Assess risk
personal - v festival 2011 - introduction

In 2011 I decided that it was about time that I went to a festival. And what better than one of the best Festivals in the UK. The V Festival.

picture of my V festival ticket

So I purchased my weekend camping ticket online as soon as they became available for purchase. I opted for Weston Park venue, in Staffordshire as this is nearer to my home and I began preparations to enjoy this event - crossing off this activity from my list of 50 things to do before I die.

My nephew and niece were also going to attend this festival. I had agreed to take them both down to the festival with their friends but it was clear that they would not want their aunty cramping their style during this event. Such is the life of an accommodating aunt!

V FESTIVAL LINEUP

Saturday, August 20, 2011 to Sunday, August 21, 2011

Eminem - Rihanna - The Script - Manic Street Preachers - Scouting for Girls - Ellie Goulding - Squeeze - Fun Lovin' Criminals - Pendulum - Primal Scream - The Courteeners - The Wombats - N-Dubz - Good Charlotte - You Me At Six - Ocean Colour Scene - Noisettes - D12 - Calvin Harris - Mark Ronson And The Business Intl - Big Audio Dynamite - Hurts - The Saturdays - Eliza Doolittle - The Wanted - Dionne Bromfield - Chiddy Bang - Hanson - Jaguar Skills - I Am Kloot - Stornoway - Bellowhead - The Pierces - Fenech Soler - The Mummers - Kitty Daisy & Lewis - Fitz And The Tantrums - Morning Parade - Wolf Gang - Arctic Monkeys - Plan B - Kaiser Chiefs - Lostprophets - Bruno Mars - KT Tunstall - Ziggy Marley - Dizzee Rascal - Razorlight - Tinie Tempah - Jessie J - Example - Olly Murs - Cast - Kids In Glass Houses - Aloe Blacc - Big Country - Chase and Status - Glasvegas - Katy B - Professor Green - Wiz Khalifa - Chipmunk - Kele - Labrinth - Clare Maguire - Wretch 32 - Goldie Lookin Chain - Gomez - Morcheeba - The Airborne Toxic Event - Chromeo - Yasmin - Frankmusik - Beardyman - Maverick Sabre - Alex Winston - Parade

I have to admit that most of these groups are alien to me. Never heard of 1/3 of them. So I suspect I am just going to have to blag it when it comes to singing along with enthusiasm.

PREPARATION

Being the total anal organisational freak that I am, I began to prepare for the festival. I bought my sleeping bag, backpack, joggers and hoodie for sleeping in, toiletries, socks and gloves and food, including multiple sweets and snacks and bread for some bread and jam sandwiches. Unfortunately I had been planning to sleep in my car and found out a little late that this was prohibited under health and safety rules. (Bloody health and safety!)

I began looking for a tent with one day left to go. Alas, having left it that late I found difficulty finding a single person or even a two person tent. So as a consequence I purchased the next best thing. A three person tent.

Having realised that I was actually going to have to camp, rather than doss in my car, paranoia set in. What if I couldn't erect the tent!? What if I couldn't find the tent in the sea of tents.

To address one of these issues I purchased a decent hand torch, balloons and streamers to attach to the tent and some fluorescent paint to mark my tent from others. In addition I purchased two mini bike lights to attach to the top. As I say, paranoia personified!

To address my second concern, I took my tent to my mother's home and began to erect it. It took me an hour of scanning incomprehensible plans, counting parts, scratching head and swearing. Ironically, it took me five minutes to take down.

Strategy

I read somewhere that there are two main strategies for the V Festival. (1) The "I don't care who I see as long as I get a good position" - strategy. Basically, you get to a stage, stay there and take your chance regarding the groups you see, in the knowledge that you have a good position. (2) The "I paid good money to see the groups 'I' like" - strategy" Here you basically wander from stage to stage. You get to see and hear the bands you like and if your luck holds, you see them through a telephoto lens.

I decided that as I didn't know most of these groups anyway and was there for the atmosphere mainly, that I would camp in one arena and stay there for the duration. I will camp in the Virgin Media Stage, camera in hand and see what I can see.

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Assess risk personal - v festival 2011 - introduction

Assess risk
personal - v festival 2011 - introduction