Whether it's your first Bonnaroo or you’re a music festival veteran, we welcome you to Inforoo.
Here you'll find info about artists, rumors, camping tips, and the infamous Roo Clues. Have a look around then create an account and join in the fun. See you at Bonnaroo!!
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Wonder what happened with that change in beer sponsorship. Bud to Miller Lite...is that a downgrade or a sidestep?
Possibly Miller Lite offered more money.....possibly Bud didn't want to spend the money to advertise at the fest this year? Don't know. Doesn't bother me at all though.
I’m slightly disheartened by the increasing number of corporate sponsors at Roo every year; Miller light lounge, Ford Focus drive in, Garnier Fructise Salon, wheat thin crunch den, etc. I understand it’s inevitable, and I can’t say if I were in AC/S shoes I wouldn’t try to maximize profits, it is a business after all. But it’s a dangerous road to go down.
For me it ruins some of the purity of the festival and goes against what it was originally meant to be. Bonnaroo was/is essentially based on Phish’s festivals and started by Coran Capshaw (one of phish’s managers) in 2002 during their first hiatus to fill the vacuum they left in their absense. At phish’s fests it was all about creating a total experience all for the enjoyment of their fans. At the “It” festival they had a big sign that read “Our intent is all for your delight” They wanted to profit off their fests for sure, but they cared more about the fans in attendance and that they had a good time.
I maintain that if they put out a good lineup, and focused on creating a more immersive festival environment, they could still be successful with the money made from ticket sales, merch, and beer and vendor revenue. As Bonnaroo promoter increase their corporate sponsorship and presence on the farm to me it signals their intentions are more focused on profit and exposing festival goers to whichever sponsor offers them the most lucrative deal then it is about the music and festival experience.
Things like these are what’s going to eventually rob Bonnaroo of its character and ultimately drive it into the ground. You can flame me all you want but the festival is heading in the wrong direction increasing corporate sponsorship and booking more and more crappy pop acts like Eminem each year.
I’m slightly disheartened by the increasing number of corporate sponsors at Roo every year; Miller light lounge, Ford Focus drive in, Garnier Fructise Salon, wheat thin crunch den, etc. I understand it’s inevitable, and I can’t say if I were in AC/S shoes I wouldn’t try to maximize profits, it is a business after all. But it’s a dangerous road to go down.
For me it ruins some of the purity of the festival and goes against what it was originally meant to be. Bonnaroo was/is essentially based on Phish’s festivals and started by Coran Capshaw (one of phish’s managers) in 2002 during their first hiatus to fill the vacuum they left in their absense. At phish’s fests it was all about creating a total experience all for the enjoyment of their fans. At the “It” festival they had a big sign that read “Our intent is all for your delight” They wanted to profit off their fests for sure, but they cared more about the fans in attendance and that they had a good time.
I maintain that if they put out a good lineup, and focused on creating a more immersive festival environment, they could still be successful with the money made from ticket sales, merch, and beer and vendor revenue. As Bonnaroo promoter increase their corporate sponsorship and presence on the farm to me it signals their intentions are more focused on profit and exposing festival goers to whichever sponsor offers them the most lucrative deal then it is about the music and festival experience.
Things like these are what’s going to eventually rob Bonnaroo of its character and ultimately drive it into the ground. You can flame me all you want but the festival is heading in the wrong direction increasing corporate sponsorship and booking more and more crappy pop acts like Eminem each year.
End Rant.
Don't be fooled. That dude has sold everything he created to the highest bidder. He sold musictoday to livenation, Starr Hill Presents to Budwiser, and just recently the ever great Charlottesville Pavilion to Ntelos ( a regional cell phone provider). He'll sell your mom if he thought he could make a dime on it.
Post by itrainmonkeys on May 13, 2011 8:23:43 GMT -5
I'm not going to get into the whole debate about sponsors.....just know that for the most part they stay out of your way and provide great services at the festival. I don't really have much of a problem with it yet.
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Post by theshining on May 15, 2011 21:44:16 GMT -5
I can understand the hate towards the corporatization of the fest but it really doesn't bother me at all. Each year I am treated to 4 beyond full days of music for $300. In order to keep a fest this huge with so many acts at this price and compete against other the other big three fests, some of whom have even greater corporate presence (Lolla names its stages by corporate brand), you kind of have to expect this
Sponsors subsidize the cost of your ticket. It'd cost a lot more for the lineup we get if it weren't for them. I appreciate that Bonnaroo does not allow sponsor banners on stages and they require each sponsor to provide a free service of some sort. Sponsors are there, but you don't have to interact with them if you don't want to.
Yeah, Budweiser's contract ran out and Miller outbid for the rights. It certainly helps to keep the costs down and the sponsor wants to please the constituency. Everybody wins.
