Body & Soul Festival 2017

Canneverfindit

I know its early. Probably far too early.
But many of us are already discussing next year's EP so I figured why not a B&S chat too?

Trying to be organised for once in my life;
I've never been to B&S before but intend to go with kids next June. It'll be their first festival and therefore my first with kids in two - hence the requirement for a bit of organisation.

Does anyone know when tickets generally go on sale? I'll need family camping this year and if they're anything like EP, know they'll sell out first.

I would love to hear about everyone's previous experiences at B&S? what to expect/ how would you rate it?
I've done 3 EPs - how do they compare?. (I know we're talking roughly 40K people in the difference)

What I do know about B&S is that they operate a free flow alcohol policy... wayhey!!!

MJohnston

I didn't go this year (had tickets, but then it turned out to be the weekend before my kid was born, so I had to sell them ) but went in 2015. Absolutely loved it. Less peripheral stuff going on compared to EP, but really reminiscent of how EP was 'back in the day'.
Distances for walking around the site were much shorter than EP, which means you don't walk the feet off yourself.
Free flow booze policy is fantastic, and it means that people aren't getting absolutely hammered in the campsites. Not that this is much of a problem anyway, the crowds are much more mature and relaxed.

I suppose, with kids, I'd recommend trying to hire a campervan for the weekend. They'll be easier to acquire compared to EP weekend, and the campervan site is really only about an extra 50m away from the festival compared to the regular campsites.

Definitely planning on heading myself this year in the campervan, with my wife and the baby if they're up for it.

bodhrandude

Me bags the first suggestion, seeing that EP got Toots this year, I think Body & Soul should book Toots and the Maytals before he gets too old for touring, I don't think they have played it yet.

Canneverfindit

MJohnston wrote: »

I didn't go this year (had tickets, but then it turned out to be the weekend before my kid was born, so I had to sell them ) but went in 2015. Absolutely loved it. Less peripheral stuff going on compared to EP, but really reminiscent of how EP was 'back in the day'.
Distances for walking around the site were much shorter than EP, which means you don't walk the feet off yourself.
Free flow booze policy is fantastic, and it means that people aren't getting absolutely hammered in the campsites. Not that this is much of a problem anyway, the crowds are much more mature and relaxed.

I suppose, with kids, I'd recommend trying to hire a campervan for the weekend. They'll be easier to acquire compared to EP weekend, and the campervan site is really only about an extra 50m away from the festival compared to the regular campsites.

Definitely planning on heading myself this year in the campervan, with my wife and the baby if they're up for it.

Aw great - this is really helpful. Thanks a million. Particularly the parts about it being a little bit of a more mature crowd etc. Just obviously a small bit more concerned than usual due to the kids.
I looked at the Soul Kids section on the website and it looks great. I was asking a friend if she'd ever brought any of her kids to Glasto and she said she did - ended up exploring parts she never would have usually which sounds good.

Did you say it wasnt until March that the tickets went on sale last year?

Congratulations on your new baby, by the way!

Canneverfindit

bodhrandude wrote: »

Me bags the first suggestion, seeing that EP got Toots this year, I think Body & Soul should book Toots and the Maytals before he gets too old for touring, I don't think they have played it yet.

I am genuinely not over the fact that I missed Toots at EP this year. It was one of my 'definite must sees' but stupidly got side tracked. I'm therfore bitching ALL WEEK LONG about the fact I missed it. Gutted. I will be over the moon if hes announced for this...

Bazzo

I've been the last 3 years on the trot. It's a really great weekend, very laid back and a lot of smaller but cool little acts, plus a couple of bigger acts headlining at night. Crowd tends to be very laid back and friendly and the smaller numbers makes it feel even more relaxed.

My big gripe is the queueing to get in on Friday can be nuts but there's a special family entrance so you should be grand. You're also limited on the amount of drink you can bring in to 24 cans + a bottle of wine or 1 bottle of spirits + a bottle of wine. The free flow booze policy is great.

Oh and the ground really didn't hold up very well in the rain this year... at all. With the nice weather the other two years though it was gorgeous

MJohnston

They sent out a Survey monkey type thing earlier this year asking for suggestions for improvements btw - really appreciated that as a difference from EP where sending feedback just seems to be a black hole.

Alkers

MJohnston wrote:

They sent out a Survey monkey type thing earlier this year asking for suggestions for improvements btw - really appreciated that as a difference from EP where sending feedback just seems to be a black hole.

I didn't get that!

First year going last year, stayed in campervans. Wasn't impressed with the campsite which was very uneven and became very treacherous when the mud surfaced. Otherwise great weekend but it isn't quite the spectacle that EP is for me.

