Always fancied going, for the music, but the crowds and facilities would inevitably be the downside for me. Anyway, here's a quiz.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4pKb22lxCKksmJvY888hnlc/quiz-how-glastonbury-are-you
3/10 for me, all guesswork...
Last edited by: smokie on Wed 24 Jun 15 at 09:37
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8/10 for me. Total fluke though, didn't know a single one.
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Two. The pictures aren't clues.
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2/10
Oh dear, I'm not quite the full Pyramid Stage, am I?
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>> The pictures aren't clues.
Which it seems, is why I only got three! Subliminal Trickery I call it.
Last edited by: Zero on Wed 24 Jun 15 at 12:04
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Only 4. Never been, more of a Reading man for obvious reasons.
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>> more of a Reading man for obvious reasons.
Because you like Libraries?
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Capitals matter dear Velox, capitals.
;-)
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Guessed the lot and got 2/10.
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2/10. I clicked where my pointer was, which happened to be the first answer in each case.
The questions were gibberish to me.
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5 with some educated guesses.
Saw a sort of Glastonbury greatest hits programme on BBC4 the other day, and the sheer size of the crowds in front of the main stage really put me off; too old for that sort of thing. It would take a few hours to get to a loo and back, and what is that loo going to be like? Nah, might watch a bit on TV.
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Going to see Metallica at Reading this year, Fl. I am toying with the idea of going down the front with my more robust pals. I swore "never again" after doing that for Rage Against the Machine a few years ago, but I am tempted for one last hurrah.
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Four here. Total guesswork.
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>> Going to see Metallica at Reading this year, Fl. I am toying with the idea
>> of going down the front
Err.. good luck with that :o
At least now they've built the viaduct at Reading station I'll be able to see what's going on coming back from Bath on Friday evening (they inconsiderately built a fence a few years ago that obscured my view). That's the closest I'll get :)
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I'd pay NOT to go! (Yes I was young once!)
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So was I. Age is no barrier to stupidity.
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7/10
Multiple choice questions always make the mistake of trying to put the possible answers in a way that looks artificially random. They avoid putting the first correct answer as the first option or the last. So I went for the 2nd. Then I thought they won't repeat that position, it doesn't look random enough, so I went for 3. After that I just went 1,2,3, 1,2,3, etc to the end.
With quizzes that seek answers to real questions, like stopping distances or the year some event happened, they usually have four choices.
One totally stupid and obvious in one extreme.
Another equally implausible in the opposite extreme
Two reasonably likely answers, but one designed to mislead by having some superficial similarity to the answer to another better known question.
That leaves one remaining, which on average is more likely than not to be correct, or likely enough to get a pass anyway.
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>>but I am tempted for one last hurrah. <<
Do it Alanovic, we're of to Wembley to see AC/DC a week on Saturday for 'one last hurrah', but then again I said that last time they were at Wembley too!
You're never too old.......neither am I :)
Pat
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>> we're of to Wembley to see AC/DC a week on Saturday for
>> 'one last hurrah', but then again I said that last time they were at Wembley
>> too!
Saw them at Hampden on Saturday..... you'll enjoy Pat!!
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Every bit as good as 4 years ago, I bet and Angus is still as nimble too:)
I can't wait now!!
I bet I'll be the oldest one there but I don't care....
Pat
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>>I bet I'll be the oldest one there but I don't care....
Just leap up and down and wave your knickers in the air, and I feel sure y'all be accepted.
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Brilliant show Richard W:)
Back home now after checking out of the hotel early for breakfast at The Ace Café.....a rather fitting way to round it off.
Pat
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>> Going to see Metallica at Reading this year, Fl. I am toying with the idea
>> of going down the front with my more robust pals.
Glad to see you survived the experience, but how was it (and the festival in general)?
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I stayed about halfway back for Metallica in the end. Awesome show. Awesome. My mate who has been going since the late 70s said that it was the best headline performance he'd ever seen. This is no faint praise from this geezer, he knows his stuff.
I think it's on BBC iPlayer - well worth looking if it's your bag.
Other highlights for me were Ash, on one of the smaller stages, and just before Metallica too, so a terrific evening all round.
Discovery of the weekend - And So I Watch You From Afar. I went to see these purely based on their tremendous name. And it paid off. Mostly instrumental metal - difficult thing to pull off but these blokes did. Irish band, Belfast variety (tricolours in the crowd were the first hint). Marvellous, will seek them out again.
Honourable mention to Walking on Cars - another Irish bunch, more traditional indie sound, and they were on very early, before midday, which is a hard gig.
Baroness were another good metal band.
