Sunday, June 14, 2009
Update!
I'm going to Lollapalooza 2009! The line-up was too good to pass up. Yes, it hurts my wallet a bit. But it will be worth it... Talking to friends at Bonnaroo now, sounds amazing. Can't wait to hear their stories when they come back.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
U.S. Destination Rock Festivals: “It’s about the Experience.”
“It was hot, there were palm trees, and a lot of great haircuts and sunglasses. I can’t wait to go back.” –Scott Avett of the Avett Brothers on Coachella (Brant 2008: 243)
The Question:
They're hot. They're crowded. There can be mud. There can be fires and riots. And people love them. Rolling Stone has put both Bonnaroo and Woodstock in the top 50 Moments that Changed the History of Rock and Roll. What makes the experience of a destination rock festival so different from normal concerts? And why are they important to rock?
The Crowds at Lollapalooza 2008 (Credit- Me):
The Disclaimer:
When I first set out to look into the topic of music festivals, I was unsure as to what direction I would head. The topic appeared too broad but I dove headfirst in, a little hesitant of what to expect but excited nonetheless. There were cool bands and people who loved music involved; what is there not to like? Although the experience of researching has lasted longer than the three days of Lollapalooza 2008, my first on what I hope will become a long list of festivals attended, it too has left me more knowledgeable and more excited about the music than ever before. I only hope that my great enthusiasm about these experiences has not completely tainted my views, but I include this paragraph in hopes that the reader knows to perhaps take my research with a grain of salt: I loved my (limited) experience with the destination rock festival, but not every person agrees with me.
The Definition:
In order to move forward, it is necessary to first define the terms. A destination rock festival must fall under Getz’s definition of a special event as “a onetime or infrequently occurring event outside the normal program or activities of the sponsoring or organizing body. To the customer, a special event is an opportunity for a leisure, social or cultural experience outside the normal range of choices or beyond everyday experience” (1991: 44). These cannot be an average, everyday happening.
In my first set of field notes, I further separate destination rock festivals from normal concerts in terms of size, physical barriers, and amount of planning involved. Additionally, these festivals must be at a certain destination and people have to take time out of their lives in order to attend.
In a personal interview, Alex, a 20-year old self-described festival-lover, defines festivals as being “a once a year thing” removing events such as the Vans Warped Tour from this definition. He further comments that “multiple days” are key to a fitting the definition of a rock festival.
And finally, a destination rock festival must include rock music, as defined by the listeners. Although all of the destination rock festivals include music genres and festivities other than rock, to not include this qualifier however obvious, would be impractical.
Brant defines Bonnaroo and Coachella as America’s current premier destination festivals (2008: xiii). From my research, these two, along with Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza, and South by Southwest also fit this definition. Although there may be other festivals that sound close to my definition termed here, the rest of this paper will focus on these five festivals.
The History:
One cannot write about US destination rock festivals without first mentioning both the three-day Monterey International Pop Music Festival in 1967 and Woodstock two years later (Brant 2008: xi). An estimated 200,000 people attended Monterey, held in California, with appearances by Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Janie Joplin, and Otis Redding. On the other side of the country in New York, artists such as Ravi Shankar, Santana, Joplin, the Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Band, Jefferson Airplane, and Hendrix played to almost 500,000 people at Woodstock. Rolling Stone calls 1969 Woodstock one of the top 50 Moments that Changed the History of Rock and Roll. Both festivals promoted the concept of the “hippie era”, Woodstock even carrying the motto of “3 days of peach and music”. Both mixed folk, blue, jazz, soul, rock, and other genres for a large crowd, clearly fitting the definition of a destination rock festival.
Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock '69 (Credit: Vladimir):
Jefferson Airplane at Woodstock '69 (Credit: Phil):
Jefferson Airplane - Somebody To Love (Live Woodstock)
A revival of the original Woodstock was attempted in both 1994 and 1999. Although ‘94 went by without any major occurrence, Woodstock ’99 is best known for the violence that occurred, including rapes and fires. Concert organizers charged a very high price for the festival, and then overcharged attendees for beer, water, and food. Furthermore, the show was held on tarmac, which made the already hot weather seem even hotter. Tempers rose, and on the Saturday of the show, people started setting fires. The event quickly became so unsafe that it had to be cancelled, as many were hospitalized or arrested. Clearly, this is an example of what can go wrong at a festival.
Red Hot Chili Pepper's Set Interrupted by Fire at Woodstock '99 (Credit: mklemp92):
The Bands’ Experiences:
In my second set of field notes, I looked at interviews of bands that had played at several of these current festivals, noting what made music festivals different from normal concerts. The major factor that came up again and again was the schedule, which can determine how many people see them, depending on who is playing at the same time as them, before them, or after them. Each of these can cause both negative and positive factors. Festival organizers have to be extremely careful when setting up a schedule.
At festivals, the bands are unable to create a unique experience that they may be able to on tour, and may have to change their sets in order to both appeal to the different demographics at a festival, and make themselves feel comfortable in front of large crowds. Furthermore, many bands experience problems with the equipment and the weather at festivals (Brant 2008: 241). This can deter bands from wanting to perform at festivals, or as Tegan and Sara put it: “we’ve politely avoided them”.
On the flipside, many mentioned the appeal of playing at a festival in order to play to fans that may not otherwise hear them. Others mentioned the fact that only “REAL” music fans attend festivals, and create such a different type of positive energy than they may feel at a normal show. In fact, almost every band mentioned this “electric” feel experienced at festivals from both the audience and the other performers.
