Music Festivals

I've never really been interested in such things before but I do know they are a massive thing for the young ones in recent years and the reason I mention it is that my daughter at long last has got tickets to go to this years Glastonbury, something she's been trying to do for about the last 10 years or so now.

Apparently it is a bit poor for headline acts this year - 80 year old Paul McCartney??? - but it's just going and experiencing the whole thing that she is so looking forward too.

I imagine it will be a nightmare getting there and back with the train strike adding hugely to it - but I doubt it will put anyone off from going.

Any of you hippies/head bangers/whatever you ares, want to tell your festival tales or is it what goes on at the festival, stays at the festival?

Genius.

Going to my first ever festival in Leeds in August.  I’m sure I’ll be the one of the oldest people there, but something I wanted to experience. 
Booked a “luxury” tent so it’ll be a bit more enjoyable!

Cropredy has been my only regular festival. Last one was 2017.

Festies get harder as you get older but if you take your home comforts - in my case the camper van - and don't get too out of it they can be brilliant. Last one I went to was Equinox on the Lincolnshire Wolds last year - no headline bands and only a few thousand there but still a great few days camping, listening to some great music from non-mainstream genres and catching up and partying with family and friends. Plenty of old hippies and punks knocking about - saw one guy literally rocking his zimmer frame but mainly young folk looking for something different.
Last mainstream festie I went to was Latitude a few years back - which was OK - a very middle class affair with ballet, classical music, a bit of world music in the WOMAD style, pink sheep, comedy - a sort of scaled down Glasto with not quite the same level of commerciality - though not for the want of trying. Wasn't impressed with the modern indie bands like Chvrches TBH but that's probably because I'm a grumpy old f***** who's seen it/heard it before.

In general I reckon festivals are good for the soul and I hope I have the energy to do a few more yet.

My daughter has been to loads of festivals, there's a big one in Reading apparently that she's been to a few times, went to one on the Isle of Wight a few years back and one she seemed to like to go to over Winchester way and plenty in and around London and the south east.

She's been wanting to go to Glastonbury for years and yet again missed out on tickets but manage to get two from returns (or something like that?).

I think it cost something like £300 per ticket and it lasts 5 days, which seems reasonable at £60 per day for presumably live music all day long, although saying that I'm sure she says a lot of the stuff is done by DJ's???

Hope after the long wait for her it lives up to her expectations and she has a good time - which I'm sure she will. She's going with a friend and they are meeting up with a third friend who got tickets separately so she's in company she knows and no doubt will look out for each other whilst they are there.

Hope the traffic jams won't be too bad for them all!

I went to Reading festival in 1993 to see New Order but not been to one since, i prefer my little basement gigs these days.

My one and only festival appearance was Bickershawe 1972 to watch The Grateful Dead. Almost drowned in the rain,mud, misery and cold and departed just as The Dead took to the stage last on Day 3 of the most miserable weekend of my life. Couldn't take any more. I confine myself to the BBC tent during Glasto these days.

Think Nat is well known at Glastonbury this year…

McCartney. 80 years old and banging out a 3 hour set. Incredible IMO.
TBF he has the songs to do it.

Sadly not the voice though.

boltonbonce wrote:Genius.

He was brilliant.
Although TBF the toilet block stage always draws a big crowd of people queuing

Very funny.

I have to say, there are older fogeys than Brucie appearing at Glasto these days.

After Wimbledon on Thursday, I was coerced into taking the missus and campervan to "Sign of the Times" festival this weekend with two other couples who are into 80s/90s pop music. Despite my reticence, the predominantly 50-something crowd and some shit bands, it turned out to be quite enjoyable.
Friday we watched Theatre of Hate, Pop will Eat Itself, The Farm, Big Country, The Skids (Echo and the Bunnymen cancelled at the last minute but apparently the lead guitarist of BC was also the guitarist of the Skids so he just substituted a couple of his mates and did a double set) and then UB40 by which time I was merry enough to sing along and dance with the girls and a good time was had by all. I'm beginning to think UB40 are a guilty pleasure.
Yesterday we watched a couple of SKA bands (Death of Guitar Pop and later, The Beat who were excellent) Spear of Destiny, Republica, Hue and Cry (talented but witteringly long-winded) The Undertones (Feargal Sharkey was surprisingly good and the set was great) Lightning Seeds (mainly boring but finished with Three Lions which had the entire crowd singing) Boomtown Rats (Bob Geldof is a tw@t - official) and New Model Army v Shed Seven (mates dragging me from one stage to another but when it started raining I was definitely watching the former as they were in a massive marquee) Some of the less well known bands were OK too and even Bez didn't wind me up DJing the Manc thing between some of the sets.

Even though this festie and this ageing "post punk/Two Tone/wannabe mod" crowd was definitely not my thing, £89 for two days camping and this line up seemed good VFM and I would definitely do it again, especially if we can tag it on to a day out at Wimbledon. Our campervans were only 250m from the arena entrance - which is excellent compared to most festies where you have to walk miles - and the food stalls, retailers and bars didn't take the mickey too much. And the rain stayed away until Geldof came on.

Excellent weekend.

Sorry Lusty we can no longer be friends if you like UB40 

Norpig wrote:Sorry Lusty we can no longer be friends if you like UB40 

I'm now having to check out UB40, in order to ascertain what kind of a noise they could possibly make that would offend the seemingly bullet proof ears of our friend Norpig.

Red, red wiiiiiiiine goes to my head…..

boltonbonce wrote:
I'm now having to check out UB40, in order to ascertain what kind of a noise they could possibly make that would offend the seemingly bullet proof ears of our friend Norpig.

the most insipid reggae band ever, Keegan would hate them as well 

I like them, or at least I used to.  Best have a listen to decide if I still do…

BoltonTillIDie wrote:I like them, or at least I used to.  Best have a listen to decide if I still do…

Save yourself the torment, they are shit