Other Festivals

[neil999]

Standon calling has been good for us if you have kids, has a nice vibe and some quirky bits... A very poppy line up but does have a few gems here and there

[The Nal]

2 hours ago, Toilet Duck said:

Haven’t made it over to EOTR, but like Green Man, heard nothing but good things about it. Have you made it down to ATN yet? Old school picnic vibes. Chapter 1 was pretty idyllic. Chapter 2 traffic was chaotic and there were feckin’ wasps everywhere, but was still great. Last year pretty smooth all round (though those in boutique camping were a little peeved I gather. Teething problems for a new festival, but looks like they are ironing out the kinks year on year. It’s a fixture for us now. 

I haven't no but seems to be the alternative to the Picnic going by revent lineups. Havent been to an Irish festival since 2008 - and that was just a bunk in for the evening. Havent camped at one since the Picnic 06. Got tired of queuing to get searched every time I went back to my tent.

[Isaact]

We Out Here is a fantastic smaller festival if you're into Jazz / Alternative by day, and really good Dance music by night.

Still booked by Giles Peterson too so if you are into any of his tastes you'll love it. Crowd skews young professional (30s), so people get loose but you don't see the same kind of states you do at Glastonbury.

Houghton and Lost Village also good if you're into dance music.

Shambala is a fantastic vibe, people are really friendly and the dressing up side of it is a lot of fun, but as others have said the music side of things is pretty lacking every year. You do stumble upon some gems but there's also quite a lot of crap.

I do sometimes think their music booking policy is consciously rubbish to keep out the kind of people who purely attend festivals for line ups.

Edited July 6, 2023 by Isaact

[blutarsky]

On 7/4/2023 at 10:32 PM, StuwieG said:

Just reading up on it! Thursday to Tuesday 😮

I'm also checking out Sziget. I'm thinking of going as a 40th celebration. Here's an idea on scale. The red outline is the Glastonbury site, not including off site caper fields, WV, SL etc, obviously. 

[amfy]

51 minutes ago, blutarsky said:

I'm also checking out Sziget. I'm thinking of going as a 40th celebration. Here's an idea on scale. The red outline is the Glastonbury site, not including off site caper fields, WV, SL etc, obviously. 

Apart from being smaller as shown above, Sziget is on flat parkland so is much easier walking.

However, the size doesn’t tell the whole story because there is a lot less camping and far more people who stay in city apartments and local day trippers. There is good space between stages in the main, and it is great for a good wander.

[faymondo]

Only ever been to Glastonbury (10 times) and the odd day at a Creamfields but this year is our 20th wedding anniversery so we are going to Bluedot in a couple of weeks. Looking forward to Roisin Murphy (Missed her for Macca) and Grace Jones. 

Will be very interesting to do another festival and the added bonus that it is an hours drive away. 

[squirrelarmy]

The actual festival area is outlined in blue.

 

For those wondering about the name, Sziget means Island in Hungarian. 

[Pinhead]

18 hours ago, amfy said:

Have you been before? If you haven’t and are tempted, just do it. Everyone should do Boomtown at least once, even if you hate it, you’ll know you’ve experienced something that’s very else! 

Been in 2017 before it was downsized a bit.

[Toilet Duck]

6 hours ago, The Nal said:

I haven't no but seems to be the alternative to the Picnic going by revent lineups. Havent been to an Irish festival since 2008 - and that was just a bunk in for the evening. Havent camped at one since the Picnic 06. Got tired of queuing to get searched every time I went back to my tent.

ATN would be right up your street then if you fancy dipping your toe back into the Irish festival scene! No arena, once you are in, you’re in and like Glasto, can bring your own drink with you to the stages. So, none of that queuing and searching to get into the arena nonsense, just treated like an adult!

edit: Oh, and no camping chairs allowed at the stages either!

Edited July 6, 2023 by Toilet Duck

[The Nal]

16 hours ago, Toilet Duck said:

ATN would be right up your street then if you fancy dipping your toe back into the Irish festival scene! No arena, once you are in, you’re in and like Glasto, can bring your own drink with you to the stages. So, none of that queuing and searching to get into the arena nonsense, just treated like an adult!

edit: Oh, and no camping chairs allowed at the stages either!

Sounds good to me alright. 2024 maybe.

[Mr Cake]

We use to go to Secret Garden party which I found had a really nice atmosphere, good line up and lovely site.  Seems to have come back last year and on again in a couple of weeks.  Away on holiday when its on this year but would really like to head back at some point.  

[Ortiz34]

Another thumbs up for EoTR here. This year will be my 5th and I enjoyed it more than Glastonbury in 2022. atmosphere is great with a nice relaxed vibe. Hope to be going for a good few more years even at 58.

[Olshansky]

More love for End of the Road here.  This year will be my fourth.  Its definitely its own thing, and doesnt require the endurance Glasto does, but it's got a great vibe and the performances are really special.  I'm traveling from New York, so believe me when I say it's been worth getting on a plane for.  

I haven't yet done Boomtown or Greenman. Those are on the list.  This year I'm also doing Iceland Airwaves (my 13th time) and Le Guess Who (my 3rd time).  

[Johnnyseven]

On 7/5/2023 at 9:06 AM, a6l6e6x said:

Went boomtown last year, doing boomtown this year. Really cool festival, more interesting stages and lots more actors than glasto. They limit how much booze you bring in but there are ways around it. also more strict on drug searches but literally everyone that goes bar a handful will take drugs in

Always fancied Boomtown but the searches put me off. How thorough are they, do they have dogs etc? Although I realise dogs aren't always effective, as I discovered at Brixton not that long ago.

[Skip997]

4 minutes ago, Johnnyseven said:

Always fancied Boomtown but the searches put me off. How thorough are they, do they have dogs etc? Although I realise dogs aren't always effective, as I discovered at Brixton not that long ago.