The Fans’ Experiences:
Like the bands, fans are also highly affected by both the organization of the event itself and the weather. Research from Bowen and Daniels suggests that those planning events should not only rely on one artist or the music itself to attract fans and keep them entertained (2005: 162). As evidenced by Woodstock ’99, a poorly planned festival can quickly go awry. While in a place completely separate from the outside world, both fans and performers can immerse themselves in a situation different from everyday life, and create the atmosphere they want (sometimes with the aid of legal or illegal substances).
In my own studies, I found that many people originally go for several specific bands, but both “being around people from all over the country that enjoy similar music” and “adventures in new cities”, or answers similar to these, were common responses when asked about the best part of a music festival. Every person I interviewed talked about the atmosphere at these festivals as being open, energetic, and exciting; my own personal experience at Lollapalooza echoes this description.
Girl Talk at Lollapalooza 2008, showing the energy in the crowd (Credit- Me):
Some research has demonstrated that although a fan’s personal experience may be negatively affected by the weather, they may still be satisfied and recommend the event to others, simply because they separate the festival from “non-controllable factors such as weather” (Li and Vogelsong 2004: 6). The burden then falls completely on the organizers of the event to make the festival as safe, clean, affordable, and fun as possible.
Regina Spekter at Lollapalooza stopping her set to help a fan affected by the weather (Credit: absoluetelyaudrey)
The Answer:
In addition to boosting the tourism and economy for whatever destination the event is held at, rock festivals help to change the face of rock music (Grunwell 2008; 2). Both the bands and the fans mentioned the large diversity in music at destination rock festivals nowadays. Bands are able to see in person what other bands are doing, and may incorporate anything the like, either subconsciously or consciously, into their own acts. Fans are able to see bands and listen to genres of music they may never have experienced otherwise. In this manner, rock festivals are able to change the actual description of rock, by adding elements of bluegrass, jazz, hip-hop, metal, grunge, pop, and the list goes on…
In fact, although they may be named “rock” festivals, all of these have such a variety that people can experiment with anything they want, such as a type of music, a substance, or an identity, in a short amount of time. They then may take a part of that experience and incorporate it into their everyday life.
Dowd, Liddle, and Nelson said that if one compared a normal concert to a weekly church service, then a music festival becomes a pilgrimage destination. Both have the ability to “profoundly transform attendees” (2004: 150). The crowds of people, affordability, and conditions may not appeal to everyone, yet every person I interviewed said that any true music fan should attend one of these events in their lifetime if possible.
The Word Count:
1500
The Works Cited:
Alex. Personal Interview. March 26, 2009.
Bowen, Heather; and M.J. Daniels. “Does the Music Matter? Motivations for Attending a Music Festival.” Event Management. Vol. 9, 2005. 155-164.
Brant, Marley. “Join Together: Forty Years of the Rock Music Festival.” Hal Leonard Corporation; 2008. pi-1, 239-251.
Chris. Email Correspondence. April 27, 2009
Dowd, Timothy J.; Kathleen Liddle, and Jenna Nelson. “Music Festivals as Scenes: Examples from Serious Music, Womyn’s Music, and SkatePunk.” Music Scenes: Local, Translocal, and Virtual. Bennett, Andy; and Richard A. Peterson, ed. Vanderbilt University Press; Nashville. 2004. p149-167.
Getz, Donald. “Festivals, Special Events, and Tourism.” Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 29, No. 3, 60 (1991). < http://jtr.sagepub.com/cgi/pdf_extract/29/3/60>.
Grunwell, Sandra; Inhyuck Ha, and Bonnie Martin. “A Comparative Analysis of Attendee Profiles at Two Urban Festivals.” Journal of Convention & Event Tourism. 2008. 9:1, 1-14.
Joe. Email Correspondence. 29 Apr. 2009.
Li, Xiang; and Hans Vogelsong. “An Examination of Satisfaction Variables and Indicators at a First-time Festival.” Proceedings of the 2003 Northeaster Recreation Research Symposium. Murdy, James, ed. USDA Forest Service. 2004. 440-446.
Michael. Email Correspondence. April 29, 2009.
The Question:
They're hot. They're crowded. There can be mud. There can be fires and riots. And people love them. Rolling Stone has put both Bonnaroo and Woodstock in the top 50 Moments that Changed the History of Rock and Roll. What makes the experience of a destination rock festival so different from normal concerts? And why are they important to rock?
The Crowds at Lollapalooza 2008 (Credit- Me):
The Disclaimer:
When I first set out to look into the topic of music festivals, I was unsure as to what direction I would head. The topic appeared too broad but I dove headfirst in, a little hesitant of what to expect but excited nonetheless. There were cool bands and people who loved music involved; what is there not to like? Although the experience of researching has lasted longer than the three days of Lollapalooza 2008, my first on what I hope will become a long list of festivals attended, it too has left me more knowledgeable and more excited about the music than ever before. I only hope that my great enthusiasm about these experiences has not completely tainted my views, but I include this paragraph in hopes that the reader knows to perhaps take my research with a grain of salt: I loved my (limited) experience with the destination rock festival, but not every person agrees with me.
The Definition:
In order to move forward, it is necessary to first define the terms. A destination rock festival must fall under Getz’s definition of a special event as “a onetime or infrequently occurring event outside the normal program or activities of the sponsoring or organizing body. To the customer, a special event is an opportunity for a leisure, social or cultural experience outside the normal range of choices or beyond everyday experience” (1991: 44). These cannot be an average, everyday happening.
In my first set of field notes, I further separate destination rock festivals from normal concerts in terms of size, physical barriers, and amount of planning involved. Additionally, these festivals must be at a certain destination and people have to take time out of their lives in order to attend.
