Raises a good point: that this phenomenon might not be genre- or
scene-specific.
m50
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:24:14 -0400
From: "Adam Grealish" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Techhouse] choice or dilution?
the thought occurred to me a few days ago when i was looking at the lineup
for bonaroo. traditionally a hippie jam band festival, the lineup this year
supplement the expected fair with hipster indie rock bands and other acts
just slightly below the level of full-on pop. This seems to be a trend. DEMF
is a prime example. the organizers were losing their shirts throwing the
festival. so to increase attendance the focus changed from a detroit-music
festival to a music festival in detroit.
there are two main points to this (1) hey, its more choices. more options
are always good. plus, if it is the only way the festival can subsist than
expanding the musical offerings in a good thing. (2) but wait. adding all
these other acts dilutes the spirit of the event. the festival is turned
from a focused study of one type of music among many like-minded people to
hodge-podge of acts from the musical flavor of the month. the festival is no
longer unique. It is just another music festival in a different city. And in
such a case is it worth denigrating the integrity of the festival in order
to keep it alive?
i feel like a crotchety old man saying that i dont like all this new stuff
while longing for the better-days of the past but i cant help but think that
good music festivals are losing their souls.
Adam
