[GTA_stu]

So I went to Leeds Festival over the weekend, and had an amazing time. Went with 7 friends and we left in the early early hours of thursday morning, and got back by 9AM on monday morning. Even in 3 cars we just barely fit all our stuff in. So many great stories and moments from that weekend that will stay with me forever, as long as I don't get Alzheimers. Loads of great bands performed, including my favourite, Kasabian, who finished off the weekend.

On the first night there wasn't much music on so we mainly just stayed around our camp with a fire going, and drinking. One of my friends went for a piss and found 2 girls also pissing against the wall and invited them back to ours, so classy. Eventually they brought the rest of their friends back to our campsite and we all got smashed before going to see Rudimental perform at 2AM, they were sh*t. Then they finished and 1 of the girls who was pissing against the wall came back to stay in my friend's, who had originally invited them to our campsite, tent. So on the pretext of her being able to keep an eye on her drunken friend I invited one of the girls I liked back to my tent. She must have been off her head because she said yes, giggity.

And since we're on the subject of pissing on walls, don't judge those girls too much. The "toilets" were horrific, they were just lined up in long lines and had no roofs. Inside it was just a piece if wood with a hole cut in it and the condition of these things were dreadful. Covered in piss and sh*t and vomit and you didn't have to be particularly tall to see into these cubicles either. I went for my wee wees against the wall too, and I took my one and only sh*t inside my tent into a plastic bin bag. It took some manoeuvring and any slip ups would have ended very badly, but I managed to get it in cleanly and although the stench lingered I can say it felt so damn good.

The music was incredible, loads of great bands performed and we mostly had some great spots in the enormous crowd. Piss grenades were constantly flying about, and when some of the heavier bands came on you got barged around by the metal-heads and their crazy ass dancing methods. I got thrown into a pit on a couple of occasions and I'm not the biggest guy, I basically got simultaneously sexually and physically assaulted. If some unknown liquid was to come into contact with you it was either beer or piss, and you just told yourself "it was cold therefore it must have been beer, because piss is warm" although in your heart you knew you just got covered in some guy's bodily fluids.

We had a decent spot for our campsite, in fact it was an incredible spot because it was out of the way and we had privacy to a degree, within a 20 second walk to a wall (i.e. pissing spot), plenty of hot girls around, not too far to walk to the music stages, no douchebags around, close to food stalls and not on a hill. It was perfect, apart from the nearby fun fair which meant there was a near constant barrage of "COME RIDE THE T-T-T-TANGO" "ARE YOU BRAVE ENOUGH TO RIDE THE T-T-T-T-TANGO" "THE T-T-T-T-TANGO WANTS YOU!" The ride was called the Tango in case you didn't catch that.

We left at 4am on Monday morning to avoid the rush, and my friend's car's tyre had a blow out just as we went onto a long ass bridge, which we had to limp over hoping it wouldn't burst into flames. Eventually we made it over the bridge and rang the trusty AA who took an hour and a half to send an ill-equipped idiot who couldn't replace the tyre. So we had to wait another hour and a half for a pick up truck that dropped us and the car off at my friend's house. Then it was a 45 minute walk home with heavy ass stuff on my weak little shoulders and my welly's rubbing the skin off my shins. I've never been so happy to crawl into bed in my life. Overall it was an incredibly time though, I loved it and would definitely do it again. It was my first festival but it won't be my last.

Anyways I know it's about music festivals, but I created it here 'cos it's about the whole experience of festival going, rather than simply the music. Have you ever been to a music festival? Did anybody go to Leeds Fest? I know Reading was on at the same time as well, so there's gotta be some guys on here who went to either one of them. Discuss that sh*t.

[Chunkyman]

Pics or it didn't happen. ^

I've never been to a festival, I very rarely get out.

This post has been edited by Chunkyman on Tuesday, Aug 28 2012, 11:56

[GTA_stu]

Well you'll be disappointed then Chunkyman because the majority of my friends and I didn't take cameras or good phones. We took sh*t ones we bought for like £10 or found tucked away in draws, we didn't want to take our expensive ones. And the ones who did take them haven't uploaded the photos on FB yet.

[Robinski]

Leeds fest fo' life. Been twice, once in 09 and once in 10. It's a complete blast. Still got my wristbands on as well, because I am a completely disgusting slob.