In a personal interview, Alex, a 20-year old self-described festival-lover, defines festivals as being “a once a year thing” removing events such as the Vans Warped Tour from this definition. He further comments that “multiple days” are key to a fitting the definition of a rock festival.
And finally, a destination rock festival must include rock music, as defined by the listeners. Although all of the destination rock festivals include music genres and festivities other than rock, to not include this qualifier however obvious, would be impractical.
Brant defines Bonnaroo and Coachella as America’s current premier destination festivals (2008: xiii). From my research, these two, along with Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza, and South by Southwest also fit this definition. Although there may be other festivals that sound close to my definition termed here, the rest of this paper will focus on these five festivals.
The History:
One cannot write about US destination rock festivals without first mentioning both the three-day Monterey International Pop Music Festival in 1967 and Woodstock two years later (Brant 2008: xi). An estimated 200,000 people attended Monterey, held in California, with appearances by Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Janie Joplin, and Otis Redding. On the other side of the country in New York, artists such as Ravi Shankar, Santana, Joplin, the Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Band, Jefferson Airplane, and Hendrix played to almost 500,000 people at Woodstock. Rolling Stone calls 1969 Woodstock one of the top 50 Moments that Changed the History of Rock and Roll. Both festivals promoted the concept of the “hippie era”, Woodstock even carrying the motto of “3 days of peach and music”. Both mixed folk, blue, jazz, soul, rock, and other genres for a large crowd, clearly fitting the definition of a destination rock festival.
Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock '69 (Credit: Vladimir):
Jefferson Airplane at Woodstock '69 (Credit: Phil):
Jefferson Airplane - Somebody To Love (Live Woodstock)
A revival of the original Woodstock was attempted in both 1994 and 1999. Although ‘94 went by without any major occurrence, Woodstock ’99 is best known for the violence that occurred, including rapes and fires. Concert organizers charged a very high price for the festival, and then overcharged attendees for beer, water, and food. Furthermore, the show was held on tarmac, which made the already hot weather seem even hotter. Tempers rose, and on the Saturday of the show, people started setting fires. The event quickly became so unsafe that it had to be cancelled, as many were hospitalized or arrested. Clearly, this is an example of what can go wrong at a festival.
Red Hot Chili Pepper's Set Interrupted by Fire at Woodstock '99 (Credit: mklemp92):
The Bands’ Experiences:
In my second set of field notes, I looked at interviews of bands that had played at several of these current festivals, noting what made music festivals different from normal concerts. The major factor that came up again and again was the schedule, which can determine how many people see them, depending on who is playing at the same time as them, before them, or after them. Each of these can cause both negative and positive factors. Festival organizers have to be extremely careful when setting up a schedule.
At festivals, the bands are unable to create a unique experience that they may be able to on tour, and may have to change their sets in order to both appeal to the different demographics at a festival, and make themselves feel comfortable in front of large crowds. Furthermore, many bands experience problems with the equipment and the weather at festivals (Brant 2008: 241). This can deter bands from wanting to perform at festivals, or as Tegan and Sara put it: “we’ve politely avoided them”.
On the flipside, many mentioned the appeal of playing at a festival in order to play to fans that may not otherwise hear them. Others mentioned the fact that only “REAL” music fans attend festivals, and create such a different type of positive energy than they may feel at a normal show. In fact, almost every band mentioned this “electric” feel experienced at festivals from both the audience and the other performers.
The Fans’ Experiences:
Like the bands, fans are also highly affected by both the organization of the event itself and the weather. Research from Bowen and Daniels suggests that those planning events should not only rely on one artist or the music itself to attract fans and keep them entertained (2005: 162). As evidenced by Woodstock ’99, a poorly planned festival can quickly go awry. While in a place completely separate from the outside world, both fans and performers can immerse themselves in a situation different from everyday life, and create the atmosphere they want (sometimes with the aid of legal or illegal substances).
In my own studies, I found that many people originally go for several specific bands, but both “being around people from all over the country that enjoy similar music” and “adventures in new cities”, or answers similar to these, were common responses when asked about the best part of a music festival. Every person I interviewed talked about the atmosphere at these festivals as being open, energetic, and exciting; my own personal experience at Lollapalooza echoes this description.
Girl Talk at Lollapalooza 2008, showing the energy in the crowd (Credit- Me):
Some research has demonstrated that although a fan’s personal experience may be negatively affected by the weather, they may still be satisfied and recommend the event to others, simply because they separate the festival from “non-controllable factors such as weather” (Li and Vogelsong 2004: 6). The burden then falls completely on the organizers of the event to make the festival as safe, clean, affordable, and fun as possible.
Regina Spekter at Lollapalooza stopping her set to help a fan affected by the weather (Credit: absoluetelyaudrey)
The Answer:
In addition to boosting the tourism and economy for whatever destination the event is held at, rock festivals help to change the face of rock music (Grunwell 2008; 2). Both the bands and the fans mentioned the large diversity in music at destination rock festivals nowadays. Bands are able to see in person what other bands are doing, and may incorporate anything the like, either subconsciously or consciously, into their own acts. Fans are able to see bands and listen to genres of music they may never have experienced otherwise. In this manner, rock festivals are able to change the actual description of rock, by adding elements of bluegrass, jazz, hip-hop, metal, grunge, pop, and the list goes on…
In fact, although they may be named “rock” festivals, all of these have such a variety that people can experiment with anything they want, such as a type of music, a substance, or an identity, in a short amount of time. They then may take a part of that experience and incorporate it into their everyday life.
