The Admiral Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 I am on the mailing list for a number of festivals, and the latest announcement email has turned up this morning, from Cornbury. I've been a couple of times, but not for the last 3 years and in the past the bill has been pretty good, with the first year I went being a particular highlight : Eric Bibb, Toots and the Maytals, The Beat, Tom Baxter, Joe Bonnamassa, KT Tunstall and Crowded House etc. I stopped going after it got very expensive and having to battle with the local hooray Henry's and their Fortnums hampers and Sherpa needing family encampments 30 yards from the stage became too tedious. Obviously one mans crap bill is another's dream day, but it seems to me that the bills for these smaller festivals are becoming weaker all the time. I know it's a certain demographic they appeal to, and Cornbury (aka 'Poshstock') particularly, is a bit mainstream and genteel by necessity, but it feels pretty weak for £170 for a weekend ticket - or maybe it's me? I'm told that the bigger acts will sign exclusivity clauses with the larger festivals, so once Glastonbury, V Festival, Reading etc. have hoovered up the big names it's a small pond of possibilities, but I'd be interested in what others think of this bill? http://www.cornburyfestival.com/tickets/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 It's not looking to be a great line up so far, for my tastes at least. I'd be more inclined to go to Truck in that neck of the woods, and is much cheaper. Incidentally, Glastonbury doesn't sign any exclusive acts - they take the attitude that bands either want to play there or they don't. They won't pay any more for exclusivity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 It's three miles down the road from me. The only problem is it's a steep climb from the carpark to the site that nearly killed me last time so I'll either blag entry to the officials' carpark or fork out for a VIP ticket. I think the lineup is OK. It's not always the 'big' acts that give most satisfaction. I've seen Cindi Lauper, Buffy St Marie, Wilko J (amazing), Alison Moyet, Ray Davies, Quo, Waterboys, and lots more. All good -- but Jules a bit played out, surely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Admiral Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 [quote name='bassace' timestamp='1394106642' post='2387944'] It's three miles down the road from me. The only problem is it's a steep climb from the carpark to the site that nearly killed me last time so I'll either blag entry to the officials' carpark or fork out for a VIP ticket. I think the lineup is OK. It's not always the 'big' acts that give most satisfaction. I've seen Cindi Lauper, Buffy St Marie, Wilko J (amazing), Alison Moyet, Ray Davies, Quo, Waterboys, and lots more. All good -- but Jules a bit played out, surely. [/quote] I'd agree about the unexpected acts being great. I wasn't expecting much from 10cc the other year, but what a superb band and what a canon of material. Graham Gouldman is a great songwriter (nice pale blue Jazz too). I don't know if you have experience of the VIP package at Cornbury, but I shelled out for that the last time I went and it was a waste in my view. The close parking is great, but all the other facilities, and particularly the marquee with sofas, were hopeless, with the seating areas being annexed early doors each day by an extended group of hoorays when I went. They would pitch up mob handed - perhaps 4 families, and one set of parents would stick around and supervise the kids playing on their phones, whilst the others went off for a walk - and anyone else who wanted a seat could basically just f**k off. These are also the people who get upset when someone almost stands on their sleeping 5 year old, who is curled up on a blanket in the middle of a crowd of well lubricated adults, 20 yards from the front of the main stage as the headliners are on. The massive sense of purchased entitlement really pissed me off in the end - although you get to rub shoulders with Jeremy Clarkson and Dom Jolly : interesting to note that he he's obviously wanted ANYBODY to recognise him, just so he could do the 'don't bother me' routine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Thanks Admiral. I value your comments because I've had my doubts about the people that inhabit the VIP area - or the outside part that you see while you walk past and get the 'I'm better than you' look. Luckily I'm fortunate enough to afford a ticket but in truth I hate spending it. So I'll take your advice and blag an official parking space and enjoy the festival with the good people. I've also found an easy way of sliding into the front of the stage so it'll be a good festival I reckon. Any BCers likely to go/meet up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceChick Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Come to the Cinderford music festival near Gloucester on the early May bank holiday weekend and you can see me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Not my bag. Mind you , I don't do outdoor gigs anymore. One of the bands mentioned are 'scouting for girls'. I'm not being funny , but I honestly think that is a horrible name for a band. Just seems wrong imho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigash Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 A few of my mates have been to Kendal calling the last couple of years and said it was a really well run festival with some great bands. Nice and handy for you as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle psychosis Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 I wouldn't be paying £170 for that lineup, that's for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 I thought this thread would be about festivals BC-ers are playing..? TBH... Glastonbury and the like look so much better to me on the T.V. Plenty on Beer Festivals round here and they range from the free line-ups to quite decent budgeted ones with worthwhile camping and the like. I'd be more interested in those... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Festivals to me used to be about pushing a stolen supermarket trolley full of brown ale halfway across a county , climbing over the fence ( even when you had a ticket ) and finding some dog rough biker bird to share your sleeping bag. In other words - a bit of dropping out and rebelliousness. Healthy to be frowned upon once in a while. Now it's a family weekend where Dad sits looking up people carrier dealerships on an ipad while yummy mummys demand state of the art baby changing facilities and buy a Peruvian knitted dream catcher made of lentils for fifty five quid - and get a VAT receipt - from a middle class business man with a hyphenated name to tell their neighbours about over 'lunch' , all paid for on a credit card. Corporate , mainstream , normalised. I'm not saying the latter's any worse than the former , it's much better in many ways and suppliers only react to demand , but personally I don't have the slightest inkling to go any more. In this Starbucks world it's more nourishing to my soul to make a cup of clap cold instant in an old baked bean tin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 The more I see of festivals in this country the more I dislike them. Conditions seems to resemble either The Somme or Death Valley, and while there may be loads of bands playing the only two you really want to see will be on at the same time. If you're lucky a couple of the unknowns will be decent, but the majority will be truly awful. The when you look at the price of the tickets you could probably see 10-20 bands you really liked at decent indoor venues for the same price and be able to retire to a comfortable bed afterwards. My band does play festivals, if I had my way, we would turn up at the latest possible time the organisers will allow and to leave as soon as the queue to buy merchandise has come to an end. My ideal would be to be helicopered into the backstage area 5 minutes before I was due to go on stage and to leave the moment to last note of the encore had finished ringing out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 (edited) I hate camping and being dirty. I do love the music, but the more I go to, the more festivals don't appeal to me. I much prefer spending £20-30 to see a band I really like play a professional venue with a decent support and have the sound tailored for them. The beer will overpriced but nothing like a festivals. Edited March 7, 2014 by Musicman20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaypup Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 [quote name='Musky' timestamp='1394104761' post='2387925'] It's not looking to be a great line up so far, for my tastes at least. I'd be more inclined to go to Truck in that neck of the woods, and is much cheaper. Incidentally, Glastonbury doesn't sign any exclusive acts - they take the attitude that bands either want to play there or they don't. They won't pay any more for exclusivity. [/quote] Glastonbury hardly pay bands at all do they? [quote name='SpaceChick' timestamp='1394115998' post='2388092'] Come to the Cinderford music festival near Gloucester on the early May bank holiday weekend and you can see me [/quote] or come to Troyfest the same weekend and see me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 The world has changed for smaller festivals. There just isn't the money around any more. One of the Blues bands I play for used to tour around the UK and Europe in the 90s and was regularly getting four figure fees for playing festivals. These days you're lucky to get half that and are expected to play mostly for the kudos of playing an international festival. Funding, via sponsership money and grants from The Arts Council etc have dried up. So if you can only pay peanuts, only monkeys will come and play at your festival. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 [i]Or even play for free.....but then some bands don't help themselves as even if the festival has a budget[/i] [i]they bring their pub set out to a bigger stage.... [/i] [i]and that doesn't work trying to get better money...[/i] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceChick Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 [quote name='chaypup' timestamp='1394199124' post='2389073'] Glastonbury hardly pay bands at all do they? or come to Troyfest the same weekend and see me! [/quote] What day are you on Chay? maybe they can see us both We are Sunday at 6.45pm! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 We do a fair few beer festivals. Did a massive one in Rotherham in a high school at Easter term holidays.£15 in , 2 quid per half pint ticket and folk were queueing round the block. BUT - all that cash generated and the miserable organisers refused to pay the caretakers overtime to put the heating on. Several thousand people wearing coats , hats and gloves indoors drinking freezing cold beer. It was bitterly cold on stage - I could hardly play for shivering. That's what festival organisers think of punters - bugger them so long as they pay through the nose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaypup Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 [quote name='SpaceChick' timestamp='1394214327' post='2389272'] What day are you on Chay? maybe they can see us both We are Sunday at 6.45pm! [/quote] Perfect - we're on on Friday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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