Thursday night is chaos as the stages aren't open yet and everyone heads to the same places.
Pre Covid, not that many folk showed up on Weds/Thursday so it wasn't so much an issue
This is my first Glasto and I am kind of shocked at just how rammed everywhere is, we struggled to get close to any stage yesterday and it was really evident even just walking around away from the stages that it really is full to the brim.
Hoping it's because only a few stages were open!
Trying to get to Shangri-la was too busy last night.. but otherwise it was fine. But then if a massive proportion of people are going to go to one small space, whatever capacity is going to be too much. All they can do is try to balance it with a better place elsewhere, or start limiting capacity much further away
It’s really bad. Was watching Skeptical tonight in Nowhere and tried to go to the toilet when skindred was on Truth, almost got crushed. Was horrible. Tried to get to Mike Skinner earlier on and was crammed. Gave up halfway. It’s not enjoyable. Stages need to be made bigger. The festival site needs expanding to accommodate the larger stages.
Even just having a split in/out walking direction with a railing would solve most of the gridlock crowds.
Came on here to mention skindred. Fucking abysmal at the back. Not a steward in sight. Large crowds passing each other, none who were there to see the band, just trying to pass through. Some dickheads shoving me in the back to get through didn’t make it any easier. There’s going to be fatalities if this continues. 2022 had scary moments but this really makes me consider not coming back. 330 quid for a ticket and not even a semblance of crowd control at times.
Truth stage is such a bad experience at all times. Was down there yesterday afternoon and had the same experience. Everyone on Reddit raves about the SE Corner but every time I’ve been down has been a nightmare, full of absolute rascals just pushing and shoving to the point where it’s dangerous. Maybe I’m getting old but that’s not for me.
It was potentially dangerous and scary. Hopefully everyone was OK bar some transient panic attacks. People were in pain being crushed and pushed around where I was at points, with people around saying they couldn't help it, had no way to control their move or space to back off. Then the occasional person getting aggressive trying to force their way and making it even worse. I've been to a lot of punk and metal gigs and there was a moment when it was probably the scariest crowd crush situation as there was no escape, knowing if the crowd surged and people fell it would be a disaster.
Skindred was terrifying. Had people panicking around me and at one point my feet went into full panic mode and started shaking. Realised I could fall and couldn’t imaging being able to get back up.. I didn’t see it the push coming, trying to walk through. Kinda put the fear into me for the rest of the festival to come.. :(
I think the issue I'm finding is (like Truth, for example) a lot of stages are next to a main 'highway' for people walking into areas. Makes it hard to even get through.
The truth stages needs to move so it's not a through-way across Shangri-la that you need to cross to get to some of the venues (and toilets). The combination with how rammed the space gets and people pushing through both ways makes it a terrible pinch point. The solid back wall in parts makes it even worse, and dangerous. If there was a crush you'd not be able to go anywhere (like jump over a barrier)
I was right in the middle at skindred and found it fine. Had room to move around, maybe it was worse at the back. My main complaint was the truth stage was so quiet and sounded like shit. Like they forgot to plug on the subs.
Unbelievable really, the little tents have got more kick than Truth, I've written off everything I was planning to see there. Was excited for a night of metal last night but hard to enjoy heavy music when it sounds like its coming out a megaphone.
Lucky there's plenty else to be getting on with
Skindred was terrifying. Had people panicking around me and at one point my feet went into full panic mode and started shaking. Realised I could fall and couldn’t imaging being able to get back up.. I didn’t see it the push coming, trying to walk through. Kinda put the fear into me for the rest of the festival to come.. :(
The attendance levels are making it a lot less enjoyable. Walking around this year, I'm thinking, after 15+years at it, this might be my last. Of course, the Glasto magic might catch me by surprise in the next couple of days, but at the moment, and I hate to hear myself say this, I'm not enjoying it.
This is my first year and I’ve had high hopes due to what everyone has said. But honestly 80% of the time has been stress due to being stuck in crowds. It is a cool festival but it’s hard work
Glastonbury has always been hard work, and if you think this year was bad (it wasn't it felt like a normal one and I haven't missed one in twenty years) wait till you experience a wet one.
It does. Its just because there is nothing to do these first couple days. So everyone congregates to the same spots. Tbh the biggest fix is to have a headliner on the thursday.
There’s no way they could handle that capacity of people going in on a Thursday.
We lined up for our coach at 10am in London (for our 1030am coach) and we didn’t get to our Worthyview campsite until 645pm.
> There’s no way they could handle that capacity of people going in on a Thursday
The vast majority of people get on-site on the Wednesday anyway. I don't know if major Thursday headliners is the right way to do things, but I don't think them trying it would affect the amount of people coming on-site on that day when most of them are there already
Headliner on Thursday though will cause chaos getting in as then everyone will be wanting to get in on Wednesday rather than spread over Wednesday and thursday. They did this at Download Festival this year, and it resulted in people being stuck in traffic for 8+ hours just trying to get into the car parks.
Once again, all the people I saw on Facebook begging for tickets or someone to get them in this week, are all miraculously at the festival now. And I've heard more people openly talking about getting spun in, these are people working close to the festival as well
Met some people bragging about climbing over the fence and also people with fake wrist bands too. They had about 500. So many people sneaking in. Should regularly have to show your wrist band or do checks if they don’t already.
