Who else had an amazing time?

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 7:54 am Post subject: Who else had an amazing time?

Sunrise @ Big Chill was exactly the break I needed from the real world. Music was ace, weather was pretty good, and the people were almost universally friendly.

I actually really liked the contrast between the 2 areas. There was the variety and quality of acts from a mainstream festival in the big chill bit, then the fantastic friendly atmosphere in the Sunrise bit, I think Sunrise should have a field at Big Chill every year Very Happy

. It was also nice to see loads of chillers "discovering" the sunrise field when they'd never seen a festival like it before; especially at night when the entertainment ran out or got boring in the chill area. Sunrise truly is a 24 hour festival. I went to sleep at about 4am after saturday night, then got up at 9 to discover the small world tent was still full of dancing people.

Highlights for me were Plaid/Random Dance and Trentmoller Saturday night main stage - some of the weirdest and most beautiful electronic music I've heard in ages; and the all-night rave in the chillout cafe sunday. It really had a kinda free party feel to it; and I loved it when the security guy came in and everyone thought "oh no, they've come to shut it down/stop people taking drugs/etc etc" when actually he just bought a cup of coffee and nodded his head to the music for a bit.

I'll definately by at Sunrise next year, and perhaps even at the Big Chill again. See you all at waveform Very Happy

I had an ace time

Downside was the massive hills and huge amount of walking to get about....

Highlight was being so close to Noel Fielding when the Boosh were comparing the Underbelly Tent ... We almost had a date to see Leonard cohen but I had to blow him out to catch up with some sleep ... Soz babe hehe Wink

Had the bestest fun tho in the gazebos with all the lush FW peeps Very Happy

It was great to catch up with everyone and to meet new friends like Martianflips, Nicole, Tonyasleep, and Steve n Holly n all Very Happy

Lovely lovely people you are xxxx

yep me too,had a right ball,really dont know what ppl from b/chill thought tho.

Had a great time was tiring with all the hills as Fuzzy said but well worth it.

We had the moon on a string on Friday night which looked awesome!!! For those that hadn't heard that expression it was us that floated the lit up balloon above the festival at night.

As ever the FW camp rocked. Thanks to all involved in making it look so beautiful. See some of you at Bloom!!

I can safely say I had a wicked time!

I literally had about 6 hours sleep in total between Thurs eve and last night - I even spent a few hours kipping in welfare as I physically couldnt make it back up the hill to my tent early Sunday morning (still up in time to catch Norman Jay though)!

Thought that Sunrise & Big Chill worked well together and that the chillers really appreciated some things that Sunrise brought to their experience.

Cant wait for Sunrise 2009 now - thanks again to all involved for a great time and in handling the swap etc

Quote: › I think Sunrise should have a field at Big Chill every year

BTS told me that Sunrise are planning to be there again next year

Melvin

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 2:37 pm Post subject: Re: Who else had an amazing time?

glad to see so many had a good time,

have to be honest although I really don't want to be negative...

it all left a bad taste in my mouth - i really felt like we (sunrise punters) were simply a bail out for festival organisers that got into a finacial tight spot.

I scrimpt for my ticket - i stopped jumping fences years ago cos as a promoter I know how it feels people blagging when you put so much effort in.

In a sea of giant fridges on wheels and electronic bed pumps me an my (pregnant) g'friend marched across a spralling sight full of UV TESCOS to be gathered by security who took my beer and told me to by from over inflated priced stalls. Then eventually there was a field that was - well you could tell it was the old car park. What I meen by that is that it felt like sunrise was certainly an after thought ("stick the hippys up out the way").

Finally I was lectured on the open air stage on a massive screen - being told to sign up for eco electrcity suppliers - if only they had suggested car sharing or auctioning off a few of the BMWs / Range rovers flying around the camping field.

Topping it of was to hear from my friend that his camping pal ended up under a security land rover - this was about half hour after watching one doing 40 odd mph across the north camping field where childeren were blatantly playing - i kid you not!

It felt like the sunrise field was a party for the organisers, the entertainment was good and thumbs up to the acts. But the vibe was not what I have come to know as a sunrise festival Confused

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 3:32 pm Post subject: Re: Who else had an amazing time?

Well Stu and I and our group of friends had a fab time.

We did have a bit of a rubbish start, with my friend waking up at 3am on Friday morning with a bloke in her tent, he had opened all her tent zips and was dragging her stuff out. She shouted at him and he scampered. She found her jeans outside in the morning, luckly he got away with nothing. Sadly not the same for a the two tents behind us who had over £400 nicked between them on Thursday night. We were all in south camping and after asking around it seems this was the main field under attack, wankers.

