Returning, Changes To Expect

Rog's picture Submitted by Rog on

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General Discussion

So I was at each Green Man from 2006-2011, but since then events have conspired to keep me away (including a work thing which usually clashes). I've filled my years with End Of The Road, Deershed, and various others instead. 

However, this year I've no clashes and can come! So what's changed at Green Man in the intervening years? I imagine quite a bit.
(...and who are these Lizard Wizards?)

 

smithers replied on

2011 was my first year Rog. No major changes to layout, Cinedrome moved to other side. Walled Garden stage now at centre of rear wall of garden. Steps on slope in front of mountain stage. Far Out tent larger. All improvements I think. More crowded than then but not uncomfortably so. Glanusk still as gorgeous as ever.

Rog's picture Rog replied on

I think the 2006 capacity was 6000 - 6500 but I saw it grow over the years that followed. A quick search suggests 2011 was 13,000. I can't quite imagine 20,000 people on site! Presume they've made it work though.

You definitily need those steps! I remember trying to climb that hill in a muddy year, in smooth-soled boots.

Krasnyi's picture Krasnyi replied on

Not much has changed really. Well apart from the Coca-Cola corporate sponsorship obviously.

Oh and there may be an all-night disco that potentially could wreck your weekend.

Slugger's picture Slugger replied on

 

I was refused admission to the Brexit stage. 

 

Something about a hard border. 

Blancanvas replied on

i've been every year since 2010 (I know, relative latecomer). Like the rest of civilisation, it's experienced growth (gotta have growth at all costs) but its not that much worse as a result. Just a larger quantity of holidaymakers and proportionately less dedicated devotees of whatever it was that infused GM from the earlier . Walled Garden layout is worse

ray_rad's picture ray_rad replied on

not sure i agree about the walled garden

moving the bar to the back was a good idea

but not as good as moving that fucking chippie van that used to be next to the stage - and play banging techno through everyone's sets

cunts they were

 

Krasnyi's picture Krasnyi replied on

Agreed. The changes in the Walled Garden have resulted in a far better space to listen to the music. As with all stages it does pay to get there early if it's someone you really wnat to get up close to.

Mikey's picture Mikey replied on

Anyone mentioned beer yet? There is a beer festival included, 100 different beers anD ciders.  Beer in the courtyard cider in the walled garden.  Just make sure you do not get s...faced on the porters (high abv) on the Thursday afternoon or it might just ruin your friday morning a little bit.

Rog's picture Rog replied on

Definitely noticed a few differences! Surely they can't increase the capacity much more now can they? For the most part they got away with it, but the Mountain Stage space can't really be made bigger and was busier than I've ever seen it. That's the only area that felt overcrowded though.

The field which simply housed a campfire in 2006 is huge now isn't it! I thought that largely worked but I'd sooner they took the roof off Far Out and made it an outdoor stage.

Walled Garden was great, my favourite space there. 

Pleased they also now have The Tea Stop, which I always visit at Glastonbury/EOTR.

I had an excellent time and it's interesting seeing how it's continued to evolve.

blackcatista's picture blackcatista replied on

Aye, there were noticeably a lot more people, though the bars seemed quieter than usual (maybe this was weather related, or down to there being more staff serving- hope it's not hit the festival finances!). The festival have done really well to increase capacity, and for the most part it worked. I'm really really pleased they've taken action to discourage use of chairs in crowded bits, for example. I think there were a couple of problems caused by numbers of people:

-Leaving the Far Out Tent after dark at the end of a set was a fairly hairraising experience with a few thousand people negotiating their way through the picnic blankets in the dark.

-Speaking as somebody who likes to flit backwards and forwards between the stages in the evening, I found getting between the Mountain Stage and the other two to be a massive chore. So much so that I didn't even bother coming down to catch any of Grizzly Bear, a band I really like, between bands in the Far Out. The top of the hill was too crowded to find space there, and if I went to the bottom, the steps (whilst clear themselves) were impossible to reach and the route up the side and round the back of the walled garden meant negotiating through masses of playing children. 

Those inflatable sofas look amazing but would be bad news if lots more people brought them next year- they take up the space of about 4 people.

 

Andalucia replied on

It did feel busier, especially around the Mountain Stage and outside the Far Out tent. Think the constant good weather could have been responsible as they're the obvious spots to relax in the warmth/dryness. In previous years the odd bout of rain would clear a few people back to their camp ground or off to watch other stuff

On the upside, that meant far fewer of the farcical scenes from previous years where families would set-up camp in the middle of Far Out, and the new rules on chair placement seemed to make everyone happy. Would be good to have a bit of a sitting exclusion zone around Far Out as there's a big old space that remains largely empty slightly further out and it's bad for both sitters and revellers when people clear out following a band

Regardless of the above - there can't be many festivals where you can invariably get to pretty much any band 5 minutes in advance and guarantee yourself a decent spot for either laid-back casual listening or front-of-house immersion

blackcatista's picture blackcatista replied on

Seconding the suggestion of a sitting exclusion zone outside Far Out. That's exactly what I was thinking of suggesting. Or at least some sort of marked pathway through the field to be kept clear.

But you're right about how you can get anywhere for pretty much anything.

ray_rad's picture ray_rad replied on

it was certainly mental after BJM

with two thirds of that area roped off for the bonfire

and another half of what was left full of people (inexplicably) waiting to watch said bonfire

there was a surge out of the tent - and if you were in it, you only saw those folks sitting on the ground as you were about to trample on them

definitely at least worth moving them on on the sunday at that point

Mikey's picture Mikey replied on

I thought it might have been a bit dangerous after BJM with a large area roped off.  however, for me it did not seem too bad wandering out slowly and plenty of t8me to find a spot to watch the burning.  hopefully The far out and upper field/green man can be redesigned for next year.  I also wonder whether the big screen, necessary for the bigger Thursday audience could do with staying in place for the rest of the weekend.

Rog's picture Rog replied on

Yeah I pretty much abandoned the idea of finding a spot on the hill like I used to. I generally watched the big stage stuff from floor level by the left screen. (That said, I was mostly at the Far Out and Walled Garden anyway.)

By the way, when did they get a spa?! Not what I expected to find at a psych folk festival. Looked like it just happened to be next door.

supidog's picture supidog replied on

especially in the Courtyard.   I would ban those bloody diablo toys inside Chai Wallahs and the Far Out tents.  There's a whole park to play in and I value my nose being unbroken.  I thought it was the best year so far (class of 2011).

Blancanvas replied on

adjective, not verb.

overjoyed didn't do justice to my reaction to the sign on screen in the far out tent. i saw a huge number of deckchairs and those kiddy trolleys, as per. however, unlike in previous years, i didnt trip, kick, fall or narrowly miss any of them in an area where attention should be on the stage or on perfecting your dance shapes

and what is it with those lightweight expensive low chairs that are so well designed (not) that punters have to carry them around fully erected, either clutched to their chests or waving them about, rather than collapsing them? Total failure of deisgn, I fear

Mikey's picture Mikey replied on

do you mean those low chairs that have to be assemble, taking at least 10 minutes and needing a degree in engineering to Erect.  

Obviously whoever thought them  up did not consider asking the dragons den members for funding or else they would have told him/her wher they could stick their chair.