The Death of the British Festival

I’m probably running a risk of sounding like a miserable old man but I’m wondering if people feel the same way as I do about festivals in the UK (and beyond) and how disillusioned I’m becoming with them.

I’m only 21, and I’ve spent but a mere 6 years attending festivals, but surely I can’t be the only one who’s noticing the way our summer bashes are becoming… well… a bit rubbish? Maybe I’m jaded, or maybe I’ve been spoilt, or just maybe I’m stuck in a rut of pessimism that could render this post irrelevant this time next year.

Anyway… my first festival was T in the Park 2004, my dad took me for my 15th birthday and I could write forever about it (I won’t), but it was that weekend when I decided I wanted to do the same thing every year for as long as my body would let me. The atmosphere and people’s reaction to the music was something I’d never experienced before and the universal feeling of comradery and the “we’re all here because we love music” is an experience no first-time festival goer can forget.

At least that was the case.

My most recent festival experience was Bestival on the Isle of Wight, a festival that, traditionally, has been a family friendy affair with a truly eclectic lineup that fused a party atmosphere with a wholesome, hippy vibe. The crowd, whilst not as raucous as other festival hordes, has always maintained that positive atmosphere that started my love affair with festivals in the first place. I’ve been 3 times previously and loved it.

This year I may as well have been at Reading or Leeds. Having attended the Leeds 4 years in a row it was this festival in particular that indicated to me the way festivals are going. And it isn’t the aggressive, hawkish, “go and get smashed” element I’m referring to. That, as much as I don’t buy into it myself, is all part and parcel of our most popular rock festival. What I’m referring to is the abundance of people who, now they’ve gatecrashed our more popular festivals, are leaking into the ones that belonged to us – the actual music fans.

The problem I’m getting at is the people who couldn’t even give a toss about the bands they’ve apparently paid £150+ to see. More and more I’ve found myself becoming frustrated with the crowds around me who, once the artist in question has finished their newest single, will turn and start to have a conversation with the people around them until the next “hit” gets played.

Because festivals are in fashion. And it’s as simple as that. To say you’ve been to Leeds or Glastonbury is the in thing right now and, from where I’m standing, that just isn’t in the spirit of what festivals are about. I don’t think it’s a problem that will go away soon either. Festival attendances are increasing in number and organisers are realising they can cater to this more casual, mainstream audience – which can only serve the problem I’ve highlighted.

I’m not adverse to broadening the festival audience, it’s something I’ve always said should be experienced by everyone once, and I think the opportunity for more mainstream tastes to be catered for is a salutary venture… but that doesn’t mean I have to like it when it compromises the character of our festivals, which are, and I hope will continue to be, the very best in the world.