Reading Festival, day ticket, on my own at 53 because I love Florence. Mad?

[GlomOfNit]

How mad would it be for me to go, on my own (probably), to Reading Festival just for the Sunday, so I could see my obsession Florence +TM live, for the first time, having failed to get tickets for any of the tour dates that have just finished?

I'll be 53. I have an occasionally gammy leg and sciatica. I'm a bit overweight and not great at standing for hours and hours. I'm really short. You're not allowed to take pretty much ANYTHING into the Arena area it seems - you get one 'A4-sized bag' (lol-ing at describing bags as units of stationery, perhaps airlines should start that) but their strictures are so, well, strict that I wouldn't be able to carry much in it! I'll probably be on my own, as my passion for F+TM appears to be, in my peer group anyway, my very own.

What sort of chance do I have of getting up close to the front? Will it just be heartbreaking to be so close but STILL not be able to see anything much? If they're headlining on the Sunday night am I going to be spending the ensuing several hours waiting to leave the site? I know Reading Fest isn't like Glastonbury with shedloads of other stuff going on, but will there be anything other than music acts I haven't heard of happening before my main event? Or should I take a book?

Points in my favour: I live literally up the road. Assuming the usual Reading-Oxford buses are running, I could walk back into town and hop on a late one and be back in the very quiet place where I live within an hour. or I could bribe DH with post-festival sex to come and pick me up just over the river

Actually that's the only point in my favour. Flo is playing literally down the road and there are still Sunday tickets and I could put on a floppy dress and a flower tiara and actually go and see her. Couldn't I? or is this just a stupid pipe dream from a sad old moo? WWYD?

(I just remembered - I think I've actually been to Reading before, back in the dim mists of time in 1999 when DH and I both lived there and we went just to see Catatonia :-D I think tickets must have been a fair bit cheaper back then. But I'm NOT a festival-goer. I go to a local eco-hippy festival with tiny attendance numbers and that's just lovely, and that's all I ever do.)

🎤Leave all your love and your longing behind
You can't carry it with you if you want to survive....🎤

Yeah, I totally understand why you want to see her

Only you know whether you can cope with a festival or not. I know I can't. Plus isn't Reading pretty rough? I mean as festivals go. Not that I'm an expert.

would you just be going for her? So you can focus on getting there, enjoying the set and then getting home? That might be easier.

Strange comparison, but I know someone who went to like a half day of the Finsbury Park event and she's pretty fit. Also in her 50s. She said she was horrified how knackered she was the next day but she felt it was worth it. I think she just wanted to see Pulp but she saw some other acts as well.

Anyway, this will give your question a bump and hopefully somebody more knowledgeable will turn up.

I am 51 and probably wouldn’t go to a festival as I hate standing for hours and it wears me out (but can walk all day so it’s not a fitness/ mobility issue) but only you can decide if you’re up to the physical aspect of it.

As for going on your own- YES! I love doing stuff on my own, it’s great not to have to worry about whether someone else is enjoying it, especially if it is something very dear to me like you and Florence.

I went to Victorious a couple of years ago from Glasgow on my own and loved it, I was 46 then, and still considering doing it again this year.

I’m in my mid-sixties. I went to a different festival in the Oxfordshire area three years ago and as dusk fell in a field full of ecstatic audience members a young-ish man - complete stranger - offered to put me on his shoulders.

I honestly didn’t know what to think … 🧐😂

Do it. It’s literally all kids but you aren’t there to make friends, just to watch Florence.
I live not far from Victorious and most years just buy a cheap ticket on the day from Facebook and go and see just the band I like and come home.

Do you know what time she is on?
If she's last it will be harder getting home than just a little trip or DH swinging by. I've been to do the late night post final act pick up and spent two hours sitting in traffic to get anywhere near the festival site.
If she's on in the day that would be much easier.
ETA just googled it and she will be on last probably. I'd give it a miss but I'm not a huge fan.

If you really want to see her, why not?

i went to Reading last year with two 14 year olds and DH. I enjoyed it as a 46 year old who is relatively fit but had to stand for about five hours to watch two bands. I really enjoyed it but it was tiring. We sat on the grass for about two hours over the day to rest! Getting back to the car park involved quite a long walk along the river as the artist we went for was one of the last. I would have few qualms about going on my own but physically I would say it’s a little demanding. There was nothing to do last year apart from eat/drink(lots of food choices) and watch the music. Atmosphere was great but we left at 11. I would imagine the camping fields get ‘messy’. We were surrounded by 16 year olds at the front of the stage where you obviously have to stand the whole time but had a great view. I don’t regret it but as I have been a secundary teacher now for a quarter of a century, I did have to suppress the urge to tell the ‘young people’ they shouldn’t be vaping. 😆😆The festival organisers were passing out water. Luckily it wasn’t too hot and I found the atmosphere to be great.

It’s a shame if you can’t go. Age shouldn’t be a barrier but achy legs might be!

You will have to stand for hours to get near the front. DD was standing for 4 1/2 hours to see Arctic Monkeys. If you are up for that, do it.

Saw Florence in Birmingham in February and she was absolutely incredible. I’d do a festival day ticket to see her and I’m 56.

