I nearly spat out my tea when I saw that some of these flags have commercial promotions on them.
I gotta say that would never happen down here. There would be an uprising.
It is certainly me. I snarl at people in the supermarket who have the temerity to stand in front of the shelf that I want to take something from. Not accepting that they want exactly the same thing but got there first. I like the thought of Glastonbury but could no more go there than fly to the moon. I love music but have not watched even one segment of this years festival. It is a very well written piece.
Yeah – those are by live Dead people (Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart, etc.) and dead Dead people (Jerry, Pigpen, Keith Godchaux, etc.)
Can they seriously not ban those fkin flags? It’s alright for us at home, but literally thousands of people there will not be able to see a bloody thing.
That article though – “Entitled” people at Glasto? I profoundly disagree with this and so does my wife.
Exactly just ban the fuckers.
As to being able to tolerate the event it appears to be like matching wine with your meal it appears to be a matter of matching your drugs with your designated line up.
I’m annoyed that the bloke wrote that article and literally stole the thoughts out of my head.
There should be a law against that and there will be come the revolution. He’ll be the first up against the wall, closely followed by the flag waving twats*
* Especially the bloke with the old WW Wolves flag, he’s been there for years and should know better
But if he could steal the thoughts out of your head, wouldn’t he just anticipate your arrival and ambush you when you came round to put him up against the wall?
I know that there is an on going debate in the live entertainment business as to whether since Covid audience behaviour has got markedly worse, or people’s tolerance of others has disappeared and therefore there are far more complaints than there used to be. Probably a bit of both. As I refected to myself at the wonderful Crowded House gig last night whilst trying to ignore the people behind me who appeared to think they were in a pub with some background music where they could have a good old chat – until they could bellow along tunelessly at the top of their voices to Weather With You. And don’t get me started on the woman some metres in front who I swear spent half the gig with her arms aloft holdng her phone up in order to capture a load of shakey and inadible video footage that she’ll never look at but could post on social media so her friends could know what an amazing time she was having not paying attention to a band playing their hearts out right in front of her.
Reading this thread, the though occurs that people just go to see live music for very different reasons.
At one extreme, there are people who would probably genuinely prefer to be in an empty room with just the band so that they can hear every golden note, and get an entirely unobstructed view. If you’re in this camp, then obviously any behaviour from those around you which intrudes on your experience is going to feel obtrusive and unnecessary.
At the other extreme, there are people who quite conceivably don’t care whether they can see the band at all, because they’re in attendance to be part of a communal experience, with a bunch of other people all enjoying/perhaps even singing along to, the same music. These people probably struggle to conceive that anyone could possibly want to attend live music and listen in reverent near-silence – what’s the point, just stay home and listen to the records on your todd.
Obviously, most people sit somewhere on the spectrum, but it probably accounts for quite a bit of the bristling that goes on at live shows.
Personally, I’m much more in the “communal experience” camp. It doesn’t mean I’m insensitive to the feelings of others, but the buzz off the crowd, the sound of people singing along, etc is the main reason I’m there. I’m sincere about the flags above – they add far more to the whole atmosphere than they detract, as far as I’m concerned.
People who talk excessively during the show, or who are otherwise antisocial, are, of course, just knobs.
Communal experience – this is what I thought during the Diana Ross set. It only mattered to us at home that she was out of tune. If you were there it was a fantastic mass singalong, a celebration of music, togetherness, life itself. A bit like what I imagine VE Day must have been like (except with less shagging in the fountains perhaps). I know what I mean by this.
One of two Afterworders who has been painted blue in Hull – yourself in the name of art , me as initiation into the Hullfire-Hellfire club. We’re notorious for our appalling behaviour in the queue outside the kebab shop – burning IOU notes in front of the staff, throwing bread rolls at each other and then buttering them in mid-air etc. I’m assuming I will be Prime Minister some day, I have already taken the precaution of being fat, libidinous and completely useless at everything.
