2017 - How was it for you?

[retromoz]

35 minutes ago, xxialac said:

That kinds of makes my point. I've been to Hyde Park VIP and non VIP and Primavera VIP and non VIP.

Pretty much no chatting in the VIP for either.

To repeat, I don't like the ethos of VIP but something needs to be done about the chatting and I'd just be happy with fewer MacdeMarco type booking.

After all what's the point of a band and the organisers going to extreme effort to try and make the sound as good as it can possibly be if some drunk 19 years olds are going to shout in your ear all through the performance?

just....you know.....move to another place where you cant hear chatters?!? I agree, they can be MOST annoying. But....you know.....some people are annoying. And, in front of a stage, there is more places to see yr fave band away from the chatter fucks. 

[Fat_Buddha]

15 minutes ago, juliadevitt said:

early birds are now sold out and tier 2 is available with deposit of £45 per ticket. I've bought mine.

Had to pay outright for campervan ticker so should have ordered this when it was £10 cheaper 10 mins before - will try to remember that next year!

I feel like a VIP with my early bird. Do I get my own area? 

[xxialac]

I'm boring myself now about the chatters but in a really packed performance like Father John Misty you can't simply move about mid-gig (not to mention that if you are also tall, it's inconsiderate to the people who you move in front of).

Anyway it's sad to be back at work and many fond memories of EOTR17. Bring on next year!

[wolfamongwolves]

This year did seem slightly worse for the chattering. But hey it is a music festival. I remember watching Bon iver on the garden stage whilst some folk just talked all the way through it. I don't understand it but everyone is different. No doubt its annoying. My 11th eotr this year. Will not rush to buy an early bird will see how the line up shapes up first. 

Edited September 5, 2017 by wolfamongwolves

[WM Hall]

worst chatters i encountered were late-20s, early-30s. people who've just started earning a lot, moved out of their young adult lives and into one of greater entitlement.

[Nobody Interesting]

Regardless of idiot numbers I still bought Early Birds.

Will be our first EOTR.

[juliadevitt]

I've started to wear ear plugs when down the front, especially if I am at either side. It has the benefit of protecting my hearing but it also muffles chatter noise quite a bit!

[robbiez666]

Paid my deposit. It's a great scheme for those of us who find ourselves working in the public sector!

[Dylan's Big Toe]

ok so this year was my second EOTR (was there in 2015 as well), and I thought that generally the chatter was less this year.  I had to move a few times during acts in 2015, but apart from a couple of 40 something fella's during Nadine Shah's set, it was fine for me.  We had a really great year - there did seem to be more teenagers there but they all seemed sound to me.We had a brilliant festival overall - the rain on Sunday really did it's best to dampen spirits but the first two days were really enjoyable.

 

Loved:-

Nadine Shah

CM Andrews

Japandroids

Parquet Courts

Father John Misty

Band of Horses

Aaron Lee Tasjan

John Moreland

... and lots more.  Was gutted that it rained for Amadou and Miriam and for Vaudou Game - their sets were made for a sunny day.

 

The food selection was great - I didn't even get trying all the stalls I wanted.  Special mention for the dumplings!

 

The silent disco was great fun, and the new outlands area and cinema location worked really well.  Did see some hard drug use late Friday night in the woods by the disco ship. 

 

But other than that, nothing really negative to report.  We've paid our deposit for tickets again for next year and will most definitely be staying with Honeybell's again.  Loved the bell tent we had, and they provided us with bedding and towels.  Roll on 2018! 

[Dylan's Big Toe]

1 minute ago, Dylan's Big Toe said:

ok so this year was my second EOTR (was there in 2015 as well), and I thought that generally the chatter was less this year.  I had to move a few times during acts in 2015, but apart from a couple of 40 something fella's during Nadine Shah's set, it was fine for me.  We had a really great year - there did seem to be more teenagers there but they all seemed sound to me.We had a brilliant festival overall - the rain on Sunday really did it's best to dampen spirits but the first two days were really enjoyable.

 

Loved:-

Nadine Shah

CM Andrews

Japandroids

Parquet Courts

Father John Misty

Band of Horses

Aaron Lee Tasjan

John Moreland

... and lots more.  Was gutted that it rained for Amadou and Miriam and for Vaudou Game - their sets were made for a sunny day.