Dowd, Liddle, and Nelson said that if one compared a normal concert to a weekly church service, then a music festival becomes a pilgrimage destination. Both have the ability to “profoundly transform attendees” (2004: 150). The crowds of people, affordability, and conditions may not appeal to everyone, yet every person I interviewed said that any true music fan should attend one of these events in their lifetime if possible.
The Word Count:
1500
The Works Cited:
Alex. Personal Interview. March 26, 2009.
Bowen, Heather; and M.J. Daniels. “Does the Music Matter? Motivations for Attending a Music Festival.” Event Management. Vol. 9, 2005. 155-164.
Brant, Marley. “Join Together: Forty Years of the Rock Music Festival.” Hal Leonard Corporation; 2008. pi-1, 239-251.
Chris. Email Correspondence. April 27, 2009
Dowd, Timothy J.; Kathleen Liddle, and Jenna Nelson. “Music Festivals as Scenes: Examples from Serious Music, Womyn’s Music, and SkatePunk.” Music Scenes: Local, Translocal, and Virtual. Bennett, Andy; and Richard A. Peterson, ed. Vanderbilt University Press; Nashville. 2004. p149-167.
Getz, Donald. “Festivals, Special Events, and Tourism.” Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 29, No. 3, 60 (1991). < http://jtr.sagepub.com/cgi/pdf_extract/29/3/60>.
Grunwell, Sandra; Inhyuck Ha, and Bonnie Martin. “A Comparative Analysis of Attendee Profiles at Two Urban Festivals.” Journal of Convention & Event Tourism. 2008. 9:1, 1-14.
Joe. Email Correspondence. 29 Apr. 2009.
Li, Xiang; and Hans Vogelsong. “An Examination of Satisfaction Variables and Indicators at a First-time Festival.” Proceedings of the 2003 Northeaster Recreation Research Symposium. Murdy, James, ed. USDA Forest Service. 2004. 440-446.
Michael. Email Correspondence. April 29, 2009.
2 Responses to a Questionnaire I Posted about Music Festivals
I've received two responses from a questionnaire I sent out to a few people that I knew had been to destination rock festivals in the past. I've labeled the responses A and B, for comparison. They both had extremely positive responses to the festival, and I'm interested in seeing if I can find someone who had an extremely negative response to a festival, due to poor conditions or weather. It seems as though many festival organizers have figured out that people need water and the experience of the festival, and have stopped making many of the same mistakes made in the past in terms of organization. Perhaps I would have to find someone who attended Woodstock '99.
1. How many music festivals have you been to? Which ones?
A) One. Lollapalooza 2008 in Chicago, Illinois.
B) SXSW 05, 07, 08
Bonnaroo 08
Lollapalooza 08
2. Are you planning on going to any in the future? Why or why not?
A) Absolutely, yes. Seeing many of my favorite musical acts in a place I’ve never been with friends was an incredible experience. Also, it’s more efficient financially to catch a festival rather then buying tickets for multiple concerts.
B) 100% yes, though I'll be going to a ton fewer now that I'm not running a radio station!
3. What was your favorite part (of each)?
A) Being around people from all over the country that enjoy similar music.
B) Hanging with friends and stringing together tons of zany antics. Adventures in new cities! Discovering incredible artists I'd never heard of previously.
4. Is there a difference between a music festival and a concert? If so, what makes them different? What makes them the same?
A) From my experience there is a large difference between the two. The majority of concerts I’ve been to are in smaller venues and the performances are much more intimate. Bands are able to connect with the audience more in a concert versus a festival atmosphere. Festival performances have to be bigger and broader in attempts to keep everyone entertained.
B) Absolutely. The atmosphere and pace of a music festival is unlike any concert, not even the day-long ones. With festivals, its like miniature cities rising up from nothing and then vanishing. I'll admit though, after some music festivals I was eager to go to more local concerts, just because it got me in the swing of seeing live acts.
5. What are the people like at music festivals? What is the atmosphere like?
A) The festival drew a mostly college aged crowd. For the most part, people were really pleasant, but the combination of drugs and the hot weather really put people on edge. During the performances the atmosphere was pure insanity. Tens of thousands of people singing and dancing their balls off.
B) People are usually friendly. It does help a lot to know other people that are going. The atmosphere is usually filled with excitement and music enthusiasm. It's a lot of fun to share tips about bands with people and get introduced to stuff you wouldn't otherwise know of.
6. About how many bands do you need to know before you choose to go to a music festival?
A) Before the festival I would have gone if I saw 3-4 great headliners in the lineup. Now that I know how drawn out the days are and how many acts can be seen in a single day, I’d say a minimum of 12.
B) Well, I'm a firm believer that the less concrete plans one makes, the more fun one has. It's helpful to know plenty of bands playing, but it's messy to have one's heart set on seeing a list of 10 specific bands. Schedules are too tight. Too many acts overlap. It turns a wonderful adventure into a rigorously structured thing. I've come to show up with 1 or 2 acts I know I want to see, and then wander semi-aimlessly otherwise. I wind up seeing many acts I'd like to and making plans day-of, and just soaking up the atmosphere of the concert, and interests of friends I'm with.
7. Have you seen any bands in both a concert and at a music festival? What made their shows different/the same?
A) Yes, I had seen several of the acts prior to the festival. One band in particular (Manchester Orchestra) had a lot more energy playing to the festival crowd. Another band (Bloc Party) seems to bring the same level of intensity to concert and festival sets.
B) Yeah. It can go both ways. Bands at festivals usually have shorter set times.. which can be good or bad. Personally, I'd rather see 10 bands play 50 minute sets than 5 bands play 2 hour sets. Even with my absolute favorite bands, I usually get bored at concerts after about an hour or so, though I'm known to catch 2nd wind.