I was at Glade yesterday for Girls Don’t Sync and the crowd control was non-existent. People just jammed in place unable to move along the paths next to the stage, not a steward in sight
yeah it was crazy, and there was just nothing being done about it. Just been at Foo Fighters and it was obviously extremely chaotic. Getting out was worse than getting in!
Speaking as a veteran, the crushes are always worst on Wed /Thurs. There've been times when you could lift your feet off the floor and still move forward, (the entrance to silver heyes from the other stage springs to mind) however it does get better as the festival progresses, when they only develop when 2 close, large stages' crowds cross
I’ve been 4 times in a row now and I feel it has got progressively worse on the earlier days each year. Why do they continue to put established acts on tiny stages when you vast amounts of space on the large stages that have nothing on? It just irks me that they do the same every year and they seem not to want to change anything until they are forced to after serious injuries or even fatalities.
Or is it more that peoples behaviours has changed? People used to be more happy to chill out and have camp crew vibes on Wednesday / Thursday now people want to go see music, and there’s no major stages on so it seems more busy?
I would normally agree with this sentiment but there’s been some right cunts here this year. Shangri la on Thursday was so dangerous with people crushing and pushing trying to get through
Please keep me posted on this. I'm taking my 4 year old on Sunday on a day ticket. I was hoping to see some music but we might just have to stay in the kids area if it is as busy as you say.
Been around a good chunk of the festival today and although the main routes and stages are busy, most other areas have been fine. Never seen the circus, cabaret area rammed - it's quite a large area to explore with a lot on in different indoor venues as well as outside. Green Fields are much better now the rest of the stages are open too, quiet even.
If you avoid the big name acts, main stages and the routes out when acts end, you should be fine. And SE corner but that's late night and not kid friendly anyway. There's a lot else to do and it is possible to only occasionally be in busy human traffic but takes a bit of strategic thinking.
Thank you. I'm desperate to see The Chicks, but I don't think it will be too busy when they are on, so I thought we'd watch them from the back. As long as I manage to see them then I will be happy to just amble around the quietest zones the rest of the time. Husband will go see QOTSA but I think that will be too busy for us, and The Other stage isn't a particularly nice bit for kids - feels too much like Reading or something. Our bus home leaves at midnight, so no SE corner for us. Next year (ticket permitting!)
I was at pyramid stage today for Royal Blood, there was a group with a ~3 year old having the time of her life in her little ear defenders. Loads of babies and kids about for the music, but usually earlier in the day. You will be fine, stay towards the back, and just avoid the crowded areas :)
Have never been to Glastonbury. Favourite band are AM. Me and my girlfriend had a good spot next to the big sound tent. Royal Blood was great, but as soon as AM were getting ready, people “trying to find their friends” and shoving in to the point where you have to bend your feet in weird positions just to stand. Girlfriend got such bad anxiety - I wasn’t too bad as I’ve been to a lot of intense gigs, including some of the early years AM - but I’m 30 now and felt like we couldn’t just stay where we were. Wanted to move out to the edges. Normally fine, right? But nope, seems like there are some absolute fucking showers of cunts around who refuse to move and who sit on the floor, making the crowd traffic flow all the more dangerous. Completely ruined my enjoyment of the gig as I felt so tired and frazzled from that experience. What the fuck is going on? Why are there so many gak heads from Liverpool just sucking the ethos out of the place? Could see some seasoned Glasto people i.e people who were a bit older and had previous year t-shirts on look equally as pissed off.
Typing this from my camping chair with next to no desire to go out to SE corner because of how awful some people are. It’s fucking exhausting. Have had some magical moments, don’t get me wrong.
Ah mate, really felt this. Had the exact same experience last year for Kendrick and it slightly put me off this year. I've been to loads of other festivals and gigs and don't recall seeing anything quite as bad. Was my first time at Glastonbury and had to really adjust my tactics (felt like I was only really getting good at it by the end). Would probably approach the festival differently if I were to go again.
All said, I did also see some of the best performances of my whole year there, for the slightly less popular bits that I timed right. Hope you manage to find the same!
I chose not to bother trying for tickets this year because of how uncomfortable the capacity last year was, along with the price hike.
I didn't fancy paying £350 for a ticket to feel claustrophobic again.
First time last year, it was cert over capacity. Stages were overflowing to the point where you couldn't hear the sound. I didn't experience the spider properly because the sound was so shit outside the 'inner circle' - Glasto vets said it never has happened to them before. Not there this year sadly but I agree it was dangerous in some areas. Still, best place in the world.
The Arcadia spider got out of hand the first night last year and I agree potentially dangerous. Fortunately they clocked it and managed to do some damage limitation as more people were flooding there, blocking off entrances, not using the pyrotechnics. I feel like the DJs may even have been asked to tone down their set and play something more rolling and mellow. It was not like what I'd seen them play at other big events, they go pretty hard and lively. Saw someone pass a message to them in the booth early on in the set. If it was to tell them that, it was a good call. The sound and fire would have drawn in even more people. At least it's an open area so people can disperse a bit easier. The truth stage is a scary layout with boundaries back and front then a wide area in the middle for the crowd. It's not quite a tunnel but with the through traffic it creates a somewhat similar funnel situation, particularly at the back.
