Witness, Shitfest, Poxygene, whatever you want to call it is has one agenda, make as much money as possible with the lowest common denominator line-up biggest draw names they can afford to book.
The difference with a festival like ATP and MOR is the people involved actually give a shit both about the music and the punters, and are more concerned with creating something that is a worthwhile experience rather than simple pushing corporate branding or turning a quick buck.
Electric Picnic? sounds good on paper but it's a blue print which John Reynolds openly admits is based upon the Big Chill. That is a festival with a 10 year pedigree that started with 500 music lovers in a field. The reason it is now being held up as an exemplary model for an Irish "boutique" festival is because it is now fianancially viable. The Big Chill sold out it's 27,000 tickets this year 6weeks in advance in a venue that could easily have accomodated 45,000. The result, a well organised festival with no quees for drink, a vast range of quality organic food at affordable prices and an ample supply of clean toilets, and all this over the course of four days. Plus of course there was the music.
I personally don't mind a little bit of discomfort due to large numbers and some lax organisation but I take great exception to being shunted around in the mud and treated like a cunt by some moran in a fluorescent jacket, while great effort is made to extract as much money from my pocket as possible for shoddy services and barely edible food. €5 for a laminate line up ring any bells with anyone? This, in my experience anyway appears to be the norm with any of the large corporate sponsored events I have attended.
The difference with a festival like ATP and MOR is the people involved actually give a shit both about the music and the punters, and are more concerned with creating something that is a worthwhile experience rather than simple pushing corporate branding or turning a quick buck.
Electric Picnic? sounds good on paper but it's a blue print which John Reynolds openly admits is based upon the Big Chill. That is a festival with a 10 year pedigree that started with 500 music lovers in a field. The reason it is now being held up as an exemplary model for an Irish "boutique" festival is because it is now fianancially viable. The Big Chill sold out it's 27,000 tickets this year 6weeks in advance in a venue that could easily have accomodated 45,000. The result, a well organised festival with no quees for drink, a vast range of quality organic food at affordable prices and an ample supply of clean toilets, and all this over the course of four days. Plus of course there was the music.
I personally don't mind a little bit of discomfort due to large numbers and some lax organisation but I take great exception to being shunted around in the mud and treated like a cunt by some moran in a fluorescent jacket, while great effort is made to extract as much money from my pocket as possible for shoddy services and barely edible food. €5 for a laminate line up ring any bells with anyone? This, in my experience anyway appears to be the norm with any of the large corporate sponsored events I have attended.
