I Don’t Like Music Festivals

I love going to concerts, but I don’t like festivals. Here’s why:

• They serve overpriced warm beer in small plastic cups (and I don’t like draft beer);
• They sell lousy food that is often cold and too expensive;
• It’s too crowed on festival grounds for my liking;
• Half the people there come to be part of the experience, I just wanna enjoy the music;
• I don’t wanna camp out in a puddle of mud for 3 days to see a handful of bands I would wanna see live;
• Tickets are too expensive and they are only a third of what you will spend there.

I have been to plenty of festivals over the years: Rock Wechter back when it was still called Torhout-Werchter, Pukkelpop, Hard Rock Calling, TW Classic, Pinkpop, Suikerrock, Marktrock, … I’ve done my share. They all start out small and cozy and fun, but after a few editions they all suffer from the list above.

I know… I know… I know… 80000 persons go to Rock Werchter every year, over a 100000 join the madness at Tomorrowland and there is the 40000 or so that rock their socks off at Graspop. Does my list of reasons proves they are wrong? No! All those people buy they’re tickets for a good reason. And all those tickets sold proves there is a market for summer festivals.

Do all those sold tickets prove that I am wrong? Well… I don’t think so. As I said I have been to my share of summer festivals. I just don’t fit in there. So much so that I even don’t wanna go to a festival to see Springsteen. And if you know me, you know how much I like his music.

I was quite impressed with Calvin Harris opening for Rihanna a few years back. He played a nice DJ set. I didn’t know him at the time, so it was a serendipitous moment for me. I come across some of his music from time to time and I’ve even bought some of his songs on iTunes. But would I pay to see just Calvin Harris perform or to see him perform at Tomorrowland? Definitely not.

I’d love to go see Metallica. Should pay €80 or more for a day ticket to a festival–or worse, upwards of €200 for a 3-day ticket–and waist my day waiting for Metallica to come on stage? Please, don’t make me go through the ordeal of having to see 5 or 6 bands I don’t wanna see before Metallica comes on . I’m sure I will go see them at some point… You know: just Metallica and a pre-show artist maybe… Would I be willing to pay €100 or more? Most probably yes.

I’ve traveled half way around the world and to 7 different countries to see Bruce Springsteen perform. I’ve seen Faith Hill & Tim McGraw at Madison Square Garden and The Gaslight Anthem at Radio City Music Hall (in New York City that is), the Dixie Chicks at Royal Albert Hall in London, Billy Joel in Wembley Arena in London, Mylène Farmer and Patrica Kaas in Paris, Paul McCarthy in Köln, Kylie Minogue and U2 in Amsterdam, Jewel on her 1st performance in Belgium for little over 200 persons, …

I’ve seen bands and artists like Pink Floyd, Madonna, Britney Spears, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, The Spice Grils, Axelle Red, Hooverphonic, Bob Dylan, Isabelle A, Barbara Dex, Alicia Keys, Melissa Etheridge, Heather Nova, Daniel Lanois, Peter Gabriel, The Indigio Girls, Simon & Garfunkel, Tegan & Sara, Emmylou Harris, Rihanna, Loïs Lane, Ilse DeLange and many more. Hell, I’ve even seen the Rolling Stones live and I’m a Beatles fan. And a bucket list of artists that will take me well into the next century.

You may not like my taste in music, but I go see 20 or so concerts every year, I have a collection of 2500 albums on CD and still growing, I am proud to say I buy all my music… One could say I do like music, no?

So please don’t judge my love for music based on the fact that I don’t wanna go to a music festival.