Foals were the "surprise" act on Saturday afternoon - my mates went ga-ga for them but I'm not so sure. They're a bit monotonous to my ear. Which isn't very sophisticated I don't think. I'm in the minority on them probably.
Oh yeah - just remembered another good one - San Firmin. Big band from New York, trumpets and saxes as well as the usual guitars and drums. A bit jazzy, but some of their tunes worked for me. Anyone in to a bit of jazz and complimicated stuff with multiple instruments and sounds would do well to check them out.
Last edited by: Alanović on Tue 1 Sep 15 at 10:31
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Good set of pics from the Mail to show what we're (not) missing:
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3137192/Raincoats-ready-100-000-hippies-hangers-music-fans-descend-Glastonbury-bag-best-spots-tents.html
EDIT: top comment "This article is how i know i am a middle aged bore,because i read it and thought about the toilets,the mud and getting all my stuff nicked !!!" - we ought to send him a forum invite :)
Last edited by: Focusless on Wed 24 Jun 15 at 12:54
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I camped at Le Mans for the 24h a week or so back and the crowd there was estimated at 263,500, which is considerably more than Glastonbury. However the spectacle takes place over a much larger area so the crowd isn't all crammed into one spot trying to see a stage (or two of three stages...).
The sanitary facilities leave a bit to be desired though, as I'm sure they do at Glastonbury. And thieving from tents can also be something of a problem, never suffered myself though.
However at least you can take your car into the camping which saves lugging everything in (including your beer supply) on a trolley - and means you can go out to replenish supplies, and go for a McPlop if the onsites become unbearable!!
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Sometimes I despair of this world...
From the BBC Report;
".... Kanye West's performance will be watched with interest after a petition calling on Glastonbury to drop him in favour of a rock band attracted 134,000 signatures.
Organiser Emily Eavis said she also received death threats from those who do not want him to play."
Death threats? What are these people like? I mean, what is in the mind of someone who makes any death threats, never mind over who does or does not play at a concert.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Wed 24 Jun 15 at 13:37
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>> >>
>> Death threats? What are these people like? I mean, what is in the mind of
>> someone who makes any death threats, never mind over who does or does not play
>> at a concert.
>>
There are more out than in. There probably isn't a public figure out there who hasn't received a death threat at one time or another, the types who send them can often be seen posting on the comments section of the Daily Mail.
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>> Death threats? What are these people like? I mean, what is in the mind of
>> someone who makes any death threats, never mind over who does or does not play
>> at a concert.
Have you heard Kayne West?
youtu.be/BBAtAM7vtgc?t=61
I'll go with the death threats.
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The man is an a*** without question.
But death threats to someone who booked him?
135,000 signed the petition against booking him. 140,000 people have bought tickets.
Guess its gonna be quiet there this year, then.
Either that, or all the idiots who signed the petition weren't going anyway.
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>>Good set of pics from the Mail to show what we're (not) missing:
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3137192/Raincoats-ready-100-000-hippies-hangers-music-fans-descend-Glastonbury-bag-best-spots-tents.html
That takes me back over 45 years. The only difference (I can see) is that I don't recall seeing all the glug being carted about (plenty of cannabis of course + a bit of LSD)
I'm 62 now and I reckon I wouldn't look out of place if I were to 'honour' an event like that with my presence
(who's he trying to kid!)
:o}
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Just got back from a couple of days in Glastonbury. The town itself is nowhere near the festival of course, but still beginning to fill with various festival goers from new agers to rockers to hippies, so I got lots of good photos.
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Don't see the attraction of these festivals myself, but understand some do. What does irk me is the BBC sending most of their staff there and devoting loads of the weekend programming to it.
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>>The only difference (I can see) is that I don't recall seeing all the glug being carted about
Dunno about you, but I couldn't afford it. I cannot imagine being able to afford the tents and sleeping bags they all use, never mind the posh clothes and booze. Black bin liners were a godsend.
I'd never have touched anything else if there'd always been booze available.
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My crowd and I weren't really into booze back in the day. We were stoned from Friday night to Sunday night through. We used to frequent the Crown pub, & the Frigate pub in Leicester sq. buy a pint of cider and make it last all evening :)
I can't in all honesty recall much about the music festivals we went to (see above!) I know I went to one in Hyde Park where Pink Floyd were performing, another one was at Parliament Hill Fields, PF were there too :) I was on acid and it wasn't an altogether pleasant experience.
Another one I can just about remember was staged at the Oval cricket ground, gawd knows who were playing there though.
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"Another one I can just about remember was staged at the Oval cricket ground, gawd knows who were playing there though."
