Site quieter?

[hodgey123]

Avril Lavigne was a complete joke, never been at a busier set at Glastonbury. I think overall compared to 2022 it was less busy, but the scheduling really needs huge work (and it is so obvious too). 

[Tiesto13]

I think what I’d say is that I felt the crowd control was really good and typically quite proactive (closing stages quite quickly for example and stepping into stop the bicep set when things were starting to get out of control). Not sure I’d trust all festivals to take those measures at the right time. I guess Bicep presumably there was better crowd control they could have done to avoid it getting to the situation it did, but when they stepped in, they did so in a really calm and sensible way. 
 

The main issue was they were largely caused by scheduling issues of their own making. Think the most bonkers one was putting Avril on an hour after Shania on two different stages. Should almost have been a back to back legends slot on the pyramid, as it was they asked half the festival to get up and move from a to b at the same time. Again, they dealt with that well with the one way system, but still could have been a problem easily avoided.

[4AssedMonkey]

On 6/29/2024 at 4:46 PM, kalifire said:

I find there’s a middle ground to WH. Like every stage, when it’s rammed to capacity it’s uncomfortable, and given the bar and food vendors surrounding it, the soundtrack factor is real. But when there’s a decent number of people towards the front and it fills up as the sound attracts passing folk, it’s great.
 

Danny Brown yesterday was the perfect example. Bags of space, but a very keen crowd that built steadily, everyone loving it. 

Agreed on this. Black Pumas was similar. The wood chip situation at Holts was however mental.
 

On 6/29/2024 at 5:34 PM, prestonmike said:

In the days before social media, there were always rumours of who would be the TBAs, but as it was never confirmed until they walked out on stage, you wouldnt have the massive crowds flocking to the stage, in the days of social media, i dont think the TBAs work anymore

Hard agree. Biffy at the Park in 2010 (?) Was the first one where it was widely leaked IIRC and that was mad busy.

 

Overall, I thought it was less crowded than the last 2, so something they did worked. 

[Talcroft]

7 minutes ago, Tiesto13 said:

I think what I’d say is that I felt the crowd control was really good and typically quite proactive (closing stages quite quickly for example and stepping into stop the bicep set when things were starting to get out of control). Not sure I’d trust all festivals to take those measures at the right time. I guess Bicep presumably there was better crowd control they could have done to avoid it getting to the situation it did, but when they stepped in, they did so in a really calm and sensible way. 
 

The main issue was they were largely caused by scheduling issues of their own making. Think the most bonkers one was putting Avril on an hour after Shania on two different stages. Should almost have been a back to back legends slot on the pyramid, as it was they asked half the festival to get up and move from a to b at the same time. Again, they dealt with that well with the one way system, but still could have been a problem easily avoided.

No reactions left but yes, this very much. 

 

Edit to add: I think they probably thought Amelie Lens on Arcadia was good competition for Bicep - I was personally surprised that her audience was so small as thought people would easily give Bicep up for her esp if it was literally closed off. 

Edited July 1 by Talcroft
Added stuff

[MMMarc1720]

So just back from my first Glastonbury and it is hands down the best overall festival in the world.

 

I do however can’t get my head round some of the booking decisions which led to me missing acts I wanted to see. Kasabian in the tent and Sugababes both missed as they shut the stages while the pyramid during the day had largely many acts who didn’t have huge crowds. Surely they should have the biggest acts on the biggest stages so more can see them?

 

Anyway what a 5 days, never felt this tired before 😂

[she bangs the drums]

17 minutes ago, MMMarc1720 said:

So just back from my first Glastonbury and it is hands down the best overall festival in the world.

 

I do however can’t get my head round some of the booking decisions which led to me missing acts I wanted to see. Kasabian in the tent and Sugababes both missed as they shut the stages while the pyramid during the day had largely many acts who didn’t have huge crowds. Surely they should have the biggest acts on the biggest stages so more can see them?

 

Anyway what a 5 days, never felt this tired before 😂

Fair point, though getting to see Kasabian (or the Killers in 2017) in a tent instead of a big stage is part of the appeal.

 

If done right, with lots of competition at the same time then it works as long as you are in the tent the band before the secret act is due to play.

 

The issues this year are the Pyramid Stage did not have popular choices, which then bottlenecked many other main stages.

[MMMarc1720]

Yeah mate I think because the Pyramid line up was garbage bar the odd few acts (my opinions) it made other stages completely packed. I got to see Avril Lavigne but with the crowd size you’d think Oasis or someone had reformed 😂 went back passed pyramid after it and was genuinely empty. 
 

Just a bit gutted missing a few people I wanted to see when you have forked a fair whack of cash out, I suppose the argument of getting there early exists but why should you need to be somewhere over an hour early and miss someone else just to get in a tent. 
 

All of the above does not overshadow how unreal a time I had though! Just my opinion. 

[MMMarc1720]

24 minutes ago, she bangs the drums said:

Fair point, though getting to see Kasabian (or the Killers in 2017) in a tent instead of a big stage is part of the appeal.

