If there was one concert from this summer that I’ll remember, it will be this one. However, it may not be for the right reasons.
In mid-August, I went to the Sandringham Estate with my dad to see Stereophonics. They were advertised as having support from Jake Bugg and Blossoms. This was part of the Heritage Live series of concerts. Tickets were heavily discounted thanks to the excellent Tickets for Good scheme (plus parking on top). It felt like a bargain. I saw three great acts that I’ve followed for a long time at a low price.
The long road to Sandringham…
We left home at 1:45pm, aiming to arrive just before 4pm with time to settle in and catch the full line-up, as Jake Bugg was the first scheduled for 5pm. Everything went smoothly until the final stretch. With just eight miles to go, traffic ground to a complete halt. Cars crawled forward at a snail’s pace, and what should have been a straightforward 2 hour drive turned into a 4½-hour ordeal. I’m not joking.
By the time we finally made it into the site, parked up, walked a long way to the entrance and shown our tickets, we’d completely missed Jake Bugg’s set. We cleared security just as Blossoms were stepping on stage at about 6:30pm.
Overcrowded chaos
Any relief at arriving quickly faded. The site layout felt confusing and poorly planned. Trees blocked the sightlines, so unless you were lucky enough to find a clear spot, you could barely see the stage unless you were close to the front. There was also a large bar taking up the middle of the arena, which also blocked a lot of views of the stage.
Then there was the overcrowding. I’d read the advertised capacity was 30,000, but judging from the sardine-like crush, I’d believe the reports claiming 35,000+ were there. Moving around was almost impossible.
Food stalls, fairground rides, and the merchandise tent were difficult to reach, with endless queues that snaked into the crowd. The toilet situation was even worse as there were far too few facilities for the size of the audience. When I did have to pay a reluctant visit, they were filthy with no toilet rolls or any bottles of handwash. The queues were so long that some people resorted to less-than-ideal alternatives, up against the wall or leaving bottles containing yellow liquid lying around. It wasn’t just inconvenient; it felt unsafe and unhygienic.
Blossoms shine amid the crowded mess
Despite all this, Blossoms were a real highlight. I’ve followed them from the start and have all their albums. Their 16 song set had the energy and polish you’d expect, and from the moments I could actually see the stage, they sounded fantastic, although the further back you were from the stage, the sound didn’t carry that well. Lots of stage props featured, and of course the giant fibreglass gorilla known as Gary was the perfect closer. Their catchy upbeat indie-pop tunes were a perfect warm-up for the main act.
Then came a long gap before the headliners. By that point, it was a mission just to navigate the crowd. I’d managed to get a little closer to the stage during Blossoms set, leaving my dad seated much further back, but it was my mission to get a better view for Stereophonics.
Stereophonics: a worthy headliner (if you could stand it)
When Stereophonics finally arrived about 8:15pm, they delivered exactly what you’d expect – a confident, crowd-pleasing 23 song set packed with anthems from across their albums. I personally loved hearing songs like C’est La Vie, Mr and Mrs Smith, Have a Nice Day and Dakota live, though my dad wasn’t quite as enthusiastic. At one point lots of pink balloons appeared from the audience to bounce back and forth.
I managed to edge closer to the stage, but it wasn’t without battle scars. The constant pushing and shoving made it far from enjoyable:
- Rucksacks swinging into my side
- Security’s walkie-talkies clipping me
- Feet being stepped on by people not paying attention
- Elbows in the ribs from those barging through to find their mates
At one point, someone sloshed beer down my back. Not exactly the memory you hope for at a concert.
On the lighter side, I did manage to photobomb a group of selfie-obsessed fans in front of me, small victories!
The Getaway
Once the concert was over, it was a stampede towards the exit. I’d heard horror stories about long waits to leave but surprisingly, leaving the venue was the easiest part of the day. Since we’d parked near the exit, we were back on the road within 30 minutes far quicker than I’d braced myself for.
Final thoughts
While the performances themselves were great, the overall organisation left a lot to be desired. Overcrowding, poor layout, shocking toilets, and long queues soured what should have been a brilliant night of live music. Considering it was the same organisers as the Roger Daltrey gig at Audley End, it makes you wonder how they managed to get that one so right, but this one so wrong?
Would I go back to Sandringham for another gig? Honestly, no. King Charles can keep it. I didn’t even catch a glimpse of the house — it could have been any random field in the country for all we knew.
A shame, really, because the music deserved a much better setting.
For the venue:
For the bands:
