GM 2021 - Yes, No or Maybe?

Muddy Holly's picture Submitted by Muddy Holly on

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Seems ages since I've been on the forum - what's the current thinking on whether GM 2021 will go ahead?

I'm cautiously optimistic but certainly not over-confident and I'm definitely crossing everything!

Stay safe and hopefully be with you in a field in Wales in a few months time.

Dancingfish replied on

We are delighted that GM is going ahead. I totally agree with everything said before about how us double vaccinated adults in good health are at a level of risk that is so low that I find it acceptible. My concern is more for the unvaccinated youngsters. There's no requirement for under 16s to show a negative test result (which I think is a concerning loop hole) and this is the age group that are currently most likely to be infected. Couple that with how most of us with kids let them run feral at GM then my biggest concern is that my kids will get infected. I'll be making them take a lateral flow the day before we leave but it would be more reassuring if parents of school age kids are all asked to show the results of lateral flow tests for their offspring. I know most kids don't get too poorly if infected but a small proportion do.

Elizabeth McEvoy's picture Elizabeth McEvoy replied on

Is it just me or does every single track on the Spotify playlist sound so fucking great?

The prospect of hearing any of these artists in a live outdoor setting is just so exciting. 

18 months without live music has left me with no filter! 

 

CubanPedro replied on

It's certainly not just you.  I seem to be doing very little skipping and hitting 'like' for almost every artist.  Whittling down the must sees seems an impossible task at this point.  Perhaps it's live music deprivation as you say.  Or perhaps it truly is a fantastic bunch.  Particularly excited about the likes of Sarathy Korwar and Catrin Finch/Seckou Keita.  Some of those sounds in the afternoon sun (fingers crossed) with a Growler and I might be in tears!

Careful with those courgettes pumpkinhead https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/jul/17/tim-dowling-homegro...

ray_rad's picture ray_rad replied on

that catrin finch & seckou keita track jumped out at me too

absolutely lovely

have to say i'm not QUITE as blanket enthused at the line up as everyone else

bit too much angsty angular post-punk / punk-funk - and the horror show that is fucking yacht rock...

missing the usually more-heavily represented americana / country element

but certainly plenty there to keep me more than entertained for the weekend

and i will just be so fucking happy to be there

(thanks for the tip about king hannah, btw, BPH - completely loving what i've heard so far)

blackpumpkinhead replied on

Me too Elizabeth,gigs and festivals have been my life for the last 50 years and the last 18 months have been terrible but if I'm sat in a field with a beer I'll happily nod/dance along to anything good or bad that's put before me.Six festivals and gigs booked,I'm just beginning to believe.

 

Also happy that after eating courgettes everyday bloody day since the start of June after growing far to many the fridge will finally be empty---well for a few days

decemberboy replied on

No tickets here yet but I'm surprised they're being sent out already when people may still decide to rollover or ask for a refund.

roscoe10 replied on

I'm a bit worried about this - we've just moved house and we're having some challenges with our post not being properly redirected. I've emailed ticket line about it but no reply. adds another element of jeapordy to the anxious wait not to get pinged or catch the virus in the weeks leading up to the festival!

blackcatista's picture blackcatista replied on

That's a bit weird... hope it's not going to cause a problem.

But yeah, after a slow start (really not into much of the Thursday lineup- honorable exceptions in Aoife Nessa Frances and maybe Jockstrap and PVA) just about everyone is now sounding great! Missing a bit of an international/American side and that affects the overall feel of things, but they've done a great job of putting this together.

Slugger's picture Slugger replied on

Finally accepted today that we'll have to rollover our tickets. 

Gutted.

Obstacles to travel were just mounting up and eventually logic defeated heart (aet + pens). 

It's a great line-up under the circumstances. Enjoy! 

Hopefully I'll have the pleasure of meeting some of you beautiful forum people again in 2022. 

Rowan_Cat replied on

Is anyone else still trying to make a decision before the deadline today?  I'd love to be at Green Man, obviously, but am worried by the coach journey (unfortunately I can't drive) and also of what would happen if I was unlucky enough to get Covid at the festival, especially as I'd be coming on my own and won't know anyone there.  I'm double vaccinated but a friend my age (50s) who's also doube vaccinated got Covid last week and felt pretty bad, so being stuck in a tent on my own trying to cope isn't appealing.  I also have no idea how I'd get home if I got Covid at the festival!  How did anyone else decide whether to go or not this year?

 

ray_rad's picture ray_rad replied on

i think the trick is to make yourself feel as safe as you need to - without caring what anyone else thinks!