Surrey?
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I wonder who the frownie was from.
:o}
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>>1972 Hawkwind I'd guess
You are quite correct sir - confirmed by her who resides indoors.
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Went to one or two of those big country rock festivals a very long time ago. Crowds, mud, traffic jams in and out, a whole day on your feet, damn waste of time and money. You might get to hear the twang of a guitar in the distance if you're lucky...
Rock is better indoors, nature just absorbs the sound. Roundhouse had its moments right at the start, and I heard Hawkwind in a bare concrete garage in subzero temperatures one New Year's eve. Thought they were terrific - perhaps it was all the drugs because they were always disappointing after that.
I went to one of those Parliament Hill gigs too. Grace Slick was, er, slick, but the rest of the band, whose name I can't remember but which passed for heavy sugar at the time, was unmemorable. Not Fairport Convention but something like that... duh.
We lay on the grass in the distance when the Stones gave their gig in Hyde Park after Brian Jones got drowned. A mawkish occasion, but drugs are always a great help in times of stress.
:o}
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>>Grace Slick was, er, slick, but the rest of the band, whose name I can't remember but which passed for heavy sugar at the time, was unmemorable. Not Fairport Convention but something like that... duh.
Airplane: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnP72uUt_pU
Last edited by: Dog on Wed 24 Jun 15 at 19:53
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>> Airplane: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnP72uUt_pU
You cool Perro, and more compos than some of we... Jerry Garcia rings a sort of bell.
Ephemeral stuff all that, or most of it. Rock music was never anything else though. Can be wonderful live when even the most rural sort of hipster band manages to get it on.
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I have Jefferson Airplane's 2nd album on vinyl (Surrealistic Pillow) knocking about here somewhere or other.
I also have The Incredible String Band's 'Liquid Acrobat as Regards the Air' on CD :)
Perhaps we passed by each other once upon a time at the Round House, although I preferred it at the Middle Earth club in Covent Garden, and y'all could get a liver sausage & onion roll from the van outside at 5am in the morning.
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I'd never heard of them before, but I have now "Sassafras is a hard rock band from the UK formed in 1970. Their debut Expecting Company in 1973 was followed by the albums Wheelin' N' Dealin' (1975) and Riding High (1976)".
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.
Last edited by: Dog on Wed 24 Jun 15 at 23:12
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>> I bet none of you has seen this mob
Never heard of them.
They aren't total rubbish though, not bad actually.
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>> Hawkwind in a bare concrete garage in subzero temperatures one New Year's eve. Thought they were terrific - perhaps it was all the drugs because they were always disappointing after that.
It wasn't just the drugs. The garage, a raw concrete box somewhere close to Euston Road with room for the band and 50 or so standing punters, had fantastically sharp acoustics. Perhaps the low temperature made them even sharper. Anyway that was memorable, till the day I die.
Tsk. Unlike Hawkwind the next time I heard them.
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>> Went to one or two of those big country rock festivals a very long time
>> ago. Crowds, mud, traffic jams in and out, a whole day on your feet, damn
>> waste of time and money. You might get to hear the twang of a guitar
>> in the distance if you're lucky...
We've been to The Big Feastival a couple of times in recent years, which is a lot more pleasant for us more mature folk. It's geared up to be a family do, with a mixture of music and food, and generally more relaxed than the big music-only events designed to appeal (mainly) to youngsters. Because it's relatively small, you can sit down on your camping chair not too far from the stage, where you can both hear and see what's going on. Or you can get to the front of the stage without too much difficulty if you so desire. A pint of 5% cider wasn't exorbitantly expensive.
Of course it does depend on the weather though, and the acts wouldn't headline Glastonbury; last year's finale was Jamie Cullum who we enjoyed a lot. This year it's Paloma Faith (although I don't think we're going).
I think smaller festivals like this can still be fun and enjoyable if you're not a hard-core festivalist(?) like Alanovic.
BTW chap who owns the place I'm in at the moment in Bath went to the very first Glastonbury; keep meaning to ask for more details, assuming he can remember...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fagyux673Yo Big Feastival 2014
Last edited by: Focusless on Wed 24 Jun 15 at 20:36
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It would kill me to go to one of those things now. Even if I could stand the clamour and the boring music and boring general discourse. Couldn't hack it, wouldn't try.
Still good fun for some though. Go for it darlings!
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Pretty sure Hawkwind played the Wake Arms pub near Epping, which hosted some serious rock bands in the late 60s/early 70s. This was quite near my school (boarding) so we made trips there (physical, not acid!) quite often.
