First Time Friday - Leeds Festival

It’s safe to say that my first and probably last festival was Leeds. Being a naïve 18-year-old, I thought it would be a good idea to embark on an adventure and decided to go to Leeds festival in 2016. I don’t know why we chose to go to Leeds as opposed to Reading, but, as soon as we saw the line-up, the location didn’t really bother us. The thought of seeing Red Hot Chilli Peppers, The Vaccines, Nas and A$AP Rocky all in one weekend was enough to keep me excited.

Leeds Festival 2016

Initially, on the way to the festival, it seemed like it was going to be a good weekend. It was 20 degrees and we had first pick of places to camp. However, if there is one piece of advice I would give anyone going to a festival is don’t get an early bird ticket. It’s a waste of money and by Saturday you feel like you’ve been camping for decades. Also, I don’t think it helped that I chose Leeds festival which is historically not one of the most sanitary festivals to go to (but are any of them? I mean, I knew I wasn’t going to Coachella but I didn’t think it would be as bad as it was).

The weather. Yes, at the start the weather was amazing but, it only lasted one day. After that, it rained the whole weekend. Floods of rain and mud that came up to my ankles. Luckily we were on higher ground and our tent didn’t get flooded but there was still a possibility. The days felt shorter and the nights were longer and it didn’t make it easy to go back to the tent after a set. For my first camping experience, I can honestly say it wasn’t the best. Living in wellies, a damp raincoat and walking in slippery mud was another nightmare of mine, especially when walking up a hill in darkness.

The weather conditions

The set. I can honestly say that one of the better parts (and the main part) of festival life is the music. It is the one thing you go for so the sets are bound to be life changing. But, when you’re standing there in the pouring rain trying to enjoy yourself whilst your favourite artist is playing, there is always someone that ruins it. That one person sitting on someone’s shoulders blocking your view. Yes, this happens all the time at gigs but when you’re already ‘not in the festival mood’ it just makes the experience worse.

Also, when one of the artists you wanted to see cancels his set when you’ve been waiting for half an hour isn’t really the best experience.

Festival line up 2016

The toilets. I knew what I was in for when it came to the dreaded toilet situation and I feel like I had mentally prepared myself it. But, what I learnt during my experience is if you go early enough (it’s easy in the mornings because you automatically wake up at sunrise), you don’t have to wait 20 minutes and you can go in straight away.

After my experience at Leeds festival I realised that perhaps I’m not made for camping and I probably won’t ever go to a festival again just because of the traumatising experience I had. However, after all the moaning it still was an experience and without it I wouldn’t have ever known about the festival life.

- Manisha