Did you go Alanović? Any chance of a report, if you've got the time/inclination? (Anyone else go?)
My experiences were somewhat limited. From the train, on Wednesday afternoon I could see an ant-like procession of young people carrying packs of beer back from Tescos to the campsite.
On Friday afternoon obviously it was in full swing, and I could see that there was a band on stage, but couldn't make out who it was. Although even if I was in the front row I still probably wouldn't have recognised them, unless it was another 80s revival band, like The Cure who we watched a bit of on BBC3 later in the evening. Sounded good, but doesn't Bob Smith look a state these days!
On Sunday evening, we could hear a bit of the music, although as we're 5 miles away it was a bit muffled. Then yesterday evening from the train again I could see they'd made a start on clearing up the mammoth mess left behind; that's a process which usually lasts the best part of a month.
Hopefully you didn't get too wet?
Last edited by: Webmaster on Thu 30 Aug 12 at 18:53
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A lot of my younger mates went to the Leeds one, they are in the 21-25 age group (so a lot younger than me!) and couldn't stop going on about how good the Cure were.
I would have gone just to see the Cure, but I am too old for all that camping in fields with a load of drunken kids. One reason I love the Rebellion festival so much, no drunken kids and you get to stay in a B&B.
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I did go indeed, Focus. I go every year, as my house is a matter of yards from the site (as the crow flies at least – there’s the small matter of the River Thames to cross). Tickets for next year are on sale today, at this year’s prices. I am about to log on and do the deed.
Once again I had an excellent time, although these days it’s more a chance to catch up with old friends and share a few beers/ciders (Real Ale bars are a welcome recent addition to the Festival) than it is to enjoy favourite bands. As the years go by, the line up seems to offer fewer bands I recognise and wish to see perform. Although the flip side of that is the discovery of new acts.
This year’s highlight for me was Feeder’s headline set on the second smallest of the Festival’s stages. They are a hard act to beat for me. Great atmosphere and a really lively crowd who knew all the material really made it an event. I hope they return.
The Cure have never held much appeal for me, so I drifted away during their set to seek out other acts – I settled on Maccabees (purely because they’re Fulham fans, but they were enjoyable nonetheless). I can’t say Mr Smith looks much worse than he ever did, it was always a style I failed to understand. I see nothing interesting about trying to look like you’ve been dragged out of the grave, and I see little appeal in their music.
The other Main Stage headline acts – well, Foo Fighters were terrific. 3 hours of massive sound and many, many hits. Kasabian – well, let’s hope we never have to put up with their mediocre warbling as a headline act again. Poor, in my book.
I had been looking forward to Florence and the Machine, as I had greatly enjoyed their set in the NME tent two years ago, however it seemed that their material was unsuited to the Main Stage and seemed to get lost in such an open environment. It’s quite intimate stuff and benefits greatly from being performed in an enclosed space.
Other acts I enjoyed were The Gaslight Anthem, a New Jersey band with a slightly Springsteeny sound, The Black Keys – much was made of these, I knew little of them, and was pleased to not be disappointed, Los Campesinos (opened the Main Stage against Green Day performing a surprise early set in the NME tent which I was enormously annoyed to have missed due to not having known about it and being to late on site to get in the tent), Eagles of Death Metal and Band of Skulls.
So, new acts (to me at least)? Well, look out for Family of the Year, they were on the smallest stage of all, BBC Introducing, a very promising outfit with a lovely West Coast acoustic sound and very catchy tunes. Also mentions for Dry the River, The Courteeners, Blood Red Shoes and Deaf Havana.
As for getting wet, well the only decent downpour happened on Saturday, early evening. I was fully prepared with my waterproof overtrousers, anorak and wide brimmed Aussie leather hat to keep the rain off. No problem.
Roll on 2013.
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Forgot to mention Alberta Cross, another interesting new band.
You mentioned the clean-up in your OP, I'm not surprised it takes a month to accomplish. This year, though, there were extensive recycling programmes on site, including the offer of free tins of beer for people returning binbags full of recyclable bottles and cups. Also, all the food packaging sold from the food stalls has to be compostable now, and there are appropriate collection points for such.
Also has to be mentioned for those without local knowledge, the Festival is held mostly on private farm land, therefore the mess is almost entirely invisible to the public and does not affect them much. If you look at a Google Earth view of the site, you can clearly see the imprints left by the stages, campsites and pathways, but there is no other residue at all on the ground. I Imagine the satellite picture was taken in September one year after the Festival.
goo.gl/maps/ZZlo4
My house is in this image, but not telling where exactly!
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>> goo.gl/maps/ZZlo4
The sheer size of it when viewed from the train (line runs middle left to bottom right) amazes me. Doesn't the campsite continue across the river, into the top left area of the image and beyond? They erect a temporary bridge IIRC.
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Yes, that's right. There's a riverside campsite on the north bank, they've been doing that a few years now. The buttresses for the pedestrian bridge are left in place year round, and the bridge is floated down the river on a barge. On the opening day, I walk down to that northern campsite to get my wristband, as the queues there are non existent, due to there being no practical walking route to it - it's 5 miles walking to get there if you use the roads and you don't know the snicketts through the woods ;-). And anyone arriving in central Reading by train/car etc would be daft to try and walk that way round.
The northern campsite (usually coded "White") is the quieter area, and this year had some posh camping company there with hard camping pods and the like. Much more civilised place to be for the older Festival goer! But still not as civilised as going home for one's own bed, a hot shower and a fry up the morning after. :-)
90,000 people on site this year.
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Got to the end of the first paragraph before I realised the thread was nothing to do with books after all.
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Doh :)
I've asked the mods to unambiguousify the thread title.
Last edited by: Focus on Thu 30 Aug 12 at 14:50
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Wouldn't worry - my own cultural ignorance and a hint of stupidity is all. Nobody else will think that.
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I think you are culturally ignorant with a hint of stupidity.
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Oh, thats not what you meant, apologies.
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..and the ability to create self deprecating ambiguity at the touch of a button?
And you are not Zero. He would never apologise. Unless it's all a double bluff.
Last edited by: Crankcase on Thu 30 Aug 12 at 15:22
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>> The sheer size of it when viewed from the train amazes me.
Looking at what's left of the campsite now, what amazes me is the number of tents left behind. Must be worth a few quid on ebay for the organisers, if they can be bothered.
Last edited by: Focus on Fri 31 Aug 12 at 21:11
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>> the number of tents left behind. Must be worth a few quid on ebay for the organisers, if they can be bothered
My eldest volunteered to help clean-up the Strawberry Fields Festival site a few weeks ago. The volunteers each found a fair few bottles/cans/coins amongst the rubbish. Many tents abandoned there too, although very few of them were in pristine or even saleable condition. It seems that people are quite happy to pay 50 quid in tesco/halfords/decathlon etc for a tent to use once!
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Reading Festival - RattleandSmoke