 

The food selection was great - I didn't even get trying all the stalls I wanted.  Special mention for the dumplings!

 

The silent disco was great fun, and the new outlands area and cinema location worked really well.  Did see some hard drug use late Friday night in the woods by the disco ship. 

 

But other than that, nothing really negative to report.  We've paid our deposit for tickets again for next year and will most definitely be staying with Honeybell's again.  Loved the bell tent we had, and they provided us with bedding and towels.  Roll on 2018! 

oh - one more minor gripe actually - the sound on Sunday wasn't great at most of the performances we saw.  I know they had issues in the Tipi, but even the start of Japandroids set had sound issues, and the Garden Stage didn't seem loud enough.  Only really noticed this on Sunday, so not sure if it as just me...

[Mardy]

5 minutes ago, Dylan's Big Toe said:

The food selection was great - I didn't even get trying all the stalls I wanted.  Special mention for the dumplings!

 

 

Oh, those dumplings. They were something else.

[Fat_Buddha]

23 minutes ago, Dylan's Big Toe said:

ok so this year was my second EOTR (was there in 2015 as well), and I thought that generally the chatter was less this year.  I had to move a few times during acts in 2015, but apart from a couple of 40 something fella's during Nadine Shah's set, it was fine for me.  We had a really great year - there did seem to be more teenagers there but they all seemed sound to me.We had a brilliant festival overall - the rain on Sunday really did it's best to dampen spirits but the first two days were really enjoyable.

 

Loved:-

Nadine Shah

CM Andrews

Japandroids

Parquet Courts

Father John Misty

Band of Horses

Aaron Lee Tasjan

John Moreland

... and lots more.  Was gutted that it rained for Amadou and Miriam and for Vaudou Game - their sets were made for a sunny day.

 

The food selection was great - I didn't even get trying all the stalls I wanted.  Special mention for the dumplings!

 

The silent disco was great fun, and the new outlands area and cinema location worked really well.  Did see some hard drug use late Friday night in the woods by the disco ship. 

 

But other than that, nothing really negative to report.  We've paid our deposit for tickets again for next year and will most definitely be staying with Honeybell's again.  Loved the bell tent we had, and they provided us with bedding and towels.  Roll on 2018! 

Been in a bell tent for last few years and love 'em, seriously considering  doing an air bnb next year. Mrs will do the driving if we opt for that!

[ciderbus]

Excellent for me. First one since 2014 and it seemed very familiar but with a couple of improvements too.

Echo the thanks for organisers, toilet crew and litterpickers etc. Jobs not made any easier on sunday.

Musicwise i enjoyed seeing Ty Segall, Slowcoaches, Spook School, Car Seat Headrest and Omni for the first time.

Also the chance to see Brix, Moonlandingz and the Jesus and MaryChain again.

Wouldn't buy lemon twigs or king khan records but enjoyed both in a festival setting.

I tried (a little bit) but still don't get why Mac De Marco is a headline act anywhere but he seemed to draw a decent crowd.

Will definitely be back.

 

 

[Mardy]

Lots of the wilder live acts seemed pretty restrained. End of the festival season and I think some of them were a bit worn down. The Moonlandingz didn't really go for it, that for me, never really left orbit,  Mac demarco never really cut free and even FJM (although I didn't see it) was more restrained than he's often been. Got me pondering a bit.

[Born in the fifties]

33 minutes ago, Mardy said:

Lots of the wilder live acts seemed pretty restrained. End of the festival season and I think some of them were a bit worn down. The Moonlandingz didn't really go for it, that for me, never really left orbit,  Mac demarco never really cut free and even FJM (although I didn't see it) was more restrained than he's often been. Got me pondering a bit.

I saw Car Seat Headrest last Tuesday at the O2 Forum Kentish Town.  Whereas at GM, Will just said 'this is a James Brown number', at the O2 Will explained they were close to the end of the cycle of playing the 2 Teens albums and were getting rather bored by it and were yearning to move on, so they often now mess around with other stuff as a relief to try and stay fresh, then they played the James Brown number. I rather felt that the EOTR perfomance was a game of 2 halves, get the 'hits' out of the way and then play the non-standard stuff that hasn't been part of the set for the last 2 years.  Didn't lessen the performance in any way, but I think it does rather summarise the issue for bands that have been playing basically the same set for 2 years, and I know CSH have because I'd seen them a couple of times before the O2 performance.

