NationStates Jolt Archive

Ah, Leeds Festival. The music...

http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/8094/10003379ei.jpg

...the drinking...

http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/107/10002978te.jpg

...the small fires...

http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/2933/10004373qg.jpg

...the looting...

http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/5769/10004312qh.jpg

...and the privately hired security in riot gear, randomly 'arresting' people and doing these stupid bloody intermittent charges at the gathered crowd.

http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/6294/10004610bj.jpg

So, all in all, a little more interesting than last year. Especially thanks to the tribal drummers, who took it upon themselves to drum on burning metal bins in between stealing crates of lager from the fridge trucks and putting kegs on the fire to watch them burst.

More security is needed. If that doesn't help than perhaps cancelling the festival is needed. Now that'll teach those drunks a lesson!

I need to start going to that damn fest. I LIVE IN LEEDS, and things keep STOPPING ME GOING TO THE DAMN FEST. Christ :(

More security is needed. If that doesn't help than perhaps cancelling the festival is needed. Now that'll teach those drunks a lesson!
No no no, it was all peaceful until the rent-a-cops turned up. Well, I say peaceful, what I mean is no looting happened until after they arrived. It was like an impromptu rave or something, only with a few massive fires and the odd calor gas canister exploding. I think the problem was more that there were too few police-types, but any more and people would have been put off going. The few that there were made up for it by cracking some skulls and chasing the crowd whilst being pelted intermittently with half-cans of carling.

*gasp*

I know that had to be you laying in that pile of Foster's cans. ;)

*growl* :fluffle:

*gasp*

I know that had to be you laying in that pile of Foster's cans. ;)

*growl* :fluffle:
Ah yes. Unfortunately, I look about 12 in that picture thanks to my inability to get a haircut. At least you couldn't see my face - 5 days with no washing led to much spot eruption.

*washes face for the 5th time since getting home*

But look at mah sexy wellies though!

I need to start going to that damn fest. I LIVE IN LEEDS, and things keep STOPPING ME GOING TO THE DAMN FEST. Christ :(
I've only been going three years, but for me - best. one. ever. Foo Fighters were amazing, Iron Maiden rocked my socks, I got crushed in Kasabian right at the front, and I even enjoyed Marilyn Manson :eek:, simply because at one point he came on stage in 6ft stilts and extended crutches :p

I've only been going three years, but for me - best. one. ever. Foo Fighters were amazing, Iron Maiden rocked my socks, I got crushed in Kasabian right at the front, and I even enjoyed Marilyn Manson :eek:, simply because at one point he came on stage in 6ft stilts and extended crutches :p

I am shamed.

Crushed in Kasabian - can't think of a better bunch of chavs to get crushed to ;)

I was at the Download festival this years and you couldn't bring any booze into the arena area and I got frisked everytime going in. There was just constant plastic bottle throwing and tit flashing. Secruity was alright for the mainpart one of em even hit the lead singer from the used or was it MCR?

Ah yes. Unfortunately, I look about 12 in that picture thanks to my inability to get a haircut. At least you couldn't see my face - 5 days with no washing led to much spot eruption.

*washes face for the 5th time since getting home*

But look at mah sexy wellies though!


*fans self at wellies*

I am shamed.

Crushed in Kasabian - can't think of a better bunch of chavs to get crushed to ;)
Not a burberry cap in sight, my friend...

And to think, I only went to see them because my mate loves them. It was still brilliant, though, and I knew some of the songs, so...yeah. Iron Maiden early years tour though...I think that was all I needed.

I was at the Download festival this years and you couldn't bring any booze into the arena area and I got frisked everytime going in. There was just constant plastic bottle throwing and tit flashing. Secruity was alright for the mainpart one of em even hit the lead singer from the used or was it MCR?
Yeah, we got frisked on the way into the arena bit. Many ingenious people found orephices in which to hide the cans and glass bottles, though - I watched one guy walk through a really heavy frisking, get out the other side and pull out 6 cans out of his pants, wellies and rucksack for his friends. Another guy I spoke to told me he took his Jack Daniels in stored in one of those camelback things.