Sometimes, seeing bands at festivals can be really special, and those sets can be particularly legendary. My Morning Jacket has a reputation for ripping a hole in every one of their Bonnaroo performances, and I just don't imagine a theater show would hold a candle.
8. What bands perform better at music festivals as opposed to their own shows? What bands perform worse?
A) I think the best bands can be versatile; it’s just a matter of adjusting to the crowd. I’d have to say more established acts have it easier due to the large crowds making it easy to put on a great show. Un-established acts, especially those that play music with a slower tempo, have a difficult time breaking through to the large crowds.
B) Sort of answered that one. In my opinion, bands with something to prove play really great short sets at festivals.
Worse? hmm. Maybe some of the bigger headliners. Because if you're a deep fan of their material, you might be less likely to get the deeper fan favorites, as they have a wider audience to appeal to.
9. In your opinion, what was the age distribution at the music festival you went to? What’s the age distribution at a normal concert you’d attend?
A) The ages were at both ends of the spectrum at the festival. A lot of young children and a good amount of people in their 40’s in 50’s. The majority of the crowd was in the 18-25 year old group which is the norm for most concerts I’ve attended.
B) I'd say that 16-34 is probably the festival distribution. SXSW skews a little more toward upper end, because it's chock full of industry types. Normal concerts are more like 16-28 or so..
then again these are mostly alternative type concerts.. the type of music really affects the demo
10. What was the substances (legal or illegal) scene like? Who was taking them at what bands? Did you partake? What was your experience with this? Did anyone care?
A) There were a lot of people on a lot of drugs. Alcohol was readily available throughout the day and there was little to no enforcement on drug usage. People could smoke in the middle of a crowd at any point without any second thoughts. The hip/hop and dance acts drew a lot of the drug using population. I consumed alcohol and smoked marijuana several times throughout the 3 days and the combination of not being an avid pot smoker and the temperature being an average of 95 degrees did not treat me well. In my group’s experience, the use of drugs was not frowned upon once. I’d go as far as to say it was advocated by most.
B) Concerts and consciousness alteration are pretty much hand in hand in our culture. I'd contend that most concert-goers are used to this. Drugs are everywhere and out in the open at Bonnaroo. I consider expansionary substances somewhat spiritual, and enjoy live performances best with a totally clear mind anyway, so I abstain.
SXSW can have a lot of dinnertime hangout and schmoozing, so I've enjoyed some mild drinking on those evenings.
11. Is there anything else you’d like to mention about this topic?
A) I just think that any true music fan has to attend a festival in their life. I can imagine it’s not for everyone, but the experience alone is worth it.
B) If you enjoy music and have the resources, go to one of these. On the whole, SXSW is my personal favorite, though I have wonderful stories to tell for life from each of these festivals. Maybe someday I'll make it to a Coachella, ATP, or Glastonbury!
1. How many music festivals have you been to? Which ones?
A) One. Lollapalooza 2008 in Chicago, Illinois.
B) SXSW 05, 07, 08
Bonnaroo 08
Lollapalooza 08
2. Are you planning on going to any in the future? Why or why not?
A) Absolutely, yes. Seeing many of my favorite musical acts in a place I’ve never been with friends was an incredible experience. Also, it’s more efficient financially to catch a festival rather then buying tickets for multiple concerts.
B) 100% yes, though I'll be going to a ton fewer now that I'm not running a radio station!
3. What was your favorite part (of each)?
A) Being around people from all over the country that enjoy similar music.
B) Hanging with friends and stringing together tons of zany antics. Adventures in new cities! Discovering incredible artists I'd never heard of previously.
4. Is there a difference between a music festival and a concert? If so, what makes them different? What makes them the same?
A) From my experience there is a large difference between the two. The majority of concerts I’ve been to are in smaller venues and the performances are much more intimate. Bands are able to connect with the audience more in a concert versus a festival atmosphere. Festival performances have to be bigger and broader in attempts to keep everyone entertained.
B) Absolutely. The atmosphere and pace of a music festival is unlike any concert, not even the day-long ones. With festivals, its like miniature cities rising up from nothing and then vanishing. I'll admit though, after some music festivals I was eager to go to more local concerts, just because it got me in the swing of seeing live acts.
5. What are the people like at music festivals? What is the atmosphere like?
A) The festival drew a mostly college aged crowd. For the most part, people were really pleasant, but the combination of drugs and the hot weather really put people on edge. During the performances the atmosphere was pure insanity. Tens of thousands of people singing and dancing their balls off.
B) People are usually friendly. It does help a lot to know other people that are going. The atmosphere is usually filled with excitement and music enthusiasm. It's a lot of fun to share tips about bands with people and get introduced to stuff you wouldn't otherwise know of.
6. About how many bands do you need to know before you choose to go to a music festival?
A) Before the festival I would have gone if I saw 3-4 great headliners in the lineup. Now that I know how drawn out the days are and how many acts can be seen in a single day, I’d say a minimum of 12.
B) Well, I'm a firm believer that the less concrete plans one makes, the more fun one has. It's helpful to know plenty of bands playing, but it's messy to have one's heart set on seeing a list of 10 specific bands. Schedules are too tight. Too many acts overlap. It turns a wonderful adventure into a rigorously structured thing. I've come to show up with 1 or 2 acts I know I want to see, and then wander semi-aimlessly otherwise. I wind up seeing many acts I'd like to and making plans day-of, and just soaking up the atmosphere of the concert, and interests of friends I'm with.
7. Have you seen any bands in both a concert and at a music festival? What made their shows different/the same?
A) Yes, I had seen several of the acts prior to the festival. One band in particular (Manchester Orchestra) had a lot more energy playing to the festival crowd. Another band (Bloc Party) seems to bring the same level of intensity to concert and festival sets.