Absolutely agree, Bingo. It’s not a library, and part of the enjoyment of the live concert is precisiely that shared experience. That’s exactly what I was feeling with Crowded House – the joy of much loved music, great, singalong songs, and committed, generous performances, shared with other people having the time of their lives. No immaculate hi-fi can ever capture that.
It’s just that, as you so accurately observe, some people really are knobs…
That’s uncanny! Those very people are behind us at Every. Single. Concert. we go to. It’s getting to a point that after I’ve been to all the dates I have still lined up for this and early next year, I’m seriously considering not bothering with live music again*. I just get so wound up that it taints any enjoyment I might have had from the show. It’s even happening at theatre performances now.
I went to Glastonbury for about 15 years and only felt like I was in a crowd a handful of times. I also only saw acts on the main stage a handful of times.
There are 100 different stages on the site, if you don’t like what you’re hearing, or seeing, go and check out what’s happening at a different one.
That said, if I had been there this year, I’d probably have seen Macca. Or tried to…
Given that P and J is effectively a celebration of domestic abuse, I’d be very surprised if that sort of thing was allowed to go unchecked at Glastonbury.
No, there really are 100 stages. But many of them are not music – comedy, theatre, circus, etc. And the site is massive – it has to be to accommodate 200,000 punters.
I just can’t understand why the flags aren’t banned. What possible justification can there be for them, other than allowing people to annoy the fuck out of everyone
You don’t see them at any other big outdoor concert like this
“What possible justification can there be for them” – I think you missed the words “some of these flags have commercial promotions on them”. Absolutely everything takes second place, at best, to advertising. Brush your teeth in the morning and the image in the mirror will probably be sponsored by the good people at Snickers.
There was a brief period in the late noughties where people held up iPads at gigs. Because a phone doesn’t quite block enough of the view . Ideally, it should be possible to project a 50m high and wide screen around yourself so that absolutely nobody whatsoever can see the band, plus a portable 100K PA system so that no-one can hear them above your own inane chattering. What’s the point in only ruining it for the people immediately around you?
I recognize the sense of anomie from when I used to go to Glastonbury – little insecurities and jealousies – everyone else looks better and is having more fun – and a lot of FOMO – I wanted to be everywhere and see/hear everything.
But that feeling usually wore off and I just relaxed into the feeling that wherever I was, there would be something memorable or interesting happening. Usually in the green field or the stone circle – anywhere away from the main drag.
Boneshaker says
If I were more articulate and had been to Glastonbury I could have written that word for word.
dai says
Why on earth do they allow all these flags? It’s even annoying on television
Junior Wells says
I nearly spat out my tea when I saw that some of these flags have commercial promotions on them.
I gotta say that would never happen down here. There would be an uprising.
Moose the Mooche says
It’s better than the bad old days when Glasto was a CND event.
I mean I ask you, CND! were they even legal? Lock ’em up!
SteveT says
It is certainly me. I snarl at people in the supermarket who have the temerity to stand in front of the shelf that I want to take something from. Not accepting that they want exactly the same thing but got there first. I like the thought of Glastonbury but could no more go there than fly to the moon. I love music but have not watched even one segment of this years festival. It is a very well written piece.
Nick L says
Completely agree with all of it but it’s why I don’t go.
duco01 says
Good piece. Very good piece.
eddie g says
This is precisely why I avoid gigs and only buy records. Actually, second hand records. By people who are dead mostly.
Moose the Mooche says
Me too. Dead people are the best.
eddie g says
I especially like live albums by dead people.
Moose the Mooche says
Dick’s Picks?
duco01 says
Yeah – those are by live Dead people (Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart, etc.) and dead Dead people (Jerry, Pigpen, Keith Godchaux, etc.)
Moose the Mooche says
Can they seriously not ban those fkin flags? It’s alright for us at home, but literally thousands of people there will not be able to see a bloody thing.
That article though – “Entitled” people at Glasto? I profoundly disagree with this and so does my wife.
