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Glastonbury. Slow ticket sales. Marvellous!


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Old 19-04-2008, 22:43
swinside
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Just popped on line the other evening, registered and purchased a ticket. No hassle, no queue, no anxiety! Marvellous!

I do hope it will remain like this in future years. This is how it was for years. I've been going to glastonbury since 1985. I love it. Six months looking forward to it and six months getting over it!

It's only in recent years we've had the madness of tickets selling out in 2 hours.
I can remember not that long ago (2002) I purchased a ticket on line for the first time, and that was about a month after they had been on sale!

For years I bought my tickets over the phone, usually around May time. The festival always sold out, usually around the begining of June.
So you can imagine my horror when in 2004 I was up all night getting absolutely nowhere. Phone in one hand computer in the other. Refresh, redial, refresh, redial. AAAAHHHHHHHH! Everyone in the house phoning up as well! Nightmare!
By 11.00 the next morning I was exausted and still no ticket. I was crying my eyes out. I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown!

Eventually I got a ticket about an hour before they sold out, and only because I used a link I got from the glastonbury forum. I will always be grateful to the Glastonbury forum for giving me that link that day. Prevented me from being admitted to the local mental hospital!

Glastonbury was great that year but the ticket experience did taint things some what. That and watching England get knocked out of the Euro's!

In 2005 I did the whole refresh, redial thing again but didn't get a ticket. I was gutted but not in despair. I had mentally prepared myself for failure. In 2006 there was no festival and I was glad because it would spare me the April heartache of not getting a ticket.

Again last year I could not get a ticket on my phone and computer. Luckily a friend in cornwall got me a ticket. A coach ticket going from Exeter! At least I was able to go. I must admit I hated going by coach and would not do it again. Last year as you know the weather was the worst I can remember!

This year I thought bollocks to it. I can't be arsed to go through all the pain of trying to get a ticket. So I didn't register. I couldn't believe it when they announced tickets still on sale and reopened the registration process.

So this year it feels back to normal. Buying a ticket with no hassle. This is how it should be. Long may It last.

As for the line up, who cares, I'm going to Glasto. Yeehaaaaaaa!
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Old 20-04-2008, 00:38
Northern_Light
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Well done on getting your tickets! I remember the last time I went to Glastonbury was 1999 and in those days I'd go into my local record shop and buy tickets so easily. I always think with the sheer number of festivals there are these days it'd be easier to get tickets, but they all seem to sell out within no time. I've been to a couple of the newer festivals but none of them can beat Glastonbury for atmosphere and experience, even though the line-up has been getting poorer in recent years unfortunately.
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Old 20-04-2008, 02:42
Carmen Queasy
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It's because Jay-Z is headlining.

I hate how people are denying that he isn't festival material. He isn't. I don't care how good or bad he is, but his stuff isn't Glastonbury, y'all.

I love a bit or variation, originality... something different, but they might as well have hired some tired DJ for the headliner.

Jay-Z has his fans, who are not festival goers.
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Old 20-04-2008, 02:58
swinside
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If it really is Jay z causing slow ticket sales then I hope he plays every year! I don't give a toss about the line up, never have. I spend very little time near the main stage. Glasto has always been more than just the music. Just being there fills my heart with joy.
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Old 20-04-2008, 02:59
oysterfrond
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Glastonbury jumped the shark years ago. For sure, there's loads of freakery and weirdism still there at the periphery: enough respect to Lost Vagueness and the Green Fields and all that. But the true spirit of the Glastonbury Festival is long gone: nowadays it's the equivalent of Wimbledon or Glyndebourne. Sanitised, elitist and soulless. Chock-a-block with sixth-formers who reckon they're slumming it but are texting each other three times a minute. Kids who think that the point of Glastonbury is watching BANDS for crying out loud.

