Reading or Glastonbury

[Lovejoy]

Want to go to one or the other, so was wondering which people would recomend...

[Finnegan]

Reading, imo. I want to go to a festival for the atmosphere AND the music and Reading has the best balance.

In fact, the Glaso atmosphere is dying too imo. It's too full of trendy wannabes these days who think they're oh so hippy chic. Get yourself a Reading ticket, a crate of beer, an option twentybag and a few herbal highs and you're going to have a wicked summer.

[Trumpet]

Neither. Make it Leeds.

[Filbert_Ross]

never been Reading, but the thought of being forced back to the campsite after the music finishes and not being aloud to take your own alcohol in sounds well 5hit.

[AoWW]

Love Glastonbury and have been several times although, in all fairness, it hasn't been as good recently in my opinion. However, the timing of Glastonbury falls badly for me as it's in term time and I'm starting to get hacked off with legging it down there after I leave work on the Friday, getting next to no sleep all weekend, then driving back through the night Sunday with the prospect of a full working week to look forward to. Must be getting old!

So, very tempted to try Reading this year as an alternative. Definitely hoping to go to the V Festival at Hylands (though I, very stupidly, offered to take my 14 year old cousin there - what the fook was I thinking? ) and Exit in July.

But Glasto this year...? More opinions on Reading would be good....

[Finchy]

never been Reading, but the thought of being forced back to the campsite after the music finishes and not being aloud to take your own alcohol in sounds well 5hit.

Well yeah you have to get out of the main arena about an hour after the music finishes but everyone wants to go back to the campsite anyway because that is where everything happens. Your allowed to take alcohol into Reading festival just not into the main arena, also it takes about 10 minutes to get into town which is a bonus for cheap alcihol.

The thing i love about Reading is that the atmosphere is incredible and being at the camp at night is the best bit, all the music is just a bonus. I also prefer when Reading is, i reckon it's much better to have the festival at the end of August because it's a great way to finish the summer.

[Finnegan]

Neither. Make it Leeds.

Wrong.

never been Reading, but the thought of being forced back to the campsite after the music finishes and not being aloud to take your own alcohol in sounds well 5hit.

Erm, you WANT to be on the campsite. The Reading campsite is one of the best and most cosmopolitan parties in the entire fooking world, it's brilliant. And, erm, I've always taken my own alcohol in.

Oh, and, er, if anyone's into recreational substances other than alcohol - at Download last year they had sniffer dogs at the gates. So, be careful, I'd imagine that's a policy they'll start to deploy elsewhere.

[AoWW]

Erm, you WANT to be on the campsite. The Reading campsite is one of the best and most cosmopolitan parties in the entire fooking world, it's brilliant. And, erm, I've always taken my own alcohol in.

Thanks for all the info.

I'll trust you Finners on this. Reading it'll be this year. I fancy a change and Glastonbury's starting to piss me off really. Plus, Reading is closer!

[Sods]

never been Reading, but the thought of being forced back to the campsite after the music finishes and not being aloud to take your own alcohol in sounds well 5hit.

your aloud to take cans in.

[Filbert_Ross]

Wrong.

Erm, you WANT to be on the campsite. The Reading campsite is one of the best and most cosmopolitan parties in the entire fooking world, it's brilliant. And, erm, I've always taken my own alcohol in.

Oh, and, er, if anyone's into recreational substances other than alcohol - at Download last year they had sniffer dogs at the gates. So, be careful, I'd imagine that's a policy they'll start to deploy elsewhere.

on the campsite issue, a choice would be nice.

on the beers- so I would be able to stroll into the main arena with my cans of Stella????

[Sods]

on the campsite issue, a choice would be nice.

on the beers- so I would be able to stroll into the main arena with my cans of Stella????

Yes. As long as their not bottles.

[Finchy]

Yes. As long as their not bottles.

No he can't take his own stuff into the main arena where the bands play, you can't even take water in to there. But you can take your own drink into the festival.

[Blue Bob]

Personally I would wait to see what the line up of bands are.

Glastonbury have confirmed JayZ as their headline act which I cant say i am that impressed with .... not the typical indie band that will play some top anthems on a Saturday night to cheer you up when it has been p*ssing it down all day. I think they are also looking to have Neil Diamond and Leonard Cohen

Reading have rumoured The Killers, Metallica and The Editors.

But it is still early days, I would wait until the majority of the line up is announced and then get tickets, I have found that the parties and the camping is pretty similar at a lot of gigs as it is often the same people who do several festivals a year.

[Finchy]

Well yeah those Reading rumours are being talked about but the main rumours for Reading are Rage Against The Machine (who efestivals have said are already confirmed), Kasabian and The Verve.