Charlie

This year was my first B&S. Can't recommend it enough. As others have said, the atmosphere and crowd really do make it a great weekend.

The bookers obviously work tirelessly selecting the acts, as the calibre of music on show this year was really really good.

Mother DJs on the Saturday night is worth the ticket price alone.

bodhrandude

It would be interesting if they made it into a domed festival, if we get a repeat of the same weather as the last one.

MadYaker

Id love if they changed the dates a bit so it wasn't so close to Glastonbury. I can't ignore work for long enough to get to both. If I don't get tickets for Glastonbury id say I'll definitely go to this. I've never been to a small festival.

grudgehugger

Canneverfindit wrote: »

I've never been to B&S before but intend to go with kids next June.

My wife and I have gone to this the last 5 years, and brought kids every time. Eldest is now 5, youngun will be 2 shortly.

Tbh, would love to go on our own at some point, however we have a gang of mates who go to EP with us that are not interested in B&S, so the Picnic is now our annual adults only venture with B&S being for the kids.

They both have a great time, particularly the older of the two - however the younger will start to really enjoy it next year if he's anything like his brother.

As is traditional for any festival attendee who was there in the earlier years of an event that is now firmly established and much larger than originally, I feel B&S is losing some of the magic. *** SOUND THE CLICHE ALARM *** Hey, it's still what I feel...

The new location for the Reckless in Love stage this year (essentially an empty, undecorated field) didn't feel like they were putting their soul into things as much as I'd like although what I think was the principle behind it - which seemed to be an effort to take the livelier aspects of the festival out of the woods - did seem to work well and bring some of the magic back to the forest.

Soul Kids is a great safe haven with the kiddies and there was a really good little playground in the reggae area (Port Royal) - overall plenty to keep the kids occupied although the organisation of the family campsite leaves a fair bit to be desired. The Picnic has historically kept families well segregated from the rest of the campers - at B&S you're camping in the same field as everyone else (with a rope fence seperating you and relatively lax security) so if that concerns you then maybe the wrong festival to start with in terms of the kids. It totally doesn't bother us and we've never had any hassle whatsoever (hence going is an annual event). I mention it as we have met other parents that get really upset and bothered about what does seem to be the slightly chaotic organisation of things at the festival...

The main stage at Body and Soul is often very very quiet (criminally poor crowd for the likes of Sun Kil Moon at this year's fest) which is good for watching bands with the kids.

There's some random thoughts for you - if you've any other questions on what the set-up is like when bringing kids drop me a PM or indeed post them on the forum if you like and I'll answer as best I can...

Canneverfindit

grudgehugger wrote: »

There's some random thoughts for you - if you've any other questions on what the set-up is like when bringing kids drop me a PM or indeed post them on the forum if you like and I'll answer as best I can...

This is really kind of you - thanks a million. You could be sorry you said so over the next few months.

We're the same re EP being our 'adult weekend'. We dont intend to bring the kids there as we're have it marked as our 'completely irresponsible weekend' of the year.

Good to know about the rope separating the campsites - I think we'll be ok with this but I do prefer to know what to expect before venturing somewhere.

Has anyone any thoughts on line up or is it far too early?

Canneverfindit

Or when is the line up announced, is it done in a few stages like EP?

I wont keep prattling on and on about kids cos I know it isnt fair on others here but I do intend to start looking up a few bands and playing their music around the house so the kids are familiar enough with the sound and will get more out of the event.

I almost f*cking cried when my (then) 8 year old announced a love for One Direction so I feel its my parental responsibility to try instil a bit of good musical taste into her/ them..

team_actimel

I've never been to B&S but looking to go this year. Seeing Glastonbury as a possibility too but is it looking likely these dates will clash?

Canneverfindit

team_actimel wrote: »

I've never been to B&S but looking to go this year. Seeing Glastonbury as a possibility too but is it looking likely these dates will clash?

Weirdly enough - I messaged B&S a few minutes ago asking if theres a confirmed 2017 date yet.
Did so because husband really wants to go to the Doolin Festival next year and their tickets are already available to purchase (was going to get them for his birthday which is soon).
Realised that Doolin is confirmed for 16th June 2017 and B&S was on the 16th-17th 2016.

I'll let you know if they get back to me (but I'm presuming they have yet to confirm a date as I cant find one anywhere on line - could be just me, mind)

Glastonbury is from the 21st - 25th June. Think tickets are on sale next week??

I dont think they'll clash but will be very, very close together, I reckon...

Canneverfindit

Sorry! Im wrong - Glasto tickets go on sale from the 6th October but you need to be registered beforehand and registration appears to be open now.