Mind you I’m seeing Metallica 3 times in a week later this month - standing for one of them - plus seeing Def Leppard standing the same week so I may not be the best person to ask.

she was amazing tho. Such presence. I took my daughter as a birthday present wasn’t a huge fan myself but I am since I saw her live. Paris Paloma was her support absolute privilege to see 2 such talented women 💕

Why not! Do it.

Just be prepared to feel ancient as the average age of reading festival attendees is about 16

I am 31 and have been going to reading for years and will say this, it’s gone soooo down hill, and I felt sooo old! I stopped going last year. It’s a long day, but if you’re only there to see one artist, watch and then make a beeline for the exit.

On the one hand my 18 year old said he was too old to go (it’s a post GCSE thing I’m told). On the other I went to victorious a couple of years ago and quite enjoyed it. Loved Fat Boy Slim.

I took my teen & 2 friends to Leeds last year to see Chappell Roan. Don’t worry about your age/feeling old as I didn’t at 47, but I would manage your expectations about getting to the front.

Leeds (and I imagine Reading) has a separate area at the front that they manage the capacity of. In order to get a decent spot for Chappell, we queued to get into the front area before the band before her, so we then stood for about 2 hours I’d say before she came on then obviously for the set itself. One of the girls was pretty short and I think would have had a better view further back - I’m 5’6” and could mostly see (too many cowboy hats!).

I saw Florence twice on tour, I’d say she’s worth it although I personally wouldn’t do Leeds again as we would have to drive and we got stuck in the car park for hours at the end 😩

Even the girls were tired of standing/sore backs, and my slightly gammy ankle (sprained badly a few years ago and not healed) was giving me pain for days, despite wearing my sensible shoes & orthotics.

I would if I lived near like you do and catch the bus, I'm late 60s and fairly fit though. You might be best not at the front if you are not that fit, you could sit down apart from when she is on then.

I'd not do reading festival and I'm 40. It's very rough. The last night will see people starting fires and it'll be a scary atmosphere. Especially if she's headlining, you'll need to get to the front early and stay there all day. Then when you need to get to the loo or buy food, you'll have to fight your way back to your place as it'll be taken by others when you leave. You'll be walking through the festival to the car park very late.

If you were talking about latitude or another festival like that, I'd say go for it.

But reading? Definite no from me

I dunno. It’s full of 16 years olds post-GCSE and if you want to see Florence you’d have to be right at the front to get a good view unless it’s a hill so you’re graduated. .
I haven’t been to a proper festival for a long time but ‘back in the day’ in my 20s I even struggled to stand for hours and my back would be killing me by the end of the day/gig. I’d def take painkillers for afterwards if I was going (at gigs now I get seats - I may still be standing but at least I can sit for a quiet song or before the band comes on).

The last time Dh and I went to the Reading festival we had a fabulous time. Mind you it was 1980 and we were both young and fit! When we go to gigs now it’s always seated . Thought of standing for many hours and getting to the front and maintaining that place would be a no from me!

I bought a ‘pacmat’ , it’s a beautiful waterproof rug and it folds up tiny. I brought it to a concert last year and I think it’s brilliant.

Could you do something like that? You could bring that and sit on it and enjoy whatever you can, if you are so close, why not?

I’ve been to both Reading and Leeds Festival many times. I’m in my 40s. @slipperylizard& @Olive42have given good advice.

it is full of 16 year olds as it’s a post GCSE results rite of passage. I’ve not felt unsafe or unwelcome as someone older. I also have watched bands on my own (although I’ve always know others on site). For the big female pop like artists I’ve been at the front of the main section so you can lean on the barrier & get a decent view (as channel in front for security to walk though) rather than in the front section which has a separate side entrance and is monitored so it doesn’t get overcrowded (although is very busy). Reserving this position would mean not moving for at least one or two acts beforehand which isn’t very practical for you though. I was with another so we could take it in turns to go to the loo & get food etc.

it is a long, tiring day and no where to sit so that would be my concern in your position. If you feel physically up for it then do it.

Get busy living, or we may as well get busy dying 😂

Are you saying you'd be ok with knowing your beloved best band, and the freedom and shared joy of seeing them live, and knowing they are just up the road, and you could be dead tomorrow.... is worth missing because... Because you're 53?! Because you'd have to go alone?

Nah those aren't reason enough to make you miss out on something you love so much! Do it, for you.

I’m 50 and go to a festival every year with my kids and friends and their kids. We stay in a tent for 4 nights. It’s completely exhausting but soooo fun! Go for it op 🎉🏕️🎶🥁🎸🎤🎪🌸🌺🌻

I did this one year to see the Foo Fighters, it was great! Like you, I live locally so I got there fairly late in the day saw I didn’t want to be standing all day. I didn’t get too near the front as it was so busy but I still had a good view and there are big screens.

There were a fair few older people there when I went, traditionally at Reading the Sunday headliner does attract an older crowd so I didn’t feel out of place at all. Go for it and have a great time!

What's the worst that can happen? Even if it's not fun, does it matter? Presumably you can afford the ticket. Just do it. Being 53 is MORE of a reason to do what the hell you want than to not go.

I’m the same age as you, OP. I take my hat off to you for even thinking about going. I consider myself decades too old. Plus, Reading is the preserve of 16 year olds post GCSEs. It would be hell 😂