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Field Day 2008 Blasted By Unhappy Revellers

Despite vast improvements from last year...

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Despite ironing out some of the problems from the inaugural Field Day in 2007, this year's event has once again come under fire from some unhappy punters. A much larger capacity than last year, there were still mammoth toilet queues for girls with some waiting well over an hour to use the facilities. Many festival goers also complained again about the inadequate sound levels, especially on the main stage. Coupled with the drizzly weather (admittedly completely out of organisers' hands), this severely dampened the spirit. Although the comments section on the official Field Day Facebook page has been closed down, on unofficial pages punters have been voicing their frustrations. Roderick Paterick wrote: “You fucked up again this year, so we aint coming again...toilets??? were worse than last year apart from the urinals which didnt help the ladies out much, cancellations could have been dealt with better, you didnt let any fucker know what was going on so then bands/djs got pushed forward/back so chances are alot of people missed out on who they wanted to see anyway, dan deacon not showing was the nail in the coffin.” Dan Deacon did not perform as he could not travel after his passport was stolen. Another Field Day reveller, Drumbeg Monsmeg, blasted: “Oddly, I think I actually enjoyed last years disaster more, even though the sound and bar situations were much improved this time around... Again, girls pissing everywhere does not make for an enjoyable experience. The intimate vibe of last year has gone out of the window.” Harsher words came from Lou Frerichs, who complained: “I had heard about the previous year but still naively believed that it couldn't be that bad, oh but it was worse than I could ever imagine!! 2 hours there and 50% of it spent in the toilet queues, 2 snakes of desparate folk which very nearly joined end to end. Please dont bother organising another one, Eat your own ears ? Yes please do!!” Some also complained about the oppressive atmosphere created by the heavy police presence and sniffer dogs on site. Fortunately, the bar situation was vastly improved with virtually no queues at all. The Bugged Out tent in particular was host to some classic sets most notably from headlining genius Richie Hawtin. Foals also did a valiant job headlining on the main stage, while earlier in the evening Les Savy Fav impressed despite a miserable downpour. Other highlights came from Jeffrey Lewis, Simian Mobile Disco and Arctic Monkeys' Matt Helders who played a solo DJ set. Were you at Field Day 2008? Post your comments at the bottom of the page. Field Day 2008 in pictures (by James Russell and Diana Jarvis):
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(18)
  • Apart from the weather it was an infinite improvement on last year. My missus hated the queues though!

    ~ by Mike, Derby 8/11/2008

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    • Totally biased. You might want to not use reviews from people who set up groups because they work for Love box\'s PR team.. Idiots.

      ~ by anon 8/13/2008

  • Depressing. Was really looking forward to Hawtin but couldn\'t even get in the tent :(

    ~ by Brooks 8/11/2008

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  • I saw a lad crying after he got gripped by a sniffer dog. He was stupid for having drugs on him but it was a horrible way to start a festival seeing that. Loved Foals and James Holden

    ~ by Mike Burns 8/11/2008

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  • I thought it was great. Apart from the weather, which let things down a bit. They still need to sort out the toilet situation

    ~ by Dave Nix 8/11/2008

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  • I was there last year and thought the bars were vastly improved but not the toilet situation - which led to some heavy handed police/security action for people peeing against the fence. The police presence was a downer as i saw young people led off in handcuffs - I’m sure a stern warning and confiscation would have done the business in scaring the shit out of young people. Not very relaxed, not very cool.

    ~ by Branster 8/11/2008

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  • I was thrown out of this event for having a pee against a tree! I was only doing this as there was a 100+ queue for the toilets. There was no warning. lf they are going to apply a zero tolerance ’one piss and you’’re out’’ policy, then at least warn us! In fact, they should put it in their advertising .... There won’’t be enough toilets, and you’’ll be thrown out if you pee against a tree. Only buy a tick

    ~ by blurtime 8/11/2008

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  • Seemed to be really crap the toilet queues! The sound was also absolutely shite!

    ~ by Crap festy! 8/11/2008

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  • Literally spent more time in the queue for the loo than watching any single act. Which utter pleb decided to mix actual toilets and urinals, so those in the queue had to watch men piss? - embarrassing for all involved. Sound in the bugged out tent was abysmal early on and not that much better by the time Hawtin and Holden played (Modeslektor were actually inaudible). Such a shame that there were so many clashes for artists that would attract similar crowds. Les Savy Fav were awesome.

    ~ by Noodles 8/11/2008

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  • I thought it was a good effort despite the weathers efforts to fuck it up. Crookers rocked as did Simian and I saw plenty of people having an excellent time. I also saw a couple of people being pulled off by security, but no more then at any other festival I have been to!

    ~ by Beth Crockatt 8/11/2008

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  • Only Prob for me was queue for the toilets and huge Police Presence but kind of good, in a way...Should only bother you if you have drugs..If you do it’s your risk..But as i read today..Drug’’s allow for a safer Festival..Bugged Out tent had some killer sets..If it was Sunny and Toilets..It would of been Perfect as far as im concerned..Fkd up with Toilets last year, Do they relise people will forgive once but twice NOT..soo many festivals so why take risk of pissing

    ~ by Chris 8/11/2008

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  • Last year was totally whack and after reading this I am really glad I didn’t bother. What a joke.

    ~ by H.A.P.P.Y. 8/11/2008

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  • this was utter sh*t. i have never had such an entirely miserable experience at any festival and i don’t understand how they get even the most basic things so wrong: Get the bands who are supposed to turn up to play, let people know when they’’re playing rather than putting them on an hour earlier on a different stage, get a decent sound system and let people go for a piss. it’’s not that hard. Lovebox, Radiohead, even free events here work amazin

    ~ by tedwa 8/12/2008

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  • We decamped to the pub at about 5pm and had a much better time there. Fair enough, the weather wasn\'t your fault and the bars were much improved, but how can you get the toilets and sound levels so wrong, twice in a row? Did it not occur to any of the organisers to maybe check out how many toilets Lovebox had (We didn\'t have to queue for more than 5 minutes there)? Please don\'t bother doing it again next year - two strikes and you\'re out

    ~ by Kate 8/12/2008

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  • Unfortunately constant rain made for the worst day EVER this summer so far -not organisers fault. So me co. perservered pretending to be the happy shiny people we usually love to be, however crazy toilet queues general disgustingness is what finally broke the camels back. Rise is a free fest even they manage to have adequate amount of toilets. The line up was wicked, but apart from just tents in a park there was nothing to add to the festival experience. Boo!

    ~ by miss thing 8/12/2008

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  • Can anyone recommend a good NHS dentist in the Gloucester area?

    ~ by T Nicholls 8/12/2008

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  • I was stood by the speakers of the main stage whilst watching of Montreal and could comfortably I was stood by the speakers of the main stage whilst watching of Montreal and could comfortably talk to the person next to me, the band were just a background blur.very bad sound. The toilets were a joke, was there no background research on this? I cant believe people had to pay to spend the day in a queue for a toilet.

    ~ by *** 8/13/2008

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  • grilled for 10 minutes over my 35mm camera, then a police dog found the one solitary joint i had in my pocket ready for mogwai in the eve. arrested, strip searched, handcuffed and driven away in a police van. ok i'm an adult and appreciate the risk i run with pot, but the organisers policy of destroying my ticket and not allowing entrance was a little strong considering the drug oriented influences of many of the bands playing. The police actually apologised to me for taking my ticket!

    ~ by steve 8/3/2009

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