Isle of Wight Guru
  • Home
  • Why you should visit the Isle of Wight
  • Ferry travel advice & discounts
    • Discount Isle of Wight ferry travel
    • Isle of Wight ferry beginners guide
    • Wightlink's Tesco Clubcard deal – is it the best discount?
    • Using Wightlink’s Multilink deal for cheap ferry travel
    • Cheap Isle of Wight ferry travel for caravans
  • Holiday parks, hotels, camping & cottages
    • Family holiday parks & caravans >
      • 10 of the best Isle of Wight caravan holiday parks
      • Park Resorts and Parkdean Resorts Isle of Wight holiday parks
      • Which Isle of Wight holiday park should I stay in?
      • Last minute deals and discounts at holiday parks
      • Is there a Haven holiday park on the Isle of Wight?
      • Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park reviews and facilities
      • Lower Hyde and Landguard Holiday Park review
      • 6 tricks to save money at Isle of Wight caravan holiday parks
    • Hotels & guest houses >
      • Isle of Wight Hotels - a beginner's guide
      • 10 of the best Isle of Wight luxury hotels
      • 5 Ventnor hotels and guest houses
      • Warner's Bembridge Coast & Norton Grange hotels
      • 5 best Isle of Wight coach tour holidays and trips
      • Romantic Isle of Wight holidays for couples
      • 5 best Isle of Wight spa break hotels and spa days
    • Camping & glamping >
      • 20 Isle of Wight camping and touring parks
      • Isle of Wight Glamping
    • Cottages & self catering >
      • 10 of the best places to stay in Shanklin
      • 10 of the best places to stay in Cowes
      • 10 of the best places to stay in Newport
      • 10 Isle of Wight wheelchair accessible & disabled friendly holidays
      • Brambles Chine and Linstone Chine self catering
    • Lodges & hot tub holidays >
      • 5 best Isle of Wight holiday lodges
      • 10 best Isle of Wight hot tub holidays
      • 10 best Isle of Wight holidays with swimming pools
    • Quirky & AirBnbs >
      • 20 quirky places to stay on the Isle of Wight
      • 10 best Isle of Wight Airbnb holiday homes
    • Group accommodation >
      • 10 of the best places to stay for large groups
      • 7 best Isle of Wight manor houses for hire
    • Dog friendly >
      • Dog friendly Isle of Wight accommodation
      • Dog friendly Isle of Wight holidays
    • Accommodation advice >
      • What time of year should I visit the Isle of Wight?
      • Which Isle of Wight town should I stay in?
      • Where is the cheapest place to stay?
  • Festivals, days out & attractions
    • Festivals & carnivals >
      • Major festivals and carnivals
      • Isle of Wight Festival 2021 lineup and tickets
      • 10 unforgettable Isle of Wight Festival moments
      • Isle of Wight Festival History
      • Cowes Week - attractions and accommodation
    • Free days out & attraction discounts >
      • Free days out on the Isle of Wight
      • Discounts to Isle of Wight attractions
      • Itinerary for a budget Isle of Wight holiday
      • 10 ways to save money on Isle of Wight holidays
    • Attractions for children, teenagers, adults >
      • Activities for toddlers on the Isle of Wight
      • Activities for children and families on the Isle of Wight
      • Activities for teenagers on the Isle of Wight
      • Activities for adults on the Isle of Wight
      • Activities for an Isle of Wight stag do
      • Surviving an Isle of Wight holiday with a toddler
    • Quirky days out >
      • 10 quirky days out on the Isle of Wight
      • 10 things you can't do on the Isle of Wight
      • 10 things you can only visit on the Isle of Wight
      • Isle of Wight TV & Movie Tour
      • 10 reasons to visit the Isle of Wight
    • Days out in Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin, Ventnor >
      • 10 things to do in Bembridge, St Helen's and Seaview
      • 10 things to do in Cowes and East Cowes
      • 10 things to do in Newport and Carisbrooke
      • 15 things to do in Ryde
      • 15 things to do in Shanklin and Sandown
