Ban the f**king flags

[kerplunk]

They're a laughable travesty to the live show experience blocking the view of the performance for thousands of people.

 

It's like the emperors new clothes. Everyone can see it's an arse but we should love it for it's aesthetic qualities

[Skip997]

5 minutes ago, kerplunk said:

They're a laughable travesty to the live show experience blocking the view of the performance for thousands of people.

 

It's like the emperors new clothes. Everyone can see it's an arse but we should love it for it's aesthetic qualities

Plus most of them are shite

[gfa]

1 hour ago, DeanoL said:

The festival don't, they quite like them.

 

The BBC absolutely do, they've made filming a nightmare for years, there's certain angles that just can't be got any more (wide shots) - if you compare the Glastonbury footage to other live festival footage you'll notice it. It's either close ups of a particular band member, a weirdly angled top-down wide shot (got with cameras above the flags) or big pull back audience shots. It's not ideal, and increasingly problematic for newer acts who have choreography, dancers and other stuff going on on stage.

The advertising flags have also caused a bit of a nightmare in recent years for even audience footage.

 

It'll eventually be pressure from the BBC that gets them to do something if they do something. And will likely depend on the power-dynamics in that relationship.

 

I don't think the BBC will ever care enough to make them change. The people who dislike them are the photographers, not the people actually running the show.

 

The flags add to the footage anyway imo - instantly shows ah yes its filmed at glasto

[JB3]

19 hours ago, Tiesto13 said:

I don't mind the flags too much, I do enjoy some of them, particularly when they are pretty decent artist specific joke, shows someone has put a bit of thought and effort into it. Not a fan of people who just show up with a county/country flag though, save those for your tent. They are also helpful even if you aren't holding them if finding your mates.

 

Flags with advertising can get in the bin though.

 

Re phones at gigs, I think a large part of this is reflective of how important people's phones are in them experiencing something now. I have to admit, I always try and take one photo of every set at a festival I'm at/every gig, just to give me something to look back on and remember. Obviously a big difference between that and filming whole songs/sets, which I agree is complete nonsense, but also think that the proliferation of phones will be more likely people grabbing a few photos which takes up 2-3 minutes of an hour long set which they are otherwise fully invested in.

 

 

 

 

It’s the Instagram crowd who piss me off. Last year at GnR, two couples turned up next to me, half an hour into the set. Spent 20 minutes talking and taking selfies with the Pyramid in the background, went through the filters, wasn’t happy with the result, took some more selfies, got the correct filter, uploaded to Instagram then f**ked off.

 

w*nkers

[bennyboi]

2 hours ago, incident said:

 

Because they want to spot themselves on TV, and show it to everyone down the pub / on Facebook / WhatsApp.

 

Literally, that's the only reason.

Attention vacuums. 

 

or if it’s that important, get to the barrier for a headliner, that’s way more impressive. 

[jow95]

On 6/18/2024 at 12:27 PM, gherkin8r said:

I've never once been more than very mildly annoyed by flags in 9 visits. Maybe it got lots worse last year.

I think most people in those crowds would say the same despite the efests echo chamber.

 

i just can't understand why you'd be arsed with carrying the thing all day but on balance I'm glad they do.

[Helsbels]

3 minutes ago, jow95 said:

I think most people in those crowds would say the same despite the efests echo chamber.

 

i just can't understand why you'd be arsed with carrying the thing all day but on balance I'm glad they do.

I love the flags and in 11 visits can honestly say they've never spoilt my view. I could never be bothered to carry one personally. One of our mates used to bring one and it made it so easy to find our group

[kerplunk]

5 minutes ago, gfa said:

 

I don't think the BBC will ever care enough to make them change. The people who dislike them are the photographers, not the people actually running the show.

 

The flags add to the footage anyway imo - instantly shows ah yes its filmed at glasto

 

As a photographer I probably notice the ill effects on the footage (as well described by Deanol) more than many. Much is lost and there will be no reshoot. It's quite clear when you see the footage of performances on the other stages which have less flag blight getting in the way of the cameras on the mixing desk. On the pyramid stage at times the live editor hardly employs them.

 

Then there's the effects on still photography from the crowd. When I'n not in the pit I like to get wide shots of the show from distance but these days at the pyramid you aren't shooting the show you're shooting flags - very pretty - but they aren't photos of the show. That's gone

[1986]

The amount of flags has obvs escalated a lot year on year. Any vet remember when they first started becoming a thing? Have they always been there?

Edited June 19 by 1986
typo

[CaledonianGonzo]

1 hour ago, kerplunk said:

 

As a photographer I probably notice the ill effects on the footage (as well described by Deanol) more than many. Much is lost and there will be no reshoot. It's quite clear when you see the footage of performances on the other stages which have less flag blight getting in the way of the cameras on the mixing desk. On the pyramid stage at times the live editor hardly employs them.

 

An obvious example is Lizzo on West Holts in 2019. Someone with a huge chequered patterned flag stood right in front of the mixing desk and - apart from the close-ups - it's visible in the footage of the entire gig. 

 

Although why someone didn't go climb down and remedy it I dunno.

[clarkete]

28 minutes ago, 1986 said:

The amount of flags has obvs escalated a lot year on year. Any vet remember when they first started becoming a thing? Have they always been there?