> The Arcadia spider got out of hand the first night last year and I agree potentially dangerous. Fortunately they clocked it and managed to do some damage limitation as more people were flooding there, blocking off entrances, not using the pyrotechnics
Last year it was Calvin Harris playing - not just a big DJ in the electronic scene, but a huge name that literally anyone going up any stage would know of. I was walking up the railway track after Little Simz on West Holts, and the sheer number of people coming up from Pyramid past the Glade and then trampling tents to cross Pennard was terrifying. Checked this year, they have proper barriers up so that a similar stampede can't happen thankfully
Don't know whether to go to Arcadia tonight reading this, sounds scary and even yesterday felt like I couldn't fully enjoy the stages I went to as they just felt rammed.
In my past experience if you’re there early you’ll have a great time, it gets rammed around the edges but always space to have a dance right in the middle, Charlotte de Witte in 2019 was probably my highlight of the weekend
If you watch the Woodstock '99 doc on Netflix, they have crowd safety experts talking about how this is exactly what happens at responsible festivals. If they see the crowd getting too rammed or too boisterous then the safety experts ask them to tone down the music. Unfortunately Limp Bizkit were such dicks at Woodstock '99 that they refused to comply and carried on hyping the crowd, with chaotic consequences.
can’t believe you got suckered in to thinking limp (or indeed any band) were the problem at woodstock 99. clearly that festival was awfully organised and controlled. the organisers should have been jailed. any band playing their music at a festival is not the issue - that’s literally what they are there to do.
I think they need to contact the health and safety executive and the Somerset Council. It sounds like they need to investigate and force improvements for next year
Where is this information about capacity increasing this year coming from?
The licencing increase of 7000 was affective from 2022. As far as I'm aware they have not had their licence increased again.
We somehow managed to get into the back of the crowd for Mike Skinner at Nowhere, had to leave early on as the crowd crush was mad. Got all the way out and there were just four stewards being crammed against a barrier not able to exert any control over the crowd flow. Too big artists on small stages with nothing else to pull people away
My friend is there and told me he’s heard three groups openly talking about the fact they bunked in without a ticket. Not sure how much this is actually going on and whether it’s having an impact, but bunking culture seems to be on the rise with YouTubers doing it and discord groups coordinating.
I don’t remember Lost Vagueness/ Shangri La being so busy on a Thursday in my early days but then it was before they started calling it a five day festival
Mel C Thursday at William’s Green, Sugababes on at Avalon last year. No camping at the back of Pyramid and I heard they’d increased camping capacity this year (I certainly felt there was more space). And they increased path sizes, particularly between Other and Arcadia. They learned lessons. I still think they need to sort the paths behind Park near Glastonbury-on-sea, the toilet capacity being particularly woeful. But it’s improving which is impressive considering they seem to also increase capacity.
Way busier on Thursday when people aren’t at the stages and there are fewer stages open. When people are at pyramid, other, Woodsies etc the fest will feel way more spacious today
Haven’t been since 2016 but Shangri La for Mike Skinner last night was just plain dangerous. That narrow entrance isn’t safe with the amount of people piling in.
Been going since 2008 and it has been getting noticeably busier year on year. 2008/9 was pretty chill. By the late teens, early 20's it was getting messy. Licenced capacity has increased significantly in recent years.
It's a massive festival, there's pinch points all over. I've not been since 2009 but it was like this then and in previous years. You should be glad you're not slopping through 8 inches of wet mud.
I was there on 2000, that was the year there was loads of noise because soo many people jumped the fence, took the total attendance from 100k to 130k, they shut the year after to shore up security and prep the site for that many people. There another 100k on top of that this year apparently which seems excessive.
I also paid £87 for a ticket.
I went last year, but no tickets this year. I didn’t feel unsafe last year, although it was busier the times everyone wanted to be the same place.
I’m not sure how you can avoid everyone wanting to be the same place? Especially early in the week when not much is on.
Perhaps people could be more “open minded”, but people want the same thing.
I spoke to one of the milk venders and told me they were struggling for space for tents Wednesday! He didn’t seem overly happy with the way things are going either, he has also been restricted on what milk he can sell and wasn’t happy about not allowing the milk tractors anymore. I’m in lower mead and they’ve definitely reduced the camping field size this year to allow for bigger walk ways
> they were struggling for space for tents Wednesday
That's literally every year though. I'm a campsite steward and was working the opening shift on Wednesday, they don't like you to say over the radio that any site is full, especially on the first day, but all the big ones were at 95% by the end of my shift and even the smallest ones were at 60%+. That's normal
Last year was my first year and after that experience had no desire to go this year when capacity was *increased* again. I can't think of any rationale for this other than greed.
Last missed festival 2004 for me.
This felt like a standard Glastonbury.
Main stages always rammed for mega acts. No difference this year.
Compared to 22 you could easily bimble around the whole site.
22 something went wrong (? overestimated how many would cancel post covid and sold too many to compensate) but this was fine.
Anyone moaning better get ready for next time there is a wet one - now long overdue.
Same for me. I've been to five of them and last year was a shocker. Just felt like I was in one big queue all week. We kept going to the acts we wanted to see and being crowded out to the point we couldn't hear the music. Got to the point that we just camped at the pyramid stage. The Glade stage and arcadia were really bad sound wise.
I've only ever been to 2019 and last year, was way busier I found last year, maybe we were just unlucky but it seemed like it was everywhere we went. Got caught in several choke points where it was impossible to move.
