Quiet Oktoberfest - feedback appreciated

Hallo I'm writing a story about the Oktoberfest for a U.S. paper and am looking for expats in Munich to give me their impressions of it, especially reaction to the plan this year to turn down the volume of the music in the tents before 6 p.m. and to play more traditional Oompah music to stop people beating each other up. Will it spoil the atmosphere or improve it?

I'd be most grateful for some views.

From what I heard there was no mention of turning down the volume. The tents agreed to ease off on the pop tunes until after 6pm but that's about it as far as I know. Won't change a single thing in terms of atmosphere. Even if they outlawed all songs with English lyrics it'd not make a jot of a difference.

Can you make my official comment, "Arse biscuits!" please?

the tents all have their own types of music for different times of the day, some tents louder than others, some tents rarely play anything but the traditional music(usually the smaller tents), and on the whole 6 million drunk people dont care as long as they don't fall off the bench they are dancing on

"hey baby, oo ah" is a hit even by the german public. i doubt they'd get rid of those.

I'm having a quiet OktoberFest meself.

Don't see all the fuss. Been there done that. More looking forward to snowboarding again the entire Winter. Wheeeeeeeeee . . .

Bah Humbug.

Curious - which newspaper?

The title originally said USA Today. I don't know if he changed the title himself, or if a mod did.

It's a southern one. They originally wanted to report on local events but they were a washout.

I can't see how playing traditional music will mellow it out. I mean, the band is usually an oompah band anyway, whether it's Bon Jovi or John Denver they're playing, isn't it? I can't see the music riling anyone up.

for some odd reason particularly likely keydeck's use of the word "jot" in that context...

my opinion, last year there was a lot more aggressive people about especially in the beer tents.did the shit cover versions from the oompah bands cause this? or is it a sign of the times!

not saying there aren't/weren't agressive people, just saying I doubt the music influenced it. I do hope it's not a sign of the time though too...

Well, my first time was 1999, visiting with 3 girlfriends, traveling around for 2 weeks. We went 3 times total and never had any problem getting into any tent at any time. We went on a beautiful Sunday afternoon(the first Sunday) at around 5 or 6 pm and had our pick of the tents. Then went on the last Thursday and Friday and had no problems getting into a tent at 7 pm.

Since I moved over in August of 2001, it has gotten worse every year. Maybe I'm just jaded. On weekends, you have to been there at 10 or 11 am to get into a tent and after that, forget it, unless you want to stand around outside for hours with the chance of getting in.

There are many tourists (which isn't a problem as long as they're not Italians and not causing problems). I have just noticed it getting more crowded, more aggressive and just less enjoyable every year.

Do I think the music matters - no, don't think it matters.

yes i have to agree with you there.first i thought it must be me getting older but it seems many TTers feel the same . i shall go to the fest but only during the week and only during the day.

not sure you are right about this, the older fests did have less of the tents cramming more benches in so people were less crushed. I think this has more to do with the agression than the music.

just as another point
the fest after 911 was very good and you could get in just about any tent on any day, mainly becasue it had less tourists, sad but true

Having been going to the Wiesn for the last 34 years (seriously!) I can tell you there is no such thing as a quiet Wiesn any more. (Nostalgic tone of voice): I remember when there were space-consuming ROUND tables in the tents with honest-to-goodness CHAIRS standing around them, and you could go there on a Saturday afternoon at 3 pm and CHOOSE which tent you wanted to drink in (my parents did the drinking, I was busy on the rides). The band played Bavarian drinking songs and the Königlich-Bairischer Defiliermarsch and the Kufsteiner Liedl.
But there still are a few traditional rides which give you an impression of what the Wiesn might have been like 100 years ago: The Toboggan (Helter-Skelter, at the entrance towards Goetheplatz), the Krinoline (a steam-powered merry-go-round with a live 5 man Oompah band, on the Bavariaring side) and the Teufelsrad (the spinning disk, along the same road). Does that count as "Quiet Oktoberfest"?