      • 15 things to do in Ventnor and South Wight
      • 15 things to do in Yarmouth and West Wight
    • Rainy day & winter attractions >
      • Rainy day activities on the Isle of Wight
      • Itinerary for a rainy Isle of Wight holiday
      • Winter days out on the Isle of Wight
    • Zoos, historic attractions, gardens >
      • Isle of Wight zoos and animal attractions
      • Historic attractions on the Isle of Wight
      • 10 Isle of Wight Gardens and Parks
    • Day trip itineraries >
      • Day trips from Portsmouth to the Isle of Wight
      • Day trips from Southampton to the Isle of Wight
      • Day trips from Lymington to the Isle of Wight
    • Car journey games & viewpoints >
      • 5 Isle of Wight car journey games
      • 15 of the best Isle of Wight car park viewpoints
      • The Isle Spy car journey game
  • Beaches, tides & weather
    • Which is the best Isle of Wight beach for...
    • Isle of Wight Beaches Interactive Map
    • Isle of Wight tide times
    • Isle of Wight weather forecast
    • Isle of Wight surf forecast
    • The beach holiday checklist - 5 accessories
    • Mobile version of Isle of Wight Best Beaches
  • Cycling, walking & public transport
    • Public transport
    • Cycling holidays on the Isle of Wight
    • Walking the Isle of Wight Coastal Path
  • Food & drink
    • Eating out on a budget
    • Pubs and restaurants with a sea view
    • Isle of Wight Supermarkets
  • Useful information
    • Boring & practical stuff >
      • FAQ
      • Which mobile phone network has the best signal on the Isle of Wight?
      • Cheap parcel delivery and sending mail to the Isle of Wight
      • Isle of Wight Map
      • Isle of Wight newspapers, news websites and radio stations
    • About >
      • Who is the Isle of Wight Guru?
      • Contact us/about/disclaimer
    • Souvenirs
    • Should I move to the Isle of Wight?
    • Les vacances sur L’île de Wight
  • Blog
  • Advice for plagiarists
  • Privacy policy and cookies policy
  • Home
  • Why you should visit the Isle of Wight
  • Ferry travel advice & discounts
    • Discount Isle of Wight ferry travel
    • Isle of Wight ferry beginners guide
    • Wightlink's Tesco Clubcard deal – is it the best discount?
    • Using Wightlink’s Multilink deal for cheap ferry travel
    • Cheap Isle of Wight ferry travel for caravans
  • Holiday parks, hotels, camping & cottages
    • Family holiday parks & caravans >
      • 10 of the best Isle of Wight caravan holiday parks
      • Park Resorts and Parkdean Resorts Isle of Wight holiday parks
      • Which Isle of Wight holiday park should I stay in?
      • Last minute deals and discounts at holiday parks
      • Is there a Haven holiday park on the Isle of Wight?
      • Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park reviews and facilities
      • Lower Hyde and Landguard Holiday Park review
      • 6 tricks to save money at Isle of Wight caravan holiday parks
    • Hotels & guest houses >
      • Isle of Wight Hotels - a beginner's guide
      • 10 of the best Isle of Wight luxury hotels
      • 5 Ventnor hotels and guest houses
      • Warner's Bembridge Coast & Norton Grange hotels
      • 5 best Isle of Wight coach tour holidays and trips
      • Romantic Isle of Wight holidays for couples
      • 5 best Isle of Wight spa break hotels and spa days
    • Camping & glamping >
      • 20 Isle of Wight camping and touring parks
      • Isle of Wight Glamping
    • Cottages & self catering >
      • 10 of the best places to stay in Shanklin
      • 10 of the best places to stay in Cowes
      • 10 of the best places to stay in Newport
      • 10 Isle of Wight wheelchair accessible & disabled friendly holidays
      • Brambles Chine and Linstone Chine self catering
    • Lodges & hot tub holidays >
      • 5 best Isle of Wight holiday lodges
      • 10 best Isle of Wight hot tub holidays
      • 10 best Isle of Wight holidays with swimming pools
    • Quirky & AirBnbs >
      • 20 quirky places to stay on the Isle of Wight
