There are some things you expect to see at a rock festival: huge riffs, muddy boots, questionable campsite breakfasts, empty beer cups, and somebody wandering around at 9am looking like theyโve fought a gazebo and lost.
What you should never expect to see is festival volunteers being verbally abused.
Sadly, Steelhouse Festival has revealed that several volunteers have been subjected to unacceptable behaviour this year, forcing organisers to put up signs warning that abuse of any kind could result in people being removed from the site.
And honestly, mun, the fact those signs are even needed is heartbreaking.
โค๏ธ These People Are Volunteers
Every person you see around the Steelhouse site wearing a hi-vis jacket is there because they care about the festival.
They are not being paid.
They are not there to be shouted at.
They are not there to be sworn at, intimidated, ignored, or treated like they are somehow getting in the way of somebodyโs weekend.
They are giving up their own time because they love Steelhouse, they love live music, and they want everyone on the mountain to have a safe and brilliant experience.
Without volunteers, festivals simply do not happen.
It really is that simple.
They help people find their way around the site, manage queues, direct traffic, check wristbands, answer questions, support festival-goers, keep areas safe, and deal with countless problems that most of us never even notice.
While the rest of us are watching bands, grabbing food, sinking a pint, or trying to remember where we left the tent, the volunteers are still working.
๐ก The Reported Abuse Is Disgusting
According to the festival, volunteers have been told things including:
โFuck off.โ
โGet the fuck out of my way.โ
โI donโt care what you want me to do. Iโm going to do what the fuck I want.โ
That is not banter.
That is not somebody โhaving a laughโ.
That is not part of festival culture.
It is abusive, aggressive, and completely unacceptable.
Nobody should turn up to volunteer at a festival they love and end up being spoken to like that.
Whether somebody is tired, drunk, frustrated, confused, or unhappy with an instruction makes absolutely no difference. There is never an excuse for treating another person with that level of disrespect.
๐ค The Rock Community Is Supposed to Be Better Than This
Rock and metal fans are always talking about how strong our community is.
We pick people up when they fall in the pit.
We help strangers find their mates.
We hold someoneโs drink while they tie their boot.
We lend out tent pegs, waterproofs, suncream, phone chargers, and occasionally half the contents of our rucksack.
That sense of community is one of the reasons festivals like Steelhouse feel so special.
But community cannot just be something we talk about when it makes us look good.
It has to include the people working behind the scenes.
It has to include the security teams, traders, medics, campsite staff, production crews, cleaners, stewards, and especially the volunteers giving up their weekend to help everyone else.
If a volunteer asks you to move, wait, stop, queue, or follow a site rule, they are not trying to spoil your fun.
They are doing what they have been asked to do.
They may be following safety instructions, managing access, responding to an incident, or simply trying to stop a difficult situation becoming worse.
A polite response costs nothing.
๐๏ธ Steelhouse Is Built on Community
Steelhouse Festival has always had a reputation for being one of the friendliest weekends in the rock calendar.
There is something special about heading up that Welsh mountain, seeing familiar faces, discovering new bands, and feeling like the entire site is one big rock โnโ roll family.
That atmosphere does not come from the stage alone.
It comes from the people.
It comes from the organisers, the crew, the volunteers, the bands, the traders, and the fans all pulling in the same direction.
A tiny number of people behaving badly should not be allowed to damage that.
The festivalโs sign makes the position clear:
Abuse towards volunteers of any kind will not be tolerated and may result in eviction from the site.
That is not an overreaction.
It is a necessary boundary.
Nobody has an automatic right to remain at a festival while abusing the people helping to run it.
๐ Thank You to Every Steelhouse Volunteer
To every volunteer who has worked at Steelhouse Festival this year: thank you.
Thank you for the early starts.
Thank you for the long shifts.
Thank you for standing around in unpredictable Welsh weather.
Thank you for answering the same question 300 times without launching somebodyโs camping chair down the mountain.
Thank you for helping people, solving problems, keeping the site moving, and continuing to smile even when some people make that incredibly difficult.
The overwhelming majority of Steelhouse fans appreciate everything you do.
Please do not let the behaviour of a few selfish individuals make you think otherwise.
You are not just helping the festival.
You are part of what makes Steelhouse Festival what it is.
๐ธ Respect the Hi-Vis
So here is the message from The Riff Report:
Be patient.
Be polite.
Listen when volunteers speak to you.
Say thank you.
And if you see somebody abusing a volunteer, do not stand there pretending it is none of your business. Report it to the appropriate festival staff or security team.
The volunteers deserve to enjoy Steelhouse too.
They deserve respect, kindness, and a massive cheer from everyone on that mountain.
Letโs make sure the only shouting aimed in their direction is:
โTHANK YOU, BUTT!โ ๐คโค๏ธ๐๏ธ
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always respect the people who make the music happen.
