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Okay, well I was in the middle of a large post about summer festival attendance, hit the "submit" button only to see it had been locked. So here's another attempt, with the cliffnotes version of my post that's now lost in space:
This summer I'm afraid we'll see the grand culling of the festivals. In my opinion by 2009 at least one festival will have pulled the plug, and it's likely a festival that's too young to have the capital to take a loss year.
I wouldn't say this summer would be the direct cause of any festival's leave of absence in '09-- but rather the threat of another summer the same or worse in gas and skyrocketing overhead costs.
The hitlist in my mind would be those new festivals as well as those who essentially bank on the same lineup (and at times audiences) as other fests. Even All Good and Rothbury could be accused of that, although Rothbury did show a nod toward greater diversity in genre with Snoop Dogg. I would think that the later a festival is in the summer next year, the more time it has to watch early attendance figures of the other festivals.
Geography is also an issue as travel costs skyrocket. RV rentals are predicted to be down as much as 50% when this year susses out, and are down about 25% now. (Even rentals at bankable beach destinations are down by about that much this summer already.) Being near a major metropolitan area, public transport and series of airports will be a factor. We've benefitted from remote locations for festivals for years, but the costs of putting them on there will be as much a factor as the cost for attendees to arrive and thrive.
The good news is for us Inforoo'ers that Bonnaroo has managed to stay alive and relevant through a tough summer festival season with a throttling-back economy and an oddly populated festival calendar, mostly with newcomers. Even more, they have the infrastructure and capital to take a hit (many of these new festivals, like any new company, have investors to answer to). Plus, even for a tough summer it looks like Roo wasn't down 10%, as opposed to Coachella who lost 20% of its audience. Lollapalooza's numbers, if they stay high (30-40k a day, 160k total-- but many of those repeats due to 3-day passes) will be interesting but not as informative as it draws a very large crowd from Chicago's 9 million+ metro area.
We're seeing European festivals, including a few sizable ones, get cancelled already. I worry for the first casualties in the US. In Europe the small ones are doing well and the giant ones are still doing fine-- those that shoot for the middle, not so much.
The best move Lollapalooza made was to stop trying to make it a tour.
Very true- and by plopping it in a unique but freaking massive-population location they guaranteed a certain amount of success. But even that said, they are a slave to sponsors like few other than Virgin are.
the point of the festies being in the Summer is thats when all the college kids (a huge chunk of the population of music festivals) is out of class. If Bonnaroo was during April or October, sure it would be better weather, but they wouldn't have nearly the attendance due to the biggest demographic being in class.
I know I'd much rather head down to Manchester in April or October than June.
As would I... however, a disproportionately large percentage of the Bonnaroo population is comprised of college students (and, to a lesser extent, high school students) who can't decide which dates to take their vacation. By scheduling Bonnaroo in a more temperate month, Superfly would lose a lot of attendees from one of their most key demographics.
Last Edit: Jul 8, 2008 1:13:45 GMT -5 by jack324 - Back to Top
im curious to see how 10klf does this year. while the lineup is great it dosent blow me away like years past. and it had rothbury added as its new closest competition.. and it wins the contest for being the most in the middle of nowhere. with gas prices it could take a hit. but im sure it gets some of its draw for westerly states that didnt even consider driving to rothbury. but if any of the big ones go away it will probably be 10klf... sadly.
but all good is safe. i can assure you that all good IS festie land to alot of us and it has a die hard fan base. its not going anywhere. IMO all good will be around when roo is just a memory. as long as walther puts it on and its at marvins mountain top that is.
I don't see 10KLF having a problem. It's first year it only pulled 8,000+ and last year there were 15,000+, a majority of those coming from this area. It's in one of the nicest lake resort areas in Minnesota. It has a loyal following and one that will help to keep it alive in the future. You are right about gas being a factor. That's why people are going to stay close to home and support the fests in their own area. If gas hits 5.00 + next summer, I will not be attending Roo, I love it, but you have to set limits. 10KLF will be my only fest.
im curious to see how 10klf does this year. while the lineup is great it dosent blow me away like years past. and it had rothbury added as its new closest competition.. and it wins the contest for being the most in the middle of nowhere. with gas prices it could take a hit. but im sure it gets some of its draw for westerly states that didnt even consider driving to rothbury. but if any of the big ones go away it will probably be 10klf... sadly.
but all good is safe. i can assure you that all good IS festie land to alot of us and it has a die hard fan base. its not going anywhere. IMO all good will be around when roo is just a memory. as long as walther puts it on and its at marvins mountain top that is.
*i like coconuts, you can break them open they smell like ladies lyin in the sun** *Hell I don't even know where I am** *for now I must sit here and ponder the yonder: The herbivores did well cause their food didn't never run** *We listen, if it feels good We shake** *You made a big impression for a girl of your size, Now I can't get by without you and your big brown eyes.**
It's the noobs that will go first. Vineland was dead before it even began, and powerhouse promoters C3 were behind it... but that's what they get for trying to go head-to-head w/Goldenvoice. 2 brand new festivals on the same weekend in the same area? I don't think it will happen next year, either, unless APW goes under. And Virgin the same weekend, too, just a couple of hours away? Talk about saturation...
I think Roth will be back, roo will be back, virgin will be back, and all of the midsized festies will be back. Its been said before... fests like AllGood have a built in crowd.
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