Pulp drummer Nick Banks has criticised Finsbury Park gig organisers after fans were forced to queue more than an hour for a drink.
The Brit Pop legends returned to the London venue for the first time in 25 years on Saturday, entertaining a 45,000-strong crowd in what The Standard described as “one of the sharpest, tightest and most ecstatically received reunion parties”.
Despite the group’s stellar performance, the event was hampered by long bar queues that spanned hundreds of metres, with one concert-goer telling us they were “dumbstruck" having to wait 75 minutes for a drink.
Mike, from Plumstead Common in south-east London, said: “The queue for the bar was insane. I’ve been to countless music festivals over the years and I’ve never seen anything like it. One woman told me she’d had to wait an hour and a quarter for a drink.
On the downside tho. Sorry to hear long queues to get a drink - no idea why the organisers of such don’t put in place more staff and outlets. It’s in their financial interests to do so I would say.
— Nick Banks (@therealnickbank) July 2, 2023
“I was dumbstruck when we went to get some beers for me and my friends. Fans shouldn’t be treated like this. To be required to spend hours queueing for a drink, on a warm summer’s day, when you just want to be enjoying the day, is a bit insulting really.
“Its just as well Pulp were awesome, but I we’ll be thinking twice about going back to another gig at Finsbury Park.”
Following the gig, the band’s drummer, Nick Banks, acknowledged fans’ frustrations and tweeted: “Sorry to hear long queues to get a drink - no idea why the organisers of such don’t put in place more staff and outlets.
“It’s in their financial interests to do so I would say.”
His tweet encouraged fans to share their experience at the site, many of whom were less than impressed at the lack of bar outlets.
One gig-goer wrote: “Couldn’t fault the performance, absolutely superb, but the venue let things down. Not just the queues but it was the quietest gig I’ve been to.
“Couldn’t hear Jarvis in between songs. Been to many outdoor concerts before but Finsbury Park was by far the worst.”
Referencing Liam Gallagher’s 2017 concert, another replied: “They haven’t learned their lesson from LG years back.
“Literally spent my whole early evening queuing I’d never go back to a gig hosted there unfortunately.”
Couldn’t fault the performance, absolutely superb, but the venue let things down. Not just the queues but it was the quietest gig I’ve been to. Couldn’t hear Jarvis in between songs. Been to many outdoor concerts before but Finsbury Park was by far the worst.
— SeveBallustrades (@SBallustrades) July 2, 2023
They haven’t learned their lesson from LG years back. Literally spent my
— Ian Jones (@ianjones115) July 2, 2023
Whole early evening queuing I’d never go back to a gig hosted there unfortunately.
A third compared Finsbury Park’s facilities to that of BST Hyde Park, which is also running, and said the latter was “streets ahead in terms of organisation”.
They wrote: “I was at Hyde Park on Friday for Guns n Roses and Finsbury Park last night. Hyde Park was streets ahead in terms of organisation and general just being able to move around and find people.”
The Standard has contacted organisers Festival Republic for comment.
