Music Festivals...??

Question

I'm having to write a paper on music festivals...about the cultural as well as social aspects of them. I need help/details about why they are culturally "enriching" to attend.!! anyhelp would Be GREATLY appreciated!

Answer 1

I've been to a few music festivals (in New England) and I enjoy them very much. I am a fan of Classic Rock, Alternative, Modern Rock and some hip-hop. When I tell people, especially coworkers, that I go to them all the time, they tend to judge me as a "hippy." I find most people who attend are between the ages of 18-35. There is a sense of comradary between the festival goers, that we all have something in common that we couldn't recognize in the outside world. Our taste in music! Since I am a particularly chatty person, I tend to meet strange people. At a show in Mass last year I met a bunch of college girls who implied they were here to meet boys. Recently, I was tailgating before a show and while my friends and I were standing around, we spotted a very very drunk guy. He was wandering a parking lot, alone, and kicking an empty can in circles, then he would pick it up and furiously throw it back at the ground. This went on for a good 15-20 min and was entertaining to everyone. People were rooting him on. Later on I saw that guy at the gates, security wouldn't let him in due to his heavy intoxication. I also see many people looking for drugs. Drugs and Alcohol are very popular at the shows I’ve been to. I’ve spoken to people who tell me they don’t smoke pot or drop acid unless they are at a show; they say it makes the experience more enjoyable. I see it as an excuse to get f-ed up.

Lately I’ve felt like I have been to so many shows I am stuck in a routine. A group of us will meet up in the parking lot to tailgate (aka get drunk in the parking lot or pre-gaming) and cook hotdogs on a mini-grill. Many people tailgate before they go in because beer and food are often ridiculously expensive inside the gates. They also tailgate because it’s a fun time. You can hang out and play Frisbee, hackey sack, or even waffle ball with a bunch of strangers. So once Security tells us we must leave, we head into the show. When you hand over your ticket to get in, you are usually searched for illegal materials. As a girl, I recommend going into a line with a guy, who isn’t legally allowed to touch you! That way you can get in with almost anything. I have personally snuck in a bottle of wine and a six pack without being stopped! Once everyone is in, we usually all hit up the (disgusting) bathrooms and then set out to find a home-base. Once our group has found a “meeting place” to watch the show from, people often split into smaller groups to explore the tents and distractions that have been set up around the concert grounds. At any given show you can find a stand giving out condoms. Thank you Planned Parenthood! Later in the evening you will see those condoms blown up and being tossed around crowds like a beach ball. It's gross and it happens everytime, without fail. Also, it’s not hard to find a stand selling glass bowls or pipes, for those who got theirs confiscated at the door.

A few other quick comments….

Just like at any large public event, there are those idiots who mess it up for everyone and are publicly shunned by their peers as well as Security. These people are the ones who start fights, pee in public areas, drink to excess, start fires…. If you are one of these people Stay Home!

e-mail me if you have questions or need specific material...

Answer 2

Bonnaroo Festivals are musically very diverse. There are bluegrass acts with Gospel acts, rap groups and acoustic music, dj's, reggae and rock and roll. You assemble a crowd around this much diversity and there is no way you can not be exposed to different cultures. I would look up people on MySpace that have attended these festivals and have blogs about their experiences. Look into magazine articles from Rollingstone and Relix. There are so many ways you could approach this. Good luck.
email me with questions if you need to, I've been to several festies too!

Answer 3

I've been to a ton of music festivals, so just click on my avatar's picture, and send me an e-mail, I'll get back with you! I've been to many hookahvilles and Jerry Garcia's B-day Bash!