Junior Wells says
Exactly just ban the fuckers.
As to being able to tolerate the event it appears to be like matching wine with your meal it appears to be a matter of matching your drugs with your designated line up.
Razor Boy says
I’m annoyed that the bloke wrote that article and literally stole the thoughts out of my head.
There should be a law against that and there will be come the revolution. He’ll be the first up against the wall, closely followed by the flag waving twats*
* Especially the bloke with the old WW Wolves flag, he’s been there for years and should know better
Jaygee says
But if he could steal the thoughts out of your head, wouldn’t he just anticipate your arrival and ambush you when you came round to put him up against the wall?
Bingo Little says
I like the flags. In fact, I’m waving one right now.
Junior Wells says
You’re up against the wall too Bingo.
Bingo Little says
I’d say you’ll never find me, but the enormous flag makes that unlikely.
Blue Boy says
I know that there is an on going debate in the live entertainment business as to whether since Covid audience behaviour has got markedly worse, or people’s tolerance of others has disappeared and therefore there are far more complaints than there used to be. Probably a bit of both. As I refected to myself at the wonderful Crowded House gig last night whilst trying to ignore the people behind me who appeared to think they were in a pub with some background music where they could have a good old chat – until they could bellow along tunelessly at the top of their voices to Weather With You. And don’t get me started on the woman some metres in front who I swear spent half the gig with her arms aloft holdng her phone up in order to capture a load of shakey and inadible video footage that she’ll never look at but could post on social media so her friends could know what an amazing time she was having not paying attention to a band playing their hearts out right in front of her.
Sorry. As you were…
Bingo Little says
Reading this thread, the though occurs that people just go to see live music for very different reasons.
At one extreme, there are people who would probably genuinely prefer to be in an empty room with just the band so that they can hear every golden note, and get an entirely unobstructed view. If you’re in this camp, then obviously any behaviour from those around you which intrudes on your experience is going to feel obtrusive and unnecessary.
At the other extreme, there are people who quite conceivably don’t care whether they can see the band at all, because they’re in attendance to be part of a communal experience, with a bunch of other people all enjoying/perhaps even singing along to, the same music. These people probably struggle to conceive that anyone could possibly want to attend live music and listen in reverent near-silence – what’s the point, just stay home and listen to the records on your todd.
Obviously, most people sit somewhere on the spectrum, but it probably accounts for quite a bit of the bristling that goes on at live shows.
Personally, I’m much more in the “communal experience” camp. It doesn’t mean I’m insensitive to the feelings of others, but the buzz off the crowd, the sound of people singing along, etc is the main reason I’m there. I’m sincere about the flags above – they add far more to the whole atmosphere than they detract, as far as I’m concerned.
People who talk excessively during the show, or who are otherwise antisocial, are, of course, just knobs.
Moose the Mooche says
Communal experience – this is what I thought during the Diana Ross set. It only mattered to us at home that she was out of tune. If you were there it was a fantastic mass singalong, a celebration of music, togetherness, life itself. A bit like what I imagine VE Day must have been like (except with less shagging in the fountains perhaps). I know what I mean by this.
Jaygee says
They’ve got water back in the fountains in Hull now, Moose.
I told you no/some* good would come out of that City of Culture business
* Delete as appropriate
Moose the Mooche says
Probably the biggest fountain in Hull* is directly outside the BBC building, so there’d be plenty of cameras.
*steady
hubert rawlinson says
This one Moosey?
In keeping with the thread title “That’s me, that is”
Moose the Mooche says
One of two Afterworders who has been painted blue in Hull – yourself in the name of art , me as initiation into the Hullfire-Hellfire club. We’re notorious for our appalling behaviour in the queue outside the kebab shop – burning IOU notes in front of the staff, throwing bread rolls at each other and then buttering them in mid-air etc. I’m assuming I will be Prime Minister some day, I have already taken the precaution of being fat, libidinous and completely useless at everything.