      • 10 best Isle of Wight Airbnb holiday homes
    • Group accommodation >
      • 10 of the best places to stay for large groups
      • 7 best Isle of Wight manor houses for hire
    • Dog friendly >
      • Dog friendly Isle of Wight accommodation
      • Dog friendly Isle of Wight holidays
    • Accommodation advice >
      • What time of year should I visit the Isle of Wight?
      • Which Isle of Wight town should I stay in?
      • Where is the cheapest place to stay?
  • Festivals, days out & attractions
    • Festivals & carnivals >
      • Major festivals and carnivals
      • Isle of Wight Festival 2021 lineup and tickets
      • 10 unforgettable Isle of Wight Festival moments
      • Isle of Wight Festival History
      • Cowes Week - attractions and accommodation
    • Free days out & attraction discounts >
      • Free days out on the Isle of Wight
      • Discounts to Isle of Wight attractions
      • Itinerary for a budget Isle of Wight holiday
      • 10 ways to save money on Isle of Wight holidays
    • Attractions for children, teenagers, adults >
      • Activities for toddlers on the Isle of Wight
      • Activities for children and families on the Isle of Wight
      • Activities for teenagers on the Isle of Wight
      • Activities for adults on the Isle of Wight
      • Activities for an Isle of Wight stag do
      • Surviving an Isle of Wight holiday with a toddler
    • Quirky days out >
      • 10 quirky days out on the Isle of Wight
      • 10 things you can't do on the Isle of Wight
      • 10 things you can only visit on the Isle of Wight
      • Isle of Wight TV & Movie Tour
      • 10 reasons to visit the Isle of Wight
    • Days out in Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin, Ventnor >
      • 10 things to do in Bembridge, St Helen's and Seaview
      • 10 things to do in Cowes and East Cowes
      • 10 things to do in Newport and Carisbrooke
      • 15 things to do in Ryde
      • 15 things to do in Shanklin and Sandown
      • 15 things to do in Ventnor and South Wight
      • 15 things to do in Yarmouth and West Wight
    • Rainy day & winter attractions >
      • Rainy day activities on the Isle of Wight
      • Itinerary for a rainy Isle of Wight holiday
      • Winter days out on the Isle of Wight
    • Zoos, historic attractions, gardens >
      • Isle of Wight zoos and animal attractions
      • Historic attractions on the Isle of Wight
      • 10 Isle of Wight Gardens and Parks
    • Day trip itineraries >
      • Day trips from Portsmouth to the Isle of Wight
      • Day trips from Southampton to the Isle of Wight
      • Day trips from Lymington to the Isle of Wight
    • Car journey games & viewpoints >
      • 5 Isle of Wight car journey games
      • 15 of the best Isle of Wight car park viewpoints
      • The Isle Spy car journey game
  • Beaches, tides & weather
    • Which is the best Isle of Wight beach for...
    • Isle of Wight Beaches Interactive Map
    • Isle of Wight tide times
    • Isle of Wight weather forecast
    • Isle of Wight surf forecast
    • The beach holiday checklist - 5 accessories
    • Mobile version of Isle of Wight Best Beaches
  • Cycling, walking & public transport
    • Public transport
    • Cycling holidays on the Isle of Wight
    • Walking the Isle of Wight Coastal Path
  • Food & drink
    • Eating out on a budget
    • Pubs and restaurants with a sea view
    • Isle of Wight Supermarkets
  • Useful information
    • Boring & practical stuff >
      • FAQ
      • Which mobile phone network has the best signal on the Isle of Wight?
      • Cheap parcel delivery and sending mail to the Isle of Wight
      • Isle of Wight Map
      • Isle of Wight newspapers, news websites and radio stations
    • About >
      • Who is the Isle of Wight Guru?
      • Contact us/about/disclaimer
    • Souvenirs
    • Should I move to the Isle of Wight?
    • Les vacances sur L’île de Wight
  • Blog
  • Advice for plagiarists
  • Privacy policy and cookies policy
Isle of Wight Guru

