Download Festival... forget the year...
but it was the one where Slipknot's drummer played with Metallica. Anyone who's actually a fan of either band would know better than me, I think it was '04.

I decide to go for the full-length experience, not giving a real shit about any of the bands on the lineup but deciding anyway that it'd be fun, and I might pull (I didn't!).

Strangely, the camping was far less than horrible, and gave me an opportunity to feel really superior and well organised. My buddies had brought bedding, makeup, various vanity items and millions of clothes, yet had neglected to bring any of the following:

1x Camping Gaz stove plus gas
1x Hexyburner plus fuel tabs
1x set of mess tins
Many small foldable pots and pans
1x FUCKTON of tinned or easily stored/prepared foodstuffs
Tea, coffee, sugar (and strangely, chicken stock cubes which make an awesome drink and keep your salt levels sensible)
Bottled water, and LOTS of it!
Medicine, including normal non-opiate painkillers, immodium, and those sachets of stuff you use to restore electrolytes in the event of "the shits".

So, I was a hero being the only one actually prepared for camping. I didn't spend ANY money on burgers etc which meant more for beer, and avoiding the junkfood meant I also escaped having the shits or needing to use the festival PortaBogs more than a couple of times (a piss can be done anywhere in an emergency). I actually really enjoyed the camping, always have, and given the weather was absolutely beautiful it was truly a pleasure, in spite of how heavy my cargo was.

The downside to the experience was, unfortunately, the whole point of going to a festival. After wandering the grounds, exploring the various areas and listening to lacklustre performances with poor sound, I was getting pissed off, mostly due to jealousy that I wasn't playing huge open-air gigs yet.

Being a musician makes me overly critical of people getting paid big money to perform, and I hate paying to see stuff I am good enough to be paid to do. I ended up, by and large, ignoring the bands in favour of wandering, meeting and talking to complete strangers, scoring some "questionable quality but did the job" blow, and whatever else I could find to occupy my time that didn't involve being bored shitless by bands I didn't care for.

Best Point: One of my friends bringing a shedload of instant noodles as camping rations, yet neglecting to bring water or fire. OR a fucking fork. What a twat... I have never laughed so hard at another person's misfortune or stupidity. Thankfully his noodles were accepted by other campers in exchange for more suitable food. Being able to barter some of my surplus supplies for beer and weed also rocked.

Worst Point: The music. Festivals just aren't for me, because I'm too difficult to please and don't care in the least about watching others perform. The only way I'd go again is if I was playing.
(keyboardman, Mon 8 Jun 2009, 19:30, 4 replies)

Couldn't agree more.
"Being a musician makes me overly critical of people getting paid big money to perform, and I hate paying to see stuff I am good enough to be paid to do."

For my part, I'm shite at playing any instrument so I fucking love festivals!
(Helixdaunting, Tue 9 Jun 2009, 2:56, closed)

;)
Did you also remember to bring a reclining chair, a glass of wine, a newspaper and a croissant?
(clumsyeloquence is a girl, Tue 9 Jun 2009, 16:08, closed)

no...
but in retrospect I fucking wish I had ;-) I guess many years of airsoft/paintballing weekenders gave me a better idea of what camping actually involved. I think if ever I did get my wish, and performed at a large festival, I'd still want to get the ol' tent up!
(keyboardman, Wed 10 Jun 2009, 2:17, closed)

clumsy,
that is a fucking hilarious post. I am pissing myself - thank you!
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 10 Jun 2009, 17:20, closed)