Truth be told, I haven’t attended nearly
the number of festivals that many others in my circle of acquaintances have,
but I’ve been to a few. As of late, I have found myself contemplating the
festival experience more and more. Perhaps my perceptions were distorted by
attending Ruisrock (in Turku, Finland) as my first festival. Rockperry (in
Vaasa, Finland) was the second festival I attended and subsequently attended
the following year. These festivals remain my only European metal fest
experiences, but they had a few things in common. First off, they were well
organized. Likely having to do with having several previous, successful
editions. The prevalence of metal in Finland likely led to having backing from
several sponsors, which equals funding.
Secondly,
the festival grounds were well laid out and user friendly. Getting in the gates
proved to be no hassle, even with some language barriers. Free drinking water
was readily available. There were clear demarcations between all ages areas and
the beer gardens. Even with massive lineups, the beer gardens functioned
efficiently and offered a decent selection. Washrooms were available both
inside and outside of the beer gardens, although they were porta-potties that
got continuously more disgusting as the weekend wore on. Both of these
festivals had multiple stages and many of the beer garden areas offered views
of the stages.
Thirdly,
there were multiple food options available at reasonable prices and fully
operational at all times when the gates were open. Fourth, the camping areas
were well organized.
I
haven’t attended many of the ‘local’ festivals (western Canada), but tend to
harbor mixed feelings about them. I’m only going to reference outdoor
festivals, as they’re a completely different experience from the indoor
variety. Maybe my expectations were set a bit high, or maybe festivals should
be approached with fewer expectations, but for me this is impossible.
One
of the factors coming into play with the western Canadian festivals I’ve
attended is being, at the very least, acquainted with various organizers,
volunteers and musicians. I want these festivals to succeed. I can only imagine
the effort that goes into planning these events and getting a festival off the
ground. These fellow metal heads put in an extraordinary amount of time and
effort, often financing these ventures out of their own pockets. Not to mention
typically working full time jobs outside of the music industry. On some level,
I think many of us who have attended these local festivals recognize and
appreciate this. In no way do I want to sound unappreciative of these efforts.
However,
there are a few things about the festivals I’ve attended that I’ve found
lacking and there are a few things I’ve found outstanding. And these have contributed
to my opinions surrounding these festivals.
Farmageddon,
located outside of Ryley, Alberta, is a festival that I would love to see
succeed. I’m not sure what the official statement will be regarding
Farmageddon, but it seems to be in trouble. It didn’t take place in 2016,
replaced by an indoor festival and tentatively planned to be a biannual
occurrence. There was a Go-Fund-Me campaign for the festival, and some press
releases suggesting the next one was going to be a big one. Lately, the rumors
seem to be that the festival has folded. I’m cautiously optimistic, and
frankly, the feeling sucks. I enjoyed looking forward to this festival. The
stage was pretty damn impressive for being set up in the middle of a field. The
techs working the festival are more than capable. The vendor and merch areas
have been pretty great, offering a decent variety and some shelter from the
elements for those selling their wares. Plus, the lineups in the two years I
attended this festival were solid.
I
enjoyed the relaxed camping atmosphere the first year I attended. Many of us
were able to set up tents in close proximity to the stage, complete with views
and a very short walk. The second year I attended, the camping area had changed
entirely, now being behind the stage and further past a grass parking lot of
cars. At least the bathroom access issues were sorted out by day two. I
understand why the camping arrangements were changed, but it dampened my
experience in comparison to the previous year.
Of
course weather plays a huge factor in open air festivals. The one thing that I
found lacking was shelter from the elements. It would have enhanced my
experience if there had been a three sided tent facing the stage available for
those miserable, rainy days. Another area that was somewhat disappointing was
the beer gardens. If I were planning an “ideal” setup, I would have allowed for
a fenced area, set back from the stage but still close, and still allowing for
a good view. Add some tables, benches, and a better set-up for the volunteer
bartenders, and alcohol sales might have been higher which could have prevented
as many people from hanging out in the camping areas to drink. Allowing smoking
in an area near the stage would have been appreciated by many. (Although I don’t
know the details, I believe the liquor and gaming commission’s rules had a lot
to do with this, and they are the organization that issues liquor licenses for
events).
From
my perspective, Farmageddon has a lot going for it. The infrastructure created
on location is impressive. (Shower facilities would have been nice, but
improbable and impractical given the location itself). The festival grounds are
near Edmonton, which is fairly accessible. The vision is definitely there. The
talented, capable, individuals making up the Farmageddon team are there. The
festival has pulled in some great local talent, and some great international
acts. What it seems to be lacking is enough attendance to make it financially
viable.
