R+L 22 Campsite Warfare

[steviewevie]

If they had decent bands and just changed to 18+ would R+L not survive?

[Skip997]

2 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

If they had decent bands and just changed to 18+ would R+L not survive?

I really rather they didn't (survive that is) TBH.

[BenG92]

13 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

If they had decent bands and just changed to 18+ would R+L not survive?

Not gonna happen and it shouldn't either. People don't magically become amazing humans at 18. No need to rip away the yoof's festival of choice because of the actions of some rotten individuals, a lot of which will be adults. 

What happens annually is shit but people will stop reacting to it within the week, forget all about it and the exact same conversations will happen next year after the exact same problems. It just is what it is at this point, it will always be some people's last festival because of it but there will be a whole new year of kids to take their place. 

[steviewevie]

7 minutes ago, BenG92 said:

Not gonna happen and it shouldn't either. People don't magically become amazing humans at 18. No need to rip away the yoof's festival of choice because of the actions of some rotten individuals, a lot of which will be adults. 

What happens annually is shit but people will stop reacting to it within the week, forget all about it and the exact same conversations will happen next year after the exact same problems. It just is what it is at this point, it will always be some people's last festival because of it but there will be a whole new year of kids to take their place. 

the kids can go to R1's big weekend!

[BenG92]

12 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

the kids can go to R1's big weekend!

R1BW is already 18+ 🤣

[steviewevie]

4 minutes ago, BenG92 said:

R1BW is already 18+ 🤣

oh.

The kids can just go to the park or something then.

[FeverDream]

46 minutes ago, BenG92 said:

R1BW is already 18+ 🤣

When did this happen? Me and a group of mates went in 2017 when we were 17.

[BenG92]

2 minutes ago, FeverDream said:

When did this happen? Me and a group of mates went in 2017 when we were 17.

Had it partly wrong, it's only the Friday that was 18+, those 15 and under needed adult supervision on the Sat/Sun although who knows how enforced it is. 

[FeverDream]

3 minutes ago, BenG92 said:

Had it partly wrong, it's only the Friday that was 18+, those 15 and under needed adult supervision on the Sat/Sun although who knows how enforced it is. 

Ah right, I get you. There was no Friday in 2017 so that’s probably why I wasn’t aware haha. Yeah I don’t think it was enforced at all really as I probably looked much younger than 17 at the time!

[squirrelarmy]

I wasn’t camping in the campsites at Leeds this year so didn’t see anything first hand. 
 

I didn’t notice the usual level of burning smell that you get on the Sunday night and Monday morning during the pack down. It seemed worse in previous years. 
 

While not changing the age group of the festivals I do think they can stop the sale of firewood on site so not to encourage the amount of camp fires. 

[Skip997]

2 minutes ago, squirrelarmy said:

While not changing the age group of the festivals I do think they can stop the sale of firewood on site so not to encourage the amount of camp fires. 

It's not going to stop the tent (etc) fires. The only thing that might work is to eject any culprits immediately and if possible ban them from all future L&R concerts (they ain't festivals). I've no idea if this is possible as I don't know if people can be linked to their ticket/wristband as they can at e.g. Glastonbury and Shambala.

I am astounded that the Leeds and Reading licensing authorities still allow these events to continue. 

[gooner1990]

16 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

It's not going to stop the tent (etc) fires. The only thing that might work is to eject any culprits immediately and if possible ban them from all future L&R concerts (they ain't festivals). I've no idea if this is possible as I don't know if people can be linked to their ticket/wristband as they can at e.g. Glastonbury and Shambala.

I am astounded that the Leeds and Reading licensing authorities still allow these events to continue. 

£££

[squirrelarmy]

3 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

I've no idea if this is possible as I don't know if people can be linked to their ticket/wristband as they can at e.g. Glastonbury and Shambala

The ability to buy and sell unwanted tickets at short notice has always been part of the appeal. 

There’s nothing stopping FR putting in a registration system other than annoying the fans wanting to go on a whim.

It still wouldn’t stop those intent on causing trouble either. They’ll still bring their cheap tent that they have no intention of taking home and probably willing to take the risk of a ban on the slim chance security step in and stop them. 
 

Looking at most of the comments on social media and most attendees seem to think it hasn’t been as bad as previous years and the articles are newsworthy only because of the recent Woodstock 99 documentary. 

[autoinflate]

First time at Reading this year, took the kids (15 & 12) along with a couple of other familes. We were certainly in the minority, but had a great time and really enjoyed the music and the arena in general - well organised, decent toilets, easy to get food and drink without queueing for ages.

We camped in the peaceful campervan field, but walked through many camping fields each day to reach the arena. Carnage! Sunday afternoon there was a full on battle happening in purple with anything being used as a missile - 3 litre drinks bottles full of piss, tent poles, chairs, beer cans ripped open with sharp edges. My 12yo got hit on the leg by a bottle, not too bad but really frightening for her.

I realise R&L isn't a family festival, but the kids loved the music/arena and if you ask me it should be safe to walk through any festival campsite without having dangerous missiles thrown at you.

