agree that it seemed a bit quiet but they definitely turned it up during the Libertines set. I don't think it was ever too quiet to be an issue but was better when louder. Yeah quite a few people caught out by the weather but Monkey Love Stunt Team were smashing it in the B&S tent the only time we went for shelter.

Drinks were around the £5.50-6 mark, Amstel seems to be the main lager option but there will be more bars open today so might be more choice. 

The Stongbow area was open until 11.30 last night but apparently will be open later tonight and tomorrow, I couldn't get anything more accurate than that.

[seanz25]

Libertines where great last night, probably the most enjoyable set I've caught at Victorious since I've been attending. Setlist was spot on. Other bands where good but we'd been absolutely soaked through and the wind was battering throughout so made it difficult to enjoy.

 

Amstel was £5 a pint. Cider was £5.30 and a small gin was £7.30. So not cheap but ad expected.

Parking also seems to be better organised with an actual system for leaving rather than the free for all race for the exit. Not sure how it'll work on the busier days though.

[BananaFudgeCake]

I just saw some pictures on Twitter and saw the was a gap down the middle that separates the 2 sides of the crowd, surely that impacts the atmosphere at the front a bit. 

Is it better to be on the left or right as you look at the stage? 

Is is possible to get near the front for the headliner if you have not been there for a while beforehand? 

Edited August 25, 2018 by BananaFudgeCake

[Tommy101]

It's quite common place to have something like that, it doesn't detract from the atmosphere really and makes things a lot safer. Shouldn't make much different left or right, if you're on the right as you look at the stage you'll be nearer toilets but there are bars on both sides. 

Best bet is to cut in from the sides not barge forward if you want to get near the front but the earlier you get down there the easier it'll be. 

[Tommy101]

Apparently there are false rumours going around that today is being cancelled, it is definitely going ahead - probably going to get a bit grim this afternoon though!

[rseamer]

41 minutes ago, Tommy101 said:

Apparently there are false rumours going around that today is being cancelled, it is definitely going ahead - probably going to get a bit grim this afternoon though!

Windspeeds are high but if forecasted the main stages designs should be well within those limits.

It will be interesting to see if any of the smaller structures have been taken down / removed today because of the winds.

Yesterday was good though - the improved weather helped and I saw some good sets (Happy Monday's was hugely enjoyable - worth seeing for Bez's dancing alone) and I also really enjoyed Paloma Faith. Those two were my highlights. I also saw Devin Jade, Southsea Alternative Choir, Sleeper, Gaz Coombes, Fenne Lily, Brian Wilson.

[rseamer]

23 hours ago, BananaFudgeCake said:

I just saw some pictures on Twitter and saw the was a gap down the middle that separates the 2 sides of the crowd, surely that impacts the atmosphere at the front a bit. 

Is it better to be on the left or right as you look at the stage? 

Is is possible to get near the front for the headliner if you have not been there for a while beforehand? 

Nearer the front I found the right hand side (the side without the toilets) less busy. As Tommy101 says, if you cut right down the sides and then go into the crowd it's relatively easy to get to the front especially if you get there 15mins before.

[seanz25]

1 hour ago, Tommy101 said:

Apparently there are false rumours going around that today is being cancelled, it is definitely going ahead - probably going to get a bit grim this afternoon though!

Originates from one of the signs on the way into Portsmouth saying the event was cancelled last night.

https://twitter.com/dollyraerae/status/1033599941346832384

Someone on Twitter who claims to have been playing today, they're stage is shut. @Robskinner91 on Twitter. But could be rubbish.

[SweepingTheNation]

 

[seanz25]

Lots more updates on that Twitter account. Whole thing seems like a bit of a clusterfuck at the moment. Nobody sure if acts are playing stages etc. 

[seanz25]

Not much feedback as of yet, only attended Friday and Sunday evening. Prodigy seemed to go down well, don't get the hype myself but everyone around me seemed to love it and they brought the full show which was good. No fireworks to end the festival, guessing weather put this idea to bed but didn't feel quite right.

Festival site was a mud bath by the end, and the bar section was woeful from the second we arrived Sunday,  in-terms of both mud and cutting it to just one half. There did seem to be some chippings laid in certain areas, but not the bars, they could have benefited from it greatly IMO. 

Do think the support slots this year suffered as a result of the better headliners across the weekend and that reflected in many of my family friends who avoided going for at least one of the days this year, were in the past they'd attend for the weekend. 