(obviously easier to say than to do - but i think people will be pretty accepting of anything this year)

i'm going to mask up in tighter packed crowds and at the bar

i hear you about transport to the festival - GM itself ought to be pretty safe - with everyone required to show double-vax or a recent negative flow test result

but though masks are touted as doing more to protect others than protect the wearer, that isn't 100% accurate

if you get a really good mask, it will make you exponentially less likely to breathe in a viral load

FFP2 (or N95) grade masks are very good - FFP3 are the best

wear one of those on the coach - and glasses too, to keep your eyes covered - and the chances of you catching covid are hugely reduced

worst case scenario, getting sick at GM would suck, you're right

but i can only imagine that the infrastructure on site would be geared to helping you and getting you home if needs be

they won't want anyone with covid to be on site!

at the end of the day, it has to be a decision that you're comfortable with, of course

but there are definitely ways to manage the risks effectively

Mudchild replied on

Howdy

Someone told me GM were releasing resale tickets at some point soon - is that true? Can't seem to see any hard info.

 

Thanks

Mikey's picture Mikey replied on

This was part of the announcement on facebook 

Everyone’s safety is our number one priority. To gain entry to GM this year, anyone over the age of 16 will have to demonstrate that they’ve received two vaccinations at least 14 days before arrival or show that they’ve received a negative NHS lateral flow test within 48 hours prior to their arrival. We totally understand that some people may not feel ready to return this year, so if you have tickets and don’t want to attend, please contact Ticketline to arrange a refund or rollover to 2022, you must do this before 5pm 23rd July. If there are any returns we’ll have a resale at 10am on 27th July. Full FAQs → bit.ly/GMfaqs

 

Rowan_Cat replied on

Ray_rad, thank you so much for your really thoughtful reply.  I'm very touched that someone I don't know has been so helpful at a time when I've been to-ing and fro-ing for a week.  You've made some really good points and on balance I've decided I can't bear to give up the idea of going, so I'm keeping my ticket.  See you all there!

ray_rad's picture ray_rad replied on

whoop!

glad i could be of any help

it's definitely going to feel weird being amongst so many people

i'm in my 50s too - and i really don't want to get sick!

but i think, on balance, that  it's likely to be a pretty safe place to be

and i think you can be assured that if something bad did happen (unlikey as that is), this will be the festival that will handle it the best and look after their own

have a wonderful time!

berthasdad's picture berthasdad replied on

 

“What we are seeing is a decision by the government to get as many people infected as possible, as quickly as possible, while using rhetoric about caution as a way of putting the blame on the public for the consequences,” said Prof Robert West, a health psychologist at University College London who participates in Sage’s behavioural science subgroup.

 

Data from the Office for National Statistics show that coronavirus in England is now largely an infection among young adults. Cases in 11-to-16-year-olds are nearly four times more common, and in 16-to-24-year-olds nearly six times more common, than in 50-to-69-year-olds. While generally at low risk from the disease, young people can still develop long Covid and help fuel the epidemic, which drives up cases in those who are more vulnerable.

we have regrettably decided to rollover. Father in laws death from covid a fortnight ago contributed to the decision.

in related news - in the emails about rolling over tickets I definitely saw that  returns would be put on sale from Monday (next Monday? Some other Monday?) at 10. Don't know if they still intend to do that?

Mikey's picture Mikey replied on

The website says yes but to be considerate to allow space for others.  This seems reasonable and my shelter is staying at home and just taking a small tarp in its place.  

CAN I BRING A GAZEBO OR EVENT SHELTER?

Yes, but please be considerate of your fellow campers and bring no more than one reasonable sized-gazebo

born in the fifties's picture born in the fifties replied on

Just back from Latitude, which was of course a 'Test event'.  Apparently sold out for weekend tickets and the Saturday day tx, but not Friday or Sunday.

Entry requirement was double-jabbed and time for it to take effect (can't remember whether it was 2 or 4 weeks) or a negative Lateral Flow test from the last 48 hours.  If you went off-site and returned, you hade to show the same again which means re-testing if you aren't double jabbed and the 48 hours from the LF test have expired.

It's not just us punters who get COVID or get pinged to self-isolate, it's the acts too, obvs.  Acts like Fontaines DC, Arlo Parks, PVA, ALfie Templeman, The Golden Dregs all had to pull out.  Latitude seemed to have a string of replacements on call to fill in the gaps including Sleaford Mods, Self Esteem, Sports Team.

It kinda felt like a normal festival weekend.  Like a lot of people I was wondering how folk would behave and it was difficult to see that anyone was particularly social distancing, given that some like a bit of space around them anyway.  Pretty much the only time you saw people wearing masks was in the onsite Co-op shop and then <50% of folk.  Certainly the mosh pits for e.g. The Chemical Brothers and Squid made no allowances.  Apart from limiting the numbers allowed into the smallest tented music stage, there weren't really any restrictions from the organisers that I was aware of.

