My first review is of a festival that I went just over a week ago.
V Festival is a popular UK festival that hosts many pop artists and acts over 2 days. This was my first festival where you camp so I was a bit apprehensive as I've heard so many horror stories from festivals. I camped there the whole weekend, arriving on the Friday and leaving on the Monday. Setting up camp was very easy, the only downside being the long walk from the car park to the campsite when your carrying all your camping equipment. One word of advice, try and not take too much, just enough for you to carry it all in one trip.
Another tip: make sure you get to the campsite early if you want a decent spot. We managed to find one which was near a small block of portaloos, near the path and near a tall supervisor tower so was easy to spot.
The actual festival was good, buying a programme is definitely advisable as it has times the artists are on and I was constantly referring to it. They are pretty pricey but worth it! Some of the acts we saw were Nina Nesbitt, Gabrielle Aplin, Olly Murs, Jessie J, The Script, Calvin Harris and Beyonce! So a lot of very popular artists. I have to say The Script really blew me away and were amazing, as well as getting the entire audience involved. Calvin Harris was good for raving, although don't get stuck in a mosh pit right at the front if your claustrophobic.
The only downside was (can't believe I am saying this!) Beyonce. She was great at singing and dancing, but 20 mins late is not acceptable when you've been saving your spot for 6 hours (without sitting down) and its raining. She also finished earlier than was expected if she had been on time! Not cool! Also many of her big hits were shortened versions of the whole song. Plus she did so many costume changes that it felt like she was only onstage for 15mins. What we got was a crappy version of her Miss Carter world tour. I'm sure that was good, but its not right for a festival. Thank god we got to see many other acts so we actually got our money's worth!
Do not go to a festival if all your gonna see is the headliner because they are not worth £200!
It was a really good weekend and I'm glad I did it. V fest is perfect for first time festival goers who aren't into reading/Leeds music.
So finally, I've composed my top 5 tips about what to bring to festivals, especially if you are camping!
1. Toilet roll or flush able toilet wipes! The portaloos don't have any toilet roll so this is a must have!
2. Antibacterial, for the toilets, and wipes, for washing yourself as there are no showers.
3. Enough money! Although ATMs are usually there, that is not guaranteed and food/drink is expensive
4. I bought a tiny bottle of mouthwash to keep your mouth feeling clean and for times when its difficult to brush your teeth
5. Wellies! And a waterproof mac. Even if the weather forecast says its not going to rain, you can never be too careful! It didn't rain for me but I still wore wellies as they are fashionable at festivals. The same applies for opposite weather, sun cream and a hat!
