Home › Music Festivals & You - July 2009

Music Festivals & You - July 2009

Its raining, its loud, you are stuck at the end of a limitless queue and you are surrounded by smelly people – it must be festival time! Ruth takes us back stage to get the all the dirt on music festivals and why we love them.

Growing up in a small town rather devoid of all things cultural I got my first taste of a Festival at the age of 17. After begging and pleading with my Mum, a couple of mates and I made the trek to Brisbane for the now defunked Livid Festival.  For me, this was it, the beginning of a new love affair. Who would have thought? Sun, friends and Music, all in the one beautiful place, I was in paradise...well maybe not paradise but once you get past the long queues, dirty toilets, long queues for dirty toilets & the blistering heat, it was pretty close. 

Once making the move to Brisbane I found myself pretty much in the thick of it.  Summer would now be renamed “Festival Season” and each year I’d spend most of the summer months either rocking out at festivals or recovering from them.  Each season brings with it bigger and better line-ups with new festivals being added to an already chaotic schedule and no hesitation from festival goers in snatching up tickets.

For me there is nothing I love more than pulling on my comfy shoes, dousing myself in sunscreen and packing in with 15,000 others on a hot summer day, but why? For most it’s all about the people, atmosphere, the international and local acts, the music and even the promise of $8 beers after a 1 hour wait.

Last weekend saw the 9th annual Splendour in the Grass roll into Byron Bay.  In case you’ve been living under a rock, Splendour is a gigantic 2 day festival held every year at Belongil Fields in Byron Bay.  More than 17,000 people rush to secure tickets with the festival selling out in just over an hour this year. Organisers of Splendour in the Grass report that the event injects some $5.7 million annually into the Byron Shire economy and creates some 670 jobs. The event has a strong commitment to the environment, with initiatives to limit its carbon footprint, and has provided grants back to the local community. But for me, previous Splendour experiences consisted of meeting interesting people, hearing amazing music, long treks through mud to my tent and eating corn on the cob.  I didn’t get a lot of opportunity to soak in the stunning Byron Bay scenery with my schedule looking fairly frantic as it was.

Missing out on this year’s Splendour, I’m a little heartbroken but nevertheless I am excited by what this summer will hold for me; already the line-up for Parklife has got me eager to bust out my gumboots.  Others on my hit list will be Good Vibrations, Summa Field Dayz, BBQ Beats, Woodford Folk Festival and Big Day Out.  Although my attendance at festivals over the upcoming season may pale in comparison to previous efforts it is all in sacrifice for my ULTIMATE - FESTIVAL - EXPERIENCE.  Mid next year I will be taking my first ever overseas trip to attend the All Points West festival and Rock the Bells.  Both Festivals tour the USA flaunting line-ups the likes of which would seldom be seen in Australia.  Of course it isn’t entirely unpleasant that these Festivals are being held in the city that never sleeps, New York, where I plan to shop, sightsee, shop, eat a giant pretzel and shop some more.   

 

 

So what is it that makes these events so popular with the community?  I say that there are a number of key social, economic and even environmental factors that make these events such a continued success.

 

  • At the top of the list for many festival goers would be the music line-up offering a number of international acts at the same location.  For many this may be the only chance they get to see their favourite artists.
  • Following on from this would be the value for money in attending these festivals that have a multitude of acts, in comparison to the price of a ticket to a single act concert
  • Spending the day with like-minded people.
  • Following on from this, the atmosphere created by the mutual enthusiasm and energy of festival goers is one quickly absorbed by everyone which continues to make this experience highly attractive and keeps you coming back for more.
Many areas have used music festivals as a means of promoting their region and attracting visitors and revenue. Benefits for the local community include:

  • The injection of money into the local economy.  For example Splendour in the Grass provides one of Byron Bay’s largest economic surges for the year.
  • Raising the profile of a local community.  Would anyone have heard of Woodstock or Glastonbury if not for their iconic music festivals?
  • Music festivals have a high media profile, meaning the name of the local area is mentioned in a positive light (hopefully!) across a broad range of media.
  • Provides a means of promoting local businesses and produce, through markets and increased exposure.
  • From an environmental perspective, many festivals are taking more of a proactive approach to environmental issues.  For example, for a minor surcharge on the ticket price you can off-set your carbon footprint.

 


 

Hot Tips for Festivals
Always take:
- Sunscreen
- I.D
- Water (camelbacks are the ultimate in festival accessories)
- Hat
- Comfy Shoes (or Gumboots if the weather is looking a bit miserable)
- Tickets! For the love of all things festival, don’t forget your tickets!
- Mobile Phone
- Sunglasses
- And don’t get friendly with the sniffer dogs!

~ Ruth Dutton

Photos by Soulbridge Media

 

 

Other News

Is it the End for Festivals for Ruth?

Is it time for the festival-trooping Ruth to finally settle down? After all, she and partner Chris have announced their engagement. Congratulations from everyone at Urban Economics. We think festival organisers can breathe a sigh of relief as Ruth and Chris are likely to be donning the gumboots together for years to come.