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ZOO8 Declared "Worst Festival Ever"

added 07 July 2008 at 17.44

Dizzee Rascal, who was scheduled appear on the first day of the festival last Friday (July 4), dropped out from the event after allegedly being told that the event's promoter's couldn't afford to pay him. The headline performance from Mark Ronson went ahead as planned.

The event, held over the weekend in Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Kent, then descended into chaos as the weekend progressed. Other acts, including Roni Size, Athlete, Charlotte Hatherley and Late Of The Pier refused to play after it transpired that they would not be paid.

Frank Turner, another artist who blew the gig, wrote on his blog: "I won't be playing ZOO8 festival tomorrow. Sorry for anyone expecting to see me down there.

"Basically the deal is this: I'm a working musician, I earn little money and my budgets are shoestring. I can't afford to take risks with running a whole paid-up band and crew and fuel down to Kent for a risk of not getting paid. No blame for anyone, I just can't afford those risks. Apologies."

As well as the numerous artist cancellations, the second stage was closed after it became apparant that the tent housing it was deemed as unsafe.

That, however, seemed to be the least of the festivalgoers' problems with many fans complaining about the lack of organisation with some people taking up to five hours to enter the site. Elsewhere, the festival failed to provide any drinking water and a sufficient number of toilet facilities.

Festival organisers have yet to make any comment.

Where you at ZOO8? Where conditions really that bad? Leave your comments below.

 

 

Tagged as Dizzee Rascal, Mark Ronson, Athlete, Charlotte Hatherley

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comments

1. Rubbish

   Posted by Bernard on 27/02/2009 20:55:11 | report abuse

2. Conspiracy man! Indeed I was, and I'm now a reformed vodka-bowl drinker lol. Haven't been near either since, viilllllee!
   
   People are still trying to claim "Nigel", but we started it!!!!!! Wherever we end up next year, it shall spread again!

   Posted by Hayley on 17/12/2008 21:13:00 | report abuse

3. Me and and five of my friends went to Z008, we all had a wicked time and will defo be going to Z009. Some people will never be happy and love to complain!!!!

   Posted by Alison Mathews on 03/12/2008 11:58:48 | report abuse

4. i heard we could get a refund,

   Posted by alex robinson on 02/12/2008 18:08:44 | report abuse

5. hey, i just wanted to clear a few things up, the nigel chant was started up by two mates of mine a mr luke durham and mr jason shepard. lol i never thought it would go so far

   Posted by the ones who started F*** nigel on 25/11/2008 22:03:28 | report abuse

6. There were 5 of us in the group and after paying for a camping we were told that there were no spaces left to camp! We had walked the 20minute walk uphill to the entrance and waited in the 1 and half hour que due to the toilets overflowing! We were all loaded with tents, sleeping bags, clothes etc only to be told that we couldn't camp! We all decided how unfair and wrong they were so we set up camp next to the gate and had a pretty good time!

   Posted by Toni Halls on 29/10/2008 08:12:49 | report abuse

7. I gather it was pretty awful; here is a link to a New Journalism piece on Zoo8 called 'A Dichotomy Revealed' By Lije Baillie... it seems to have the feeling and atmosphere in a nutshell!
   
   http://www.fallyrag.com/page31.htm

   Posted by Rob Dickins on 17/10/2008 17:47:38 | report abuse

8. I gather it was pretty awful; here is a link to a New Journalism piece on Zoo8 called 'A Dichotomy Revealed' By Lije Baillie... it seems to have the feeling and atmosphere in a nutshell!
   
   http://www.fallyrag.com/page31.htm

   Posted by Rob Dickins on 17/10/2008 17:38:25 | report abuse

9. Zoo8 was pretty phat in my eyes exept i got my sleeping bag stolen by sum boy called nigel and the police did nothing about it.
   it was quite a nice sleeping bag aswel you know.
   but overall it was okay and nigel, if ur out there, your going to hell.

   Posted by Jazz on 11/10/2008 16:51:50 | report abuse

10. i went and even thoi some acts wern there it was still good and as for there not being enough water i was at the front all 3 days and the scurity were handing out water all weekend !! and as for the loo's they were fine one night they got vandilsed there were men in there all morning fixing any problems we had and making it run smothly . it was there 1st year and i think they did pritty welll.

    Posted by rosie on 29/09/2008 13:31:47 | report abuse