As a family we're slowly filtering out of Victorious ourselves, finding the pricing is just creeping up to the stage now where we won't bite early and by the time we know who's playing its a very expensive day out for 8 of us, as many fall into the 13-17 gap and it's a £30/40 a day for a ticket which all adds up.

I think this pricing was also reflected this year, seemed the vast amount of teenagers chose the Sunday to attend.

Weekend tickets are new for next year. Currently at £80. I guesd these will also prevent the mass re-selling of tickets that goes on in the weeks leading up every year.

Be interested to see what they do for next year now. 

Edited August 27, 2018 by seanz25

[rseamer]

On 8/26/2018 at 2:12 PM, seanz25 said:

Lots more updates on that Twitter account. Whole thing seems like a bit of a clusterfuck at the moment. Nobody sure if acts are playing stages etc. 

Ha those tweets were by me

I had a great time at Victorious except for the fact that the organisers really need to get their social media together. Lots of people complaining that they never answer questions and they were very slow at putting out info about what was going on when things were getting cancelled - I was doing it much quicker than them and I had no inside info, I was just running around the set looking at what was going on a tweeting about it. Also when they did put out info it was all on a corporate branded picture - which was no good for many people on site where the signal was week and not necessarily downloading pictures and no good for people relying on notifications.

Sometimes it felt like Victorious were more concerned about their branding and corporate image (their social media was full of glossy photos showing how 'amazing' everything was rather than interacting with punters and just getting messages out to people in a simple form quickly)

Having said that I saw some great acts on Sunday: Gomez, Lily Moore and The Prodigy my highlights but I also saw Stereo Honey, Me & The Moon, The Orielles, Gengahr, Jerry Williams, Friendly Fires - not too bad considering the rain.

The site was really empty early in the day - a lot of people just stayed at home / in the local pubs until it stopped.

Interesting to see tickets are on sale for 2019 already. Another £5 per day on the early birds. They're out of the super cheap bracket for sure now - I suspect some people who used to book for all 3 days or 2 days will now wait for the line up and just choose a day - particularly families. 

Anyway, Portsmouth is on the festival map for sure now. With Icebreaker (local bands multi venue even in January), Mutiny, Victorious and Dials (another multi venue event with up and coming national bands and some local talent) in October - an event I'm involved with - there's plenty going on in my south central city.

 

 

[FestivalNewbie7]

Meh... Victorious is not for us. If there was onsite camping, it might have been better, but I like to leave festivals with a warm fuzzy feeling, a sense of community, having spent a few days in somewhere like another world, a utopia... not watching hundreds of men p*ssing up the fence, no queuing system for the portaloos (people just walking round the back), security passing drugs to festival-approved dealers through the barriers at the Strongbow Yard (after making Joe public walk past sniffer dogs), wasting time walking to and waiting for a bus to campsite to get changed because of the rain etc... they didn't even provide wristbands (except for camping)!!

Yes, some of the music was good (sound not good for Common Stage though), but felt more like all day concerts than an actual festival, and because none of the line up really interested us (got our tickets before it was announced) it didn't seem worth the trip. I know we're in the minority though as lots of people loved it, including friends we met up with...

[seanz25]

9 minutes ago, FestivalNewbie7 said:

Meh... Victorious is not for us. If there was onsite camping, it might have been better, but I like to leave festivals with a warm fuzzy feeling, a sense of community, having spent a few days in somewhere like another world, a utopia... not watching hundreds of men p*ssing up the fence, no queuing system for the portaloos (people just walking round the back), security passing drugs to festival-approved dealers through the barriers at the Strongbow Yard (after making Joe public walk past sniffer dogs), wasting time walking to and waiting for a bus to campsite to get changed because of the rain etc... they didn't even provide wristbands (except for camping)!!

Yes, some of the music was good (sound not good for Common Stage though), but felt more like all day concerts than an actual festival, and because none of the line up really interested us (got our tickets before it was announced) it didn't seem worth the trip. I know we're in the minority though as lots of people loved it, including friends we met up with...

2

You are clearly not a local 

Edited August 29, 2018 by seanz25

[RossTC]

I was there Friday, thought it was ok despite the tough conditions. But i wouldn't rush back unless the lineup was right up my street. Oh and the bars were clueless and awful. 

[Mattymooz]

Found it a bit frustrating at this event tbh. As everything was out of time, I had no clue who I was listening to half the time.

When we first got in we went to the beats and swing tent. Whoever was playing was suprisingly good (female singer was amazing but the male rapper less so). I think it was Tonic Presents but I havent been able to find out for sure as I can't see any evidence they exist other than the Vic lineup lol (nothing on Youtube at all).