MJohnston

I mentioned in another thread that the tickets went onsale in March, but I think I was wrong about that - I read Ticketmaster's order history date as DD/MM/YY but for me its MM/DD/YY instead -_- so actually the tickets will go onsale in November.

Canneverfindit

MJohnston wrote: »

I mentioned in another thread that the tickets went onsale in March, but I think I was wrong about that - I read Ticketmaster's order history date as DD/MM/YY but for me its MM/DD/YY instead -_- so actually the tickets will go onsale in November.

Someone on the EP thread said they went on sale on the 3rd November last year. You were probably thinking of the 2nd or 3rd tier

Team_Actimel B&S appears to take place on the Summer Solstice each year so going by that, Solstice starts on on a Wednesday in 2017 - so its either the weekend before (16th - 18th) or after (23rd-25th) - I reckon anyway (just speculating)

Canneverfindit

Sorry MJonston - misread what you said re misreading date!

Bazzo

I'm pretty sure it's usually on the weekend before Glastonbury. My brother has gone more or less straight from B&S over to Glasto twice now.

MadYaker

team_actimel wrote: »

I've never been to B&S but looking to go this year. Seeing Glastonbury as a possibility too but is it looking likely these dates will clash?

They probably won't clash next year but this year B&S was the weekend directly after Glastonbury and I don't know what your job is like but I couldn't really get away with taking the wednesday to monday for glasto and then the following friday to monday for B&S unless someone died or something and even then I be snowed under with work when I got back.

ghostdancer

it was the weekend before Glastonbury, not after.
I think Castlepalooza was on the weekend after.

BS doesn't really get going until Friday night, so you could still work that day, head down in the evening, then take the Monday off for B&S recovery, then Tuesday-Friday for Glastonbury, and then whatever days the week after you need for Glasto recovery.

I took a full week, plus Monday-Wednesday of the week after off this year, so 8 days. less than most people who go on a 2 week holiday.

PabloAndRoy

ghostdancer wrote: »

it was the weekend before Glastonbury, not after.
I think Castlepalooza was on the weekend after.

BS doesn't really get going until Friday night, so you could still work that day, head down in the evening, then take the Monday off for B&S recovery, then Tuesday-Friday for Glastonbury, and then whatever days the week after you need for Glasto recovery.

I took a full week, plus Monday-Wednesday of the week after off this year, so 8 days. less than most people who go on a 2 week holiday.

I would need a holiday after two weekends like this.

JG009

grudgehugger wrote: »

As is traditional for any festival attendee who was there in the earlier years of an event that is now firmly established and much larger than originally, I feel B&S is losing some of the magic. *** SOUND THE CLICHE ALARM *** Hey, it's still what I feel...

The new location for the Reckless in Love stage this year (essentially an empty, undecorated field) didn't feel like they were putting their soul into things as much as I'd like although what I think was the principle behind it - which seemed to be an effort to take the livelier aspects of the festival out of the woods - did seem to work well and bring some of the magic back to the forest.

Wish we knew it was there before Sunday. The sound in that field was amazing with the stage on the bottom of the hill.

The visuals on stage were whopper too. I welcomed this change.

grudgehugger

JG009 wrote: »

Wish we knew it was there before Sunday. The sound in that field was amazing with the stage on the bottom of the hill.

The visuals on stage were whopper too. I welcomed this change.

I would agree that the change in location for the stage from the Woods to a new area was overall a good thing. The festival is too big now for that stage to be where it was previously imo.

I just found the new location itself a little soulless - it was left largely undecorated and in daytime for example really was just a largely empty field with a couple of stalls as you enter (and one sculpture type thing in the middle).

Especially given the emphasis the organisers put on the artistic side of things in their general promotion of the event, to me this felt like either a rush job which would be poor form given the size of crowd they're getting for the festival or them not giving as much of a sh1t about things as they used to - which would be sad.

Canneverfindit

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YDWS5CD

^^ Heres the link to the body and soul survey. I havent been before so I cant complete it but there's a nice prize draw (4 tickets/ luxury camping etc) for those of you who might be eligible to..

Charlie

Canneverfindit wrote: »

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YDWS5CD

^^ Heres the link to the body and soul survey. I havent been before so I cant complete it but there's a nice prize draw (4 tickets/ luxury camping etc) for those of you who might be eligible to..

Ssssssshhuusshhhhhhh!

kwat

Should be an announcement about the early birds soon enough I'm guessing, if in line with last years timeframe

Canneverfindit

Charlie wrote: »

Ssssssshhuusshhhhhhh!

Whoops! Am I not supposed to say/ link that? Sorry!!!

Canneverfindit

kwat wrote: »

Should be an announcement about the early birds soon enough I'm guessing, if in line with last years timeframe

Am hoping so!