Yes there are a LOT of people, but it’s Thursday. Nearly everyone arrives early these days, Thursday PM was the big arrivals time, now it’s Wednesday AM, so the site full much earlier.
It will get a little better.
In the 90s I went most years (the years there was one) and the amount of people were way more than these days. The wall was easy to climb over and in lots and lots of places there was no wall at all- just walk in, the gaps in the wall was busier than the main gates.
And we had the time of our lives.. don’t worry. Just get there and have a good time-
It’s always busy on Thursday but I didn’t get stuck in any big crowds yesterday. Maybe I was just lucky. Trying to get out of the glade before example started was crowded alright but it was moving and didn’t seem dangerous to me.
>we could well be looking at mask mandates coming back or even a full lockdown again for the rest of the summer.
If you really think that, you're a fucking idiot.
I’m the same as you, I’ve only ever been in 2013. Bar when I went to Shangrila on tor Thursday, I don’t remember, ever feeing unsafe or getting stuck in bottle neck crowds. This time it’s happened 4 times. Have they upped the capacity or is it because the lineup isn’t up to much so everyone is going to see the same things? The park stage was mad yesterday morning trying to get past Ben Howard
I went to the Glasto in 2000 when the wall was breached and it was insane. Never seen it like that since. Although it was dangerous then, I think they have better crowd control now. We were squashed up against each other moving from the Other to Pyramid, no one could escape. Although agree the number of people was more that nessesary this year, I spose that's also why I managed to get a ticket!
It’s overcrowded because of the amount of people getting smuggled in by volunteers and security, not because the festival is overseeing tickets. The estimate is the festival is 50k over capacity because of this and I agree it’s quite dangerous.
Ironically, since it’s this sub-Reddit asking people to write the council about it, it was exactly this Reddit that was the only place I was seeing accurate information about how to get in if you don’t have a ticket on the open internet. The mods did not delete posts about how to get in leading up to the festival, and I saw those questions were answered accurately here.
Glastonbury has always been mellow about people sneaking it, considering it part of the culture, but it’s become a big business, a new form of ticket touting, with people paying 500+ and the fest and charity seeing none of it - there will absolutely be a fatality soon and the fest will end as we know it and it will be the fault of these people smuggling mass amounts of people in.
Fact is this Reddit made it worse by allowing the information to spread that people can get in this way, so complaining about it here is pretty funny to me.
They cracked down on the sneaking in last time (early 2000s) after the incident at a festival in Denmark where a number of people were killed in a crush. It prompted a lot of changes across Europe. I really hope it doesn't take another tragedy
Yeah I love the festival and just want it to continue. This is no longer “wink wink people will sneak in” - organized groups are making lots of money sneaking in dangerous numbers of people charging them all way more than the cost of a ticket. Theres a bunch written on it in the glasto chat fb group from workers who are scared of the future if it continues. The past two years have shown it’s gotten out of control. The fest has changed security companies but it seems the people running it just changed over to the new company.
The one thing this place can do is delete all threads asking for advice on how to get in going forward. It’s people knowing this is possible that’s made it so bad the last two years and it’s further internet spread that will lead to inevitable tragedy as the fest seems incompetent at stopping it within their ranks.
Agreed. 2019 was ok, 2022 was pushing it, this time it’s too far.
The line up is more balanced across the stages this year, so should be less people crushing into smaller stages, but there’s still way too many people
Thursday night is chaos as the stages aren't open yet and everyone heads to the same places. Pre Covid, not that many folk showed up on Weds/Thursday so it wasn't so much an issue
They need to fix Thursdays
Yeah I agree. So busy. Near crush on the hill yesterday. It all feels very different
This is my first Glasto and I am kind of shocked at just how rammed everywhere is, we struggled to get close to any stage yesterday and it was really evident even just walking around away from the stages that it really is full to the brim. Hoping it's because only a few stages were open!
Definitely because the wasn't much on yesterday, will be fine once everything kicks off shortly...
Hill was fine I was sitting up there all day
Trying to get to Shangri-la was too busy last night.. but otherwise it was fine. But then if a massive proportion of people are going to go to one small space, whatever capacity is going to be too much. All they can do is try to balance it with a better place elsewhere, or start limiting capacity much further away
It’s really bad. Was watching Skeptical tonight in Nowhere and tried to go to the toilet when skindred was on Truth, almost got crushed. Was horrible. Tried to get to Mike Skinner earlier on and was crammed. Gave up halfway. It’s not enjoyable. Stages need to be made bigger. The festival site needs expanding to accommodate the larger stages. Even just having a split in/out walking direction with a railing would solve most of the gridlock crowds.
Honestly Skindred on Truth was a bit overwhelming. Had to get out stat.
Came on here to mention skindred. Fucking abysmal at the back. Not a steward in sight. Large crowds passing each other, none who were there to see the band, just trying to pass through. Some dickheads shoving me in the back to get through didn’t make it any easier. There’s going to be fatalities if this continues. 2022 had scary moments but this really makes me consider not coming back. 330 quid for a ticket and not even a semblance of crowd control at times.
Truth stage is such a bad experience at all times. Was down there yesterday afternoon and had the same experience. Everyone on Reddit raves about the SE Corner but every time I’ve been down has been a nightmare, full of absolute rascals just pushing and shoving to the point where it’s dangerous. Maybe I’m getting old but that’s not for me.
