My last Guilfest

[Little Chief]

It's simply the truth, of a comparison of the profile, sales and knowledge of the bands - it's no comment on "good" or bad".

[eFestivals]

As a lover of music, sales is perhaps not always the best indicator of music quality for some. I give you James Blunt!

as I said, it was no comment on "good" or "bad".

I'd say they'd appeal to different people.

exactly - but as more people will be familiar with Guilfest's headline acts, they'll be more appealing to more people.

There seems to be some misunderstanding going on here as I don't think we compete with Guilfest.

I don't think you do either - as I said in my original post where I mentioned Blissfields, they're different beasts. I was responding to a person who did think of them competing.

Fair enough, then why make 'truthful' remarks about a festivals quality when quality is so subjective!

I didn't make any comment on quality, just the level (profile, sales) of the headliners.

Fair enough on sales now but we have some artists that could go on to do well, and quite a few that already do. Not on the same level but that's not what we are trying to do.

that's little different to so many festivals - Guilfest and very many other festivals have a great history of booking acts in their early days that go on to much bigger things; this is where I think festivals excel, as a way of introducing people to music they wouldn't otherwise give a chance to.

Anyway, I'm glad we've cleared that up.

[Peridot]

the problems for overflowing toilets were limited to the entrance and just the entrance. The only time a person would encounter them was on entering or leaving.

[jacketspud]

I had my flyer through the door - today - and looking at it even if we wanted to go we couldn't now well not in our trailer tent - NO caravans now in the campervan area and so no trailer tents I'm guessing? Will be going to Blissfields instead anyway so not worried.

[DeanoL]

Have to admit, after doing Guilfest for the past 7 years I am seriously considering dropping Guilfest and trying Latitude this year as the line-up just doesn't appeal and even the comedy tent seems to have gone down hill in the past few years and just doesn't have the quality of acts it used to have (sorry Neil!).

[eFestivals]

the comedy tent seems to have gone down hill in the past few years and just doesn't have the quality of acts it used to have (sorry Neil!).

It gets bigger names each year. I'll agree that 'bigger names' doesn't necessarily mean 'more funny', but they're certainly not getting less funny.

[Johnny Echo Echo]

Hi Everyone!

Well its been nearly a year and I was amazed to find this thread at the top of the pile after all this time!

I`m also mildly amazed to find such a cyber bitch fest going on in the middle of it. What the hell happened there?

I meant what I said last year and still stand by the original posting, but after all this angst I think I`ll change my mind and bloody well go this year!

Oh I hear Radio 2 won`t be sponsering it this year, wonder why?

[ade]

Oh I hear Radio 2 won`t be sponsering it this year, wonder why?

[bazjam]

I go to Guilfest every year and although i do agree that the overall line up quality has dipped in the last few years i find it hard to understand why people are so down on last years festival. Myself and the people i go with all agreed that last year was one of the best for a few years. And the toilets situation while not good, was nowhere near as bad as people are saying and i've seen far worse at other festivals.

And despite being under impressed with the headliners, this years line up is starting to look the best and most diverse in years with the likes of Brian Jonestown Massacre and British Sea Power.

[DeanoL]

It gets bigger names each year. I'll agree that 'bigger names' doesn't necessarily mean 'more funny', but they're certainly not getting less funny.

Edited May 19, 2008 by DeanoL

[Medina]

Blimey! Just came across this thread and couldn't believe all the negativity.

It's tempting to suggest that if you don't like Guilfest you can always come to my own little Stokes Bay Festival instead... but such an unashamed plug will rightly annoy Neil so let me just say...

I've been to almost every day of every Guilfest since the very first one and have always enjoyed it. I know Tony Scott and I know how damn hard he works all year round to put on a good festival without huge commercial sponsorship. I know it's cost him personally a considerable sum of money plus all the hassle of dealing with an increasingly difficult licensing authority and all the other problems that affect all of us who run festivals.

Tony must be tempted, when he reads threads like this, to just say "sod it" and stop organising events for others to moan about. He could enjoy a more relaxed and financially secure life if he stuck to mowing the lawn. Instead he keeps going and in my honest opinion he deserves great praise for doing so.

Without the likes of Tony Scott there would be no festivals for any of the posters on this site to enjoy or slag off.

So... if you don't like the line-up, the toilets, the camping or anything else, don't winge, just don't go! You've plenty of choice elsewhere. But don't slag off a guy who has devoted a large part of his life and his bank balance to putting on a festival for people like you and I.

Given the choice of Guilfest or the over-commercialised money-making machines like the V Festivals, Reading and the Isle of Wight I'll plump for Guilfest every time.

I may not like all the artists this year, I may avoid the toilets, I may drive home every night instead of camping, but I know I'll still have a damn good time at a festival that's a lot safer, friendlier and musically diverse than most others, a festival that won't charge me just to park my car, a festival that won't stop me taking a bottle of water or even something stronger into the arena, a festival that won't have gorillas body-searching me on the gate, a festival that will offer me around six stages of live music plus a comedy tent and loads of other attractions along with a wide choice of food and decent beer at reasonable festival prices.

There's a lot worse than Guilfest. Vent your spleen elsewhere!

[Johnny Echo Echo]

I totally agree - Tony Scott is a nice bloke and an all round good fella! I wouldn`t dream of slagging him off, but I`m sure that he`d agree that everyone is entitled to voice their opinions in this green and pleasent land in which we live in. Just because you disagree, doesn`t mean that someone else should not be given the freedom to expres themselves. Personally I found the middle of this thread to be quite funny, completely off the point and extremely argumentative - wouldn`t like to meet either of them in a pub, but hey, thats the world ain`t it? Takes allsorts as Bertie Bassett once said!