Then we strolled around the rest of the site before sheltering in the DDAY cafe for a bit after establishing my coat wasnt quite as waterproof as I thought.

After that I came and saw another mystery act on the Acoustic Stage. Whoever it was was just singing civers of 90's dance hits and had a massive crowd who were really into it.

Then we trundled over to The Amazons who were alright. I dunno if it was because they were stuck in a corner or if its just my bias towards smaller stages but thwy were nowhere near as good as they have been previously imo.

Then after a short food intermission we came back for Friendly Fires who were suprisingly awesome. I like their music but have never been the biggest fan, but they put on a great show. Thw frontmans dancing was....interesting tho.

Finally I stayed for the Prodigy. I was right up the front near the barrier getting crushed by the mosh behind me but it was awesome. I still dunno if they played Invaders Must Die, i don't remember them playing it but that doesnt say much tbh

Altogether agreed wjth what everyone else had said. If they had just been clearer about the changes and what was happening it would have been so much better. It didnt have to be via social media, it could have just been on posters they put up, but all the rumours of prodigy cancelling and the castle stage shutting wasn't helping morale in the cafe

[luckysalt]

Bit late with my review, but got a chance now, so Friday was what it was the rain was a bit of a dampener, I thought the sound in general needed to be a bit higher, everyone put on a good performance however, Kaisers went over really well and Libs really put on a strong performance. I saw so many Shed Seven t shirts, they were class.

Saturday was the lovely weather day, think it always makes a huge difference at a festival. Mondays put on a standard high performance, everyone seemed to really be into it, including themselves, Weller headlining was first time i've saw him and the set flew by, I thought it was gunna get a bit boring and drag like Phonics last year but nope, he smashed it, Brian Wilson was an experience, I don't think i've ever seen anything like it and not sure I will again, so it made my festival, the crowd was REALLY into the hits, and was respectful of the other stuff, but damn he needed 12 people with him on stage to carry him through it. Was really good stuff though. Cribs were just alright, they didn't blow me away and they just kinda past me by, Gaz Coombes was the same but at least he has some personality into the songs. Sleeper were REALLY enjoyable, they seemed really into their set. I caught some of Pigeon Detectives, weird they are so far from being popular yet the singer still acts like a cocky twat from 10 years ago, absolute shite. Cabbage I caught a bit of, they seemed alright.

Sunday we just left it til the rain had gone, So I saw Friendly Fires, Chris Helme and Prodigy and that was it! It was a shame the weather destroyed the day, even when we got there and the wind had died down they still had all the speakers lowered and screens down, the sound suffered badly for FF and the first 1/3 of the Prodigys set until they turned the sound up. Friendly Fires really went for it but I felt they wasn't connecting that well with the crowd, Prodigy went over huge but was just a standard set, they had no light show tbh and it was a bit flat. A lot of young uns here for Prodigy and they didn't know anything pre past 2 albums which was a shame. 

Now to the festival. I liked the reshuffle of stalls, the prices however were ridiculous, some stalls it was £12 a double cheeseburger. Thank god the chip shop and cafe on site is there at more normal prices. The alcohol was disappointing, £5.50 a pint at standard bars and just Strongbow or Dark Fruits and Amstel, I loved that Victorious had Coors Light in the past so Amstel was a shitter for me, I tried it and it just wasn't for me. 

The Champagne stage had Heineken on tap and Cloudy Apple Strongbow both better choices but they were £6 a pint. Cloudy Apple was also at the Strongbow stage but its fenced off and they were only letting like a 100 people in at a time its stupid, the bar needs to be separate from the dance floor part of the strongbow area, they must loose so much business because of this, yet I don't see why Cloudy Apple was 50p more anyway. 

The Victorious model won't be sustainable if they keep rising the prices of tickets and bars/food inside unless they start upping the line up. They should make main stage older acts and castle the newer acts whilst putting some name acts on the other stages, especially the seaside stage. 

[rseamer]

On 9/3/2018 at 1:21 AM, luckysalt said:

 

The Victorious model won't be sustainable if they keep rising the prices of tickets and bars/food inside unless they start upping the line up. They should make main stage older acts and castle the newer acts whilst putting some name acts on the other stages, especially the seaside stage. 

Yep fully agree with this.

 

They'll price out locals like me (many people I know are now only going for 1 day rather than 2 or 3 as prices increase) 

And ultimately the majority of people who go are local.

 

Edited September 10, 2018 by rseamer