Blue Boy says
Absolutely agree, Bingo. It’s not a library, and part of the enjoyment of the live concert is precisiely that shared experience. That’s exactly what I was feeling with Crowded House – the joy of much loved music, great, singalong songs, and committed, generous performances, shared with other people having the time of their lives. No immaculate hi-fi can ever capture that.
It’s just that, as you so accurately observe, some people really are knobs…
Black Type says
That’s uncanny! Those very people are behind us at Every. Single. Concert. we go to. It’s getting to a point that after I’ve been to all the dates I have still lined up for this and early next year, I’m seriously considering not bothering with live music again*. I just get so wound up that it taints any enjoyment I might have had from the show. It’s even happening at theatre performances now.
*Apart from Springsteen.
fentonsteve says
I went to Glastonbury for about 15 years and only felt like I was in a crowd a handful of times. I also only saw acts on the main stage a handful of times.
There are 100 different stages on the site, if you don’t like what you’re hearing, or seeing, go and check out what’s happening at a different one.
That said, if I had been there this year, I’d probably have seen Macca. Or tried to…
Junior Wells says
Is 100 an exaggeration?
How many are there and what is distance between each one?
Is sound bleed a problem?
Moose the Mooche says
This figure does include all the Punch and Judy stands.
Jaygee says
Given that P and J is effectively a celebration of domestic abuse, I’d be very surprised if that sort of thing was allowed to go unchecked at Glastonbury.
Moose the Mooche says
On a tiny stage there’s a kazoo-like noise, an uncoordinated and very ugly figure barking inanities and some gratuitous violence.
Audience member: “I’m assuming this is a Fall tribute act”
hubert rawlinson says
Not forgetting the sausages, meat free alternatives are available.
fentonsteve says
No, there really are 100 stages. But many of them are not music – comedy, theatre, circus, etc. And the site is massive – it has to be to accommodate 200,000 punters.
retropath2 says
https://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/line-up/line-up-2022/?stage
So, 86 stages. Plus a fair few “let’s just put the show on right here” unofficial stages and performers.
Moose the Mooche says
And jugglers. Don’t forget the jugglers.
*checks battery in taser*
fentonsteve says
Since when has the AW been home to such pedantry? Erm…
Thegp says
I just can’t understand why the flags aren’t banned. What possible justification can there be for them, other than allowing people to annoy the fuck out of everyone
You don’t see them at any other big outdoor concert like this
Moose the Mooche says
“What possible justification can there be for them” – I think you missed the words “some of these flags have commercial promotions on them”. Absolutely everything takes second place, at best, to advertising. Brush your teeth in the morning and the image in the mirror will probably be sponsored by the good people at Snickers.
Thegp says
And whilst I’m at it. The fuckers filming the whole concert on their phones. Put them down! Enjoy the moment! This is why you have a memory.
You wouldn’t have seen someone with a camcorder on their shoulder in the old days
Moose the Mooche says
There was a brief period in the late noughties where people held up iPads at gigs. Because a phone doesn’t quite block enough of the view . Ideally, it should be possible to project a 50m high and wide screen around yourself so that absolutely nobody whatsoever can see the band, plus a portable 100K PA system so that no-one can hear them above your own inane chattering. What’s the point in only ruining it for the people immediately around you?
salwarpe says
I recognize the sense of anomie from when I used to go to Glastonbury – little insecurities and jealousies – everyone else looks better and is having more fun – and a lot of FOMO – I wanted to be everywhere and see/hear everything.
But that feeling usually wore off and I just relaxed into the feeling that wherever I was, there would be something memorable or interesting happening. Usually in the green field or the stone circle – anywhere away from the main drag.
Moose the Mooche says
That’s no way to talk about Elton John etc
salwarpe says
Turning round at the sound of a lid crashing to the floor, I saw him trying to sneak off with a large bag of basmati from one of the food stalls.
“It’s no sack of rice” he protested. “Just a cymbal you heard”