 

If done right, with lots of competition at the same time then it works as long as you are in the tent the band before the secret act is due to play.

 

The issues this year are the Pyramid Stage did not have popular choices, which then bottlenecked many other main stages.

Yeah mate I think because the Pyramid line up was garbage bar the odd few acts (my opinions) it made other stages completely packed. I got to see Avril Lavigne but with the crowd size you’d think Oasis or someone had reformed 😂 went back passed pyramid after it and was genuinely empty. 
 

Just a bit gutted missing a few people I wanted to see when you have forked a fair whack of cash out, I suppose the argument of getting there early exists but why should you need to be somewhere over an hour early and miss someone else just to get in a tent. 
 

All of the above does not overshadow how unreal a time I had though! Just my opinion. 

[Thrillho]

58 minutes ago, 4AssedMonkey said:

Agreed on this. Black Pumas was similar. The wood chip situation at Holts was however mental.
 

Hard agree. Biffy at the Park in 2010 (?) Was the first one where it was widely leaked IIRC and that was mad busy.

 

Overall, I thought it was less crowded than the last 2, so something they did worked. 

I do remember Biffy giving out paper flags advertising their set that year. 

[Crazyfool01]

20 hours ago, TokiDoki said:

Crowd at Avril was crazy earlier - couldn't get anywhere near the stage or even the outer speaker towers. Ended up squashed like sardines and barely hearing the set from near the Glade, past the bins and benches.

 

Never seen the Other stage field anywhere near that busy before. She definitely needed to be on the Pyramid stage.

I think the only comparison I can think of was for rag and bone man … did seem some good stewarding though and sensibly shut off railway line when necessary although the better option would have been pyramid I’m not quite sure how it all coordinates together 

[CaledonianGonzo]

1 hour ago, Crazyfool01 said:

I think the only comparison I can think of was for rag and bone man … did seem some good stewarding though and sensibly shut off railway line when necessary although the better option would have been pyramid I’m not quite sure how it all coordinates together 

Jessie J, The Stranglers, Gaga, Eilish and O-Rod also all stowed it. 

[Crazyfool01]

Just now, CaledonianGonzo said:

Jessie J, The Stranglers, Gaga, Eilish and O-Rod also all stowed it. 

of those I only saw Jessie and yeah id agree ...

 

[Pinhead]

Can't believe they didn't burn the tent down for Kasabian what with all the smoke and fireworks flares going off inside. And is says no smoking on the tent poles! Wouldn't have liked to have been an asmatic inside there...

[4AssedMonkey]

2 hours ago, Thrillho said:

I do remember Biffy giving out paper flags advertising their set that year. 

Oh yeah. Forgot that. They also tweeted earlier in the day with a clanger. Something like “See you at the ssssshhhhhhow! #park” or similar. That’s the first social media leak I recall for one of these things. 

[HH46810]

Have been to the last 4 and this one felt by far the busiest. This was particularly the case at night after the Pyramid and main other stages were done. The Park area and SE Corner were SO much busier than they've ever been before. Way more people getting into late night DJs perhaps?

 

Also met multiple people who were in without wristbands, having paid people to spin them in.

Edited July 1 by HH46810

[Paul ™]

More stopped at the gates with dodgy tickets/wristbands than previous years would help, plus more EPO scanning.

[Spindles]

5 hours ago, Glasto Weatherwatch said:

Related, felt sorry for Brothers Bar - because of the woodchip no one was hanging about in West Holts like usual. Spoke to someone there and they said they were well down on last few years. 

We walked past there about half past midnight and there were 2 people at the bar buying drinks with no one else in the field who wasn't just marching south east.  Normally the place is thronging til it shuts, was a weird sight.

 

I found this year to be much better than 2022, I could get anywhere swiftly and acts were scheduled such that there was less having to cut out 15 minutes before the end of something in order to make it to the start of something elsewhere.  Foot traffic was easy, any congestion was short lived and localised and you've just got to accept that you're slowing your step til you're through it.  I was never packed so tight that I was uncomfortable and in fact I don't think there was even a time where I was packed so tight that people were pressed together.

 

I got to Avril in plenty of time, decided I wasn't going to bother with the hassle that comes with the inevitable crowd and made different choices.  I was never massively committed to bothering to see her but was heading back down from the Park so it was on the way.  

 

They've made considerable strides in widening the pathways, largely at the cost of camping space or smaller entertainment spots.  They've also made considerable increases in the provision of hospitality and pre-erected camping.  To me it feels like general admission punters are becoming an afterthought to some extent.

 

I've got no criticisms to make of the festival organisation, this was the best organisation I've seen as far as crowd management, coach station on the way out was also bang on.  They made a few choices on where and when to place some acts that were clangers, but the infrastructure handled it.