QUOTE (GTA_stu @ Tuesday, Aug 28 2012, 12:48)

We had a decent spot for our campsite, in fact it was an incredible spot because it was out of the way and we had privacy to a degree, within a 20 second walk to a wall (i.e. pissing spot), plenty of hot girls around, not too far to walk to the music stages, no douchebags around, close to food stalls and not on a hill. It was perfect, apart from the nearby fun fair which meant there was a near constant barrage of "COME RIDE THE T-T-T-TANGO" "ARE YOU BRAVE ENOUGH TO RIDE THE T-T-T-T-TANGO" "THE T-T-T-T-TANGO WANTS YOU!" The ride was called the Tango in case you didn't catch that.

If the layout's still the same as before, I'm guessing you were in orange campsite? My first year there we got there dead late and were literally camped next to one of the rides. As in, you could lean back in one of the tents and feel the wire fence through the plastic. it meant you didn't get to sleep 'til 5am every night. But we got a free soundtrack for our little campsite I guess. In fact I've got a picture of it I think.

That's me in the middle, hiding under one of my mate's hats because I had to shave my head days before on a bet, as did the lad on the left.

QUOTE (GTA_stu @ Tuesday, Aug 28 2012, 12:48)

We left at 4am on Monday morning to avoid the rush, and my friend's car's tyre had a blow out just as we went onto a long ass bridge, which we had to limp over hoping it wouldn't burst into flames. Eventually we made it over the bridge and rang the trusty AA who took an hour and a half to send an ill-equipped idiot who couldn't replace the tyre. So we had to wait another hour and a half for a pick up truck  that dropped us and the car off at my friend's house. Then it was a 45 minute walk home with heavy ass stuff on my weak little shoulders and my welly's rubbing the skin off my shins. I've never been so happy to crawl into bed in my life. Overall it was an incredibly time though, I loved it and would definitely do it again. It was my first festival but it won't be my last.

Oddly enough I had a similar experience in my '10 trip as well. It was the first year any of my mates could drive so we were all made up about it. The only problem was that he had one of those insurance black boxes and he was only covered to drive from 5am-11pm. We'd packed up all stuff apart from tents, sleeping bags and booze before we went to see the bands on Sunday so we could just sleep then get the hell out of dodge the next morning. Except, when we came back to camp to sleep our drunk mates had got swept up in the annual riots of Sunday night and burnt all our tents on one of the huge bonfires. Spent the next few hours running around watching bonfires, dodging exploding aerosols on said fires and eventually had to sleep in the car 'til morning.

We set off and got about 20 mins drive out of the site, but not yet on the A1 and our lad somehow punctured a tyre. We had a spare tyre and a tire iron but no jack. Eventually some guy in a sandwich truck doing deliveries or something stopped to help, used a pole to stick on the tire iron for leverage and proceeded to warp the iron around the bolt and ruin it before running off into the morning light. We eventually flagged down an AA van and had to sign up for a year's cover there and then just to get home. Somehow, it was still all a laugh though.

I'm so jealous of everyone that went this year (and last). But hopefully I'll be going to Glastonbury next year with some mates, which will definitely be an experience.

Can't wait to hear if anyone on here was at Creamfields. Some lads I know went and lost half their belongings to the water/mud.

[EscoLehGo]

I've been to festivals but nothing like what was described here, I almost ended up going to Voodoo down in New Orleans in 2008 which probably would've been the closest comparable experience. I'm pretty sure the ship for me to enjoy festivals like that has sailed as I think I'd just be really annoyed the whole time like a grumpy old man. I read the whole post aloud in my best British accent. Just out of curiosity, what is this AA you speak of and also why were there "piss grenades" flying around? Is that some kind of British festival custom?

This post has been edited by EscoLehGo on Tuesday, Aug 28 2012, 12:46

[Apex.]

Went to this festival in June this year, it was called Peace In The Park and it was this arts festival about raising money and solutions to being green and all this sh*t. Basically it was just Sheffield University kids getting stoned and drunk as f*ck. There were probably about 50 people actually there for the whole peace thing. Nonetheless there was this rave tent that had some amazing music in it. You could just walk into the park so you didn't need to pay or anything. The floor was littered with beer cans, roaches and popped balloons haha!

Also went to Tramlines in Sheffield City Centre, it had some brilliant music there! And you couldn't get alcohol in so there weren't people stumbling all over, saying that, people found ways of smuggling it in or got drunk/high before the festival. Gooooood times

[GTA_stu]

Yh Rob it was the orange campsite, I think it was the same rough layout because one of my friends had been once before ('10) and said it was pretty much exactly all the same. We were pretty close to the mini fun fair, although not as close as you. We left nice and early so got there when it was still relatively quiet and got a decent spot. I don't know if you can remember it that well but behind the rides is a path about 100 meters long, maybe a bit longer, which leads up to a big silver gate where vehicles come through. We were next to that path about 30 meters away from the gate.

