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| Check out our festival tips... |
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STAYING OUT FOR THE SUMMER - YOUR ESSENTIAL FESTIVAL TIPS |
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| Going to a festival, much like life itself, is a steep learning curve, full of pitfalls for the unwary. A festival site is in some ways a mini-society, so it's important to learn the rules, regulations and - even more important - etiquette of attending a festival. Do it right and you'll have a lifetime of happy memories. Ignore our warnings and you'll find yourself waking up naked in a ditch with sunstroke, several days after everyone else has packed up and gone home. Here's what we recommend: |
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GET THERE IN ONE PIECE |
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Make sure you know where you're going. This may seem blindingly obvious, but you don't want to be speeding endlessly around roundabouts in the backend of nowhere while everyone else is enjoying the bands, just because you took the wrong B-road. First, check the location of your festival.
Then, plot your journey - if you're driving, sites like www.greenflag.com and the AA's Route Planner (http://www.theaa.com/travelwatch/planner_main.jsp) are essential to get you from door to tent flap.
If you're using public transport, make sure you know the best way to get there by checking the festival's web site. And bear in mind that public transport gets busy on festival days - don't leave anything to chance. If you need ferry, bus or train tickets, you're best to book in advance. Otherwise it's Shanks's Pony for you.
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DON'T FORGET YOUR TICKET |
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| Another obvious one, but it's worth restating: if you don't have the right ticket, you won't get in. The days of storming the gates of Woodstock and turning it into a free festival are gone, man. If you don't take your ticket, you're on the way home. And beware of buying tickets from unauthorised sources - if you end up waiting for hours outside the festival gates for some guy to turn up with a pair of tix you bought off some dodgy "special events" site, then it's your own fault... |
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DON'T GET LOST |
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Festival sites can vary from tiny glades to a huge, sprawling sea of tents, so try to make a mental note of where you are camping in relation to a numbered Fire Point or another fixed sign. Some sites have observation towers that are quite useful to pitch your tent near. It may taint your party weekend with something of a Colditz vibe, but it’s worth it when you’re stumbling back in the dark at 3am. You can also take a flag to mark your tent, but think of something original, rather than the England flag, eh?
It's also best to arrange to meet friends at simple places, not by congested areas like the sound desk, 'cos it won't happen. Many sites now have special Meeting Points. However, we are firm believers in the adage that you'll meet up with your mates eventually if you wander around long enough. This is known as The Law Of Festival Karma, which also states that you'll come across every friend you've ever had at some point during the weekend.
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BRING A PHONE |
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| Most festivals have good coverage for mobile phones, so it's a useful way to keep in touch with your mates. But remember to have enough credit and charge the thing, because it's virtually impossible to sort this out on site, unless you have endless reserves of patience. For your charging needs, check this out: www.solio.com. DO NOT under any circumstances ring your mates during a crucial moment in the headliners' set and shout "I'm at Reading" or similar, because that's really annoying.
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BRING A TORCH |
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| If you fancy tripping over someone else's guy ropes at 4 in the morning, fine, ignore us.
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DON'T GET TRENCHFOOT |
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| Avoid all your stuff getting soaked in the rain by taking a lot of plastic bags. Line your rucksack, boots and cover any electrical goods with them plus carry some in your pockets to sit on. Remember you can split one bag in half and make a double seater, a great way to make new friends. You can, of course, indulge in mud surfing if it's really wet, but remember, you can't always take a hot shower afterwards.
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DON'T GET SUNSTROKE |
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| Bring some sunscreen and a hat, just in case. Sunstroke is almost as bad as pneumonia. You know what the British weather is like, so you may want to consider bringing a sledge, too.
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DON'T GET HUNGRY |
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| Unless you want to faint from malnutrition, you'll either need to bring your own supplies or partake in the wares of the numerous comestible vendors. These range from the reassuringly traditional chip van, the environmentally-friendly vegetarian stalls or, on the other end of the ethical scale - the hog roast. Beware what you throw down your throat though as if you eat a dodgy burger it’ll come back to haunt you. Repeatedly.
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DON'T GET THIRSTY |
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| If it's a hot sunny day then wash your scrumpy down with plenty of water. Don't throw all of your water bottle at a band you don't like as you may collapse with dehydration later. Water is also good for fighting food poisoning, sunstroke and minor burns. It's not wise to substitute "beer" for "water".
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JUST SAY NO |
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| As tempting as it might be to recreate the summer of 1971, by taking drugs on a festival site you run the risk of either dying, freaking out (festivals can be wacky enough as it is), or being turfed off the festival site (they are after all, illegal, let's not forget). You also stand a sizeable chance of paying through the nose for what turns out to be rat poison and aspirin, or - worse – of turning into a complete wanker.
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AVOID A "BLOCKAGE" |
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| Try as you might you'll have to go for a "number two" at some point so you'll need to find a portaloo. The myth of the festival toilet has been greatly exaggerated, but it's amazing how the human mind can adapt to sights that can only be described as "hellish" (we're thinking of the long drop at Glastonbury, specifically). If you need a movement (and health professionals suggest that it's better out than in), take some toilet roll, maybe a bottle of water if the flush has run out of liquid and Don't Look Down. The wise festival-goer avoids the bogs near the stages as the law of averages says they will be busier and sanitation standards will be horrendous.
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DON'T GET POORLY |
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| In case of medical emergencies, there are always numerous First Aid tents dotted around your chosen festival site. Check the site maps when you get there - it's always better to be safe than sorry, as A-ha once said.
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DON'T GET "STRAPPED FOR CASH" |
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| There are usually cash points at most modern festivals in the event that you blow all your cash on felt hats, henna tattoos and bungee jumping before realising you need some cash for your tea. Expect a long wait, but hey, it's a way to make friends. A lot of vendors take cards these days, too, having forsaken the ancient tradition of bartering. The sell-outs.
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DON'T LOSE OUT |
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| Another Law Of The Festival: only take what you can afford to lose. Bringing your own sound system based around your brand new video iPod may sound like a great idea for after hours raving, but how secure is your tent while you're off watching Fightstar? Think on.
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HAVE A GOOD TIME ALL THE TIME |
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| Most important of all is remembering to respect your fellow revellers, who may not appreciate your drunken moshing in the chill out tent. Self-awareness is the key to Festival Enlightenment: don't mess people about and they won't mess you about. Take these words with you and you will ascend to the highest level known to man - having the Best Summer Ever. Enjoy!
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Check out all the action from the summer’s top events, see if you and your mates have been spotted, then send in your photos and we’ll put them up right here. |
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Whatever you’ve got to say, we want to hear it! Call
0207 182 8933 to rant, rave, confess, share or wibble and you could be part of our summer podcast. |
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Our esteemed Professor has all the answers to your festival worries, so send in your questions and he’s sure to turn your muddy hell into total summer joy. |
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Take hundreds of songs with you this summer on the Sony Ericsson W810i Walkman phone, plus get all your pics with the 2 mega-pixel camera. Check it out! |
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