[Trav Le Bleu]

Glastonbury is the choice of washed out hippies, MOR and old people. And teachers

Reading has more new and exciting talent, so Reading! (And therefore, also Leeds!)

[James.]

Have I mentioned Exit before?

[AoWW]

Glastonbury is the choice of washed out hippies, MOR and old people. And teachers

Reading has more new and exciting talent, so Reading! (And therefore, also Leeds!)

Have I mentioned Exit before?

Sounds vaguely familiar.

[Uncle Albert]

Reading was class, when i went. So i had to recomend Reading.

Both will be good.

[Finnegan]

on the campsite issue, a choice would be nice.

on the beers- so I would be able to stroll into the main arena with my cans of Stella????

Ah. The main arena? Hrm, probably not no. It's immensely consumer focused, a little nastily so, mostly because most of the major festivals are sponsored by a Lager (Reading = Carling, etc) so they want to push their product. That said, I've gotten coke mixers in so if you're a spirits person you'll thrive.

And narh, mate. Every festival gets you out of the main arena when the music ends. They've got to pack everything down and set up for the next day so it's unsurprising. But really, there'd be nothing worth staying in the arena for to be honest. Really, even if you had the choice you'd go to the campsite. So it's an unnecessary choice.

[Filbert_Ross]

Ah. The main arena? Hrm, probably not no. It's immensely consumer focused, a little nastily so, mostly because most of the major festivals are sponsored by a Lager (Reading = Carling, etc) so they want to push their product. That said, I've gotten coke mixers in so if you're a spirits person you'll thrive.

And narh, mate. Every festival gets you out of the main arena when the music ends. They've got to pack everything down and set up for the next day so it's unsurprising. But really, there'd be nothing worth staying in the arena for to be honest. Really, even if you had the choice you'd go to the campsite. So it's an unnecessary choice.

yeah and at glasto, there is no 'main arena' you can just go and do what you like ( well tent stages shut)

[Daggers]

Wrong.

Erm, you WANT to be on the campsite. The Reading campsite is one of the best and most cosmopolitan parties in the entire fooking world, it's brilliant. And, erm, I've always taken my own alcohol in.

Oh, and, er, if anyone's into recreational substances other than alcohol - at Download last year they had sniffer dogs at the gates. So, be careful, I'd imagine that's a policy they'll start to deploy elsewhere.

You used to be able to park next to your tent at Reading - and then they never checked people walking into the camp site so everyone's car got robbed or smashed by Reading scum. I was half-killed by some guy wasted on Meth in 1997 after he smashed in the entire right-hand side of my company Belmont.

Throughout the 80's and 90's they never had anyone checking for substances or booze - but towards the end of me going they just banned tins, so we would walk in with two litre vodka-based fruit punch or rum & coke with the tops cut off the bottles.

Every night, someone would push over the toilets...leaving tents floating in a sea of shit. Delightful festival experience - but most people walked off in to the field near the canal/river (?) and just went to do their bits there.

Oh yes, it was wonderful in my day.

[Asha]

You used to be able to park next to your tent at Reading - and then they never checked people walking into the camp site so everyone's car got robbed or smashed by Reading scum. I was half-killed by some guy wasted on Meth in 1997 after he smashed in the entire right-hand side of my company Belmont.

Throughout the 80's and 90's they never had anyone checking for substances or booze - but towards the end of me going they just banned tins, so we would walk in with two litre vodka-based fruit punch or rum & coke with the tops cut off the bottles.

Every night, someone would push over the toilets...leaving tents floating in a sea of shit. Delightful festival experience - but most people walked off in to the field near the canal/river (?) and just went to do their bits there.

Oh yes, it was wonderful in my day.

Sounds fun

[Finchy]

Ah. The main arena? Hrm, probably not no. It's immensely consumer focused, a little nastily so, mostly because most of the major festivals are sponsored by a Lager (Reading = Carling, etc) so they want to push their product. That said, I've gotten coke mixers in so if you're a spirits person you'll thrive.

And narh, mate. Every festival gets you out of the main arena when the music ends. They've got to pack everything down and set up for the next day so it's unsurprising. But really, there'd be nothing worth staying in the arena for to be honest. Really, even if you had the choice you'd go to the campsite. So it's an unnecessary choice.

Reading hasn't got a sponsor anymore, for now anyway so it might be a bit different.

[Daggers]

Reading hasn't got a sponsor anymore, for now anyway so it might be a bit different.

Festivals stopped being decent when all this corporate sponsorship nonsense kicked off.

I remember going to the first Virgin one at Chelmsford and shat a brick - there were families sitting around eating picnics. Horrible. *shudders*

[Finchy]

judging by the type of people at Reading last year it's probably gonna be the 'Topman, White Lightning Weekend' now.