And the AA is just a British road breakdown service that come and repair your cars for you, it wasn't some pisshead from alcoholics anonymous who thought he'd try help us out for a laugh. Piss grenades are when someone in the crowd decides he needs a piss, but doesn't want to, or can't leave. So he pisses in his empty bottle or cup and launches it into the crowd. Hence "piss grenade". Sometimes people just launch their beer though, so when you have liquid splatter on you, it could either of those two things.

Someone also launched a full can of coke or something, and hit a woman square in the head. We were right on the barriers which split the front and main part of the crowds (leaving a 8ft wide gap for the security), so saw it perfect. She passed out and had to be lifted over the barriers. Then her fat female friend wanted to go with her, and one of the security guards had to lift her over. The guy just about managed it and I have no idea how. She was massive, he got a big clap for that.

[EscoLehGo]

This piss grenade thing has peaked my interest. So when you go to a festival are piss grenades to be expected? Also, when you get hit with one are you looked at like a douchebag if you get pissed (no pun intended) about it or is it ok if you get mad that you've been covered in a stranger's piss?

[WF the Hobgoblin]

I've passed on going to T in the Park with friends on a few occasions. By all accounts it's great but spending several days knee deep in mud, sleeping in tents and queuing to do a sh*t just so I can see bands I don't even like just doesn't sound too appealing.

[Mark]

Hah good to see Leeds and the like are no different from Download festival. Well apart from the fact we didn't get anything more than about 3-4 hours without rain. Rain rain constant rain. Thankfully we were on a hill so the land under our tent sorta survived. Some people's tents pretty much sank into the mud.

Slightly different group mind you, I was the youngest at 23, then we had one at 28, one at 31 and another at 37. Old group. Got very annoyed at the kids being up til 6am setting things on fire and yelling, mainly as we tended to be up at 7 every day (force of habit thanks to work patterns). Great fun mind you. The one afternoon of sunshine was excellent, chilling in the sun on our chairs necking beers and watching bands.

Toilets were as bad as yours too!

[GTA_stu]

QUOTE (EscoLehGo @ Tuesday, Aug 28 2012, 13:13)

This piss grenade thing has peaked my interest. So when you go to a festival are piss grenades to be expected? Also, when you get hit with one are you looked at like a douchebag if you get pissed (no pun intended) about it or is it ok if you get mad that you've been covered in a stranger's piss?

You have every right to be annoyed, you're covered in some guy's piss. But there's not a whole lot you can do about it so it's pointless getting your panties in a bunch, also you have no chance of finding out who did it since it's a packed crowd and they come from far away. If some douche stood right behind you decides to pour it down your back then obviously you have grounds to do something about it. I know it's quite a popular thing in the UK for piss grenades to be launched, not sure about elsewhere.

Also I'd like to add that the Black Keys are awesome. I have no idea what they sung nor do I care. But during their set there must have been 25+ women getting their boobs out for the camera, one who was in my line of sight. That was more than the rest of the time there put together. My friend who is pretty big had some hot girl with gigantic norks on her, get on his shoulders. I was right next to him and she seemed pretty drunk. The camera didn't go on her though, but I reckon if it did she would have definitely wopped them out. It was a damn shame.

[TheGreatGig23]

QUOTE (Robinski @ Tuesday, Aug 28 2012, 13:17)

But hopefully I'll be going to Glastonbury next year with some mates.

Same here, man. Well, hopefully anyway. Money's going to be a bit tight but I have to go, I need it. I watched some documentary about a section that's kind of separate from the main event. It had all sorts of futuristic/apocalyptic stuff going on with raves and chill-out zones. Definitely my kind of thing.

I haven't been to any major festivals, only a few Welsh ones. There's never been any sort of piss-throwing activities or anything like that though so that's good. Also, because the artists aren't as well known, they don't get mobbed like others so they often walk amongst the crowds and join the hippy rings around the fires, singing, drinking, and smoking along with everyone else. It's pretty cool. I was actually offered to do a couple of tracks with quite a famous Welsh artists, Bryn Fôn, one night. The day after I tried to follow it up but couldn't find the guy.

Sounds like you had a damn good weekend, man. I am officially envious.