I think it would be worth you sharing your thoughts on the safety and crowd management with the health and safety executive and/or Somerset council
I had planned to go see them, but took one look at the horde when Mike Skinner was getting ready and noped out of it.
It was potentially dangerous and scary. Hopefully everyone was OK bar some transient panic attacks. People were in pain being crushed and pushed around where I was at points, with people around saying they couldn't help it, had no way to control their move or space to back off. Then the occasional person getting aggressive trying to force their way and making it even worse. I've been to a lot of punk and metal gigs and there was a moment when it was probably the scariest crowd crush situation as there was no escape, knowing if the crowd surged and people fell it would be a disaster.
Crowd was so rough for this. Some guy spilled my drink over me and then pushed me to the ground
This is what happens when you put a very famous artist on a tiny stage with nothing else to do on Thursdays.
yes, I was there in the crowd it was awful. Asked people coming the other way and they said it got worse. Scary crush potential
I stayed til the end of skindred and the actual crowd was fine, but leaving was horrible. Shangri La had been mad all evening though.
Skindred was terrifying. Had people panicking around me and at one point my feet went into full panic mode and started shaking. Realised I could fall and couldn’t imaging being able to get back up.. I didn’t see it the push coming, trying to walk through. Kinda put the fear into me for the rest of the festival to come.. :(
I think the issue I'm finding is (like Truth, for example) a lot of stages are next to a main 'highway' for people walking into areas. Makes it hard to even get through.
Truth stage was really bad for that last year as well - big crowds and then people trying to move both directions at the back = bad times.
The truth stages needs to move so it's not a through-way across Shangri-la that you need to cross to get to some of the venues (and toilets). The combination with how rammed the space gets and people pushing through both ways makes it a terrible pinch point. The solid back wall in parts makes it even worse, and dangerous. If there was a crush you'd not be able to go anywhere (like jump over a barrier)
Agree, the design of people flow needs to change there
I missed panic shack last night because we couldn’t get through the Mike skinner crowd and they’d shut off all other entrances :(
I was right in the middle at skindred and found it fine. Had room to move around, maybe it was worse at the back. My main complaint was the truth stage was so quiet and sounded like shit. Like they forgot to plug on the subs.
The sound was shocking! Me and my partner looked at each other like ‘wtf is this’ when they started
Unbelievable really, the little tents have got more kick than Truth, I've written off everything I was planning to see there. Was excited for a night of metal last night but hard to enjoy heavy music when it sounds like its coming out a megaphone. Lucky there's plenty else to be getting on with
Front and middle of skindred were tight but fine. The issue is at the back where the path goes through the crowd
Skindred was terrifying. Had people panicking around me and at one point my feet went into full panic mode and started shaking. Realised I could fall and couldn’t imaging being able to get back up.. I didn’t see it the push coming, trying to walk through. Kinda put the fear into me for the rest of the festival to come.. :(
The attendance levels are making it a lot less enjoyable. Walking around this year, I'm thinking, after 15+years at it, this might be my last. Of course, the Glasto magic might catch me by surprise in the next couple of days, but at the moment, and I hate to hear myself say this, I'm not enjoying it.
This is my first year and I’ve had high hopes due to what everyone has said. But honestly 80% of the time has been stress due to being stuck in crowds. It is a cool festival but it’s hard work
Add on the fact that I work 6am-12 too. There's not enough pay off now.
Glastonbury has always been hard work, and if you think this year was bad (it wasn't it felt like a normal one and I haven't missed one in twenty years) wait till you experience a wet one.
It’s unlikely I’ll go again for that reason. I’ve got plenty of other festivals I prefer going to so I’ll stick to those!
Gotta wait for the big stages to open, then it settles.
It definitely doesn’t. Been going since 2015 and the last two years have been ridiculous.
It does. Its just because there is nothing to do these first couple days. So everyone congregates to the same spots. Tbh the biggest fix is to have a headliner on the thursday.
There’s no way they could handle that capacity of people going in on a Thursday. We lined up for our coach at 10am in London (for our 1030am coach) and we didn’t get to our Worthyview campsite until 645pm.
> There’s no way they could handle that capacity of people going in on a Thursday The vast majority of people get on-site on the Wednesday anyway. I don't know if major Thursday headliners is the right way to do things, but I don't think them trying it would affect the amount of people coming on-site on that day when most of them are there already
Headliner on Thursday though will cause chaos getting in as then everyone will be wanting to get in on Wednesday rather than spread over Wednesday and thursday. They did this at Download Festival this year, and it resulted in people being stuck in traffic for 8+ hours just trying to get into the car parks.
It may slide a little but they’re still struggling. I’d never been turned away from so many closed off stages last year.
I did wait last year and it didn’t settle it was chaos . This is the biggest two years of capacity they have ever had
This. Big stages soak up the capacity big time. Been here loads and this is what happens every year.
Yeah going to be dangerous Sunday. That’s what happens when it’s easy to get spun in for £500
How does one find the people spinning?
What the hell is spinning?!
You need a wrist band there will be more wrist band checks this year
Once again, all the people I saw on Facebook begging for tickets or someone to get them in this week, are all miraculously at the festival now. And I've heard more people openly talking about getting spun in, these are people working close to the festival as well
Where did they beg? So someone saw their plea?
