Having read a lot of the posts on here I am starting to think I may have gone to a totally different festival this weekend. I have been to every Glade since its inception and this one was the best. The vibe on site was so amazing it even managed to surpass the first one. OK Friday morning was a bit harsh but then again being in the middle of what the media is calling a "flood-crisis" often is. Despite this from about mid-day on Friday when the deluge finally stopped I found myself at the best party of my life. One by one all the stages came to life, despite everyone's worse fears, bit by bit the entire site sprang into party mode.

Everybody I came across, probably because of the savage weather Friday, was determined to help everybody else have a wonderful time. The feeling of warmth and friendship filled the whole of Wasing Estate it was unbelievable. The atmosphere was so good I hardly noticed the mud.

Then I come home from the festival to find that most of the posts are negative. What's going on? The organisers set up an outstanding party - and remember no party is more than the sum of the people present. I hear people complaining that this wasn't done or that could have been done better. Shit people, vast swathes of the surrounding area were under water - what on earth makes you think the Glade team were any less susceptible to this than you or I. If people on Friday couldn't get near the site then neither could any emergency provisions the organisers may have called for.

It must have been really tough on people trying to turn up on Friday, having to make their way through rivers of water, but I do have to ask myself why they would even consider a maneouvre like that. Wouldn't it have been better to wait for the water to subside? I have seen news footage of people wading waist deep through rivers that once were roads and all I can think is "didn't the local emergency services have enough to cope with without festie goers putting themselves in such potentially dangerous situations?" Patience is, I'm told, a virtue.

Maybe years of going to Glastonbury have hardened me to the arduous trials that festivals in this country can be and enabled me to prepare for most eventualities (this was, after all, no worse than the storm at Glasto 05). When I read people saying why didn't the organisers prepare better I wonder if the posters are asking the same question of themselves? You had access to the same weather forecast as they did. What happened to personal responsibility? If you want safe thrills may I politely suggest Alton Towers may be a better choice than an English festival.

All in all I can safely say I just had the greatest weekend of my life and dearly want to thank all the people who were there - you guys are amazing. And just in case anyone from the Glade team is reading this thank you so much for a great party and thank you so much for NOT CANCELLING IT on Friday.

See you next year.

Love to all

T

despite the tractors messing up the car park at the end, i agree it was amazing. the mud was all part of the fun.

Agreed i had a superb festi. Been to them all and this was by far the funniest.

Totally! I don't have any other Glades to compare it to, but I had a wonderful time, we refused to let the mud spoil it and eventually it just seemed normal and didn't bother us at all! I think all these people moaning are being a bit melodramatic... no harm in a bit of mud, especially if you brought wellies!

it was still fantastic, and i got robbed (how ironic hey, a scouser being robbed ).
i totally agree that the mud seemed to just put everyone in the mood of 'fuck it were gonna have a belter anyways', the friendliness was in abundance, i met so many characters, hmmm makes me think actually

the selection of artists was mind-blowingly fantastic but I have to admit the lack of dryness to sit around and chill out in when the music wasn't happening did get to me a little at times, slightly ruined some of the social aspect of the festival.

I knew that once the music started, everything would be alright.. and it was.

Loved it, like you said everyone pulled together, helped eachother out, partied hard and created something magical.

I thought it was great too. It was my second Glade and I enjoyed it more than last year because I knew more people and had a better idea of what the festival was all about. I actually made it to Bang Face this time and raved non-stop, met loads of great people and generally had a fantastic weekend. I wouldn't say the mud was part of the fun because it did hinder my ability to explore the site and most of Friday was a complete write-off, but I was determined not to let it spoil my enjoyment.

The only downer was getting back to my tent on Sunday evening and finding that some cunt had broken in and gone through all my stuff. At first I was worried that my phone had been nicked (why the fuck I left it in there I don't know), but luckily I found it at the bottom of my bag this morning. So in the end all they got away with was a can of Stella and a bottle that looked like it contained cider but was infact full of my piss. I hope they enjoyed it!

Roll on 2008!

gregor wrote:the selection of artists was mind-blowingly fantastic but I have to admit the lack of dryness to sit around and chill out in when the music wasn't happening did get to me a little at times, slightly ruined some of the social aspect of the festival.

My only real disapointment of the weekend was not being able to lie/sit around on the ground, or dance properlty. I definately had a wicked time, I enjoyed last year slightly more just due to dry ground.

fletcher wrote:I knew that once the music started, everything would be alright.. and it was.

