THE BOY WHOSE BALLS EXPLODED AND DISAPPEARED

Interesting goings-on over at the EFestivals.co.uk message board today - a post appeared from someone who claimed to have been a steward at the Reading festival, detailing a couple of incidents - one where a boy was hit by an exploding gas canister in the genitals, another where an ambulance was toppled by fans. Drowned In Sound had picked up on the story, but both their news page and the original thread had disappeared by teatime. A spearate thread debated the veracity of the original message, especially in light of the lack of any news coverage of this serious alleged maiming. It all seems to have been an elaborate hoax.

On the other hand... over on the official website of DC Site services, there's this message:

Message to all DCSS staff: Please find below an email sent to DC Site Services Admin on 31st August:

hi there. i would pleeeease like to have this email forwarded to the security stewards that helped at reading festival this year. i was there this year, and on the last night i was up till about 5am just innocently dancing and playing music with my friends, and some stewards came along and made my friends and i stop. the stewards were very humourless at the time, and quite angry - and i thought what spoilsports they were, seeing as we weren't really doing anything wrong. however, i have recently found out what a lot of them went through on that last night (therefore explaining why they appeared angry!) - having to sort out fires, riots, and people with exceptionally serious injuries - and as a result i would to apologise to them all on behalf of everyone who behaved badly. you all did a terrifc job, and who knows where we would be if you weren't there. most probably dead with what was going on. i hope this doesn't stop you from doing your job in the future, as a lot of us are honestly very grateful for your work! so a huge huge thank you to you all. rachel x

That this appears to have been posted by the company charged with security for the event would suggest there was some sort of trouble that has been largely unreported. Curious, and more curious.

As has now become mandatory, music">tickets for the 2006 festivals have gone on sale straight after the end of this year's event - a limited number for both Reading and Leeds, at 2005 prices. Of course, you are punting on the licence being granted.

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