Three weeks after Wuhnurth, I finally put my camping gear away yesterday. It’s bittersweet; refreshing to have my living room floor space back, yet sad to pack up all of my outdoor living gear (even if it is covered in filth and stained with the smell of campfire). For some people, Labor Day signifies the close of summer and beginning of fall. For me, boxing up my tent, cast iron skillet, and portable gas grill is the official expiration of summertime.
This festival season has been my best yet, unquestionably. I ended my two-year relationship with Bonnaroo, but this was inevitable. The mediocre lineup saturated with mainstream artists was an instant turn off (Kings of Leon? Really, Bonnaroo?!). After a sizeable amount of experience at smaller, local festivals I’ve also grown to despise Bonnaroo for its colossal size. It’s ironic that it took my virgin festival experience at Bonnaroo 2008 to make me realize that there’s a massive underground culture of people who think, act, dress, feel, and live just like me… and that I don’t have to travel to Tennessee every year and bear their farcical temperatures to enjoy being a part of that culture.
That said, I did attend two smaller festivals with a balance of grassroots bands and nationally touring acts. Summer Camp (in Chillicothe, IL over Memorial Day weekend) was my first time working in the field. S-Camp had their shit together and conducted media relations with the highest degree of professionalism, including daily press briefings in the morning and afternoon. Five stages, all 5-8 minutes within walking distance of each other, and a supreme lineup of talent could only set a reporter up for success. My coverage resulted in three full-day reviews, a full set review of the Heatbox show, an interview with Boombox, an interview/review with Kinetix, and an interview with Ana Sia.
I also covered the All Good Festival in West Virginia. It was the farthest distance I had ever traveled for a music festival, but the drive proved to be more than worth it. All Good trumps Summer Camp for its camp-with-your-car policy, freedom to bring in your own beer and alcohol, picturesque mountaintop setting, no overlapping sets, and the realest crowd of hippies I’ve ever had the pleasure of festivaling with.
Other festival-related highlights of my summer included Springfest (standout performance: GARGANTA), Mojostock, Wuhnurth, and Knollfest.
I also got to see Lady Gaga this summer, one of the most beautiful, detailed, well-constructed, and energizing shows I’ve ever seen in my life. She really is an artistical, musical genius.
No comments:
Post a Comment