Not so festive

[Originally posted July 10, 2008]

I hate festivals. There is nothing less awesome about a live show than thousands of people hanging around catching sets for bands they don’t really even care for.

For example, exhibit A:
It’s Bonnaroo 2006. Radiohead is playing their headlining show. I am totally stoked and super-excited until the entire group of about 15 people beside my friend and I begin to discuss how much Radiohead sucks and that nobody is there to see them. Instead of leaving, they proceed to yak about it for the entire rest of their set. So cool of them.
[As a side note, Radiohead is one of the biggest, best and most influential bands on the planet, so I think there were a little off on that one.]

ANYWAY, Yesterday I hit up the Warped Tour. I had specific work-related reasons for going (and those worked out) but overall I was somewhat unimpressed. With a few exceptions, I hardly saw anybody actually seem excited about being there. It made me profoundly sad.

So in addition to unenthused audiences, add in crappy sound and the fact that most of the time you can hardly even see the band. Woo hoo! Rock and ROLLLLLLLLLL!!! Yeah.

Warped 2008 did have its highlights. We got to catch an acoustic set by Cobra Starship in the press area. Though I am pretty unfamiliar with the band, it was a pretty entertaining thing to catch, and a lot more whimsical than the acoustic press-only set by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah braintrust Alec Ounsworth than I caught during Bonnaroo ’06. It was nice break from the lengthy distance that plagued the rest of the day.

Now, I’m not elitist enough to say that I won’t attend shows larger than the smallest of venues (I like it when bands I enjoy finally get their due), however I prefer concerts where you get a chance to connect somewhat with the band. If I want to hang out with my friends and goof off, I pick up a bottle of something and invite everybody over and consult my iTunes. Not go to shows and disrespect the band and others in the audience.

Or maybe I’m just getting too old for this shit? Nah…