I wish they would just stop...
I hate festival shows in the middle of bumfuck. I understand the financial reasons they happen, but there are very strong cultural reasons why they shouldn't.
Sure, venues are cheaper out there, land is cheap, but locals don't understand counter-culture, rock, punk, whatever, and there is ALWAYS a price to pay. Crowds don't get nearly as out of hand in the city and the city can handle that sort of problem if it does start to go bad. Security can't handle large venues if a problem of any magnitude erupts, particularly if they are alienated from the culture of the attendees. They panic and start assaulting people while frequently totally missing the folks responsible anyway. The crowds get unruly because the large number of people gives trouble makers the correct sense that they have a very good chance of getting away with whatever and blending back in before security gets to them. Plus, it's always crazy hot and people get dehydrated when even water costs so much.
I would have really loved to see G.B.H. and Vice Squad and such, but there was no doubt in my mind that it was going to turn ugly in San Bernadino. It's totally predictable. Now, obviously firing teargas and pepper balls into a venue crowded with 15 year olds should be a criminally negligent act on it's own, particularly given that the fight was outside anyway. Not to mention holding childrens concerned parents away from them with rifles, but the problem to me is really rooted in location. Horrible things pretty much always happen at festival shows in the middle of nowhere and I wish they would stop having them. Book a train of 4 or 5 bands a night for a week through a good downtown venue, have a week long pass available for sale. Something...
The greed is getting people hurt. It's hurting our culture. And I simply refuse to support these things.
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