Was there lots of pointless emo bashing?

Was there lots of pointless emo bashing?
You mean people complaining about/using violence on emo kids and geeks?

You mean people complaining about/using violence on emo kids and geeks?

Yeah, some twats crushed some kids tent near to us

I would have been going had the tickets not sold out way earlier than last year. Would particularly liked to have seen QOTSA, Foo Fighters, Pixies and Biffy Clyro.

Yeah, some twats crushed some kids tent near to us
Nah, it was all communal and stuff where I was. I mean, with My Chemical Romance, FFaF, Alkaline Trio, etc. playing, I felt that the emo kids outnumbered all but the indie kids. And lets face it, indie kids are not going to beat the shit out of emo kids. From what I witnessed in general, any violent or vandalistic acts were unfocussed and random, such as tearing those telegraph poles out of the ground and using some random person's tent as the kindling to set them alight. Besides, on the sunday night there wasn't any real fighting - everyone who was out and about was too busy keeping the fuck out of the way of the private police and the 'sploding fires.

I would have been going had the tickets not sold out way earlier than last year. Would particularly liked to have seen QOTSA, Foo Fighters, Pixies and Biffy Clyro.
I didn't see the pixies (damn my friends and my inability to show some backbone!) but Biffy were very good, QOTSA were great and the Foo Fighters...that was almost the highlight of the whole thing.

We wern't allowed any fires at all and now I see why.

We wern't allowed any fires at all and now I see why.
We weren't 'allowed' fires either. The Foo Fighters had just had their dirty little way with about 10,000 people and everyone was really pumped. There were about ten large fires - complete with explosions - for about two hours. Everyone was just really...I don't know, elated or something. (God, there must be a better word than that.)

Anyway, it got to the point when there were two major fires going in the site - one near the Aftershock tent (for anyone who hasn't been recently, that's pretty much in what is called 'The Village', where alot of shops are) and one at a major intersection within the site. The second was where I spent much of the time, because it was surrounded on three sides by steepish slopes, providing a sort of amphitheatre atmosphere when the police charged the people down below. The two fires kept burning throughout the night for about 6 hours. They were only finally put out properly when dawn broke.

Damn, all we got was a few pushed over a fences and tipped over ice cream van :mad:

Damn, all we got was a few pushed over a fences and tipped over ice cream van :mad:
Some guys broke into three refridgerator lorries near the fire and handed out all the beer in the vans. All of it. The police-types managed to retrieve about one palettes worth of beer, and those lorries were completely full. The police just stood there for ages and let it happen. Only when someone pushed a van onto a smaller fire did they intervene once more, albeit briefly.

what festivle is this? Sounds like my kind of party!

(except for the emo)

I didn't see the pixies (damn my friends and my inability to show some backbone!) but Biffy were very good, QOTSA were great and the Foo Fighters...that was almost the highlight of the whole thing.
You missed the Pixies? Bad mistake I reckon. Yea I saw a live webcast of Biffy's set from Reading and it was awesome.

what festivle is this? Sounds like my kind of party!

(except for the emo)
This was the Carling Leeds Festival up at Bramham Park. Of course, it might not be at Bramham Park next year, but... :p

You missed the Pixies? Bad mistake I reckon. Yea I saw a live webcast of Biffy's set from Reading and it was awesome.
Yeah, it was a toss up between the pixies (whom I know of but have heard little of other than Monkey gone to heaven) and Kasabian (a bit different from my tastes but hey, I've picked up most of the lyrics and it was worth it just for the fact that it went off in that tent). Plus, my friends hate the Pixies and I have the backbone of a worm i.e. none.


Talking to some guys on another forum I frequent, it sounds like I got off lightly. One bloke got a broken nose trying to prevent some of the rent-a-thugs from stamping another guy.

I'd have loved to go but it's smack in tjhe middle of the fell racing seaon, damm it. Apparently the Foo's where good though.