I've no doubt that if I went to Glastonbury this year there'd still be some of its original counter-cultural essence to be found at the edges. Its strength is its huge size, after all. But the core is ruined, corrupted, commercialised. Eavis is a good man but the Frankenstein's monster he created is out of control, and its heart no longer harbours anything good. It's all corruption and greed these days.
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Old 20-04-2008, 03:33
Carmen Queasy
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Glastonbury jumped the shark years ago. For sure, there's loads of freakery and weirdism still there at the periphery: enough respect to Lost Vagueness and the Green Fields and all that. But the true spirit of the Glastonbury Festival is long gone: nowadays it's the equivalent of Wimbledon or Glyndebourne. Sanitised, elitist and soulless. Chock-a-block with sixth-formers who reckon they're slumming it but are texting each other three times a minute. Kids who think that the point of Glastonbury is watching BANDS for crying out loud.

I've no doubt that if I went to Glastonbury this year there'd still be some of its original counter-cultural essence to be found at the edges. Its strength is its huge size, after all. But the core is ruined, corrupted, commercialised. Eavis is a good man but the Frankenstein's monster he created is out of control, and its heart no longer harbours anything good. It's all corruption and greed these days.
That, my friend, is the way of the world
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Old 21-04-2008, 11:55
iain
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It's because Jay-Z is headlining.
if people aren't going to Glastonbury based on one headliner on one stage on one day, then they shouldn't be going to Glastonbury at all.

Iain
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Old 21-04-2008, 12:21
SGE
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I think the terrible weather of last year may also have put off the trendies, tbh.
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Old 27-04-2008, 12:17
swinside
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As for the line up, who cares, I'm going to Glasto.
Still not sold out! Marvellous!

I said I didn't care about the line up. However..............

Seth Lakeman,

Levellers,

Elbow,

System 7,

Spiritualized,

Alabama 3.

It's looking good! Mind you, when there are lots of bands I want to
see, Sods law kicks in and they all clash!

Kind regards.

Swinside.
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Old 27-04-2008, 12:27
Alrightmate
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It's because Jay-Z is headlining.

I hate how people are denying that he isn't festival material. He isn't. I don't care how good or bad he is, but his stuff isn't Glastonbury, y'all.

I love a bit or variation, originality... something different, but they might as well have hired some tired DJ for the headliner.

Jay-Z has his fans, who are not festival goers.
Yes but it's not just Jay Z who's playing is it?
There's many acts who are billed.
It's not as though people are being asked to pay to go see a Jay Z concert.

So it's for that reason that I'm very sceptical of the claims that the poor ticket sales are because of Jay Z.
Just because Noel Gallagher says so?
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Old 27-04-2008, 13:19
Smudgie
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One headliner isn't going to make the difference.

In the last few years there's been loads more smaller fests cropping up, recreating the Glasto atmosphere without the major hassle that is inevitable with festival of its size.

I went to Latitude last year, and it was fabulous.
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Old 27-04-2008, 17:37
Carmen Queasy
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Yes but it's not just Jay Z who's playing is it?
There's many acts who are billed.
It's not as though people are being asked to pay to go see a Jay Z concert.

So it's for that reason that I'm very sceptical of the claims that the poor ticket sales are because of Jay Z.
Just because Noel Gallagher says so?
It it was Oasis, Muse, Radiohead etc (one of the biggies) headlining then it'll have no doubt sold out straight away (not that I like any of these )

Of course there's loads of other acts playing, but the publicity has been around Jay Z headlining and I imagine this has put a lot of people off.

I like how people are blaming the weather; wet and muddy at Glastonbury? Never!
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Old 28-04-2008, 10:00
Glawster2002
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But the core is ruined, corrupted, commercialised. Eavis is a good man but the Frankenstein's monster he created is out of control, and its heart no longer harbours anything good. It's all corruption and greed these days.
Glasto has now become yet another Corporate event
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Old 28-04-2008, 10:09
iain
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Glasto has now become yet another Corporate event
what would you say were the five most corporate things about Glastonbury?

having been to the last six, it doesn't seem that corporate to me.