Anyway - this aside - oh and the wasp stings - OUCH! we all had a fab time. It seemed though everytime we went to the Sunrise area there was never anything really going on. I asked a number of people in each tent what was happening when and nobody ever seemed to know... all we could ever find was a few drummers sat around at the top of the site - where were we going wrong?

All in all though fun was had, I didnt find it clicky - on other forums there is talk about lots of people pushing drugs - They didnt ask me, god dam them!

Found it really sad that people didnt follow the Leave no Trace..whats happened there?

Kids leaving fooking little gas bottles everywhere was also really pissed me off.

Tom Middleton - FAB! Boosh - didnt really do it for me in such a big enviro.

Did have a bit of fun at the start of the festie in the Rizla arena - this was way before there we people waiting to get in any out - WTF!

Yeah the drinks were ££ but I knew this would be the case.

Security by the castle stage - just a the bottom of the hill were cool - never any problems - apart from people with huge rucksaks of booze holding people up. I also read on another forum about a bloke have a £700 lazer taken from him - WTF were you carrying that around with you for?

Keep smiling people at the end of the day its what you make of it and who you are with.

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 6:00 pm Post subject: Re: Who else had an amazing time?

i had a great time, trentmoller live were the highlight for me, way better than i was expecting, saw loads of great stuff around the site, the sunrise field was lovely and the chai was delicious, shame about all the blatant branding of everything elsewhere... haven't they heard of subtlety? and the festival was just a bit too big and the hills were annoying, so I don't think TBC will be a big priority for me next year..

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 6:02 pm Post subject: Re: Who else had an amazing time?

tc wrote (View Post): ›
Topping it of was to hear from my friend that his camping pal ended up under a security land rover - this was about half hour after watching one doing 40 odd mph across the north camping field where childeren were blatantly playing - i kid you not!

My first few hours on site were very much marred from witnessing a horrific accident, which involved a Land Rover running over two tents, this was about 01.30am, at the bottom of one of the steep slopes leading up into the festival. We had just walked from Valley camping, just past the lock ups, and this happened on the right hand side. I had to go to the medical/welfare people as I was in a complete state of shock.

The Land Rover came down a grass fire lane, in a very steep, slippy, unlit camping field, started slipping midway and continued slipping faster down the hill, until it ran over two tents at the bottom of the hill. I am amazed that the girl trapped in her tent underneath the Land Rover survived, but apparently she was fine, (we checked with the Police the following day).

As far as I am aware those lanes are for fire vehicles only, this Land Rover had stewards in it, not firemen. Also someone has mentioned to me that there was not supposed to be vehicle movement on site after midnight. It was obvious that the driver did not know how to drive the Land Rover in those conditions.

For me I'm just glad and relieved that she was ok, I truly felt that I had witnessed someone being seriously injured or killed, hence the shock, and feel that this was a blatent disregard of safety on site.

I'm just wondering if this was the same incident that your friend was involved in?

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 6:22 pm Post subject: Re: Who else had an amazing time?

For me it was good but not brilliant as usual teh FW crew made it for me.... The camp (ervan) site was a good 20 walk away ( hour plus if muntered) once you were on site the views were amazing ( fake moon and alll)

I must admit the ~~security~~ "customer safety" were very VERY good.. On saturday nigh I had to stumble with Daddy passed teh gate, I could hardly stand , Daddy got a good frisking, I was just given a once over and told be careful putting things in your combo pockets because they can fall out if you lie down and put your knees up <g>

With a few acceptions I thought teh music was pretty dire - Leonard Cohen ROCKED ( though I have been a fan for 30 years)

Sunrise was a haven of munterdom and normality - people chatted ( even if was bollocks) with each other and they smiled!

IDspriral played some amazing tunes ( and a few bad ones) Through out the night, the big chill seemed to finish and close up so early

For me the atitude of the BIg chill was sumed up in the litter is was f***** everywhere, people just did not give a monkeys, where as teh sunrise camp had very little, I did see some people picking litter but it just seemed the people there cared more..

I was glad I went, overall I had a good time . ....

would I go next year? I think not

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 6:23 pm Post subject: Re: Who else had an amazing time?

There was only the one incident, there's been a thread or 2 over on the Big Chillum

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 6:30 pm Post subject: Re: Who else had an amazing time?

Do you have a link?

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 6:33 pm Post subject: Re: Who else had an amazing time?

chevron wrote (View Post): ›
i had a great time, trentmoller live were the highlight for me, way better than i was expecting, saw loads of great stuff around the site, the sunrise field was lovely and the chai was delicious, shame about all the blatant branding of everything elsewhere... haven't they heard of subtlety? and the festival was just a bit too big and the hills were annoying, so I don't think TBC will be a big priority for me next year..