Wikipedia says "The Wake Arms public house (now demolished), which was about 50 yards (46 m) north of the Loughton boundary in Waltham Abbey on a roundabout, was a notable rock music venue from 1968–1973, hosting bands such as Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Genesis, Pretty Things, Status Quo, Uriah Heep, and Van der Graaf Generator"
This page www.leehawkins.com/NoFrames/Gigs/notes.htm has a poster for the Quo gig, along with Thin Lizzy, in 1971 - 40p entry.
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Heh heh... what is it you smokin smokie never mind I jus axin...
Must have heard all those bands too. Can't remember the sound from one of them. Not necessarily their fault though. It was a clamorous era.
Had a friend, a music buff really, who liked the idea of Pretty Things because he thought he was pretty. Right twozzer in reality. With a huge jazz collection and quite sensible discourse on it too.
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>> Because it's relatively small, you can
>> sit down on your camping chair not too far from the stage, where you can
>> both hear and see what's going on. Or you can get to the front of
>> the stage without too much difficulty if you so desire. A pint of 5% cider
>> wasn't exorbitantly expensive.
Reading Fest - I spend all day until sunset sat in a camping chair at one stage or another. Sometimes all day at the main stage, depending on the bands. Gets a bit hairy for the last two acts of the day, have to collapse the chair then, or move further back. The sound systems are very good these days (I can clearly identify who is playing the main stage from my back garden, my neighbours houses are visible from in front of the main stage - always fun when someone asks "where are you from?", and I can point at the houses on the hill amongst the trees). It doesn't have to be mad if know what you're doing.
>> I think smaller festivals like this can still be fun and enjoyable if you're not
>> a hard-core festivalist(?) like Alanovic.
Friends of mine who have remained un-childrened and therefore fat of bank balance attend many small festivals every summer, I'd do likewise if funds/time permitted. But we still all do Reading for geographical reasons really - those of my mates who aren't local kip at houses of those who are, nobody needs to camp. I didn't attend last year as the line up was truly dire - really aimed at the under 25s. This year, Metallica and Ash have tempted me to get a day ticket. Dadrock. :-)
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>> Reading Fest - I spend all day until sunset sat in a camping chair at
>> one stage or another.
Ok, I admit it does sound tempting...
I was going to say that it's not cheap though at £66.50 per day (£213 for 3 days' camping), even if excellent value given what's on offer. Then I had another look at the Big Feastival site - £69.50 for Sunday tickets!
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See you there on the Saturday, FL. You can buy disposable camping chairs on the way in for a fiver. There is a real ale bar these days. Oh, and taxis will queue opposite the exit at the end of the day.
Sign of the devil, dude.
;-)
Last edited by: Alanović on Thu 25 Jun 15 at 11:12
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>> See you there on the Saturday, FL.
Well I did mention it to Mrs F, and she did go as far as looking at the line up. But she pointed out that she only knows the 3 headliners, and she's not fans of any of them. I said I'd have a look, as I'm down with the kids. Err... maybe 6; we both know Royal Blood although she's forgotten, and I could recognise a Bastille tune, I think. And I've definitely heard of the Maccabees. But that's it.
And of the 100+ acts on the other stages, I've heard of Limp Bizkit. Oh dear.
Of course you could argue that it's a splendid opportunity to expand our musical horizons. But I'm afraid there's got to be at least a few bands we've heard of and that we want to see to make us splash out 130-odd quid.
I'm actually watching Suede playing Glastonbury live at the moment, albeit on TV, and that's the sort of thing that might entice me away from the comfort of a cosy living room with a well stocked fridge nearby :)
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I see your point entirely, it's why I didn't go last year for the first time in about 20. This year Metallica and Ash are enough to tempt me to schlep the 200-odd yards to the main stage (as the crow flies, somewhat further as the wellie walks, due to Thames bridging issues), I am a massive fan of both bands.
The rest of my Festival-going acquaintances, who go every year regardless, do indeed propound the "broaden your horizons" line - the breadth of my horizons, I think, has distinct limits theses days, there's not much new I appreciate any more (except the brilliant 2 recent albums by Mark Morriss, former front man of the Bluetones).
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>>This year Metallica and Ash are enough to tempt me to schlep the 200-odd yards to the main stage
Um, scuse my senectitude, but, d'you mean Wishbone?
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No. Just Ash. '90s band from Norn Iron.
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"More (good) DM pics:"
Splendid - maybe a bit less crowded in the rest of the country. Meanwhile, we'll be down at the Apex for a dose of Mozart, Brahms and Glazunov and, if it all gets too much, the toilet facilities are excellent.