Seeing Dreadzone up on the main stage, visibly putting a big grin on people's faces, was one of my Glade 'moments'.

Indeed. Great post!

Dreadzone are an awesome band, one of the best live bands I have ever seen. I was slightly dubious about seeing them in the day. But they got me in a good mood, after getting v wet and cold, as well as everyone else around the Glade Stage, it appeared. Good on them, would love for them to play again next year.

great festy as always. love to all Gladesters

Sperge wrote:Seeing Dreadzone up on the main stage, visibly putting a big grin on people's faces, was one of my Glade 'moments'.

they were amazing! i was at the front of the main stage for hours that day. never danced so hard in my life

I agree! My first time but I thought it was incredible. So impressed with the whole thing and a big deal of respect to the organizers. Despite my tent receiving about a foot of water the first night I went on to have two of the best nights of my the life the next two days! Big thanks to all the friendly folks I met who helped with the positive vibe. It all seems like a bit of a blur/awesome trip but what a weekend!

simply by far the best fest i have ever been to!!!
everyone was so amazing & just made it so much better then anything else.

thursday/friday
arrived set up camp (couldnt find camp gt ) & left for the electrowerkz. i love how the camping isnt seperate from the arena at glade, we were 10 seconds from the overkill tent
had an amazing night & came out to the lovely rain, realising we wernt going to get anywhere in the rain we slept tramp styley outside mcdonalds till 6am when we were awoke by someone trying to step over us for there breakfast
back to the station, waited for what seemed like ages for the glade bus with nasty militia train staff.
got to glade absolutly drenched & finally the rain stopped!
caught up on a bit of sleep & got up in time for the bang face night
just wow, what a start from ceephax & then SL2, Spectre & the rest.
this was heaven, everyone was so up for it & luving it, met some great great people & gained alot of mud.
after we made our way to soma fields for a bit of a chill & found the kaleidoscopic creature run by the crazy french guys, this was someting else!!!! & all in the tune to tundra 4, beautiful.
does anyone know what other songs were playing in this?
there were 2 breakbeat/breakcore songs in particular, one had samples from sin city in it & one had some really mongy bass with the repeated sample "fuck your sister" in it
????

saturday
started the morning as normal with a egg & cheese crepe (how nice were these!) & made it overkill for mary anne hobbs wobbly dubby set.
we then stayed for vexkiddy & am i so glad we saw them, what a show! managed to get a cd after aswell.
bit blurry after this but i think we were at the glade stage for a while.
then saw kj sawka do another impressive set & then waited for snares.
before him was a bloke who looked like a captain of a pirate ship, i think it was karl marx stadt but im not sure. he did an extended set due to some problems & absolutly rocked, anyone know who he was please?
then.......well we all know about snares, i wasn't to dissapointed as i had seen him on thurs but i spoke to numerous people who had come for him & it must of been proper harsh.
then was the highlight of the fest for me End.User.
what a show, amazing & his little battles with the sound guys were hilarious, i guess they gave up after the second time he turned it up.
anyone know the last tune he played when the guy on the second laptop was talking about him. was kinda chilled out to start with & then went mad.

sunday

did luke vibert play in the end? i was there for 12 but just saw people stomping on straw of which i joined in.
because i had wellies i was asked to help behind the barrier, the mud was literally just under my knees there, big thanks to the people who kept the overkill stage going despite getting everyones rain!
saw the last bit of beardyman & the fantastic dj scotch egg who just kept going, lots of great new tunes.
think next was clark, best time i have seen him by far, i never knew clark could do breakbeat so damn well, top stuff.
then it was on to the daddy, the pusher, got a great place & just luved it.
why does he not dj more often? that was the tits.

then that was the end & i was so so so sad

bring on next year is all i can say i cannot wait!!!

only just realised how long this was aswell, sorry

who was that insane dubstep dj running around the stage at a million miles an hour on saturday?

I agree - we had a great time for the entire weekend. Yes, it was knackering, but so what?

my legs are a bit more toned now, cheers glade.

who was that insane dubstep dj running around the stage at a million miles an hour on saturday?

maxximus???? he was playing amazing tunes but his mixing werent up to much.
did he play on decks or a laptop, because milanese was on just after and was amazing, one of the highlights of the festival for me