B) Yeah. It can go both ways. Bands at festivals usually have shorter set times.. which can be good or bad. Personally, I'd rather see 10 bands play 50 minute sets than 5 bands play 2 hour sets. Even with my absolute favorite bands, I usually get bored at concerts after about an hour or so, though I'm known to catch 2nd wind.
Sometimes, seeing bands at festivals can be really special, and those sets can be particularly legendary. My Morning Jacket has a reputation for ripping a hole in every one of their Bonnaroo performances, and I just don't imagine a theater show would hold a candle.
8. What bands perform better at music festivals as opposed to their own shows? What bands perform worse?
A) I think the best bands can be versatile; it’s just a matter of adjusting to the crowd. I’d have to say more established acts have it easier due to the large crowds making it easy to put on a great show. Un-established acts, especially those that play music with a slower tempo, have a difficult time breaking through to the large crowds.
B) Sort of answered that one. In my opinion, bands with something to prove play really great short sets at festivals.
Worse? hmm. Maybe some of the bigger headliners. Because if you're a deep fan of their material, you might be less likely to get the deeper fan favorites, as they have a wider audience to appeal to.
9. In your opinion, what was the age distribution at the music festival you went to? What’s the age distribution at a normal concert you’d attend?
A) The ages were at both ends of the spectrum at the festival. A lot of young children and a good amount of people in their 40’s in 50’s. The majority of the crowd was in the 18-25 year old group which is the norm for most concerts I’ve attended.
B) I'd say that 16-34 is probably the festival distribution. SXSW skews a little more toward upper end, because it's chock full of industry types. Normal concerts are more like 16-28 or so..
then again these are mostly alternative type concerts.. the type of music really affects the demo
10. What was the substances (legal or illegal) scene like? Who was taking them at what bands? Did you partake? What was your experience with this? Did anyone care?
A) There were a lot of people on a lot of drugs. Alcohol was readily available throughout the day and there was little to no enforcement on drug usage. People could smoke in the middle of a crowd at any point without any second thoughts. The hip/hop and dance acts drew a lot of the drug using population. I consumed alcohol and smoked marijuana several times throughout the 3 days and the combination of not being an avid pot smoker and the temperature being an average of 95 degrees did not treat me well. In my group’s experience, the use of drugs was not frowned upon once. I’d go as far as to say it was advocated by most.
B) Concerts and consciousness alteration are pretty much hand in hand in our culture. I'd contend that most concert-goers are used to this. Drugs are everywhere and out in the open at Bonnaroo. I consider expansionary substances somewhat spiritual, and enjoy live performances best with a totally clear mind anyway, so I abstain.
SXSW can have a lot of dinnertime hangout and schmoozing, so I've enjoyed some mild drinking on those evenings.
11. Is there anything else you’d like to mention about this topic?
A) I just think that any true music fan has to attend a festival in their life. I can imagine it’s not for everyone, but the experience alone is worth it.
B) If you enjoy music and have the resources, go to one of these. On the whole, SXSW is my personal favorite, though I have wonderful stories to tell for life from each of these festivals. Maybe someday I'll make it to a Coachella, ATP, or Glastonbury!
Books I've found on Music Festivals
Dowd, Timothy J.; Kathleen Liddle, and Jenna Nelson. “Music Festivals as Scenes: Examples from Serious Music, Womyn’s Music, and SkatePunk.” Music Scenes: Local, Translocal, and Virtual. Bennett, Andy; and Richard A. Peterson, ed. Vanderbilt University Press; Nashville. 2004. p149-167.
Dowd et. al. begin this chapter by comparing everyday concerts to weekly church services. By this comparison a music festival becomes a pilgrimage destination , for both this pilgrimage and a religious one have the ability to “profoundly transform attendees”. They note the fact that festival organizers must choose who fits the festival, and at what times these groups can perform, creating whatever scene they want, instead of allowing boundaries to form “organically”.
Festivals can change the music industry from outside their own borders; perhaps by reviving a dying genre or causing a band to become more mainstream (which can be a positive or a negative contribution depending on your viewpoint).
The article then compares the Yaddo Music Festival (Classical music from 1932-1952), the Michigan Womyn’s festival (1976-present), and Vans Warped Tour (1994-present).
Important Quotes:
Brant, Marley. “Join Together: Forty Years of the Rock Music Festival.” Hal Leonard Corporation; 2008. p. i-1,239-251.
In this recently published book, Brant looks at the history of Rock Music Festivals very in-depth, including Woodstock, Ozzfest, Altamont, Live Aid, Vans Warped Tour, Lollapalooza, Coachella, Bonnaroo, and many others. (Personal Note: Wow, I’d love to go to all of the festivals she mentions in the 294 page of this book.)
The book begins by describing the community that rock festivals can form, and how different aspects may change over time, but how many aspects remain the same. He states that most of the participants are under 25, or “young at heart.” Brant talks about festivals that are broadcast on televisions, such as Ozzfest or Live Aid, but my topic is already large enough, and I have decided to not talk about these aspects of festivals. I mainly used this book for quotes from artists and bands who performed at festivals.
Important Quotes:
Dowd et. al. begin this chapter by comparing everyday concerts to weekly church services. By this comparison a music festival becomes a pilgrimage destination , for both this pilgrimage and a religious one have the ability to “profoundly transform attendees”. They note the fact that festival organizers must choose who fits the festival, and at what times these groups can perform, creating whatever scene they want, instead of allowing boundaries to form “organically”.