For me it ruins some of the purity of the festival and goes against what it was originally meant to be. Bonnaroo was/is essentially based on Phish’s festivals and started by Coran Capshaw (one of phish’s managers) in 2002 during their first hiatus to fill the vacuum they left in their absense.
You could not be more wrong about this. Coran Capshaw didn't "start" Bonnaroo. Superfly (Farman/Goodstone/Mayers/Black) had the idea all worked out, but needed funding. They pitched the idea to Ashley Capps and Coran Capshaw, who agreed to finance it in exchange for a share. It had nothing to do with Phish's festivals, the ideal had always been Glastonbury. In fact, Superfly has been quoted as saying that the reason the first few years were so jam-centric (the fact that the principals at Superfly were jam-fans aside) had to do with the fact that the jamband culture had taken such root on the internet - message boards, listservs, etc., and that the word-of-mouth way by which information traveled among those fans meant it would be easier to advertise/sell a festival in that circle. Once they got more established, they could take more risks and expand the focus.
Oh, and for the record, there were sponsors there in 2002. I remember attending a couple signings at the Virgin Music Tent.
Thank you for informing me. That is some good information.
I still don't think you can discount Phish's influence on Bonnaroo and its birth. That whole internet grass roots thing you're refering to came about in large part because of the phish and grateful dead communities. People sharing taped shows, setlists, etc. Not to mention Bonnaroo's first year was when phish was on it's first hiatus and there really wasn't many other options (maybe H.O.R.D.E ?) for the nomadic jam community willing to drive across country and camp out for several days.
Like I said, I understand sponsors are a necessary part of putting on a festival. I appreciate that the sponsors at roo have to contribute in some way to the festival. I'm just so tired of being innundated with advertisements on the radio, tv, internet, email, regular mail, billboards, etc. It'd be nice if bonnaroo didn't whore out its name to the highest bidder looking to sell stuff to a certain target demographic, and the festival could be exclusively about music, community, and art. Thats just my opinion.
It would be awesome to have a festival without any kind of corporate sponsorships and just solely concentrating on music, community, and art but unfortunately this is not a realistic business proposition. The unfortunate reality is that these huge festivals, with long lineups and a ton of extra things to keep us entertained, are very expensive to produce and the only way to keep ticket prices reasonable while also keeping the festivals profitable enough to survive is through millions of dollars in direct and indirect corporate dollars in exchange for advertising rights.
And for the record, Phish went on hiatus in fall of 2000, so there was a good year-plus gap before the first Bonnaroo.
And about how long do you think it takes to plan, find investors, and produce a festival like Bonnaroo? ;D
Phish was the best jam band throughout the nineties (Atleast in my opinion), they were also putting on better festivals then artists like moe. or The Disco Biscuits. When they took a break Bonnaroo swooped in and targeted their fans and built the festival's foundation on their patronage. You've got to give them some credit. I'm not saying their the sole reason Bonnaroo exists but they were influential.
It would be awesome to have a festival without any kind of corporate sponsorships and just solely concentrating on music, community, and art but unfortunately this is not a realistic business proposition. The unfortunate reality is that these huge festivals, with long lineups and a ton of extra things to keep us entertained, are very expensive to produce and the only way to keep ticket prices reasonable while also keeping the festivals profitable enough to survive is through millions of dollars in direct and indirect corporate dollars in exchange for advertising rights.
I understand it’s inevitable, and I can’t say if I were in AC/S shoes I wouldn’t try to maximize profits, it is a business after all. But it’s a dangerous road to go down.
It would be awesome to have a festival without any kind of corporate sponsorships and just solely concentrating on music, community, and art but unfortunately this is not a realistic business proposition. The unfortunate reality is that these huge festivals, with long lineups and a ton of extra things to keep us entertained, are very expensive to produce and the only way to keep ticket prices reasonable while also keeping the festivals profitable enough to survive is through millions of dollars in direct and indirect corporate dollars in exchange for advertising rights.
I understand it’s inevitable, and I can’t say if I were in AC/S shoes I wouldn’t try to maximize profits, it is a business after all. But it’s a dangerous road to go down.
There are music festivals that focus on music, community, and art without corporate influence like Jerryfest In W VA or some of the things Nelson's Ledges throw but those lineups suck compared to Bonnaroo. For Bonnaroo to get the cream of the crop in all the types of music it offers. You are going to need corporate sponsors to not only help with booking those acts but to keep the costs down for consumers. I think Bonnaroo does a good job balancing the corporate influence and the original "Woodstock" vibe.
As long as Bonnaroo doesn't become Woodstock '99 in Rome, NY. I'm okay with it.