You can see a picture of Leonard Cohen's and Bowie's sets amongst the ones I shared on the previous page - indeed they're distinctive from recent years. 

 

There used to be a small quantity and they were often unusual or witty, but during very popular sets, such as Elton last year, there's tons. 

[clarkete]

On 6/18/2024 at 1:00 PM, Claire0406 said:

i actually quite like the flags and i am somebody who doesn't go deep into the crowd, i think it makes glasto unique and i love seeing what people come up with, however if it becomes all adverts then i would change my mind. 

One of the pictures I shared is from the disability platform in the centre, so they're not particularly far back, but they aren't able to move for a better view. 

[DeanoL]

4 hours ago, gfa said:

 

I don't think the BBC will ever care enough to make them change. The people who dislike them are the photographers, not the people actually running the show.

 

The flags add to the footage anyway imo - instantly shows ah yes its filmed at glasto

Ever watch a set on iPlayer when you get back and it seems quite bad and yet when you were there it was brilliant? Notice how you hear that a lot about Glastonbury sets, especially Pyramid ones, but less for any other festival? It's not unconnected. 

[waltere]

There's a simple reason why (at least as far as I see it) Glasto will/probably can even do very little in the way of banning flags - its not an arena festival.

[Crazyfool01]

1 minute ago, waltere said:

There's a simple reason why (at least as far as I see it) Glasto will/probably can even do very little in the way of banning flags - its not an arena festival.

I think if they made requests the number would reduce quite quickly .... as theyve done with other things in the past ... gazebos etc 

[waltere]

1 minute ago, Crazyfool01 said:

I think if they made requests the number would reduce quite quickly .... as theyve done with other things in the past ... gazebos etc 

 

Yeah if they wanted to they definitely could do something in the way of requests, announcements etc., I just think it's an important logistical point against a full "ban" that hadn't been brought up.

[philipsteak]

1 minute ago, Crazyfool01 said:

I think if they made requests the number would reduce quite quickly .... as theyve done with other things in the past ... gazebos etc 

 

Yep, if they ever do take a stand on it, it'll be with a softer touch.  Not an outright ban, more like social media before asking people not to bring them, stuff on screens between acts asking people to put them down, that sort of thing. Won't get rid of them completely but most people would follow I reckon.  

[gherkin8r]

5 hours ago, JB3 said:

It’s the Instagram crowd who piss me off. Last year at GnR, two couples turned up next to me, half an hour into the set. Spent 20 minutes talking and taking selfies with the Pyramid in the background, went through the filters, wasn’t happy with the result, took some more selfies, got the correct filter, uploaded to Instagram then f**ked off.

 

w*nkers

Couldn't agree more. Phones in general and people's obsession with doing something with them rather than engaging with the moment. 

[danbailey80]

Think about the various thoughts that someone goes through to get to the end result of taking a flag into the pyramid crowd.

 

1. I’ve got a really funny idea/ country flag that I think everyone will think is funny/ appreciate seeing it just like I do. How could they not? I like it so everyone else will. 

 

Or I don’t care if anyone thinks it’s funny. They are wrong and I am right.

 

2.  Make the flag at home whilst chuckling to yourself all week thinking how funny/ original you are. Have a w*nk you deserve it.

 

3. Take the flag in the car/ train and carry all the way to the campsite. Still thinking this is the funniest flag ever and everyone is going to like it. 
 

4. Come Friday morning carry it all the way to the front or the pyramid and stay there most of the day thinking this is the funniest flag ever. I can’t wait to see it on tv. My friends will think I’m so cool.
 

5. Go home Monday and immediately watch BBC footage to try and spot your hilarious flag. 
 

6. Cry realising you’re a f**kwit. 

 

 

 

Edited June 19 by danbailey80

[Suprefan]

Ban them, i want to watch the stage not the screens

[A Particular Grey Chihuahu]

They look really cool on telly, but I haven't been in person yet so I'll reserve judgement.

[redrog]

2 hours ago, Suprefan said:

Ban them, i want to watch the stage not the screens

Can’t even see the screens half the time. 

[Pinhead]

Don't ban them but like chairs, request peeps consider moving them back past the mixing desks.

[Suprefan]

8 hours ago, kerplunk said:

 

As a photographer I probably notice the ill effects on the footage (as well described by Deanol) more than many. Much is lost and there will be no reshoot. It's quite clear when you see the footage of performances on the other stages which have less flag blight getting in the way of the cameras on the mixing desk. On the pyramid stage at times the live editor hardly employs them.

 

Then there's the effects on still photography from the crowd. When I'n not in the pit I like to get wide shots of the show from distance but these days at the pyramid you aren't shooting the show you're shooting flags - very pretty - but they aren't photos of the show. That's gone

PREACH. One of the worst ones watching on the broadcast was Foos cause every single flag went to the Pyramid. All you saw was flags and a dark stage behind it on wide shots. It sucked

 

I get upset at Coachella if there is one tall flag/totem right in the line of a great atmosphere/wide shot of an artist on stage. Sometimes there are people who purposefully block a camera angle cause they hope theyll be scene on the stream. Its stupid.

 

 

Edited June 19 by Suprefan

[Suprefan]

22 minutes ago, Pinhead said:

Don't ban them but like chairs, request peeps consider moving them back past the mixing desks.

That would be even worse because the lawn chair folk in the back of the Pyramid field wouldnt be able to see anything at all