I`ve heard about Tony`s financial losses before and I can`t understand why he keeps doing the festival either... is he a millionaire and if not, who keeps lending him all this wonga? My bank won`t even give us an overdraft!

Happy Days!

[geofelgie]

Yeah, I'd just like to say that the line-up this year overall is shaping up as though a lot more thought has been put into it and I'd say it is definitely better.

It isn't for me, the kinds of folky/weirdo country/indie acts (Jorane, Willard Grant Conspiracy, Guillemots) just aren't there in sufficient numbers any more. But I understand them booking new bands that are largely retro in themselves - at least they've booked ones that have good, even great, live reputations. I think loads of people are going to find this their best Guilfest ever.

I wish Tony Scott and the festival all the best.

ps.....the "discussion" actually started on the Latitude thread - and I've already apologised for going over the top at times.

pps...Stokes Bay!!!!! (I'm from Gosport)

Edited May 20, 2008 by geofelgie

[Medina]

Ha! If you're from Gosport you should certainly be at Stokes Bay. How often can you go to a Festival and walk home to your own bed afterwards?

Fair point from Johnny. We are all entitled to express our own views. I just find it sad though when some people slag off those who work damn hard to stage festivals for thopusands of others to enjoy.

Why does Tony still do it? Why do I still do it? Because we're live music and festival fans ourselves. We do it because we enjoy it. We certainly don't do it to make money. Others may find that hard to believe (my accountant and taxman certainly do find it hard to believe) but it happens to be the truth.

And if people like Tony didn't do it then there would be none of the smaller, more intimate, less commercial festivals to enjoy. We'd have a choice of the big commercial jobbies or, er, nothing!

[DeanoL]

Blimey! Just came across this thread and couldn't believe all the negativity.

It's tempting to suggest that if you don't like Guilfest you can always come to my own little Stokes Bay Festival instead... but such an unashamed plug will rightly annoy Neil so let me just say...

I've been to almost every day of every Guilfest since the very first one and have always enjoyed it. I know Tony Scott and I know how damn hard he works all year round to put on a good festival without huge commercial sponsorship. I know it's cost him personally a considerable sum of money plus all the hassle of dealing with an increasingly difficult licensing authority and all the other problems that affect all of us who run festivals.

Tony must be tempted, when he reads threads like this, to just say "sod it" and stop organising events for others to moan about. He could enjoy a more relaxed and financially secure life if he stuck to mowing the lawn. Instead he keeps going and in my honest opinion he deserves great praise for doing so.

Without the likes of Tony Scott there would be no festivals for any of the posters on this site to enjoy or slag off.

So... if you don't like the line-up, the toilets, the camping or anything else, don't winge, just don't go!

[Medina]

Yawn

[eFestivals]

And I'm pretty sure Tony Scott is grown up enough to take on board any criticisms, and if he's not, no-one's going to make him read this.

yep, he is, and that's the whole frigging point and why this thread developed into an argument.

Some people posted that he put on a festival knee-deep in piss and didn't give a f**k about it. Apart from the fact that it was far from being knee-deep in piss, Tony immediately - at the time of the fest - recognised the problem and went out with his cheque book, throwing money at anyone who was in a position to take it at short notice to sort out the problems (but being such short notice it was difficult to find people with the resources needed) .... and those problems only existed in the first place because of his desire to something better than the normal festival experience; ok, it didn't work out and actually went the other way, but it's all f**k all to do with not caring or trying to load his pockets with as much cash as possible.

So.... I suggest that the ones not "grown up enough to take on board any criticisms" are those who are posting their very wrong bollox in this thread, and who cannot take any criticisms which are correcting the wrong bollox they've posted.

Edited May 21, 2008 by eFestivals

[geofelgie]

Ha! If you're from Gosport you should certainly be at Stokes Bay. How often can you go to a Festival and walk home to your own bed afterwards?

[Medina]

Hmmm. If you're that disorientated you might end up back at Stokes Bay, Gosport yet!

And we'll be very pleased to see you!

[Johnny Echo Echo]

"Why does Tony still do it? Why do I still do it? Because we're live music and festival fans ourselves. We do it because we enjoy it. We certainly don't do it to make money. Others may find that hard to believe (my accountant and taxman certainly do find it hard to believe) but it happens to be the truth."

Hey I`m a live music fan too

Edited May 22, 2008 by Johnny Echo Echo

[Medina]

Good!

And I look forward to attending Johnny-Fest in due course!!

Wonder which artists you'd most like to book?

[Johnny Echo Echo]

Good!

And I look forward to attending Johnny-Fest in due course!!

Wonder which artists you'd most like to book?

[Medina]

Guess I asked for that

And you'll be headlining the comedy tent?

[Johnny Echo Echo]

Guess I asked for that

And you'll be headlining the comedy tent?

[zydaco]

yeh right echo mate,im suprised that elf an safety as not shut this festy down on health grounds,sad really started out great but money talks,its been said that it runs at a loss ok so loose some of the rubbish,ie tribute bands,a lot of the unknown bands pay to play there,traders pay a high fee ,free stewarding,other then the big names and security whats the cost??your coping £100 per punter,how can it run at a loss ,how about puting a break down of you cost on here??

Edited May 31, 2008 by zydaco