Everyone nose what happens at festivals...

GLOBAL Gathering 2010 was truly immense. It was my first time at a festival and it really was a fascinating experience…not just because of the music. Essentially, the festival vibe equals 100's of people from all over the UK coming together to share the same passion…their love for music. It doesn't matter what colour, size or shape you are. No-one cares about your background, your religion, appearance or what you look like. Here's my first time festival observations...

Whilst standing in the entrance queue, there were a group of lads who could have been stereotyped as, "loud trouble-maker chavs." I admit, I jumped to this assumption when I watched them in the queue shouting and whistling at girls walking past. At this point I was dreading the whole festival slightly and felt anxious that it was going to be full of loud-mouthed drunken idiots. BUT when one of these loud-mouths opened his mouth, he actually said something which stuck in my mind & summed the whole event up. He started a conversation with a stranger in the queue; eavesdropping as usual I heard him say: "It doesn't matter where you're from or who you are here. Everyone's here for the music." He's right. Taking off the rose tinted glasses, festivals are also a chance for something else too...

I was totally fascinated for the first couple of hours. There were people dressed up in their luminous multi-coloured rave outfits, Topshop styled trendy festival-chic outfits, people in pj's and fancy dress costumes. Fashion could be whatever you wanted it to be. It was a place where you can totally be carefree.

However, some people were a bit too carefree. I saw a few people just casually take cocaine amongst the crowd as the dj blared tune after tune. There were a few people walking through the crowds shouting, "PILLS, PILLS, PILLS," followed by a subtle exchange of money and drugs. It was like an episode of 'Skin's. I'm aware that there is often a drug-taking, carefree, off-your-face label attached to some festivals, but to see festival-culture up close in-front of your eyes is surreal at the time. You probably have a sordid image of the festival by now. From my perspective, I only caught a glimpse of a small minority indulging in their kicks. If you're only there for the music like I was, then you can still immerse yourself in the music without being on anything except fresh air! No-one follows you with a pill...!

As the day progressed, I didn't witness any fights or attitude. People were just dancing in the sun on a field feeling the sense of escapism from their everyday mundane routine. It was such a completely different atmosphere to some nightclubs. That surprised me because when you go to a club, there is nearly always attitude, guys leering at you, approaching you, grabbing something, if you knock someones drink you would get the dirtiest look or maybe even a little verbal abuse, some people would even burn you with their fag whilst carelessly waving it around.

I'm no expert but maybe the carefree attitude was down to the drugs? How did they get them through security and the sniffer dogs? Out of curiosity I googled it…there are so many forums with tips on how to get past security. On one site it even gives you advice on taking drugs, the do's & don't's!

My account could be a little naive because it's from the perspective of a first time festival encounter. I'm not going to judge people who choose to take drugs at these festivals because it's their life and their choice. Maybe, for some people, taking drugs could enhance their experience. It's just a shame that their choice to intoxicate themselves could potentially send them to an early grave…all for a few moments/hours of carefree fun.