2009 is often quoted as being the strongest headline trio in festival history.
In 2024 one of the headliners had the field less than 10% full.
Yet there's people complaining that Neil Young isn't big enough anymore.
Mental. Utterly mental.
He'll get a very respectable crowd - not Elton or even Coldplay sized, but decent - regardless of whoever is playing elsewhere. Personally I'm delighted to have the chance, having missed him last time (no regrets - Ray Davies was great in the Acoustic).
The only reason that it is so crowded now is the fact that people now bring much bigger tents now. There is the same area available for camping and far more people camp in WV, Sticklinch and offsite camping than used to.
The tent that I bring for myself now probably has a larger footprint than the one I used to use for the whole family. I’ve quite often seen a multi room family tent used by a couple or even individuals.
If you bring a small tent you will probably be able to squeeze it in somewhere centrally.
I remember one year the guy camping next to me turned up with a wheelybin full of Stella. Sold the Stella (£1.50 each 3 for a fiver), brought gear with the proceeds and slept in the bin. You don’t get that now