Latitude doesn't really have a large music stage that is an enclosed tent, their equivalent is the BBC Sounds stage which is open sided. Only went in the BBC Sounds stage 3 or 4 times and felt relatively comfortable as it wasn't packed and I stayed away from the moshing (Squid).  Not sure how I would feel about the Far Out though if it has its normal configuration if there are acts like Shame and Boy Azooga in there and the whole tent is pretty full and a lot are bouncing around. 

Kind of difficult to know until you get there whether you stick with your pre-determined COVID-safe behaviour or do you end up going with the flow.  It seemed most at Latitude went with the flow.  

ray_rad's picture ray_rad replied on

thanks for that, BITF

i think i'm mostly going to stay out of the far out

but that may change when i see how much of the siding they've taken off

if i am in there, it'll be earlier in the day - for wet leg and king hannah - when it doesn't tend to be that packed anyway

really want to see the fannies on sunday night - but not up for being squished in there with the hordes

interesting about the cancellations and replacements too

i've been thinking about this for GM

the chances of folks cancelling are obviously high

but how do you convince other acts to be on 'standby'?

it's obviously possible, though!

we will see

glad you had a good one anyway

and didn't end up like those poor buggers at standon calling!

born in the fifties's picture born in the fifties replied on

"but how do you convince other acts to be on 'standby'?".  My view is that's probably easy - bands are as desperate to play to live audiences again just as we are desperate to see them and, particularly after all the festival cancellations, there are only so many line-up slots to go round.  So, if one becomes available at short notice, I doubt whether there is a shortage of takers.  The only question is whether they are ready for it; even for ones on the original line-up, most haven't played to live audiences for months and people at Latitude were commenting that some bands did seem under-rehearsed.

ray_rad's picture ray_rad replied on

yes, good point about the desperation to play

but also about show-readiness

i imagine rehearsal rooms are highly over-subscribed at the moment

Mikey's picture Mikey replied on

David Gedge and The Wedding Present always seem prepared to step in as a late replacement, wondering if they come down to South Wales just on the off chance of getting asked at short notice.

blackpumpkinhead replied on

You have to feel sorry for the organisers and attendees of Standon---after all we have been through how unlucky can you be If a headliner pulls out Primal Scream have already had 2 headliner slots cancelled they could be ready to play.Still not given up hope on Allah Las who are still down to play Boardmasters.

ray_rad's picture ray_rad replied on

at least standon calling made it to half way through the final day

but yeah - gutting for everyone involved

you can just imagine the reaction - what next, the zombie apocolypse?!

on the up side, would be delighted with the addition of PS and allah-las at GM!

odd that allah-las have no other UK dates at all

are they in a big enough slot at boardmasters to warrant coming over just for that?

actually, just looked, and i don't see them on the bill...

ray_rad's picture ray_rad replied on

see that EOTR have just announced a ton of bands not now playing - over 20, i think

nearly all of who seem to be from overseas

presumably due to tours getting cancelled due to covid travel uncertainty

(10 days in quarantine as a start to your UK tour not a financial reality for most acts)

be interesting to see who we lose from the GM line-up

nothing at all on either william tyler or marisa anderson's sites about playing GM - or any shows outside of north america at all

so fully expecting them to go (and gutted, as they were [are...?] my top must see)

but who else?

a few i wouldn't mind being replaced - the appeal of thundercat continues to strenuously elude me...

and is tiña this year's future islands?

blackpumpkinhead replied on

Lost many of my must see acts in the EOTR cancellations but to be expected I suppose and no doubt more to come from both festivals.

Also struggling to find any interest in watching Thundercat.Marisa Anderson had just need added to my must see list so that would be disappointing.

Elizabeth McEvoy's picture Elizabeth McEvoy replied on

Love Thundercat

William Tyler had a positive covid test a week or so ago.

ray_rad's picture ray_rad replied on

GM just announced that marisa anderson definitely won't be there - boo!

cancelled along with little dragon, viagra boys, puma blue and the maytals band

a bunch of folks added - many of whom i'm unfamiliar with:

"Our Thursday night headliner will now be the mesmerising Tirzah, bringing her dream-like soundscape to our Far Out tent, plus Ibibio Sound Machine, Ghostpoet, Nubiyan Twist, Dream Wife, Lynks, Faux Real, Honeyglaze, Shovel Dance Collective, Craft Punk, Gaz Mayall, Mikey Snooze, Umoja Collective and 2021 Green Man Rising winners Teddy Hunter will all joining the GM21 line-up!"

blackpumpkinhead replied on

Today is designated crap buying day,so a trip to Home Bargains and B and M Bargains to buy those unhealthy snacks which help you through the day at a festival plus lots of hand gel,masks,wet wipes and I will tempt fate by buying suntan----and booze of course.The healthy stuff will be purchased on route next week.Makes it all seem real,cannot wait to be sitting in our cottage garden next Monday but it's stepping through those gates on Thursday which will mean so much.

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