AFTERNOON PEOPLE

It is most definitely not festival season as yet, but already companies are gearing up for the relentless onslaught of the festival craziness of the spring/summer months.

Back in the day we had Monsters of Rock, Glastonbury, Reading, Cambridge Folk, but now there is a festival for just about anything apparently.

We are now in the era of lets put a festival on, slam a load of performers together – get a pop act and a load of jugglers, sponsor stands, make sure the chips are a tenner a punnet, plus make it uber family friendly.

With a little research and a few conversations with the more experienced festival muso it is astounding how many festivals through the 60s 70s 80s were free – it was more about the gathering of like minded people from all walks of life, challenging the mainstream not so much about the glorification of x-factor contestants and wannabes.

Yes we can’t just keep giving things away man, but nor can we be taking libertees man. The ticket prices, the plastic pseudo rockers/punks/raggas, the vip soft chair and massage gang, the 10 min set and no naughty words police have nearly reached a point where fans and bands alike are starting to feel disconnected.

However, with the digital age and all the massive pros with it, the bands struggle to make real contact with their fans – no gate folds, 12″ remix, free poster, limited edition picture disc!! Where you had a tangible physical connection with lyric sheets, crazy art work, the crackle of the first track you could almost imagine the band off their bonces making the music, the art work and the amazing lyrics!

Playing live is the only way most bands and their fans can connect, they also can actually make some money, to continue their musical lives and continue to contribute to ours.

Vinyl is making a come back, the thrill of flicking through the A’s B’s etc looking for the Japanese import, or even discovering a new band/sound just by loving the mental art work on on the sleeve. This is something now not only being re-discovered by collectors of old but also being discovered by the cd generation.

The pride in rebuilding or extending your vinyl collection, seeing bands new and old live is one of the best things about music. It is always changing, evolving, re-energising, gaining new fans of all generations.

So why not strip the festival back, forget the corporate crap, make it about the music, the bands making money, the fans getting value for money and them all connecting again.

Vinyl is a slow burner and may not possibly ever reach the heights of previous decades but the festivals are where it is at for bands and fans, so lets hope the readings/leeds/latitiudes/downloads/glastonburys think on and at least remember who the festivals are for bands and fans.

Rock on and Live Forever

RPOS xFESTIV