The end of the road?

Not surprising, following the various rumblings about the health (or otherwise) of the British festival, that there should be an article asking "Has the bubble burst? Justifiably, I think, it points towards various reasons for the fact that several events have been cancelled or gone bust this summer - the economic downturn, market saturation, the lack of novelty in line-ups - before mentioning some of the success stories and concluding that for festival-lovers all hope need certainly not be lost. The comments which follow make for interesting reading, even if there are far too many from cynical old moaners and those who've clearly rarely if ever been to a festival but nevertheless feel qualified to deliver a sneering judgement (probably on the strength of watching Glastonbury highlights on the telly).

So, here's my take on the situation:

1. The facts about the state of the economy and the saturation of the market are indisputable and so in the circumstances it's inevitable that some festivals will go bust. As harsh as it might be, it's survival of the fittest. Truck's fate was sealed by poor decision making on the part of the organisers, but you'd hope that generally the substandard festivals would be the ones to die off.

2. At the same time, attendances may be down, but the British appetite for festival-going clearly hasn't disappeared overnight. The sheer number of events competing for attention, even discounting those no longer still standing after this summer, is proof of that.

3. There's something to be said for festivals of all shapes and sizes (apart, perhaps, from V...). Glastonbury may not be the counter-cultural shindig it once was, but deriding it as little more than a bloated, corporate, middle-class rite of passage for people who don't like music is pathetic. It's an iconic festival for a reason, and remains as such. The sheer scale, the variety of sights and activities, the richness of the experience - all unsurpassed by any other festival. But, as a veteran of Greenman, Summer Sundae, Truck, ATP and Supersonic, I'm also well aware of the charms and attractions of a smaller event. Glastonbury's continuing appeal looks undiminished, and its future less shaky than Michael Eavis rashly speculated shortly after this year's bash, but it would be a shame if the downturn in attendances heralds the death of the boutique festival.

4. Promoters could admittedly sometimes try a bit harder when it comes to assembling decent line-ups featuring exclusive appearances and negotiating lower artists' fees to enable them to freeze or drop ticket prices - and I suspect they'll feel the pressure to do so more acutely as a result of this summer. But, while much has been made of the steep rise in prices and the cost relative to a "proper" holiday, I'd be among those who maintain that for the level and breadth of entertainment on offer a festival ticket actually remains good value. £12 for an early-bird ticket for Southsea Fest this weekend just gone, or £195 for a Glastonbury ticket - I didn't begrudge paying either. When arena gigs for one act can be £40 minimum, and when the cost of a cinema ticket is £10, it's hard not to feel that festival prices get an unfairly bad press.

I suppose there may come a time when I feel differently, having become jaded and cynical myself - but for the present I remain an incorrigible festival-goer prepared to defend them to the hilt.