Mundaneness in Mud With A Hefty Price-Tag
Tuesday 22nd February 2011: the day I continually refreshed the T in the Park homepage for at least an hour, in order to discover Balado’s coveted line-up. This is the third year in a row I’ve endured this routine, anticipating an outstanding line-up with world class and legendary acts. However, this year’s announcements have led me to re-think the way I choose to spend my future Summer holidays.
T in the Park has been the epicentre of the Scottish summer for several decades. However, with the credit crunch depressing the nation, and the prospect of the amount students may have to fork out in the next couple years in order to merely receive an education, I’m finding T’s increasing ticket prices to be something of an annoyance, to say the least.
2009’s weekend camping tickets were £170, on average. That’s a huge difference compared to 2011’s £195 fee, a £15 increase from 2010. Include tax, postage and packing, and upgrades for Thursday Camping, this sets you back over £200, and although I will still be attending, (for the atmosphere, and of course Foo Fighters), The amount the British publis gets charged for fetivals and they way in which it is done is shocking.
My main peeve with festivals, like T in the Park, is that to really guarantee yourself a ticket for the next year, you are advised to order an ‘Early Bird’, one of a batch which are released days after the current year’s festival. This is a risky move, as a festival goer has no idea who exactly will be playing, and money could end up being ill spent. However, if you are like me, and a slave to routine, you will take that risk and hope for the best.
Of course, it isn’t just T in the Park who are cashing in on the credit crunch: festival front runner Glastonbury are this year charging £195 plus £50 deposit for their tickets. This would normally seem justifiable, considering Glasto has housed world class acts. However, they seem to be following the criteria of every mainstream festival this year, and getting acts who have already previously done world tours in the past few years. £200 should ideally be spent on a festival which is completely out of the ordinary, providing unique acts and musical legends, (Glasto’s previous alumni include Stevie Wonder and Neil Young, therefore I was disappointed to see such a mainstream line up for 2011.)
So is there a possible way to have an amazing summer break, without obliterating you student bank account? Is there anywhere you can see musical legends for less this summer?
The solution: the Hop Farm festival in Kent. This festival boasts, (and quite rightly so), musical talent wholly deserving of a £130 weekend, or £70 day ticket (plus £30 camping). The Saturday line up is particularly exciting: Morrissey, Iggy Pop and the Stooges, Patti Smith, and Lou Reed will all perform on one stage, Saturday 2nd July, which is promising to be a once in a lifetime experience, in a festival which has come a long way in its four year infancy. If you want more for your money this summer, Hop Farm provides an excellent alternative, with legendary acts. £100 to see four of the most influential acts of the 20th and 21st Century? Yes please!
So If your think of going to TITP, Reading, Oxegen or any other UK Festival this summer then think again. Look around for smaller festivals with insane lineups at low prices and keep checking StudentPunch for some great secrets for festivaling in the UK and abroad! (Oh and some free tickets - Ed)
Erin Woods.
