News

Swine Flu & Festivals

• 3rd Aug 2009

Ok, let us discuss the two hot topics of the moment, no not Jordan’s tits – I mean swine flu and festivals. Yes, it’s true you can’t move without finding yourself in the middle of a festival these days, I swear I’m going to wake up one day, open my curtains and find one in my back garden. As for swine flu, well who knows? You get to a certain point in life where you have been faced with so much scare-mongering from the tabloids you learn to just go with the flow. One day they tell us tomatoes are good for you the next too many can kill you. Or that carrots are the best food ever, the next day they turn you orange, drink lots of water but don’t drink too much or you’ll die. We wake up to find that we could all die from bird flu, swine flu, but that’s if the nuclear threats don’t exercise themselves first. Not to take any of this light heartedly, but at the same time is the constant threat of annihilation doing us any good? Having said all that I am sat here wearing a surgical mask, with a bottle of anti-bacterial hand gel next to me, you know, just in case.

So, if we combine these two hot topics what do we get? Swine Flu and festivals. What better way to spread a disease like wild flower than to get together a mass gathering in a field. Will everyone have to hand back their tickets and re-in act their own festivals by sitting in their back garden with a radio, and every now and then getting someone to randomly throw a beer cup at their head. Hopefully not. According to reports there’s no need to panic just yet festivals are going ahead as planned. Although, festivals aren’t the most hygienic of places to begin with – have you seen the port-a-loos, then there’s random urination, once I saw a girl squatting down having a wee by a burger van, you know, you just can’t buy that kind of class.

Currently in the UK people have contracted the H1N1 virus and sadly a number of people have died. However, festivals still have the green light for the time being, according to NME there are no special precautions outlined for festivals as yet and the government hasn’t axed mass gatherings. This year’s Glastonbury festival took the lead and set up medical teams who were able to deal with suspected cases of swine flu. In total six cases were found and the people diagnosed were quarantined. Similar strategies are said to be in place for Reading & Leeds festival and V Festival. Fingers crossed, all will be well and festival goers should be able to enjoy their experience. Although, if you are feeling ill don’t hesitate to seek on site medical assistance.

So, on our beast of a website this week we have…news, reviews and all the latest music videos. We have interviews with Young Guns and Cornershop. There are live reviews of Graham Coxon, Young Guns and many more. This week’s Glasswerk featured gigs are Vagabond, Acad Fest, Mark Morriss, Deaf Havana Tour and The Parlotones.