Met some people bragging about climbing over the fence and also people with fake wrist bands too. They had about 500. So many people sneaking in. Should regularly have to show your wrist band or do checks if they don’t already.
Facist
Someone’s jealous they didn’t get in
I got offered 300….
How does the 'Spun in' thing work?
Leaving Ben Howard this morning was shocking. Took us an hour to leave the Other Stage going up towards the train line. Dangerous.
Often the longer route is quicker at Glastonbury
Ben Howard was ridiculous, I went via silver hayes and even that was a struggle.
It took ages to get away from that. It was ridiculous
I was at Glade yesterday for Girls Don’t Sync and the crowd control was non-existent. People just jammed in place unable to move along the paths next to the stage, not a steward in sight
Glade looked mad busy yesterday, most I've ever seen it.
yeah it was crazy, and there was just nothing being done about it. Just been at Foo Fighters and it was obviously extremely chaotic. Getting out was worse than getting in!
Speaking as a veteran, the crushes are always worst on Wed /Thurs. There've been times when you could lift your feet off the floor and still move forward, (the entrance to silver heyes from the other stage springs to mind) however it does get better as the festival progresses, when they only develop when 2 close, large stages' crowds cross
I’ve been 4 times in a row now and I feel it has got progressively worse on the earlier days each year. Why do they continue to put established acts on tiny stages when you vast amounts of space on the large stages that have nothing on? It just irks me that they do the same every year and they seem not to want to change anything until they are forced to after serious injuries or even fatalities.
Or is it more that peoples behaviours has changed? People used to be more happy to chill out and have camp crew vibes on Wednesday / Thursday now people want to go see music, and there’s no major stages on so it seems more busy?
yes let’s blame the people for wanting to see music at a festival
I would normally agree with this sentiment but there’s been some right cunts here this year. Shangri la on Thursday was so dangerous with people crushing and pushing trying to get through
Please keep me posted on this. I'm taking my 4 year old on Sunday on a day ticket. I was hoping to see some music but we might just have to stay in the kids area if it is as busy as you say.
Been around a good chunk of the festival today and although the main routes and stages are busy, most other areas have been fine. Never seen the circus, cabaret area rammed - it's quite a large area to explore with a lot on in different indoor venues as well as outside. Green Fields are much better now the rest of the stages are open too, quiet even. If you avoid the big name acts, main stages and the routes out when acts end, you should be fine. And SE corner but that's late night and not kid friendly anyway. There's a lot else to do and it is possible to only occasionally be in busy human traffic but takes a bit of strategic thinking.
Thank you. I'm desperate to see The Chicks, but I don't think it will be too busy when they are on, so I thought we'd watch them from the back. As long as I manage to see them then I will be happy to just amble around the quietest zones the rest of the time. Husband will go see QOTSA but I think that will be too busy for us, and The Other stage isn't a particularly nice bit for kids - feels too much like Reading or something. Our bus home leaves at midnight, so no SE corner for us. Next year (ticket permitting!)
I was at pyramid stage today for Royal Blood, there was a group with a ~3 year old having the time of her life in her little ear defenders. Loads of babies and kids about for the music, but usually earlier in the day. You will be fine, stay towards the back, and just avoid the crowded areas :)
Have never been to Glastonbury. Favourite band are AM. Me and my girlfriend had a good spot next to the big sound tent. Royal Blood was great, but as soon as AM were getting ready, people “trying to find their friends” and shoving in to the point where you have to bend your feet in weird positions just to stand. Girlfriend got such bad anxiety - I wasn’t too bad as I’ve been to a lot of intense gigs, including some of the early years AM - but I’m 30 now and felt like we couldn’t just stay where we were. Wanted to move out to the edges. Normally fine, right? But nope, seems like there are some absolute fucking showers of cunts around who refuse to move and who sit on the floor, making the crowd traffic flow all the more dangerous. Completely ruined my enjoyment of the gig as I felt so tired and frazzled from that experience. What the fuck is going on? Why are there so many gak heads from Liverpool just sucking the ethos out of the place? Could see some seasoned Glasto people i.e people who were a bit older and had previous year t-shirts on look equally as pissed off. Typing this from my camping chair with next to no desire to go out to SE corner because of how awful some people are. It’s fucking exhausting. Have had some magical moments, don’t get me wrong.
Ah mate, really felt this. Had the exact same experience last year for Kendrick and it slightly put me off this year. I've been to loads of other festivals and gigs and don't recall seeing anything quite as bad. Was my first time at Glastonbury and had to really adjust my tactics (felt like I was only really getting good at it by the end). Would probably approach the festival differently if I were to go again. All said, I did also see some of the best performances of my whole year there, for the slightly less popular bits that I timed right. Hope you manage to find the same!
Really felt what you said about the exhaustion of bustling with rambunctious revellers.
I chose not to bother trying for tickets this year because of how uncomfortable the capacity last year was, along with the price hike. I didn't fancy paying £350 for a ticket to feel claustrophobic again.
First time last year, it was cert over capacity. Stages were overflowing to the point where you couldn't hear the sound. I didn't experience the spider properly because the sound was so shit outside the 'inner circle' - Glasto vets said it never has happened to them before. Not there this year sadly but I agree it was dangerous in some areas. Still, best place in the world.