[Mardy]

6 minutes ago, Born in the fifties said:

I saw Car Seat Headrest last Tuesday at the O2 Forum Kentish Town.  Whereas at GM, Will just said 'this is a James Brown number', at the O2 Will explained they were close to the end of the cycle of playing the 2 Teens albums and were getting rather bored by it and were yearning to move on, so they often now mess around with other stuff as a relief to try and stay fresh, then they played the James Brown number. I rather felt that the EOTR perfomance was a game of 2 halves, get the 'hits' out of the way and then play the non-standard stuff that hasn't been part of the set for the last 2 years.  Didn't lessen the performance in any way, but I think it does rather summarise the issue for bands that have been playing basically the same set for 2 years, and I know CSH have because I'd seen them a couple of times before the O2 performance.

Yeah, definite shift in Mac de Marco's preformance between Primavera in early June and this, 3 months later.

Getting bands who've spent the summer doing European festivals is obviously more cost effective but does, I think, fall into the trap you describe. It often seems to be either that, or smaller bands who've just arrived for an autumn tour. Not many one off performances, really. 

[smudger]

Top top festival, the Lemon Twigs were particularly fab. As was Robin Ince and the comedy line up.

Other than crap weather on Sunday, all in all it was one of the best for me. 

[Mean Mr Mustard]

This year was our eighth EoTR and one of the best, I think.

Random thoughts -

• Great to have so much happening on Thursdays - we always felt a bit listless in previous years when we arrived early, just waiting around for Friday
• Aaron Lee Tasjan got the Friday off to a brilliant start - witty and great tunes/guitar-picking too
• Bill Ryder-Jones  - perfect for a late sunny afternoon when you're feeling slightly woozy from the great beer and boxed wine
• FJM - still not my cup of tea really, but he made for a good headliner and my companions loved it
• Robin Ince cheered us all up when we starting to flag a bit during the wet Sunday
• Why do so many people leave their empty cans/plastic glasses where they were stood for others to clear up?
• When we arrived, I was slightly worried by the preponderance of 'young people' camped around us but they were as good as gold - and from my perspective, there were less chatterers during sets than in previous years
• Perfume Genius (didn't play my favourites but he was great nonetheless and will listen more to his most recent albums); Legends of Country were good fun; enjoyed Lucinda W overall but was slightly underwhelmed - thought it was a bit perfunctory (put off a bit by her reading her lyrics from a lectern); Band of Horses
• Agree with others about needing more sheltered areas and tables to eat
• Some of the food is really expensive now. £8 for a measly portion of fish curry (mainly sauce) and a bit of rice. £11 for burger and chips! (The burger was nice though). Tea bus bacon sandwiches are still great though.
• Bill Callahan was beautiful, spell-binding - and the drizzle made it even better somehow

Will be back next year, of course

 

 

[Guy Incognito]

shoutout to the vegetarian van in the Healing Gardens. £10 for a delicious  big veggie burger, two good sized portions of salad (two from couscous, some sort of bean salad, coleslaw or one other) and a coffee.

In general I was impressed with the vegetarian food on offer but that was definitely the best meal I had. The burger was fantastic!

[shoebox]

Even as a non-vegetarian, those seitan buffalo wings were like crack to me!

[Fat_Buddha]

I was disappointed by the Seitan burgers ordered 2 one came about 15 minutes after the other and was mote very salty greasy coating than burger. Not worth 8.50, and the little beardy guy was a miserable chuffer to boot.

[killyourtv]

We tried a dozen of the vendors and generally one portion did for the two of us with a bit of bread.  Though £7 or £8 good value; coffees soon added up though black coffee in Pizza tent the best.

As mentioned before, we missed Bhatti Wraps ;-(

 

[Mean Mr Mustard]

Forgot to mention John Moreland who was tremendous. He doesn't say much but with songs like his he doesn't need to. 

[gigs]

9 hours ago, rhg_99 said:

shoutout to the vegetarian van in the Healing Gardens. £10 for a delicious  big veggie burger, two good sized portions of salad (two from couscous, some sort of bean salad, coleslaw or one other) and a coffee.

