Clarky Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 (edited) Just back from Download festival - Prodigy on Friday and Metallica last night were both excellent but I decided to skip the third day as I could foresee horrendous traffic problems. They really don't have a clue how to control the traffic. It started on the opening day when it took me two hours to do the last 2 miles to the car park on Friday (by the way there were loads of cars stuck deep in mud on the car park field, wheel-spinning like crazy, which will likely have to be towed out by tractors some time this week). Yesterday we decided to skip this farce and take a taxi from our hotel .... which was fine on the way there but we queued at the rank for two hours on the way back ... and we were in the first 50 people in a queue that stretched back many hundreds of yards. Basically total gridlock in the area, no cars moving anywhere and taxis unable to get out or enter the drop off zone. One posh businessman chap was on the phone berating the traffic control people who were refusing to do anything, saying the system had worked for ten years so why should they change it, seemingly oblivious to the nightmare they were causing festival-goers? There were people in wheelchairs, kids and tired adults all needing to get back to homes/hotels/campsites. By comparison last year's Sonisphere and Reading festivals were organised with military precision. I certainly won't go to Download again and - judging by the people around us in the taxi queue yesterday - I am far from alone. The incompetence also extended to the festival itself. My son's mate was in one of the opening bands for Friday but his band's set was cancelled because the festival weren't ready to open on time - can you imagine how p*ssed you would have been if that had happened to you and your band? Oh well, at least Prodigy and Metallica were on good form - as mentioned - and best laughs of yesterday were had from the utterly hilarious set from spoof metallers Steel Panther \nn/ Edited June 10, 2012 by Clarky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oggiesnr Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 The real problem is the location of Donnington Park, the road for that last few miles has never been able to cope with an event of any size, for the Superbikes the queue usually starts ten miles down the M1. It's also why there was much hollow laughter when a contract was signed to move the British F1 Grand Prix there, it was a non-starter from the get go. Any bad weather just makes the whole thing a lot worse. Mind you it's not just Donnington, try getting out of Knebworth after a big gig. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 [quote name='oggiesnr' timestamp='1339360190' post='1687495'] Mind you it's not just Donnington, try getting out of Knebworth after a big gig. [/quote] We live less than 5 miles from Knebworth park. The first time we went to a concert there we got home at about 4am! It was a lesson learned and we subsequently parked in Stevenage and walked the mile or so to the car before the 10 minute drive home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 previous years when ive been to download the traffic has been bad, but not all that bad considering the best part of 100,000 festival goers are moving about, didnt go cos i was skint this year, but from what ive been hearing from people im glad i didnt bother Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0175westwood29 Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 wait a min! you stayed in a hotel!! give some fairness man the weather was a bit of a factor as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted June 10, 2012 Author Share Posted June 10, 2012 [quote name='0175westwood29' timestamp='1339361028' post='1687525'] wait a min! you stayed in a hotel!! give some fairness man the weather was a bit of a factor as well! [/quote] Yep, I'm 48, I'm not staying in a sodding camp with the 18 y/o's! And as for the weather, it was appalling on Friday (leaving the festival arena as a mudbath) but had no impact on the travel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0175westwood29 Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 [quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1339361192' post='1687531'] Yep, I'm 48, I'm not staying in a sodding camp with the 18 y/o's! And as for the weather, it was appalling on Friday (leaving the festival arena as a mudbath) but had no impact on the travel [/quote] was only kidding man! its also in a bad place to get to! leeds festival is really bad to get in theres one way in and out!!!! a bit of traffic is to be expected man! its annoying at the time but an extra 100,000 people around traffic unavoidable dude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 I can't deal with UK festivals now. After witnessing Groezrock in Belgium it made me realise we are overcharged and very unorganised in the UK, with rubbish weather. I agree Clarky, get in the hotel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulconnolly Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 You have to remember a British festival is all about finding a big field and removing the punters from their money. They're not about providing a good musical experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oggiesnr Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 [quote name='paulconnolly' timestamp='1339369813' post='1687679'] You have to remember a British festival is all about finding a big field and removing the punters from their money. They're not about providing a good musical experience. [/quote] +1 Not just the punters, the traders are also in line to be fleeced (voice of bitter experience). Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 We live close enough to one of the "V" sites for it to be a nightmare. Gridlock ALL weekend long. Town full of [s]hippies[/s] "music lovers"...and we give up a PUBLIC open space for someone else's profit/benefit, getting nothing in return but noise/congestion/aggravation. You get the idea. I'd never go to a festival, no matter who might be playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amnesia Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 I went on the saturday. It was pretty muddy - much worse in front of the Jagermeister acoustic stage than anywhere else we went. After Metallica it took us about 30 minutes to walk from the arena to the car and about 20 minutes to get off the car park. Compared to the horror stories of friday I think we had it very easy. In fact, with a bit of water I could probably clean off my new wellies and take them back for a refund! However - to put 2 hours of novelty acts (Steel Panther and Tenacious D) on the main stage on a saturday afternoon leads me to eblieve that the festival has lost its way somewhat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0175westwood29 Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 come on guys! i can honestly say that every english festival ive been to ive had an awesome time! there is nothing like camping out the whole weekend! be it rain or shine! you cant help the rain! at reading a few years back it was so hot that the ground was so hard you couldnt get pegs in and there where people complaining! yeh it expensive but how much would seeing all of those bands cost you? and Tenacious D are awesome live! if you dnt like them thats different but i bet there was a whole crowd singing along no? andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted June 11, 2012 Author Share Posted June 11, 2012 [quote name='0175westwood29' timestamp='1339402969' post='1687796'] come on guys! i can honestly say that every english festival ive been to ive had an awesome time! there is nothing like camping out the whole weekend! be it rain or shine! you cant help the rain! at reading a few years back it was so hot that the ground was so hard you couldnt get pegs in and there where people complaining! yeh it expensive but how much would seeing all of those bands cost you? and Tenacious D are awesome live! if you dnt like them thats different but i bet there was a whole crowd singing along no? andy [/quote] You make some reasonable points (although for me and my two boys it cost close to £500 so it was a pricey way of seeing Prodigy and Metallica; we missed the the only other band I really wanted to see, Opeth, due to aforementioned traffic jam on Friday) But you are missing one thing here. This is an internet forum and this is one of the 99% of meaningless posts written by someone who just fancied a rant and should have been doing something more constructive than sitting at a computer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalMan Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 (edited) My download experience....I went and saw the Little Angels Download Warmup gig @ The Wedgewood rooms. Top night & I was back to the car and on the road in 5 mins Edited June 11, 2012 by WalMan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Try going to Cornbury this year, it's a great experience and three miles from my home. Last year I saw Buffy St Marie, Cindi Lauper, Ray Davies, The Straits, Faces, Imelda May, Jack Bruce, Wilko Johnson incl Norman W-R, Bellowhead, Sophie E-B (nice legs), Quo, Stackridge, Saw Doctors and lots more. Because I am of a certain age I didn't have to pay for the three days. Very friendly atmosphere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
throwoff Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 (edited) I used to do Reading year in year out. I did 8 on the trot with a bunch of mates and from the 5th onwards it just got worse and worse. More and more people on site every year, more trouble caused by idiots, the lineup got progressively more indie oriented (which is the biggest crime against music since daphne and celeste) To top it off they now ask for over £200 a ticket... Is is any wonder this year is the first year in my memory it has not sold out on ticket release day, you can still get one now! £200 to stand in a field while your bank balance drops faster than an out of control elevator. Listening to music on awful sound systems by awful flavour of the month bands while tosspots stand next to you in designer wellies 'jah jahing' like it's the bloody tory convention. Nah, not for me. Edited June 11, 2012 by throwoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0175westwood29 Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 [quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1339403499' post='1687808'] But you are missing one thing here. This is an internet forum and this is one of the 99% of meaningless posts written by someone who just fancied a rant and should have been doing something more constructive than sitting at a computer [/quote] haha! so true on this forum! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 I did festies in the 80s and early 90s. I stopped going because they became like they are now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Lets face it. On the whole the British are terrible at organising getting in and out of public events. Nothing brought this home more than going to the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka in 2002. Everything was properly sign-posted so there was no confusion as to where you needed to be heading. The streams of people leaving the circuit moved at a constant and sensible rate. We travelled by train. There were extra ones laid on especially for people coming from the Grad Prix. When one train was full it left and within a couple of minutes a new empty one had arrived. They packed us in without being stupid about numbers. The whole procedure was smart and efficient. From leaving our seat to the train with us on departing took about 20 minutes and all that time was spent moving forwards. No stationary queues wondering what was going on up front. The train was a little cramped but I'd rather have been on it heading towards my hotel than standing in a slow or non-moving line of people no knowing what was happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 [quote name='0175westwood29' timestamp='1339402969' post='1687796'] and Tenacious D are awesome live! if you dnt like them thats different but i bet there was a whole crowd singing along no? [/quote] Saw them at the Brixton Academy a few days before Download, one of the best bands I've ever seen live Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHUFC BASS Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 LOL! at festivals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 (edited) Sorry to hear about your troubles, Clarky. Every time Metallica come to a festival in this country I'm sooo tempted to go, be it the "Fab Four" with Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax, or Download, or whatever... and then chicken out miserably out of fear of exactly what happened to you. I see Andy's point about big outdoor gigs with camping being fun, whatever the weather etc., but I assume he's younger than us I used to do the various Monsters Of Rock festivals when I was in my 20s, but even then, my ex and I always made sure we went to the Italian and/or Spanish legs, as the weather in those countries was bound to be less inclement! Edited June 11, 2012 by bluejay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_skezz Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Loved the acts at Download, but pretty much everything else about the festival was appalling. Started off when I got there; had a beady-eyed security-man-geezer-bloke go through my bag. Fair enough, he's doing his job. He asked me if I smoked; I responded with 'No' to be given a suspicious look and be told 'I'm ****ing holding you to that'. Then made my way through the mud to brown camp, where my mates were. What should have been a twenty minute walk took an hour and a half, due to a lack of decent signs around the place and also due to half the stewards having no idea where it was. Those who did know told me there was no spaces left and to go elsewhere - I assured them my mates had a space saved for me, and still they argued. I got there in the end and could see at least three spaces near me where a one-man tent could have feasibly been set up. Alas, on my way there, I lost my tent, and so went to buy one from a delightful little stall called 'Wellie bobs'. I got to the front of the queue, picked up a poncho I intended on buying, and asked the woman behind the counter if I could purchase that along with a single skin tent (couldn't afford a double). This remarkably lovely woman responded with 'We've got none left, and you'd be ****ing your money away anyway. You may as well throw it down in the mud and stamp on it. Who's next?' And before I could open my mouth she moved onto another customer. Disgusted at being spoken to like that, I threw the poncho on the desk and went to another stall - more expensive, but worth it to not have to deal with her again. Service through the rest of the weekend continued in a similar vein; after walking a friend to the West car park on the Saturday where her dad was meeting her, me and my mate set off to try and find our way back to the camp. After being told we couldn't go down the one road we were sure led to it, we tried to find an alternate route - upon asking a steward there, he told us to go back the way we tried earlier. We told him we'd been stopped from going down there. Apparently he heard this as 'Please repeat the instruction as patronisingly as possible' because he did. Again, we told him we'd weren't allowed down there. This carried on about five times before we went back the way we came, slipped around the stewards that had challenged us the first time, and had a pleasant half hour cursing the tossers while we walked back to the tent. Plus there was a right hassle finding out way home last night, but I've ranted enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jam Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 We stayed at a hotel 20 minutes from Download and it took us 5 hours to get there on Friday morning. Absolutely ridiculous. Pasty faced 15 year old scrotes in hi-vis jackets who had no idea what to do. Miles of cars filtered into one lane, back into 4 lanes, back into one lane. Absurd. Still, some of the bands were good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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