Comments on: Let’s Make Glastonbury Better!

By: Carsmile

Carsmile — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 10:15:14 +0000

yes, i know i should have done more with this, but have been a bit busy with changing jobs and stuff, so if anyone else can pass it on, it would be appreciated.

(unsurprisingly, fervent populist D Boyle was not averse to the idea ;))

By: Pete

Pete — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 10:05:54 +0000

The aspect of ticket allocation we would not want to get involved in would be “being a member of the supporters trust entitles you to a ticket”. The procedures we would be happy to wade in on.

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 19:09:59 +0000

I wonder if glastosupporterstrust.org (or some equivalent) is taken?

I think this idea has “legs” too. Has Mr Boyle an opinion?

By: DV

DV — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 19:04:55 +0000

Stupid question maybe – how serious are you about this supporters’ trust, because I want in (or I want to nominate some of my Dublin pals to be in). I know you mentioned not wanting to put ticket allocation as one of the things to hassle Boss Eavis on, but those of us who live outside the UK have some unique problems in this area.

By: Pete Baran

Pete Baran — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 11:57:11 +0000

Because so much of it is so good. they get so much of the actual festival right, compared to other grind’em out band in-a-field jobs that it is frustrating that little things don’t work. A week later I am remembering all the fun I had, tinged with the slight annoyance of waiting for the bus in the rain on Monday.

By: JB

JB — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 11:28:21 +0000

Why don’t you just stop going to it if its so shitty. I can’t believe people pay so much to go to something they know is going to be disapointing crap.

By: Pete Baran

Pete Baran — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 10:18:55 +0000

My venue has a capacity of three hundred, but we usually limit it to 200 for comfort reasons. Its and upper limit, not a target!

By: CarsmileSteve

CarsmileSteve — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 11:03:50 +0000

i think he’s got a four year license at 177,500 (the new binge drink britain laws allow this), so might not be that successful…

By: Pete

Pete — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 09:37:20 +0000

As Charlie Brooker sez, the only real plus point of the backstage area is that it acts as a shortcut between the two main stages. Well that’s nice for the liggers, but it is this bit of traffic which causes the most congestion and churning. Time to move backstage?

By: Juliet

Juliet — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 09:34:32 +0000

Another Thought! Get the lovely Billy on the job! He likes Glastonbury & democracy & football & things!

By: Juliet

Juliet — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 09:32:49 +0000

As you know I agree with all yr points! And very definitely with the overall concept of punter representation.

I also like Pete’s idea of making the Dance Village a Dance Cul-de-sac (avoid hordes of people tramping through all the time).

It occurred to me this time to wonder whether a “no fires in campsites” policy (c.f. Glade) might not be a good plan. Drunk/fucked people + fire + very very flammable tents + very little fire safety provision (don’t tell me that with tents stacked in the way they are the handful of fire buckets would do any good at all in a serious fire) = am amazed that no one has yet got seriously hurt. Yes, I am old & boring & AGAINST GLASTONBURY TRADITION, oh well. I also do not wish to be set fire to while I sleep by some idiot. (Fires up in Stone Circle / outside of camping areas, no prob)

If they moved Glasto it might clash with Glade! That would be a Bad Thing. Mind you, that weekend is apparently the most-likely-to-be-sunny in the average UK summer.

An Thought: even if Mr Eavis didn’t want punter representation in *his* arrangements, an organised representation to the licensing committee might have an effect (particularly in e.g. the case of the numbers).

By: pˆnk s lord sükråt cunctør

pˆnk s lord sükråt cunctør — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:18:50 +0000

stevem schmevem MOCK NOT THE SUN GOD — if you think the weather is bad when’s he is pleased…

*rustles up quick wicker man to sort out unbeliever*

By: stevem

stevem — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 00:37:13 +0000

solstice schmolstice. i doubt most people who go to glasto now are really bothered by the proximity of the two events. are you? the statistical point is fair but look at the stats – only one constantly dry/sunny Glasto this decade (granted the years off have of course turned out to be scorchers). the cost of moving the festival vs the extra expenditure in dealing with the problems caused by flooding and masses of people mud-churning. even 2 or 3 weeks later could make a difference surely.

kids just finishing their exams also make up only a small percentage of attendees and again i doubt it makes much difference. these kids go to download, reading and whatever other festivals go on all through the Summer, all of which tend to experience better conditions because they take place later in the season.

By: Matt DC

Matt DC — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 22:04:18 +0000

Yeah it’s a combination of solstice and ‘kids have just finished their exams’, but mostly the solstice. It aint gonna happen.

As for the rest of this though, I bet we could get a bit of press behind this if we start early. Maybe taking out the bit calling Michael Eavis an autocrat though.

By: Pete Baran

Pete Baran — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 16:36:39 +0000

Steve, changing the weekend of the festival would be like changing queues in a Post Office unless there was a good statistical proof behind it (and since the time of the fest is tied with the solstice, unlikely to happen).

By: katstevens

katstevens — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:51:59 +0000

Also you forgot “stop using SMS delivery”. The Glade festival has an interesting method this year – get your ticket through the normal post, type in an online activation code and your ticket will be scanned on the gates, with random ID checks. This is a tiny festival obviously and would involve organisation+++ in order to work on a larger scale, but at least they recognise that “having to sign for tickets is a hassle”.

It’s too late for me, I am old and weary and can’t even be ar5ed to complain properly. If ALL these points were upheld then I might CONSIDER possibly registering for 2009.

By: steve m

steve m — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:39:49 +0000

I’m surprised that given how there has only been one constantly dry/sunny Glastonbury this decade you haven’t put ‘move festival either back or forward 3-4 weeks’. This has become a huge bugbear for me and I am tired of the bad weather frequency. Less tradition more common sense – our Junes have been wetter than our Aprils for some time now.

By: marna

marna — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:33:12 +0000

My Glasto-improving-plan has been – for years – that they should ditch the pyramid stage. And possibly the other stage. Suspect that this might be seen as excessive.

By: Madeup

Madeup — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 14:57:28 +0000

“1. “Father knows best” autocratic owner increasingly getting in to bed with commercial interests that seem to have only negative impacts on the punter

2. Said punters being treated like cattle with little thought for our comfort or welfare

3. Increasing costs and declining facilities

4. Being constantly told by media/controlling interests that you’re part of the best festival in the world, when you can clearly see the cracks round the edges

5. The complete lack of feedback mechanisms for us to get our views across to those in charge”
I assumed you were making a satirical point about the government.

By: Pete Baran

Pete Baran — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 14:04:30 +0000

I am not so convinced that the excess capacity was a problem that could not just be dealt with better stewarding and rethinking some of the site plan as mentioned, but nevertheless your key thesis is sound. HOW do we, the Glastonbury regulars, actually express our views to THE MAN?

Certainly only having one real ale tent at the festival now seems to be doing a disservice to a great british beverage. They did the right thing with the Brothers Bar Cider (in all tents), now think about upping your ale.