Exactly the same reason I've never seriously considered Boomtown.

Friends of mine who run a Craft stall at various festivals had a sniffer dog put in their van the year they did Boomtown.

 

[a6l6e6x]

1 hour ago, Johnnyseven said:

Always fancied Boomtown but the searches put me off. How thorough are they, do they have dogs etc? Although I realise dogs aren't always effective, as I discovered at Brixton not that long ago.

I didn’t see any last year, think it was too hot to have them out and would’ve been viewed as animal cruelty

didnt search my bags or anything but I do feel like that is luck of the draw

[pilton digger]

This will be Boomtown number 12 for us. We never get searched in any meaningful way, they might look in the door for appearances but only that. They decide in the queue who is getting searched, two old gits in a van dont seem to warrant anything particular. The 4 bucket heads in front of us last year looked shifty and were turned over. Dog gave a strong indication and they were taken off. 

They have a casual chat while you are waiting and seem to decide if you need a tickle. We don't fit the bill so far. The dogs are real working dogs, i was talking to the handlers last year. 

No one seems to have any difficulty getting stuff in. 

Boomtown is worth it, last year was better than the farm.

[Johnnyseven]

45 minutes ago, a6l6e6x said:

I didn’t see any last year, think it was too hot to have them out and would’ve been viewed as animal cruelty

didnt search my bags or anything but I do feel like that is luck of the draw

So no pat downs then? Would a small stash in your undies be enough to get through?

19 minutes ago, pilton digger said:

This will be Boomtown number 12 for us. We never get searched in any meaningful way, they might look in the door for appearances but only that. They decide in the queue who is getting searched, two old gits in a van dont seem to warrant anything particular. The 4 bucket heads in front of us last year looked shifty and were turned over. Dog gave a strong indication and they were taken off. 

They have a casual chat while you are waiting and seem to decide if you need a tickle. We don't fit the bill so far. The dogs are real working dogs, i was talking to the handlers last year. 

No one seems to have any difficulty getting stuff in. 

Boomtown is worth it, last year was better than the farm.

Does the dog come and say hello to everyone or just those they decide to search? I'm not going so asking for a friend obviously.

Edited July 7, 2023 by Johnnyseven

[pilton digger]

1 minute ago, Johnnyseven said:

So no pat downs then? Would a small stash in your undies be enough to get through?

Does the dog come and say hello to everyone or just those they decide to search?

Boomtown are directed by Hampshire Police to search and be strict. Hampshire Police really dont like Boomtown or the people that go, so they act a bit third  reich-y. It is not the festivals decision.

We are always arriving at the van gates as they open, the dogs are fresh but they are used sparingly. They tend to walk the dogs down and around the van queue and only put them in the van if they think there is a need when you get to the front.

We havent been through the ped gates for years but last time we watched a couple with 1500 nos cannisters breeze through with no problem.

I seem to remember that@FuzzyDunlop had a some drama a few years ago, he may be able to give a more up to date take on ped gates and searches.

[Metal Monkey]

1 hour ago, Johnnyseven said:

So no pat downs then? Would a small stash in your undies be enough to get through?

Does the dog come and say hello to everyone or just those they decide to search? I'm not going so asking for a friend obviously.

In 2019 they were sniffing everyone in the pedestrian queue the second time I went in. Bloke near me got a full search but he’d already got everything in on his first trip!

I guess they can’t be very effective or used all the time, if they were there would only be about 5 people in the festival. 
 

It’s a brilliant festival, I thought 2019 was better than Glastonbury. 

[FuzzyDunlop]

1 hour ago, pilton digger said:

Boomtown are directed by Hampshire Police to search and be strict. Hampshire Police really dont like Boomtown or the people that go, so they act a bit third  reich-y. It is not the festivals decision.

We are always arriving at the van gates as they open, the dogs are fresh but they are used sparingly. They tend to walk the dogs down and around the van queue and only put them in the van if they think there is a need when you get to the front.

We havent been through the ped gates for years but last time we watched a couple with 1500 nos cannisters breeze through with no problem.

I seem to remember that@FuzzyDunlop had a some drama a few years ago, he may be able to give a more up to date take on ped gates and searches.

Yeah. In 2018, My mate had something stashed in his tent.

The dog stopped next to his trolley & he had to hand it over. It wasnt the police who did the searches or who had the dog, but he was told that they will be om the way unless he co-operated.

He handed it over, the dog ran over the now sprawled out trolley & he was allowed in as everything he had was given up.

My mate went back in 2019, with no problems. Still dogs there but this time there wasnt an issue.

Edited July 7, 2023 by FuzzyDunlop

[a6l6e6x]

Dogs are only effective for the first 10-15 minutes of their shift and they miss a lot. Takes some bad luck to get caught

its a great festival and I do think with more tv coverage it would become more popular 

[tomlc]

On 7/5/2023 at 5:36 PM, Tr234 said:

Bestival on the IoW (RIP)

This. Went in 2011. All the ingredients. Absolute faff to get there from Manchester though. 

[Pinhead]

Worked it in 17 and the place was awash with Class As - took 4 away to medical in the woodlands in a 1 hour period at one point! Was the year of ket tho I think.

[mandana]

On 7/5/2023 at 9:25 PM, amfy said:

Have you been before? If you haven’t and are tempted, just do it. Everyone should do Boomtown at least once, even if you hate it, you’ll know you’ve experienced something that’s very else! 

I concur, Boomtown is off the charts production and fun. I was a bit hesitant about going the first time as rumours made it sounds a bit hardcore but I am so glad I went.

Still my fave festival. Has a unique edge to it but I like that and I think they care more about sustainability than some other festivals.