Carl.

*only one of these actually exists at present, but give it time…

Roman Empress, exactly. Only in Shoreditch. Or perhaps Brighton.

Ah, BLTP I was waiting for you!! I know you like a good festival and I’m truly impressed by your patience with and tolerance for your fellow festival goer. I just don’t have it in me.I was never going to like festivals – I don’t like large venues, camping, roughing it in any way and other people, other people in particular.

Having said all that, this looks good – http://www.indietracks.co.uk/ Teenage Fanclub, Camera Obscura AND free steam train rides! You might have to go on my behalf…

I must admit although I love music the whole spectacle and carnival of a good festival is the thing for me, the licence to enjoy yourself even the toss*rs loose their edge by saturday night.

As for better in the old days not sure, wasn’t big on getting my stuff nicked by scallies and nowadays I don’t need to eek out 30 quid beer money over a weekend.

It is odd how festivals have become so big in the last 2 years even (I use to post a what to take to glasto list) but they print them in paper now!

As for the music well some of the best gigs i’ve ever scene have been at festivals (waterboys, neworder, cud, blue nile) and the worst (oasis, bobby gilespie and the boys, beck, julian cope).

No big point then, I wouldn’t dismiss them out of hand but if you really think there not for you so be it. But if you do pop along to lattitude we’ll save you and yours a spot next to our fire and you can have nip of malt and tell us all about this mad woman with a glitter ball piano you’ve just seen in the woods.

Piley, good rant. When I was a yoof in the late 80s/early 90s I dreamt of going to Glastonbury and Reading. I imagined that the place would be overflowing with people JUST LIKE ME. Three days in a field bonding with my fellow music lovers over Sisters of Mercy and Neds Atomic Dustbin – bring it on!!! But, tragically, now that I can actually go I just don’t want to.

PM, although I *whispers* quite like Muse, I laughed at your comment. Silver stilted space dancers indeed. There is yet another reason not to go to festivals.

Carl, hello and welcome. I think you might have put your finger on something here. The demise of the ‘proper’ music festival has to be somehow linked to the demise of ‘indie’. And the fact that people describe boring sounding bands signed to majors as indie these days is the subject of a whole other rant. If you’re looking for a music-loving festival then maybe you should look to heavy metal! I imagine that Bloodstock doesn’t get too many trendies attending… Saxon are playing this year you know.

Sheepish, patriotism at festivals! I have always been proud of Australia’s lack of flagwaving so I find this somewhat disturbing. And who the hell plays at festivals like this? Surely no credible band? I should mention Sheepish, that I think that the first and last good festival I’ve been to was BDO ‘93 with TISM, Teenage Fanclub, Bjork and The Ramones *wipes sentimental tears of nostalgia from eyes* Primus – whatever happened to them?

ISBW, I only wish I was making it up. In fact, I think you could approach the shop about selling those Anne Frank themed pillows. They would look lovely in a wizzy pop-up tent next to some designer sleeping bags.

And as for festivals, you’re bang on the money. For many people who are too lazy, scared or essentially disinterested to go to gigs, a festival is a wonderful opportunity to condense a whole year’s viewing into one shrink-wrapped weekend. As though dancing round a disposable barbecue in a twenty-year old Wonder Stuff t-shirt, that’s now six sizes too small, somehow makes you a rider at the gates of dawn. Gah. GAH!!

oh, and recently festival controversary here has been linked with certain music events becoming flag waving expressions of patriotism where people have been ‘forced’ to kiss flags and swear allegiance to our country!

Good post, sorry to rant on.

Carl (Mr angry).

The thought of stoners crashing through my tent at God-knows-what-hour, oddbods on silver stilts doing space dancing – all soundtracked by Muse screaming out from the stage until dawn – has absolutley no appeal for me

When i started going to festivals in the 80s, there were only 2 a year! Reading (which was still Reading Rock festival) and Glasto. People who went to festivals were usually labeled ‘weird’… I used to get snooty looks from people at work and all sorts. But I was (and still is) a massive music fan, and it was a labour of love… traipsing round muddy fields getting to see as many bands as possible.

The other big thing about these two festivals, is that they never, EVER sold out! Tickets for Glasto used to go on sale about Feb, but if you were skint, you’d buy em in March, or April, or May… or just turn up and buy one on the day!!! Things really were that simple! It was for weirdos\music obsessed people only, so there was a limited number of tickets you could shift.

Then, in the early 2000’s it got all trendy. Don’t ask me why, but if I had to guess, i’d say it was these big bands of the time (Radiohead, Oasis etc) doing these open air concerts, where to justify the money, they’d stick a few bands on beforehand, and it became a bit like a 1 day festival. Non-music fans got sucked into these, and I think this was the start of it…

Now I hate the average clientele at a festival. Like you say, it’s all about being seen. The ‘Green field’ at Glasto used to be such a great alternative place to hang out and chill… now it’s full of city w@nkers all ringing the office on their mobiles… cheers for that.

Sorry, I seem to have banged on a bit on this… hit a nerve!

Piley