ape_girl

Great line-up at Leeds/Reading, but not worth getting caught up in all that violence for.

They have definitely got it right. Agree with everything above, plus there was plenty of space. The crowd mainly seemed to be groups of friends in their 20's and 30's, plus middle class parents with young kids. Don't let that put you off though, appreciation of the music (as well as the use of drugs and alcohol without agro) was high. Defo want to go back next year, plus want to find an indie music equivalent.

for me festivals are about getting wasted AND the music. However it seems that many people (at Leeds anyway) just wanted to get wasted and spoil things for people that were also there for the music.

Having been to Reading or Leeds for the last 4 years, I'm seeking alternatives for next year. Despite seeing some great performances, the atmosphere at Leeds this year has really put me off. My friends had money/phones/clothes stolen from their tents while they were in them, we had chairs stolen both in the arena and the campsite and a gas canister was thrown and exploded a few metres from my tent. I love festivals but don't want to die going to one. I also witnessed a few different groups of skins lookalikes chucking cups and full cans of beer at people and high fiving each other when they hit their target, not giving a shit about the music or who they injured. It seems that the audience is increasingly being made up off these types at the big corporate events. I also went to the Big Chill this summer and the contrast in atmosphere couldn't have been more different. I think that the emergence of more alternative festivals should continue so that music lovers can go get wasted while listening to bands, without these idiots.