Festivals can change the music industry from outside their own borders; perhaps by reviving a dying genre or causing a band to become more mainstream (which can be a positive or a negative contribution depending on your viewpoint).
The article then compares the Yaddo Music Festival (Classical music from 1932-1952), the Michigan Womyn’s festival (1976-present), and Vans Warped Tour (1994-present).
Important Quotes:
“Drawn together from geographically dispersed locations and away from the expectations of everyday life, fans and performers can immerse themselves in a particular culture and experiment with different identities.” (149)
“It also demands commitment from attendees, as they must be willing to immerse themselves in festival culture, as well as make arrangements for travel, vacation time, and attendance fees.” (149)
Brant, Marley. “Join Together: Forty Years of the Rock Music Festival.” Hal Leonard Corporation; 2008. p. i-1,239-251.
In this recently published book, Brant looks at the history of Rock Music Festivals very in-depth, including Woodstock, Ozzfest, Altamont, Live Aid, Vans Warped Tour, Lollapalooza, Coachella, Bonnaroo, and many others. (Personal Note: Wow, I’d love to go to all of the festivals she mentions in the 294 page of this book.)
The book begins by describing the community that rock festivals can form, and how different aspects may change over time, but how many aspects remain the same. He states that most of the participants are under 25, or “young at heart.” Brant talks about festivals that are broadcast on televisions, such as Ozzfest or Live Aid, but my topic is already large enough, and I have decided to not talk about these aspects of festivals. I mainly used this book for quotes from artists and bands who performed at festivals.
Important Quotes:
“As music artists are introduced to new audiences, fans can follow their musical tastes by attending festivals that cater to their specific preferences or sample new music through a wide variety of performances, and people can gather together for the sheer joy of celebrating each other and savoring the music itself” (preface, xi)
“Just before we were introduced, the compere made some remark about women in the audience showing their breasts, and then introduced us. The audience was in no mood for anything but hard rock. In the comedy world, the technical termis we “died.” […] We had been on stage for no longer than ten seconds before they started yelling for us to ‘get off!’” – The Umbilical Brothers on going on after moe at Woodstock ‘99. (239)
“When I was going on to the stage, with the rest of the band, there were all these people standing backstage along the way, kind of like a reception line. […] it was very hard to focus on any one person. And we just kept walking on to the stage and started the show like we start any other show, and so all of a sudden I’m in the middle of a song and I look up and out into the biggest sea of people I had ever seen in my life, all focusing their energy on our music, dancing and screaming. And at that moment I felt I was almost physically lifted off of the ground from the inside. It was such an up-swell and rush of energy and astonishment and ‘how did I get here?’” – Liz Berlin of Rusted Root on Woodstock ’99 (240)
“I remember […] the revolving stage and Perry [Ferrell] wearing my clothes for the gig. Carlos Santana blessed my pick before the performance.” – Peter DiStefano of Porno for Pyros on Woodstock ’99 (240)
“I remember Godsmack’s playing just before we went on and they were incredible.” – David Ellefson of Megadeth, talking about Godsmack going big after their performance at Woodstock ’99. (240)
“It was a scorching hot day; the sun was blaring in my face. My in-ear monitors had a loud high-pitched squeal to go along with the barely audible music we were playing in it.” – Jim Bogios of Counting Crows on Woodstock ’99. (241)
“Woodstock ’99 was a bit of a wreck. You can’t charge a premium for tickets and put people on a cement runway in the middle of the summer. Water and food were overprices. People felt cheated and obviously they reacted in a negative way by the end of the weekend.” – Will Turpin of Collective Soul (242)
“It was hot, there were palm trees, and a lot of great haircuts and sunglasses. I can’t wait to go back.” –Scott Avett of the Avett Brothers on Coachella (243)
"I thought I was going to be the laughing stock of the festival. I
knew I was on during the Chili Pepper's set, but I thought there would
be enough people who didn't like them to get my a decent audience by
default. [...]" - Mike Relm , a DJ, on looking out just before his set
and seeing 50 people in the crowd. (He ended up playing a great set,
and got the tent packed.) (246)
"I can't get the heat off my mind. You know, coming from ice cold Sweden straight out in the desert." - Mats Bjorke of Mando Diao on Coachella (247)
"So many new acts are exposed to an audience who would not normally get to see them" - Mike Relm (247)
"[Coachella] has become one of the most popular destination festivals in the country." (247)
"Coachella had demonstrated that destination festivals could be well-organized and a lot of fun to attend. [...] By 2002, the rock festival had once again become central to the rock music experience." (248)
"At [Bonnaroo's] inception, the festival's primary focus was on jam bands, but by 2007 the acts are primarily rock with alternative, hip hop, country, fold, gospel, electronica, reggae, and almost every other style of music known to man thrown into the mix. People travel from all over the country to see their favorite bands and to be exposed to music they may have never heard or experienced. [...] Artisans and craftsmen display their wares in the Bonnaroo Market. large tents feature comedy, movies, and arcade games - continuously for twenty-four hours - at 'Centeroo.'" (249)
"The one thing that stood out to me at Bonnaroo was how electric the crowd felt." - Aesop Rock (250)
"There are those who save all year for the Bonnaroo experience and others who attend on a whim. There are as many white collar workers as those employed in blue collar jobs. Everyone is welcome at Bonnaroo."(251)
Friday, May 1, 2009
Does the Music Matter?
The article came in!
Basically the article talks about understanding visitor's motivations to music festivals, using a study of Celebrate Fairfax! to obtain data. They looked at factors such as race and income. This information, while interesting and worth taking note of, is probably too specific to include in a paper about destination rock festivals.
