Just got back from Big Bang which didn't go quite to plan for us, but none of that is the fault of the organisers - it was a busy and well attended show and long may it continue.
However, one of the things that contributed to winding me up on Friday night was the owner of the SEAT Breadvan, white with red front wings/bonnet.
Now to be fair, his sound system was absolutely epic and clearly a fabulous install and the bass out of it was nothing short of spectacular.
So spectacular, that it was resonating everything within 100 yards of it.
We'd had a stressful journey down, arrived in the rain as it was going dark, ended up camping down near the entrance (it was at least decent ground and not muddy) and had to put the tent up under the car headlights in the wind and tailing off rain, so by the time we'd finally got ourselves settled and in the tent, we were a fraught and knackered. None of this is the fault of anyone else, but it sets the mood.
Then out of nowhere, all we can hear is thunderous bass. Not the sort of bass you'd get from a decent sub in the car next to you - far, far louder than that. It was several camping plots down so you couldn't hear the rest of the music, just the bass which was that long, single tone droning stuff, specifically designed to highlight a sound system. It was now getting on for 10.30pm.
We're in the tent trying to get ourselves sorted with torches to find our way round and had to almost shout to hear each other.
I was ready to blow as I was already really stressed and just didn't need that.
I wandered up the entrance road to find who it was, and there was the SEAT Breadvan with it's tail gate open, doors open, engine running and quite the most incredible amount of bass booming out of it, filling the entire lower campsite near the entrance.
I shone my torch at it and in the vicinity of the tents and surrounding vehicles but couldn't see any obvious owners so pondered what to do. I really was pissed off at this point but decided to let the Santa Pod crew do their stuff so contacted security and explained the situation. To their credit, within 5 minutes it was off and I am grateful to them for that.
As soon as it was off, you could suddenly then hear the other car stereos playing dotted round the campsite and the sound of the fair ground and marquee in the distance up by the track - all perfectly normal, acceptable and atmospheric for a Pod car show - happy days.
I was however, due to my stressed state, feeling far less tolerant that normal, and to honest, feeling very volatile. Had the security not come down and dealt with the situation, I feel I might have had to go and make a one off polite request to turn it down, which depending on who you're dealing with can yield different responses, a negative one of which would've ruined the show for those involved, me included, but thankfully that scenario was avoided.
As we were packing up at lunch time, it was blaring out again, making any kind of conversation in the vicinity difficult and the entire experience frustrating in the extreme.
What I want to know is, what goes through the minds of these people when they crank up not just loud stereos which to a degree, I can understand as long as it's not too loud and too late, but when it's the sort of thing you'd hear in a SPL sound off at the I.C.E show at the N.E.C, does it not occur, just a little bit to these people that they are actually imposing themselves on their neighbors who might not want to suffer their deafening row?
Long, slow, repetitive droning bass tones that resonate right through your body, going on, and on, and on and you're thinking to yourself, there's not a chance in hell I'm sitting here putting up with that, getting wound off the clock.
To repeat, I understand atmospheric music playing, a normal powered car stereo playing with the windows open before bed time - I get it - but the ridiculous, selfish, thoughtless and inconsiderate behavior of some people beggars belief.
If you are the type of person who does this without a care for anyone else in your area, or you are the person with the SEAT Breadvan (awesome system, granted) please, have a word with yourselves. Please.
Rant over.
However, one of the things that contributed to winding me up on Friday night was the owner of the SEAT Breadvan, white with red front wings/bonnet.
Now to be fair, his sound system was absolutely epic and clearly a fabulous install and the bass out of it was nothing short of spectacular.
So spectacular, that it was resonating everything within 100 yards of it.
We'd had a stressful journey down, arrived in the rain as it was going dark, ended up camping down near the entrance (it was at least decent ground and not muddy) and had to put the tent up under the car headlights in the wind and tailing off rain, so by the time we'd finally got ourselves settled and in the tent, we were a fraught and knackered. None of this is the fault of anyone else, but it sets the mood.
Then out of nowhere, all we can hear is thunderous bass. Not the sort of bass you'd get from a decent sub in the car next to you - far, far louder than that. It was several camping plots down so you couldn't hear the rest of the music, just the bass which was that long, single tone droning stuff, specifically designed to highlight a sound system. It was now getting on for 10.30pm.
We're in the tent trying to get ourselves sorted with torches to find our way round and had to almost shout to hear each other.
I was ready to blow as I was already really stressed and just didn't need that.
I wandered up the entrance road to find who it was, and there was the SEAT Breadvan with it's tail gate open, doors open, engine running and quite the most incredible amount of bass booming out of it, filling the entire lower campsite near the entrance.
I shone my torch at it and in the vicinity of the tents and surrounding vehicles but couldn't see any obvious owners so pondered what to do. I really was pissed off at this point but decided to let the Santa Pod crew do their stuff so contacted security and explained the situation. To their credit, within 5 minutes it was off and I am grateful to them for that.
As soon as it was off, you could suddenly then hear the other car stereos playing dotted round the campsite and the sound of the fair ground and marquee in the distance up by the track - all perfectly normal, acceptable and atmospheric for a Pod car show - happy days.
I was however, due to my stressed state, feeling far less tolerant that normal, and to honest, feeling very volatile. Had the security not come down and dealt with the situation, I feel I might have had to go and make a one off polite request to turn it down, which depending on who you're dealing with can yield different responses, a negative one of which would've ruined the show for those involved, me included, but thankfully that scenario was avoided.
As we were packing up at lunch time, it was blaring out again, making any kind of conversation in the vicinity difficult and the entire experience frustrating in the extreme.
What I want to know is, what goes through the minds of these people when they crank up not just loud stereos which to a degree, I can understand as long as it's not too loud and too late, but when it's the sort of thing you'd hear in a SPL sound off at the I.C.E show at the N.E.C, does it not occur, just a little bit to these people that they are actually imposing themselves on their neighbors who might not want to suffer their deafening row?
Long, slow, repetitive droning bass tones that resonate right through your body, going on, and on, and on and you're thinking to yourself, there's not a chance in hell I'm sitting here putting up with that, getting wound off the clock.
To repeat, I understand atmospheric music playing, a normal powered car stereo playing with the windows open before bed time - I get it - but the ridiculous, selfish, thoughtless and inconsiderate behavior of some people beggars belief.
If you are the type of person who does this without a care for anyone else in your area, or you are the person with the SEAT Breadvan (awesome system, granted) please, have a word with yourselves. Please.
Rant over.