Shutup and dance at the ISle of Wight Festival 2019

4/2/2019

0 Comments

 
I’ve been holding back from having a bit of a rant, since I know that very few people would consider “listening to rants” as one of their hobbies.
 
It concerns the Isle of Wight Festival, which recently announced headliners and ticket prices.
 
For those, who missed it, the lineup – so far – looks like this:

□ Isle of Wight Festival 2019 first line-up announcement has arrived!

Tickets on sale from Friday 25th 9am

#IOW2019 SEE YOU IN JUNE.
□ https://t.co/u1XGGhLOgG pic.twitter.com/gmSa3WmdJl

— Isle of Wight Fest (@IsleOfWightFest) 23 January 2019
Some were delighted...

Brilliant , Noel Gallagher, James and Richard Ashcroft playing the same weekend. Throw in a bit of Biffy and Fatboy Slim with a bit of Dad Dancing with Madness, Get in. Been going 14 years and it is the weekend I look forward to most every year. @JohnGiddings01 □□□

— Steve Nicolson (@nicolso66) 23 January 2019
...some were already opening a can of beer...

Love all the moaning about the acts the whole idea of a festival is to get together with friends, make friends, find new bands you've never heard of & chill out escape everyday life whilst drinking a beer. Thats why we go every year.... the line up is good □ #IOW2019

— Jamie (@Jamescpfc18) 23 January 2019
​whilst others expressed their general horror...

Wow this is terrible.

— J P (@jaredmpaul) 23 January 2019

Don’t expect a sell out this year! #disappointing

— Dave Watts (@davejwatts1) 23 January 2019
Honestly, the reaction from some people online made me wonder if the organisers had pushed over their grannies or left dog turds on their doorsteps.

Take note of the fact that Fatboy Slim will actually be playing last on Saturday night so the headline acts will be: half of Oasis (
who had 8 number one UK albums), a dance act that even my mum has heard of and a rock band with two UK number one albums (Biffy Clyro).

And that's 'terrible'?


If anything, I think we've been terribly spoilt over the years.

OK, it's undeniable that Sir Paul McCartney (2010) is a bigger name than Noel Gallagher and there aren't yet many 'surprises' on the lineup, but I can’t help feeling that some people have got short memories and no real grasp of quite how difficult it is to put on a profitable world-class music festival in 2019.
 
As I’ve said before, when I was growing up on the Isle of Wight the best chance of live music without a ferry trip was a husband and wife folk duo in a bar in Shanklin. And then, in 2002, the Isle of Wight Festival returned (well, Rock Island specifically) with Robert Plant, The Charlatans, Ash and others playing at a one day festival.
 
As the years passed, the Festival grew to three or four days and many of the world’s biggest acts turned up at Seaclose Park including The Rolling Stones, Jay-Z, Paul McCartney, REM, Coldplay, Foo Fighters, Bruce Springsteen, The Killers, Florence + The Machine, Pink, Kings of Leon and so on (see our Isle of Wight Festival History page or our 10 unforgettable moments)
 
The concept of these acts playing on the Isle of Wight would have been utterly bonkers to me as a teenager in Carisbrooke. Yet, here we are complaining that Noel Gallagher, Fatboy Slim and Biffy Clyro are 'disappointing'? 
 
As the Isle of Wight Festival grew in the early 2000s, others decided to have a go and the Island became a much richer place for music and culture. Bestival gave us a few great years of Elton John, Stevie Wonder and inflatable churches. And then there’s Eklectika, Jack Up The Summer, Rhythmtree, V Dub Isle, the Fairweather Festival and probably others I’ve forgotten.
 
