DD has a plan. outrageous? doomed to failure? or just might work?

[LoveAndOtherIndoorSports]

She is 14.

A big group of her friends went to T4 on the beach last weekend. When they booked dd had a big Do over wanting to go but knowing she'd hate the crowds and noise.
Roll forward to this weekend. She watched it on TV. Spotted her friends in the crowd and was very very sad she couldn't bring herself to go.
Music is one of the few things she likes.

She has hatched a plot with a friend. They are going to contact T4 for next year plus other bands and venues and find out if they can get into the less crowded VIP areas.

Is it ever going to work?

I think it's a great idea! Is there any way she could maybe get a charity/magazine etc involved to do some kind of report, maybe with an angle on how SN affected by noise and crowds and how things could be improved?

Go for it. Wont know unless you ask :) And it is good to promote how SN is affected due to the crowds and there are a lot of kids out there that are missing out when they would really like to join in :)

It is a great idea. Good luck to your daughter.

I went to Download last month. I got seats in the disabled area for me and DH (only 1 carer allowed). The only problem was it was miles from the stage. And I am registered blind. The sound wasn't good, the seats hurt my back and all I could see was the back of some bloke in a wheel chair. So I went walk about and braved the mosh pit and got so i could see one of the screens. I did also have to fight through the crowds to get to the disabled area though so if I'd had an issue with being packed like a sardine I'd have had problems. You could get their early to avoid the crush but there were (as far as DH could see) no toilets in the disabled area so it's only for the strong bladdered

Wow Loveand - good for her taking matters in hand like that.

Lola There was a toilet in the disabled area by the second stage at download, I remember walking past it dying for the loo when trying to find the toilets near that stage! It was properly hidden round the back of the platform though. Not sure for the area by main stage. You are right that those platforms were ages away from the stage, not a particularly good set up.

OP it's a really good idea and hopefully someone will be cooperative for her :) I think it might depend whether she can tolerate crowds for a small period of time though as a lot of the VIP areas at festivals IME don't have a back entrance as such so you need to be able to walk through the crowd to get to the less crowded area.

I've taken my cousin who can't stand crowds to concerts before (we have the same music taste :) ) and the venues have always been willing to let us go in a bit early to find a seat in one of the quieter bits, and let us stay a little later to let the crowd get out before we have to move. The main one we have gone to knows us now so sets 2 seats a little apart from the others if I call in advance and sends someone to ask if we want a drink so we don't have to go through the crowd to get to the bar. This is a pretty small local venue though (no VIP as such) so not sure if it would work for larger ones. It should be possible though so good luck to your DD!

musicmadness, I was really surprised when dh insisted there wasn't one!! (and he calls me the blind one )

But yes, as disabled areas go that was one of the worst I've been in.