[49Lawson]

First time back to Leeds since 2015 for me and it’s a completely different beast to what it was isn’t it? 

Had a great time for the most part but left early on the Sunday as the bother was beginning. We were camped in Brown (which was relatively chilled tbf) but coming back out, Orange Camp was like a war zone. My friend’s girlfriend got hit by a bottle getting thrown and not too far from us, someone threw multiple cans of aerosol or deodorant or something on a tent fire, obviously sending debris everywhere when they blew up. 
 

Leaving was even more farcical too, navigating a poorly lit field as three completely disinterested stewards tried to shepherd thousands of cars out of one narrow exit. Absolute carnage. 
 

Issues with the line ups are mostly subjective (wasn’t my favourite year by any means but saw some cracking sets across the weekend: Lime Garden, Fontaines and Bring Me to name a few, with the Pendulum secret set being the absolute highlight of the weekend by a mile) but issues with security and the safety of the patrons there is another thing completely. The idea that Leeds and Reading are too big to fail or be cancelled (which I’ve seen in some corners of Twitter) is just nonsense, I’m sure some people thought that about T In The Park too. 

I don’t even think a special line up or once in a lifetime act would get me back now if those issues continue to prevail, but should they still be a thing then I don’t think it will survive too much longer which is a real shame as it was always my favourite festival in my late teen years.

[Peskybee]

My search when I first entered the festival consisted of security asking me if I had any glass bottles, me replying no and then walking straight in.

Searches to get into the arena varied greatly. Occasionally had my bag searched thoroughly, got patted down once. Queued in a few very slow moving lines which after a while, a member of staff would shout "let's fast track these people in" where security would suddenly stop caring about searching people and let loads of people through quickly with barely a look.

I've always been super lucky in the campsite. Camped in green for about 5 years and never had a whiff of trouble.  

 

[gfa]

stopping the sale of firewood is not a bad idea at all.

Leeds is likely better because theres actual late night stuff. At the end of the day the reason R&L have so many issues with this kind of thing is theres nothing organised to do after 11pm unless your in the 10% of people that actually manage to get into a silent disco

[gfa]

1 minute ago, Peskybee said:

My search when I first entered the festival consisted of security asking me if I had any glass bottles, me replying no and then walking straight in.

Searches to get into the arena varied greatly. Occasionally had my bag searched thoroughly, got patted down once. Queued in a few very slow moving lines which after a while, a member of staff would shout "let's fast track these people in" where security would suddenly stop caring about searching people and let loads of people through quickly with barely a look.

I've always been super lucky in the campsite. Camped in green for about 5 years and never had a whiff of trouble.  

 

Searches have always been like this and its the same everywhere. about 1-2% of people get searched relatively thoroughly at most festivals. APE was searching nobody over the same weekend.

[BenG92]

Really made me laugh seeing all the festival virgins on Reddit asking about getting gear in. We've all been there, it's just funny when you get to the festival itself and it might as well be a cardboard cut-out searching you. 

[Andre91]

I got my smuggled booze taken off me for the first time EVER going into the arena on the Sunday 😂 I was bloody gutted! 

[BenG92]

Just now, Andre91 said:

I got my smuggled booze taken off me for the first time EVER going into the arena on the Sunday 😂 I was bloody gutted! 

Were you waving it around in the air? 🤣 very glad I took a flask of tequila, didn't realise it would be 3.8% Pilsner. I like that stuff too but not for fucking £6.50 a pint. 

[andyrhodes24]

2 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

I got my smuggled booze taken off me for the first time EVER going into the arena on the Sunday 😂 I was bloody gutted! 

I walked in with it literally in my hand on Friday, it was in a water bottle but they didn’t bat an eye 🤣

[Andre91]

19 minutes ago, BenG92 said:

Were you waving it around in the air? 🤣 very glad I took a flask of tequila, didn't realise it would be 3.8% Pilsner. I like that stuff too but not for fucking £6.50 a pint. 

 

18 minutes ago, andyrhodes24 said:

I walked in with it literally in my hand on Friday, it was in a water bottle but they didn’t bat an eye 🤣

Friday and Saturday I had it in a plastic bottle, down my pants and between my thighs but the lid started leaking on Sunday so I had to put it just sticking above my waistband behind my bumbag. My mate in front of my got patted down properly and the guy found it and then immediately asked if I had any too and started patting me down and found it. I tried saying ‘Come on mate, it costs a fortune in there, let me save a bit of money?’ but he wasn’t having any of it. 

[BenG92]

5 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

 

Friday and Saturday I had it in a plastic bottle, down my pants and between my thighs but the lid started leaking on Sunday so I had to put it just sticking above my waistband behind my bumbag. My mate in front of my got patted down properly and the guy found it and then immediately asked if I had any too and started patting me down and found it. I tried saying ‘Come on mate, it costs a fortune in there, let me save a bit of money?’ but he wasn’t having any of it. 

Damn, sucks - me and my missus both got this chap

[Skip997]

2 minutes ago, BenG92 said:

Damn, sucks - me and my missus both got this chap

Why are people going into what looks like a football stadium?