OH Chevvy Chev, I had no idea you were there, why didn't you come to camp? Maybe you did but I missed you Sad

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 7:54 pm Post subject: Re: Who else had an amazing time?

well i camped with my mates in red acre, we had some very lovely friendly neighbours who we had a lot of fun with, so that was really cool... but i'm sure we'll catch up at some point! get yourself down to bristol Wink

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 8:37 pm Post subject: Re: Who else had an amazing time?

I had a lot of fun, but then when camped with the Fw posse you could have fun anywhere Very Happy

the hills did do me in a bit but maybe thats my own fault for letting myself get unfit and muntered Wink

I think also that i've grown out of mainstream festies, not enough party people for my liking Rolling Eyes

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 9:06 pm Post subject: Re: Who else had an amazing time?

Link to the Big Chillum accident thread;

http://forum.bigchill.net/index.php?showtopic=681413

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 9:18 pm Post subject: Re: Who else had an amazing time?

stonedinnocentfrankenstei wrote (View Post): › [quote

BTS told me that Sunrise are planning to be there again next year

Melvin

what? nooooooo:(

it was great that sunrise could go ahead but it was more like a mini sunrise (obviously as i'm sure lots of the stuff they had planned originally was otherwise engaged) and the big chill was pretty uninspiring in the main, and the fact that the festival was such a walk from the camping made it a bit of a mission, especially with children (and munters!!) up and down all those hills

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 9:27 pm Post subject: Re: Who else had an amazing time?

Maybe they should have sunrise on a different weekend but on the same site and have the camping the same side of the valley as the festival, that would be much better yes

Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 5:22 am Post subject: Re: Who else had an amazing time?

Hi all,

Glad Sunrise @ The Big Chill seemed to please most people. I appreciate the two festivals are very different, but at least it meant many of you got some entertainment for your ticket investment this year.

I have been out of the country since end of June and was not at BC so your reports are all I have to go off as to how it went. To answer some concerns and queries, whilst Sunrise MAY well continue at the Big Chill next year (though there is nothing in place to say we will) this will in no way detract from the production of its own festival.

As soon as I am back in the UK, we will seal up a new site for the event and get the show back on the road. As you can imagine, everybody was pretty shocked and shattered by the flooding experience, and we have learnt a lot about dealing with major incidents - the kind of thing you can only really learn by experiencing it. For my part, I want to apologise for any communication breakdowns that occurred during the flooding and any sense that the organisers didn't care, they did. Whilst there were certain things that took place that made clear communication difficult, this does not excuse the sometimes mixed messages emanating from within and from the authorities and media without.

Sunrise @ BC was an offer that we couldn't refuse and I hope it went some way to repairing the damage for some. I appreciate that many of our attendees are seasoned festival goers and a bit of flooding and natural disaster is run of the mill for them, however, I also appreciate that there were many who were not used to such a situation and perhaps struggled in the mud and waters and with the conflicting information. Be assured that hefty lessons were learned and the continuation of Sunrise at all is a miracle.

For our part we are perhaps most gutted because we know that this time we had it right. We were only a few hundred off a sell-out and given good weather would certainly have achieved that on the gate. The line-up was better than ever and the organisation strong. Everybody believed we could pull it off, even through the storms and rains of Monday and Wednesday. Even the copuncil and Police gave us the backing to give it a go. Some people have complained that we should have pulled it earlier, and, perhaps, that was our greatest crime, however, we really really wanted to make a go of it, not just for us but because of all the people who had made their way there and because as long as there was a chance for the magic to happen, it was worth giving it a go. At one point, spurred on by a certain somerset farmer of festival repute, we even threw aside the festival as we knew it and decided just to hold something spontaneous there and then, and cope with it all as it came. Unfortunately, the Thursday storm killed it, no more than an hour after we had decided on this plan.

We really, really tried.

As to BC, it was a compromise, and I hope it helped you all feel better about proceedings. I am proud of all the willing workers who kept on holding it together despite all the exhaustion, right up to the event at Eastnor Castle. These people have not had even a day to recover from the floods yet, nor seen the recompense deserving of them for carrying on.
Sunrise is a tiny operation held together by love and loyalty. The people now working on it make a fantastic team and I cannot thank them enough for everything they have done to keep the fire burning this year. When Sunrise returns in 2009, wherever that may be, it will be stronger for all that has happened and all that people have put into it. The floods in a way have impelled us forward, reminding us that we are doing this for a greater reason than profit, popularity and media success; we are doing it because of the chance it brings to everybody to have a really magical,l transformational, wild and free time.

Thanks for sticking by us.

Big love from the far side of the world,

Dan