Where to stand
I can give advice on some of the issues of where to stand, but ultimately it depends on your preference on how you like to listen your music.
The Early Bird These are those dedicated fans of the headline groups. They will make the stampede as soon as the site opens to get to front. These fans will stand and endure 10 to 11 hours of music. They are so dedicated that they don't care who they have to see in this time. The line up includes those bands that their parents used to listen to (unless you're an old fart then you remember them when they were good and perhaps the 30th album has lost some of the original allure to their first 3 albums). Another more positive view to take is that the 'early bird' wishes to broaden their musical horizons and taste. Trouble is you see the same adverts between each set and this can get monotonous.
Tall People Why do tall people stand in front of short people? Sometimes it doesn't matter where you stand as the tall person always find their way in front of you. I often wonder why the entire UK basketball team choose to stand in front of me. I'm a fraction short of 6 foot! If you are vertically challenged then normal people become tall people to you e.g I become your basket ball player! In fact I looked around one gig and saw tall people in front of me and short people behind. Is there some law of reverse porportionality between height and distance to the stage? I feel a PhD thesis coming on!
Short People It's tough being a short person as there are many taller people obscuring your view, especially if they are waving flags on tall poles then you've got no chance. This is even if you are trying to watch the big diamond screens. Some short people try to be tall people by getting onto the shoulders of taller friends. There are a few consequences to this. Firstly, you obscure the view of people. You may be happy with this as you've always suffered as a short person. Secondly, this is only a temporary measure as your carrier will experience fatigue and then put you down or fall down amongst the tall people. Thirdly, not everyone is thrilled to your 'builders bum'. Fourthly, in this position you are vulnerable to pranks from friends and annoyed people behind you. I've seen people toppled in this position, beverages thrown at them and someone try to ignite hair in that space between the top of the jeans and the bottom of your tee-shirt.
Personal Space If you like personal space, then you have chosen the wrong event. Everyone is crushed as 'sardines in a tin'. If you are a touchy feely person and like personal contact with people including strangers (refer to personal hygiene) then you will enjoy the experience. At some gigs, the crowd moves in waves, but like the sea it is not a uniform motion. Friends disappear from sight as they surge forward from the pushing force behind, but like newtons cradles you can guarantee that they will come back at some point. Other times you are packed so close together that you can't move at all. This is the time when to be careful of hot wet feeling on your feet (see toilets). If you do like personal space then go to the back of the crowd with the short people and don't forget your binoculars.
Space in the Crowd Sometimes you can see a space in the crowd where you could possibly stand. There is a reason for this space. Nobody else wants to be there. The common reason for the space is that it is not a good place to listen or see the band. The most common space is behind the sound desk, where you can't see anything. The next largest space in just in front speakers in the middle of the field. The people behind can hear the music because the speakers are facing them, but you can't. Other spaces are usually found where there is a large puddle of mud or water. This space may become used for mud-wrestling for which you volunteer or find yourself being volunteered for. There may be other reasons, but rest assured that where there is a space there is usually a problem. Unless the space is a smaller venue in the festival and this because the bands are ...not attracting mass appeal!