The most relevant point that the authors point out is that while many of the people at music festivals are there for the music, a good amount are there for socialization reasons, such as a friend asking them to go.
Basically the article talks about understanding visitor's motivations to music festivals, using a study of Celebrate Fairfax! to obtain data. They looked at factors such as race and income. This information, while interesting and worth taking note of, is probably too specific to include in a paper about destination rock festivals.
The most relevant point that the authors point out is that while many of the people at music festivals are there for the music, a good amount are there for socialization reasons, such as a friend asking them to go.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Another Scholarly Source I Hope Arrives Soon.
Bowen, Heather; and M.J. Daniels. “Does the Music Matter? Motivations for Attending a Music Festival.” Event Management. Vol. 9, 155-164.
I’ve requested this article from the library, since we currently do not have access to this journal. I’m hoping it will arrive soon, since the abstract looks quite promising:
Abstract
Music festivals are unique special events that attract audiences for a variety of reasons; however, research exploring the motivations of music festival visitors is sparse. Recognizing the potential for music festivals to contribute to host communities, this study aims to explore motivations for attending a large, multi-day music festival. On-site visitor interviews were conducted at Celebrate Fairfax!, an annual music festival held in Virginia (USA). Cluster analysis of attendance motivations revealed four groupings of visitors, which were given the following names based on their patterns of motivations: "Just Being Social," "Enrichment Over Music," "The Music Matters," and "Love It All." These groups differed based on race, marital status, and household income. Marginal sex differences were also found. The results of this study suggest that music festival planners can use different marketing tactics to broaden a festival's appeal and that it is risky for event managers to rely on the music itself or a specific artist to draw large festival crowds. Equally important is creating a fun and festive atmosphere that offers ample opportunity to socialize and have new and nonmusical experiences.
I’ve requested this article from the library, since we currently do not have access to this journal. I’m hoping it will arrive soon, since the abstract looks quite promising:
Abstract
Music festivals are unique special events that attract audiences for a variety of reasons; however, research exploring the motivations of music festival visitors is sparse. Recognizing the potential for music festivals to contribute to host communities, this study aims to explore motivations for attending a large, multi-day music festival. On-site visitor interviews were conducted at Celebrate Fairfax!, an annual music festival held in Virginia (USA). Cluster analysis of attendance motivations revealed four groupings of visitors, which were given the following names based on their patterns of motivations: "Just Being Social," "Enrichment Over Music," "The Music Matters," and "Love It All." These groups differed based on race, marital status, and household income. Marginal sex differences were also found. The results of this study suggest that music festival planners can use different marketing tactics to broaden a festival's appeal and that it is risky for event managers to rely on the music itself or a specific artist to draw large festival crowds. Equally important is creating a fun and festive atmosphere that offers ample opportunity to socialize and have new and nonmusical experiences.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Email Interview with Joe
What was your favorite part of Bonnaroo?
My favorite part of Bonnaroo was living with the music. We lucked out and got a campsite really close to the stages and could hear the music right from our tent. Waking up to the festival right in front of us was awesome. Also, meeting so many interesting people from all over the nation, and in some cases the world, was really amazing. It's an experience like no other.
Have you ever been to another music festival?
I go to the JVC Jazz festival in NYC almost every year, but that's more like a series of concerts throughout a month and I rarely see more than one show a year. I've been to the Newport Jazz festival when I was really young, but don't remember much about it. I went to Linkin Park's Project Revolution last summer which was a day-long event of probably 12-15 bands.
What was your least favorite part?
3) My least favorite part was the extreme Tennessee heat in June that you are constantly in during the weekend. We had beautiful weather when we were there, but it was really hot and showering wasn't really an option unless you wanted to pay for it and wait in line for a long time (part of the experience is the act of not showering and being a dirty hippie for a weekend anyway). Still, the heat was bearable and I basically have no complaints about the experience.
Would you go again?
4) I would absolutely go again, but I kind of like having it in my memories as a one-time experience. Given the chance, and assuming I had enough money to go (total cost of the experience was at least $500), I would probably go again if I was going with the right people.
Do you know anyone who has disliked a music festival?
5) I cannot think of a person who disliked a music festival. By the fourth day of Bonnaroo, you're pretty exhausted and might be getting sick of it, but I wouldn't call that disliking it.
My favorite part of Bonnaroo was living with the music. We lucked out and got a campsite really close to the stages and could hear the music right from our tent. Waking up to the festival right in front of us was awesome. Also, meeting so many interesting people from all over the nation, and in some cases the world, was really amazing. It's an experience like no other.
Have you ever been to another music festival?
I go to the JVC Jazz festival in NYC almost every year, but that's more like a series of concerts throughout a month and I rarely see more than one show a year. I've been to the Newport Jazz festival when I was really young, but don't remember much about it. I went to Linkin Park's Project Revolution last summer which was a day-long event of probably 12-15 bands.
What was your least favorite part?
3) My least favorite part was the extreme Tennessee heat in June that you are constantly in during the weekend. We had beautiful weather when we were there, but it was really hot and showering wasn't really an option unless you wanted to pay for it and wait in line for a long time (part of the experience is the act of not showering and being a dirty hippie for a weekend anyway). Still, the heat was bearable and I basically have no complaints about the experience.
Would you go again?
4) I would absolutely go again, but I kind of like having it in my memories as a one-time experience. Given the chance, and assuming I had enough money to go (total cost of the experience was at least $500), I would probably go again if I was going with the right people.
Do you know anyone who has disliked a music festival?
5) I cannot think of a person who disliked a music festival. By the fourth day of Bonnaroo, you're pretty exhausted and might be getting sick of it, but I wouldn't call that disliking it.
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