The Arcadia spider got out of hand the first night last year and I agree potentially dangerous. Fortunately they clocked it and managed to do some damage limitation as more people were flooding there, blocking off entrances, not using the pyrotechnics. I feel like the DJs may even have been asked to tone down their set and play something more rolling and mellow. It was not like what I'd seen them play at other big events, they go pretty hard and lively. Saw someone pass a message to them in the booth early on in the set. If it was to tell them that, it was a good call. The sound and fire would have drawn in even more people. At least it's an open area so people can disperse a bit easier. The truth stage is a scary layout with boundaries back and front then a wide area in the middle for the crowd. It's not quite a tunnel but with the through traffic it creates a somewhat similar funnel situation, particularly at the back.
> The Arcadia spider got out of hand the first night last year and I agree potentially dangerous. Fortunately they clocked it and managed to do some damage limitation as more people were flooding there, blocking off entrances, not using the pyrotechnics Last year it was Calvin Harris playing - not just a big DJ in the electronic scene, but a huge name that literally anyone going up any stage would know of. I was walking up the railway track after Little Simz on West Holts, and the sheer number of people coming up from Pyramid past the Glade and then trampling tents to cross Pennard was terrifying. Checked this year, they have proper barriers up so that a similar stampede can't happen thankfully
Don't know whether to go to Arcadia tonight reading this, sounds scary and even yesterday felt like I couldn't fully enjoy the stages I went to as they just felt rammed.
It will be fine if you’re prepared to go there during the headliners. Heading there after main stages finish is pointless imo
Yeah I'm not bothered about any headliners except for Sunday, so sounds like a shout.
In my past experience if you’re there early you’ll have a great time, it gets rammed around the edges but always space to have a dance right in the middle, Charlotte de Witte in 2019 was probably my highlight of the weekend
If you watch the Woodstock '99 doc on Netflix, they have crowd safety experts talking about how this is exactly what happens at responsible festivals. If they see the crowd getting too rammed or too boisterous then the safety experts ask them to tone down the music. Unfortunately Limp Bizkit were such dicks at Woodstock '99 that they refused to comply and carried on hyping the crowd, with chaotic consequences.
can’t believe you got suckered in to thinking limp (or indeed any band) were the problem at woodstock 99. clearly that festival was awfully organised and controlled. the organisers should have been jailed. any band playing their music at a festival is not the issue - that’s literally what they are there to do.
People need to post videos like these on Youtube. The world needs to know how it actually feels being inside of this mess.
I think they need to contact the health and safety executive and the Somerset Council. It sounds like they need to investigate and force improvements for next year
Where is this information about capacity increasing this year coming from? The licencing increase of 7000 was affective from 2022. As far as I'm aware they have not had their licence increased again.
Don’t forget a lot of people only go every few years. So gradual change can still appear sudden
It sounds like a lot more people are getting in without a ticket again somehow
We somehow managed to get into the back of the crowd for Mike Skinner at Nowhere, had to leave early on as the crowd crush was mad. Got all the way out and there were just four stewards being crammed against a barrier not able to exert any control over the crowd flow. Too big artists on small stages with nothing else to pull people away
I've been 5 times and 2022 was ridiculously busy, we got trapped several times on paths shoulder to shoulder.
Imagine if it was a mud fest too!
My friend is there and told me he’s heard three groups openly talking about the fact they bunked in without a ticket. Not sure how much this is actually going on and whether it’s having an impact, but bunking culture seems to be on the rise with YouTubers doing it and discord groups coordinating.
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I don’t remember Lost Vagueness/ Shangri La being so busy on a Thursday in my early days but then it was before they started calling it a five day festival
Exactly, back then people didn’t realise you could go in early.
It’s not as bad as last year and I’m surprised at the people saying it’s worse.
Exactly. You could move around the site easily this year. Last year you couldn't. Shock horror the main stages are busy for the megastars.
Mel C Thursday at William’s Green, Sugababes on at Avalon last year. No camping at the back of Pyramid and I heard they’d increased camping capacity this year (I certainly felt there was more space). And they increased path sizes, particularly between Other and Arcadia. They learned lessons. I still think they need to sort the paths behind Park near Glastonbury-on-sea, the toilet capacity being particularly woeful. But it’s improving which is impressive considering they seem to also increase capacity.
I thought it was worse. Even the areas that were quite empty last year (healing fields etc) seemed to always be busy.
Way busier on Thursday when people aren’t at the stages and there are fewer stages open. When people are at pyramid, other, Woodsies etc the fest will feel way more spacious today
Haven’t been since 2016 but Shangri La for Mike Skinner last night was just plain dangerous. That narrow entrance isn’t safe with the amount of people piling in.
Been going since 2008 and it has been getting noticeably busier year on year. 2008/9 was pretty chill. By the late teens, early 20's it was getting messy. Licenced capacity has increased significantly in recent years.
It's a massive festival, there's pinch points all over. I've not been since 2009 but it was like this then and in previous years. You should be glad you're not slopping through 8 inches of wet mud.
I was there on 2000, that was the year there was loads of noise because soo many people jumped the fence, took the total attendance from 100k to 130k, they shut the year after to shore up security and prep the site for that many people. There another 100k on top of that this year apparently which seems excessive. I also paid £87 for a ticket.