I'd have loved to go but it's smack in tjhe middle of the fell racing seaon, damm it. Apparently the Foo's where good though.
I always thought that when people told me they were ravaged by music, they were being metaphorical. Now I know I was wrong.

*whimpers in joy and pain*

I always thought that when people told me they were ravaged by music, they were being metaphorical. Now I know I was wrong.

*whimpers in joy and pain*
I know, I've seen them a few times (I went to Oxygen) and they are seriously passionate. I'm still reserving judgement on the bigs question, (Foo Fighters vs Green Day) I saw them both at oxygen adn they where both great!

I know, I've seen them a few times (I went to Oxygen) and they are seriously passionate. I'm still reserving judgement on the bigs question, (Foo Fighters vs Green Day) I saw them both at oxygen adn they where both great!
Ah dude, no. The Foo Fighters win that battle hands down. I'm currently weighing up Maiden vs. the Foos.

http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/6294/10004610bj.jpg
This one looks like a shot out of the X-Files. Aliens in a line, bright light behind them.

This one looks like a shot out of the X-Files. Aliens in a line, bright light behind them.
They might as well have been aliens - there certainly wasn't a drop of humanity coursing through their uniform-blue veins. :rolleyes:

For a safe festival experience come to Switzerland!
At the festival of my hometown there are enough hippies, smokers, grannies and young parents (plus lots of don't-fuck-with-me security guards) to keep things in line.

Would that make you happier? :confused:

:( Wanted to go to Reading/Leeds this year, couldnt afford it seeing as I chose V instead (I stand by it, Weston Park is in walking distance of my house, there were a fair few good bands and I got to meet my favourite band.

Oh and anyone that claims in the 'nice' festival, try being at the front when Oasis were on, jesus christ I think I must have died several times in that crowd (totaly worth it though, almost beat the Hives for best band IMO)

:( Wanted to go to Reading/Leeds this year, couldnt afford it seeing as I chose V instead (I stand by it, Weston Park is in walking distance of my house, there were a fair few good bands and I got to meet my favourite band.

Oh and anyone that claims in the 'nice' festival, try being at the front when Oasis were on, jesus christ I think I must have died several times in that crowd (totaly worth it though, almost beat the Hives for best band IMO)
OK, I'll beat that, but only biproxy so to speak. A friend of mine was stood on the barrier at Leeds '03 when it collapsed under the crowd pressure and part crushed a girl, all with SOAD playing. I was not too near the front, but near enough to feel like I was on the barrier (you know, too crushed to move much but people still try to mosh).

I can imagine you were in a hell of a lot of pain though. Oasis don't need mental fans when they have sheer weight of numbers to break ribs down the front.

Ah, Leeds Festival. The music...

http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/8094/10003379ei.jpg

...the drinking...

http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/107/10002978te.jpg

...the small fires...

http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/2933/10004373qg.jpg

...the looting...

http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/5769/10004312qh.jpg

...and the privately hired security in riot gear, randomly 'arresting' people and doing these stupid bloody intermittent charges at the gathered crowd.

http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/6294/10004610bj.jpg

So, all in all, a little more interesting than last year. Especially thanks to the tribal drummers, who took it upon themselves to drum on burning metal bins in between stealing crates of lager from the fridge trucks and putting kegs on the fire to watch them burst.
*SO wishes he was there*

missed Download this year too :(
*cries*
my friend did go, and went into Anthrax's pit with a full-length pair of levi's on.... and came out with only a scraggy pair of shorts left :p



bah, looks like you had an awesome time!

Ah dude, no. The Foo Fighters win that battle hands down. I'm currently weighing up Maiden vs. the Foos.
I've never rally liked Madien. If you go on live preformences then I think green day would win I saw them at Milton Keynes and Oxygen and they where incredable both times, they have a awsome abck catalogue and lets just say that Wake Me Up When September Ends was the most butiful song I've ever heard when Billie Jow snag it at Oxygen.