Also, I love how this sums up the British attitude so well.

QUOTE

She passed out and had to be lifted over the barriers. Then her fat female friend wanted to go with her, and one of the security guards had to lift her over. The guy just about managed it and I have no idea how. She was massive, he got a big clap for that.

[Robinski]

WRT Piss grenades: You quickly get used to it and react accordingly. Getting covered in a cold liquid is still quite a shock to the system, but it's quickly overtaken by the relief when you realise that it is cold, and therefore not piss. When it's warm, there's significantly less relief.

Speaking of festival toilets, you could have gone to Green campsite on the morning if you were in Orange for your sh*ts Stu. They get cleaned at like 7 in the morning and are generally cleaner anyway as green is the "family" camp. Both times I went "I'm going to Green for a brown" was a common expression on the mornings.

Anyway, does the legend of Leeds' poo girl live on? She suffered a fate I wouldn't wish on anyone.

[Jay]

Been to tons. The mainstream touring festivals in Australia are generally one-day events, which is really a good thing because in summer you just want to go home and shower off all the dust that gets kicked up. Blowing your nose is fun for days afterward as well.

There's a really pleasing mix of festivals in Australia these days. If you have the money and the free time you can go to close to a dozen per year which are chock full of international acts.

I got tickets for Soundwave a little while back. Stoked for that, but a point of comparison there - for that lineup, for one day, it's nearly $200 per ticket.

[El Zilcho]

I haven't gone to any, but some friends of mine also went to Leeds and met Tyler the Creator and Jasper on one of the rides at night, got some photos and videos with them. It was pretty surreal to see a friend of 5 years next to a pretty big celebrity but hey, it looked like fun so I might have to go to one next year. I'm just not big on camping at all so I suppose that comes into play a little.

[GTA_stu]

QUOTE (Robinski @ Tuesday, Aug 28 2012, 13:50)

Speaking of festival toilets, you could have gone to Green campsite on the morning if you were in Orange for your sh*ts Stu. They get cleaned at like 7 in the morning and are generally cleaner anyway as green is the "family" camp. Both times I went "I'm going to Green for a brown" was a common expression on the mornings.

I wasn't aware of the green camp having decent toilets. The arena with all the acts had actual portaloos which is where my friends went, and they weren't too bad apparently. But I got woken up at 2AM by one of the girls who were hanging out with us the night before banging on my tent, stupid bitch was drunk off her face and I couldn't make out what she was saying. But I realised I was about to sh*t my pants so I ran out my tent in my boxers and unzipped one of my friend's tents and asked him for bog roll, but he had none so I tried the next tent and thankfully he had some. Then I quickly put some shorts on and toddled off down the hill looking to find a portaloo, but since the arena was shut I couldn't go in there. I was looking for about 20 mins and there were non around so I got back to my tent and just found a black bin liner and thought "that'll do".

Then I finished and there were 2 women from the group next to us crying their eyes out on the path. I casually walked by them with a bag of my own sh*t in my hand and I was going to throw it over the wall. But I was scared I'd cock it up and poo would end up in my face, so I just put it in a bin and hurried back. It stank so much I thought I must have missed a bit, but I triple checked and everything was hunky doory.

And I'm afraid I never heard of poo girl.

[Sanjeem]

QUOTE (GTA_stu @ Tuesday, Aug 28 2012, 12:05)

Well you'll be disappointed then Chunkyman because the majority of my friends and I didn't take cameras or good phones. We took sh*t ones we bought for like £10 or found tucked away in draws, we didn't want to take our expensive ones. And the ones who did take them haven't uploaded the photos on FB yet.

I went to Reading Festival for the weekend, I can safely say it was Insane and yes it's mainly 'bout the experience and not just the music, although the music was still insane! I to went with roughly 20 people I know in total and we all camped out in various parts of the festival. I was almost never sober, only time I was sober was when all the booze and drugs ran out

Yeah, I too along with many others didn't take a camera or a phone, big place like that who knows who's gonna be snooping through ya tent when you're not looking.

[Bendy]

I went to Leeds last year, here are some pics!






Then came the rain:

[Audiophile]

Anyone here ever been to the Roskilde Festival?

I am sure some of our Danish members probably have.

[Whiskey]

Going to Oxygen this coming April. Went last year and it was amazing. All my favorite bands in one place with all the lads a tent and sh*t load of beer.

Edit: Anyone see the campsite at Creamfields this year? It looked like Atlantis.