Global Gathering 2005


Global Gathering 2005 was held on Friday 29 July 2005 and Saturday 30 July 2005 at Long Marston Airfield, near Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. Global Gathering is the name of an annual dance music festival organised by the Godskitchen brand. The BBC broadcast some of the event live on the national radio station Radio 1, and had their own stage at the event.

Review

During his set on the Saturday night Judge Jules said that Global Gathering 2005 was the largest dance music festival in the UK. It is generally thought that the attendance was around 45,000 people. Different tickets were available for the Friday night, the Saturday night, or for the entire weekend. Many more people attended on Saturday than on Friday.
Previous Global Gatherings had been single day events, but this was the first to be run over two days. Those who purchased weekend tickets were able to gain access to a camping area. The camping area contained various shops and food stalls that were open 24 hours a day, as well as a dodgems ride and toilets.
The event was well sign-posted, with most attendees arriving via the M40 motorway. Car parking was plentiful. There were long queues to gain entry during the afternoon and evening of the Friday, with those who had queued to enter the camp site forced to queue again to enter the arena area. Security was very visible at the entrance with a large number of police present. The police even had an X-ray machine to examine some bags. No alcoholic drinks could be brought through the gates, although many were able to bring their own into the camp site.
Although the weather was mainly overcast and there was occasional drizzle, everyone was in good spirits and there was generally a good atmosphere. There were large queues for the toilets and the cash machines, particularly on the Saturday.
VIP tickets were available to purchase. Benefits included:
The following is a list of the arenas and the performers as listed in the official programme. All of the arenas were inside large tents apart from the Radio 1 Beach arena, which had an outdoor stage looking out onto an area that had been covered in sand. The Get Loaded/Godskitchen tent held an estimated 15,000 people. It is worth noting that not all acts came on at the exact times listed in the programme.

Friday

Radio 1 Beach

Radio 1 Beach

A number of different types of stall were set up, both inside the arena area and inside the camp site.

Bars

There were several tents inside the arena selling alcohol and one inside the camp site. These locations also sold some soft drinks and bottled water. The drinks on offer were:-
£3.00/£3.00
The service at the bars was generally quick. On the Friday, the bars had stopped selling beer at about midnight. On the Saturday, they sold out of beer at around midnight, of Smirnoff Ice at about 3 am, and of vodka and water at around 4 am. There was still drinking water available from taps at two locations in the site.

Food

There were various food outlets inside the arena area and at the camp site:-
Other types of shops included:-