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I've been watching the box in some confusion this evening. 'President Bananarama tonight said...'
Have I got this right? We don't want yellow chaps all over everything.
Michael Eavis who must have become immensely rich from the use of his land was on the box too. He has to be the envy of thousands of other farmers.
Farming's very hard work though. I couldn't begin to do it.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Fri 26 Jun 15 at 20:54
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>>Michael Eavis who must have become immensely rich from the use of his land.... >>
I thought that very, very substantial sums were donated to charity as a result of the festival each year?
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Yes, this year's charities are Oxfam, Water Aid and Greenpeace. I think it's "all profits", I honestly don't know how much of a cut Eavis and family take before declaring the profit.
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>> I honestly don't know how much of a cut Eavis and family take before declaring the profit.
I don't suppose many people do! Nevertheless there's a lot of cash floating about on these occasions, and it would be surprising indeed if none of it went to the landowner.
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I believe this thread has been trimmed. At least one post of mine has gone.
Not complaining, just noticing.
Could there be a rogue moderator? :o}
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>> Not me...
I'll give you a clue, Starts with D and sounds like Dave.
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>> I believe this thread has been trimmed. At least one post of mine has gone.
Are you sure it's not just you losing your memory?
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>> Are you sure it's not just you losing your memory?
Yes. But it's no big deal. Forgeddaboudit.
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Rogue moderator? What *are* you on?
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>> What *are* you on?
What are those goddam asterisks meant to signify? Aren't inverted commas good enough for you FMR? And why would anyone in their right mind emphasize the word are, actually?
Write English for God's sake.
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>> Write English for God's sake.
Perhaps you meant 'are' to be in italic. That would have been OK I suppose.
To answer your question: I'm on less than usual or desirable actually. Bad for the disposition.
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>> What are those goddam asterisks meant to signify?
www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=asterisk
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>> We don't want yellow chaps all over everything.
I showed that post to Herself thinking it would amuse her, and she said it was racist!
Of course she's well up in world culture and demotic language in other countries. But I didn't say 'high yaller'. It's not an English expression. I was just thinking of the bananas in Bananarama. Either she was teasing me or getting at me... I'm well used to both of course.
Bit of a minefield, life.
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And this is what's left:
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3142856/As-year-s-Glastonbury-closes-big-clean-begins.html
:o (well no big surprise really)
EDIT: top comment - "What a filthy, rotten mess. Enough about Kanye West's set anyway, that rubbish needs clearing up as well...." :)
Last edited by: Focusless on Tue 30 Jun 15 at 13:18
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My ex-wife went this year for the first time, staying in the glam-camping section. This is part of the account she sent me:
"Best bits for me were the small impromptu things that happened away from the main stages, people just spontaneously making their own music; security guards dancing to drummers; the staff at a tea stall suddenly doing a song and dance routine during a slack interlude. A really great non-threatening goodwill-vibe everywhere, amazing for 175,000 people many of whom were at least slightly drunk. It's huge, a temporary city. The littering was the only thing that dismayed me. Even though volunteers agree to clear it after the festival to get a free ticket I don't like the fact that so few people take responsibility for their own mess and no one seems to care. I'm sure they make plenty of money to cover it but it bothers me because if that's a microcosm of the situation on our planet it is depressing."
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>>I don't like the fact that so few people take responsibility for their own mess and no one seems to care. I'm sure they make plenty of money to cover it but it bothers me because if that's a microcosm of the situation on our planet it is depressing."
Tell the ex she gets a, um, big thumbs up from Dog.
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>> >>I don't like the fact that so few people take responsibility for their own mess
>> and no one seems to care. I'm sure they make plenty of money to cover
>> it but it bothers me because if that's a microcosm of the situation on our
>> planet it is depressing."
Yet another example of people expecting "them" to sort it out.
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>>
>> Yet another example of people expecting "them" to sort it out.
>>
Well, it seems that "they" do sort it out.
I understand that 800 volunteers get free entry in return for litter clearance after the concert.
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Problem with a thing like Glastonbury is that any litter bins or collection points will soon be overwhelmed, and there are enough litter louts - although the British aren't too bad in this respect - to make any long-term attempt at tidiness redundant.
Hence the organisers' concessionary attitude to people who will then help to clear up, a commonsense solution. It's going to be very muddy after being trampled on by all those people.
Been there, done that, never again fingers crossed. Only for the young and rich rock stars who get helicoptered in.
PS: does anyone know what the effects are on the land from the farming point of view after a decade or two of these festivals? Perhaps there aren't any.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Tue 7 Jul 15 at 16:08
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Glastonbury - sooty123