[tarw]

1 hour ago, 4AssedMonkey said:

Oh yeah. Forgot that. They also tweeted earlier in the day with a clanger. Something like “See you at the ssssshhhhhhow! #park” or similar. That’s the first social media leak I recall for one of these things. 

But is social media any different to the old way of putting stickers on longdrop doors or getting your management to tell everyone they know and ask them not to pass it on. 
The “secret” set has never been meant to be a true secret. Whoever is playing want their fans there. It’s really just a bigger band playing on an intimate stage. The fact that the field will be closed adds to the “special feeling “.

Woodsies was moved specifically to hold these as it can easily and safely be closed. There are limited entrances with wide expanses outside to prevent crushes. 
It’s annoying if you’re late there and outside the tent or can’t even get into the field but it’s that that makes it more special to those that get in. 
 

[tarw]

11 minutes ago, Spindles said:

We walked past there about half past midnight and there were 2 people at the bar buying drinks with no one else in the field who wasn't just marching south east.  Normally the place is thronging til it shuts, was a weird sight.

 

I found this year to be much better than 2022, I could get anywhere swiftly and acts were scheduled such that there was less having to cut out 15 minutes before the end of something in order to make it to the start of something elsewhere.  Foot traffic was easy, any congestion was short lived and localised and you've just got to accept that you're slowing your step til you're through it.  I was never packed so tight that I was uncomfortable and in fact I don't think there was even a time where I was packed so tight that people were pressed together.

 

I got to Avril in plenty of time, decided I wasn't going to bother with the hassle that comes with the inevitable crowd and made different choices.  I was never massively committed to bothering to see her but was heading back down from the Park so it was on the way.  

 

They've made considerable strides in widening the pathways, largely at the cost of camping space or smaller entertainment spots.  They've also made considerable increases in the provision of hospitality and pre-erected camping.  To me it feels like general admission punters are becoming an afterthought to some extent.

 

I've got no criticisms to make of the festival organisation, this was the best organisation I've seen as far as crowd management, coach station on the way out was also bang on.  They made a few choices on where and when to place some acts that were clangers, but the infrastructure handled it.

I think in an odd way it has definitely improved the life of the gen-pop camper. We were camped by Hitchin and it didn’t fill all weekend. There seems to be far more room in the campsites. Whether this is down to more staying off-site or a reduction in people getting in I don’t know 

[Spindles]

Darble is no longer the best kept secret in the place, was surprisingly full.  They could have sacked off the trackway at the top of the field and moved the loos back there, no one used that trackway all week as it was easier to walk on the grass.

 

I noticed how spacious Hitchin looked, I'm considering a new location next year so may well head up that way myself.

[Colorblindjames]

5 hours ago, MMMarc1720 said:

So just back from my first Glastonbury and it is hands down the best overall festival in the world.

 

I do however can’t get my head round some of the booking decisions which led to me missing acts I wanted to see. Kasabian in the tent and Sugababes both missed as they shut the stages while the pyramid during the day had largely many acts who didn’t have huge crowds. Surely they should have the biggest acts on the biggest stages so more can see them?

 

Anyway what a 5 days, never felt this tired before 😂

No I don’t think so. Otherwise we’ll just have the main stages filled with old dad bands and legacy acts. It’s a contemporary arts festival. Tough sh*t if there’s an emerging band booked on the biggest stages. Plenty to see elsewhere. 

[Pinhead]

1 hour ago, tarw said:

But is social media any different to the old way of putting stickers on longdrop doors or getting your management to tell everyone they know and ask them not to pass it on. 
The “secret” set has never been meant to be a true secret. Whoever is playing want their fans there. It’s really just a bigger band playing on an intimate stage. The fact that the field will be closed adds to the “special feeling “.

Woodsies was moved specifically to hold these as it can easily and safely be closed. There are limited entrances with wide expanses outside to prevent crushes. 
It’s annoying if you’re late there and outside the tent or can’t even get into the field but it’s that that makes it more special to those that get in. 
 

It was moved to make way for a bigger hospitality compound and because it kept flooding at the base of the hill when it was wet as well iirc 

[EFC1996]

1 hour ago, Spindles said:

Darble is no longer the best kept secret in the place, was surprisingly full.  They could have sacked off the trackway at the top of the field and moved the loos back there, no one used that trackway all week as it was easier to walk on the grass.

 

I noticed how spacious Hitchin looked, I'm considering a new location next year so may well head up that way myself.

Been camping at Darble for years and last year it was very full, think I will be scouting out a new camp site next year as well 

[Colorblindjames]

Hard to feel sorry for people who chose Avril Levine ahead of Janelle Monae and are now complaining the other stage was uncomfortable. 
 

I used this site to get information on what stages would be busy and made plans to avoid that area. 

[CaledonianGonzo]

Yup.  The three or four main small stage acts who would draw ginormo-crowds (Avril, Barry Can't Swim, Sugababes, Justice) could be seen coming a mile off. Anyone showing up 5 minutes beforehand and expecting to stroll stage-front was kidding themselves.