One of the benefits of working as music editor for any international magazine like SKUNK, especially after a long period of time, is the lucrative and elitist invitations I get for every kind of show imaginable, local and out of town. In fact, it’s becoming increasingly rare for me to be required to open up my wallet and dish out bill after bill all for the luxury of witnessing a musically religious experience. If I can recall correctly, I believe the last show in which I did have to shell out my not-so-hard earned moolah was for the comical nostalgia of witnessing Loverboy in all their glory. And that was only because I was too embarrassed to make any kind of effort to grovel for the experience (that, a ten dollar ticket and a last minute drunken decision wasn’t worth the energy). When they say that everybody is working for the weekend, they obviously weren’t thinking of me. Nevertheless, how I felt about this show was very similar to how I felt about checking out a Steven Segal and Thunderbox performance at a casino in Richmond, B.C. I mean, considering his troubles with the mafia, he needed my 30 bucks more than I did.
Anyways, all that coupled with the pleasure of knowing that sold-out shows doesn't mean sold out for yours truly epitomizes how the fringe benefits far exceed the monetary ones at this position.
But this blog wasn’t meant to toot my own horn (not completely anyways). This was more of a prelude to what kind of lifestyle this position entails. Last year I did my best to try and accommodate everyone who, I thought, went out of their way to give me the red carpet treatment. Ok, perhaps I didn’t get THAT kind of treatment, but it still felt as if anyone who asked, no, pleaded for me to attend this show or that, was going through a far too strenuous effort to make sure I make an appearance.
How could I turn those down?
Now that I’m a little older and wiser, I’ve learned that I am allowed to pick and choose what I attend. But still my schedule has been filling up almost daily.
Here’s a few of things that are planned for the summer, none involving the piece of crap Bonnaroo (Metallica? Why not just have Limp Bizkit and Crazytown make appearances!):
Mountain Jam – The festival extravaganza kicks off in the birthplace of the commercialized festival – Woodstock. A more old-school line-up of straight up bluegrass, country and rock, this is a great way to set the tone for the summer. Ratdog, Gov’t Mule and Drive-By Truckers are the biggies, but I’m really looking forward to checking out Levon Helm’s Ramble on the Road.
10,000 Lakes Festival – A fan favorite in Minnesota, 10klf has the luxury of being lakeside and in an extremely shady environment. That is perfect for a mid-summer weekend that keeps you on your feet through the music of groups like Spearhead, Phil Lesh and Flaming Lips.
Lollapalooza – The mother of all shows (behind Coachella which I now regret turning down) has transformed from a traveling road show to a one-weekend shebang in Chicago. I could talk about the line-up all day, so I just suggest you check it out for yourself. I will mention though that Radiohead, Rage Against The Machine, Nine Inch Nails and Kanye are just a few of the uber-stars.
Osheaga – Montreal now has its own unique gathering. Now in its third year, the line-up has reached jaw-dropping status. From the Killers to Iggy Pop to Jack Johnson, the eclectic mix means large, eclectic crowds. Not that I care, I’ll be roving backstage, externally feeling bad for the sardine-tight crowds at the front of the stages while internally laughing in jubilation.
Hopefully Chad will give me some more insight onto some of the lesser-knowns that I should check out, but even more hopefully, I’ll get the chance to catch up with him at some obscure folk gathering in the middle of, say, Iowa or Texas.
Anyone have any good festival stories out there?
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