I disappeared last week to volunteer at Leeds Festival. My goodness, what a few days it was. Mad, muddy and music filled. This is going to be a long post, but I will try and summarise and break it down as best as I can.
Firstly, festivals are gag reflex inducing. Don’t get me wrong, people go for the music and to meet new people. However, there are so many revolting repercussions as a result of the event. Let’s start with the showers. They are disgusting and very few of them, so the campers just don’t care about their personal hygiene, and it’s perfectly acceptable because everyone’s smelling like a badgers backside. Personally, as I was a crew member, we got slightly better showers and more accessible for us so I got a couple of showers; my sister took one everyday. But even these were grim. Drains were blocked with god knows what (some were found to be blocked with used tampons, boxer shorts and condoms). I do still worry what bacteria I have on my feet even after three showers at home. Sticking the personal hygiene theme, the toilets were questionable. Some involved you peeing straight into a hole in the ground, however the crew ones were proper portaloos. Now I understand going to the toilet is perfectly natural, but I tried not to keep too hydrated so I didn’t haven’t to go to the cubicles that made you want to throw up. On a regular occurrence you would have to check 4 to 5 toilets to find a clean one because people POO ON THE SEAT! People cannot aim their faeces into hole. Disgusting. Don’t even get me started on people’s attire! It is not acceptable to walk around in your bra, thong and UV paint. And that’s just the boys.
As a volunteer, I was supposed to be in a campsite assistant team (CATs). However, when we arrived, my sister and I were told we would be TowerCATs. We later found out this meant we were Fire Marshals. We had next to no training and were told we had to stand at the top of a piece of rickety scaffolding and look out for fires. Two key issues with this were a) Neither of us liked heights and b) 2 out of the 3 shifts we worked it was chucking it down with rain, so little chance of fires and didn’t fancy a vertical climb on a metal frame in a thunderstorm. This being said, our final shift was very fun. It was the final day the sun was beating down and we were forcing the campers out. Now, some silly billies decided it would be fun to set the stuff they leave behind on fire. Tents on fire, I can safely say will never be a Yankee Candle flavour. Me and my sister thoroughly enjoyed going around with our water filled backpacks looking like ghostbusters. We felt we finally deserved the title Fire Marshal.
Finally, the MUSIC! The primary reason I went. There were so many firsts here, but I’ll just let you know my favourites.
1) Fall Out Boy were immense. They could have easily headlined. Everyone in the crowd knew at least one of their songs. I sang along to their whole set. I cannot express how ecstatic I was to finally see one of my favourite bands
2) Biffy Clyro headlined Friday. The shirtless hairy scots embraced the awful weather as did the audience. A neighbour on my campsite perfectly summed up the set for me, she said “The rain made it poetic. It made the words of their songs have a deeper meaning that I had never thought of before. ”
3) Imagine Dragons weren’t on the main stage but they still drew in the crowds at the NME stage. They knew how to perform; how to get the crowd built up and how to settle them. It sounded identical to the record, and I know they’ve got so much more to give.
4) I have to give Eminem a mention. Although I am not an avid fan, I have followed his music so I knew a few of the tracks. The place was filled with guys reminiscing about their teenage years singing along to the Real Slim Shady. I was a little disappointed that he used a voice track to help him out, so it almost looked like he was miming, but then I remembered he is ageing a bit. He probably can’t catch his breath so easily nowadays, especially when rapping so fast. The best moment for me was actually when Dido came out to join him for Stan. He didn’t use a voice track then, and I appreciated and enjoyed that much more. Despite some minor flaws, I was pretty chuffed to be privileged to see Eminem live, and for free!
Lastly, little shoutout to the Great British summer weather. Thanks for pissing it down, making my tent leak, making me think I was going to get hypothermia, and leaving the whole of Leeds Festival a mud bath. Despite having a face like a slapped arse when it poured, when the sun came out the mud was embraced and all the miserable times will be forgotten when I apply to do it again next year.
Adventures 