Iain
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Old 28-04-2008, 10:23
Glawster2002
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what would you say were the five most corporate things about Glastonbury?

having been to the last six, it doesn't seem that corporate to me.

Iain
How about Budweiser being "Official Beer Supplier", or Vodafone being "Official Mobile Network Supplier" for starters....

Glasto used to be about having fun and raising money for organisations like Greenpeace and CND. I don't think having Corportate Sponsors fits in with that idealism.
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Old 28-04-2008, 11:19
iain
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How about Budweiser being "Official Beer Supplier", or Vodafone being "Official Mobile Network Supplier" for starters....
keep going....

given the enormous size of Glastonbury, the fact that you can buy a branded beer, or get your mobile phone charged hardly makes it a corporate event.

it's not as tho' McDonalds have moved in - virtually every food outlet and market stall is an independent, worker's union beer is available throughout the site, the cider bus is still there, there's nothing commercial about the green fields, the site isn't littered with advertising hoardings of any description...

Glasto used to be about having fun and raising money for organisations like Greenpeace and CND. I don't think having Corportate Sponsors fits in with that idealism.
it still is - around the main stages greenpeace, water aid and oxfam get all the attention, with not a single corporate logo in site.

can i ask when you were actually last there?

Iain
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Old 29-04-2008, 11:01
Glawster2002
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Early Eighties, when it was a truely independant event.

Now there's Corporate money involved I wouldn't be interested in going if I was paid to do so.
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Old 29-04-2008, 11:26
iain
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Early Eighties, when it was a truely independant event.

Now there's Corporate money involved I wouldn't be interested in going if I was paid to do so.
given that, as i said in my previous post, any corporate stamp on the event is barely noticable, i suspect you're cutting off your nose to spite your face.

it just strikes me that you're latching on the term, without really appreciating how little impact it has on the festival in any tangible, practical sense.

how do you imagine it to actually have changed?

Iain
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Old 29-04-2008, 12:33
CLL Dodge
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Given this line-up it's not surprising ticket sales are sluggish:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7372589.stm
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Old 29-04-2008, 12:41
iain
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perhaps, but Glastonbury is about far more than the line up on the main stages.

Iain
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Old 29-04-2008, 13:10
TommyGavin76
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perhaps, but Glastonbury is about far more than the line up on the main stages.

Iain
Why hasn't it sold out then this year?
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Old 29-04-2008, 14:45
iain
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Why hasn't it sold out then this year?
well, that's not really the point. whether people decide to go or not hardly changes the fact that there's a lot more to Glastonbury than the main stages / what you see on the tv - that barely scratches the surface.

if people are not going just because of the lineup on the main stages, then they're arguably not the best people to be going in the first place.

as for why it hasn't sold out - a mumber of reasons -

- people are sick of the rain and mud and so don't fancy it this year.

- it became a bit trendy for a while, and perhaps that is on the wane.

- dozens of other, smaller fesivals have cropped up in recent years, so people might be going to some of them instead.

- and yes, perhaps the headliners too.

Iain
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Old 04-06-2008, 17:23
BlurAlly
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Sorry to bump this but Glastonbury is fast approaching so just wanted to hear from excited forum members. What are you planning on doing with your time? Any particular acts you want to see? Special events? Perhaps a wedding?

I just found out I have got a free ticket! There was a draw at work for tickets because I live near the festival. I have to go to all the press conferences and stuff but it still should be fun. I wasn't going to buy a ticket this year out of protest over the cost but luckily I didn't have to. Woo.. Sorry to boast. lol
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Old 07-06-2008, 23:47
Oswin Paul SSF
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Got my ticket today. Working in the Sanctuary Marque again - great. Have been looking at the line up today for the first time properly and there is a large number of groups I want to see so hope there aren't many clashes. praying for better weather.
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Old 08-06-2008, 01:31
performingmonk
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It's now been confirmed that the Eavis's were let down by a few bands who they wanted to book as headliners, including Coldplay and Radiohead, and so Jay-Z ended up headlining when he wasn't going to originally.
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