In general I was impressed with the vegetarian food on offer but that was definitely the best meal I had. The burger was fantastic!

That, my friend, is the mighty Dish Cafe, which we discovered a few years ago. None of our party are vegetarian, but their range of gluten free cakes, coffee and tea prices, Humus snacks and salads are fabulous. It has become the coffee and cake break of choice for us.

[staffop]

Arrived Thursday for our 10th EOTR, excited as ever, but still slightly nostalgic for the beardy Americana of the first few years. As it continues its steady creep towards Pitchfork, my love diminishes slightly each year, yet still i return.

Headed in to the festival, determined to get an early Fever Tree to start the festivities but disappointed to only find the new Hendricks concession. Undoubtedly lovely, but less choice of gins and tonics which was a shame. #firstworldproblems

Managed to catch Moonlandingz and Bo Ningen for two of the best performances of the weekend. Listened to Brix etc for a bit from outside the Tipi but thought they were average at best.

Started Friday later than planned with Dan Romano who was fine, hung around for Shovels and Rope who were fine, stayed a bit for Margaret Glaspy, who was… yeah fine… Watched Ryley on GS who was good, but seemed a little hyper and didn’t hook me in as much as usual, before heading back to WS for Parquet Courts who produced my first top notch performance of the day.

Slight break before Ultimate Painting, who again didn’t inspire as much as hoped, before our first headliner, Lucinda Williams. Thought she was amazing, much rockier than expected, and such a pro. Gig would have been improved massively if it hadn’t been for a bunch of ignorant middle aged tossers who literally talked at full volume all the way through, despite being clearly aware of the impact they were having.

Headed over to Tipi to watch Xylourius White for one of the sets of the weekend - just trancendental. Hung around for the first secret set (Jens Lekman) but got bored and ended up at Silent Disco which is always fun. The dead won BTW

Wandered through the woods, checked out the new Cinema/Disco area which was enchanting.

Had another lie in Saturday (ah, the joys of a festival sans kids!), started with a bloody Mary (£9.50!!) and caught Courtney Marie Andrews set on GS which was great. Saw Futur Primitf who i love - been following him since first i first caught him at EOTR the year Low Anthem played (2011?). Seemed more engaged (and less hungover) than his GS set last year, but was disappointed he didn’t end up doing a secret set. The late night gig when he joined with Barr Bros a couple of years ago was exceptional. Saw Duds, who seemed aptly named, before heading over to Woods to soak up the sunshine and blissful sounds of Alvvays. Headed back to top up on wine, before returning to catch the last half of Car Seat Headrest. Hadn’t expected much TBH, but thought they were amazing. FJM seemed self indulgent (as per), then Ty Segall who was less psychy and more metal than i’d hoped, but the day was saved with a top set in the Tipi from Tootard - a great band, absolutely in the groove.

Sunday arrived with the deluge i’d feared most (esp. after the same at Greenman) so took shelter in Tipi. missing out on some of my must see sets of the weekend. Legends of Country were fun, but a bit pastichey, Nadia Reid was lovely, Alison Crutchfield not as good as hoped (but was great playing with Waxahatchee during the Secret Set later on). Headed back to regroup before one final push. Girl Ray were nice, but nothing amazing. Marika Hackman was fab, just a shame she was delayed by 40 mins and had a shorter set as a result. Ended up watching all 3 secret sets which were some of my highlights of the weekend. Stayed up to hear ‘Hit the Road Jack’ as the traditional last song of the festival but it didn’t appear

Gutted to have missed: Michael Chapman, Real Estate, John Moreland, WH Lung, Rolling Blackouts (main set), Waxahatchee (main set), Nap Eyes, Timber Timbre, Julia Jacklin, Amadou & Miriam, Perfume Genius, Bill Callahan and J&MC!

Top 5: Bo Bingen, Lucinda Williams, Waxahatchee (Tipi), Xylouris White, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever  (Tipi) 

Good: Just lovely as ever…. Stewards and staff were great as usual; loved the new set up of cinema etc; beer choice was great, some lovely ales and stouts and a great range of vegan beers; great food, fave was the lamb tagine - their burgers were great too

Not so good: Seemed busier than previously, with less toilets; too much chatting during sets; the amount of rubbish just left by idiots