Sure, some have been and gone but I don’t think many of them would have given it a go if John Giddings and Solo hadn’t first (well, second really including the remarkable 1968 to 1970 festivals).
 
And then there’s the overlooked matter of the Isle of Wight Festival's shrinking ticket price.
 
Back in 2002, the one day festival was £35. By 2007 it was £125 for a 3 day weekend ticket. 
 
In 2019, Islanders were able to get early bird tickets for £110. The standard Islander rate is £145, whilst the mainlanders' price is £175 (plus booking fees). In case you're curious, Reading/Leeds 2019 is £205, Download 2019 is £210 (plus fees).
 
So, if you got in early and bought an early bird Islander ticket, the Isle of Wight Festival price is actually lower than the standard price 12 years ago. Try comparing that to what's happened to the price of your weekly shop in the last 12 years.
 
It’s also fair to assume that the costs of putting on the festival haven’t gone down in the last 12 years. This Guardian article from 2016 paints a bleak picture of the finances of putting on a festival and reckons that policing at the Isle of Wight Festival costs £1 million (I think it's actually the cost of security in general rather than just policing).
 
Let's not forget that it wasn’t that long ago that Bestival went into administration. The Big Chill gave up altogether in 2012. Fairweather Festival won’t be returning in 2019 due to finances. And then there's the Fyre Festival…
 
The reality is that there are many more festivals in the UK than there used to be. Weekend festivals now need to compete with a whole heap of one day 'festivals', which don’t have the same overheads since they don’t offer camping. 
 
It's also worth remembering that the Isle of Wight Festival has gradually transformed from a single stage festival to a weekend of fun and games over several stages. I’m sure some of the extras are good moneymakers (fairground rides, more food stalls etc.) but most just add to the overall cost.

Organisers have realised that a good festival isn’t just about the acts on the main stage. One of the best afternoons I've had at the festival was spent in the kids' field (with one of my children, I should add).
 
So please, if you want the Isle of Wight Festival to return in 2020, buy a ticket and enjoy the party. Embrace the lineup for what it is, rather than comparing it to a time when you were younger, better looking and only had one chin.

​Otherwise, don't complain when we're back to watching husband and wife duos at a pub in Shanklin.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    November 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015

    Isle of Wight Guru's Blog

    Tales of Isle of Wight days out, attractions and ferry discounts from a Wightophile. This site uses cookies - see our privacy policy. Ads & links in bold may give us a small payment from the seller, at no cost to the buyer. However, this never affects our views - if we like it, we recommend it.

    RSS Feed

Where to stay

Holiday parks
​
Lodges
Posh hotels
Cheap​
​Quirky
​Big houses
​Camping
​Glamping
​Dog friendly
Last minute
​Coach trips
Airbnb
Accessible
​
Hot tubs
Manor houses
​Swimming pools

Days out

Adults
Beaches
Bembridge
​Cowes
​Cycling
Day trips
Dog friendly
Families
Festivals
Historic
Newport
​Quirky
​Rainy days
​Romantic
Ryde
​Shanklin
Toddlers
Teenagers
Ventnor​
Walking
Winter
​Yarmouth
​
Zoos

Saving money

Ferry discount codes
​
Tesco Clubcard
​Multilink
Accommodation
​Attraction discounts
Eating out
​
Free attractions
Holiday park discounts

About

Contact
Blog
Who is the Guru?
​Advice for plagiarists
Privacy Policy
​Disclaimer

Some of the links on this site are 'affiliate links' meaning we may receive commission from accommodation providers at no cost to the buyer. We are also an Amazon Associate and earn from qualifying products. 
​
However, we maintain full editorial control and only recommend based on merit rather than whether they offer commission.
​© COPYRIGHT 2021. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.