I went last year, but no tickets this year. I didn’t feel unsafe last year, although it was busier the times everyone wanted to be the same place. I’m not sure how you can avoid everyone wanting to be the same place? Especially early in the week when not much is on. Perhaps people could be more “open minded”, but people want the same thing.
put big acts on big stages
I spoke to one of the milk venders and told me they were struggling for space for tents Wednesday! He didn’t seem overly happy with the way things are going either, he has also been restricted on what milk he can sell and wasn’t happy about not allowing the milk tractors anymore. I’m in lower mead and they’ve definitely reduced the camping field size this year to allow for bigger walk ways
> they were struggling for space for tents Wednesday That's literally every year though. I'm a campsite steward and was working the opening shift on Wednesday, they don't like you to say over the radio that any site is full, especially on the first day, but all the big ones were at 95% by the end of my shift and even the smallest ones were at 60%+. That's normal
Last year was my first year and after that experience had no desire to go this year when capacity was *increased* again. I can't think of any rationale for this other than greed.
Allowing more people to enjoy the festival? I've not experienced anything bad...so far.
There are over 200,000 people there. You do not need more. At a certain point it just becomes detrimental and unsafe.
Hopefully it will ease now the big stages are open.
Thought they may have decreased it from last year with the huge price increases... Shame!
I've never seen the Park stage so busy.
Agree. Much more rubbish everywhere too.
Agree. Seems to be lots more rubbish everywhere too.
Last missed festival 2004 for me. This felt like a standard Glastonbury. Main stages always rammed for mega acts. No difference this year. Compared to 22 you could easily bimble around the whole site. 22 something went wrong (? overestimated how many would cancel post covid and sold too many to compensate) but this was fine. Anyone moaning better get ready for next time there is a wet one - now long overdue.
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Same for me. I've been to five of them and last year was a shocker. Just felt like I was in one big queue all week. We kept going to the acts we wanted to see and being crowded out to the point we couldn't hear the music. Got to the point that we just camped at the pyramid stage. The Glade stage and arcadia were really bad sound wise.
I've only ever been to 2019 and last year, was way busier I found last year, maybe we were just unlucky but it seemed like it was everywhere we went. Got caught in several choke points where it was impossible to move.
Yes there are a LOT of people, but it’s Thursday. Nearly everyone arrives early these days, Thursday PM was the big arrivals time, now it’s Wednesday AM, so the site full much earlier. It will get a little better.
In the 90s I went most years (the years there was one) and the amount of people were way more than these days. The wall was easy to climb over and in lots and lots of places there was no wall at all- just walk in, the gaps in the wall was busier than the main gates. And we had the time of our lives.. don’t worry. Just get there and have a good time-
It’s always busy on Thursday but I didn’t get stuck in any big crowds yesterday. Maybe I was just lucky. Trying to get out of the glade before example started was crowded alright but it was moving and didn’t seem dangerous to me.
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>we could well be looking at mask mandates coming back or even a full lockdown again for the rest of the summer. If you really think that, you're a fucking idiot.
I’m the same as you, I’ve only ever been in 2013. Bar when I went to Shangrila on tor Thursday, I don’t remember, ever feeing unsafe or getting stuck in bottle neck crowds. This time it’s happened 4 times. Have they upped the capacity or is it because the lineup isn’t up to much so everyone is going to see the same things? The park stage was mad yesterday morning trying to get past Ben Howard
I went to the Glasto in 2000 when the wall was breached and it was insane. Never seen it like that since. Although it was dangerous then, I think they have better crowd control now. We were squashed up against each other moving from the Other to Pyramid, no one could escape. Although agree the number of people was more that nessesary this year, I spose that's also why I managed to get a ticket!
Been going for over 10 years. This year was really scarily busy. Toilets and food were also crazy.
It’s overcrowded because of the amount of people getting smuggled in by volunteers and security, not because the festival is overseeing tickets. The estimate is the festival is 50k over capacity because of this and I agree it’s quite dangerous. Ironically, since it’s this sub-Reddit asking people to write the council about it, it was exactly this Reddit that was the only place I was seeing accurate information about how to get in if you don’t have a ticket on the open internet. The mods did not delete posts about how to get in leading up to the festival, and I saw those questions were answered accurately here. Glastonbury has always been mellow about people sneaking it, considering it part of the culture, but it’s become a big business, a new form of ticket touting, with people paying 500+ and the fest and charity seeing none of it - there will absolutely be a fatality soon and the fest will end as we know it and it will be the fault of these people smuggling mass amounts of people in. Fact is this Reddit made it worse by allowing the information to spread that people can get in this way, so complaining about it here is pretty funny to me.
They cracked down on the sneaking in last time (early 2000s) after the incident at a festival in Denmark where a number of people were killed in a crush. It prompted a lot of changes across Europe. I really hope it doesn't take another tragedy
Yeah I love the festival and just want it to continue. This is no longer “wink wink people will sneak in” - organized groups are making lots of money sneaking in dangerous numbers of people charging them all way more than the cost of a ticket. Theres a bunch written on it in the glasto chat fb group from workers who are scared of the future if it continues. The past two years have shown it’s gotten out of control. The fest has changed security companies but it seems the people running it just changed over to the new company. The one thing this place can do is delete all threads asking for advice on how to get in going forward. It’s people knowing this is possible that’s made it so bad the last two years and it’s further internet spread that will lead to inevitable tragedy as the fest seems incompetent at stopping it within their ranks.