Festival shows seem to always lead to problems...

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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Don't you think it depends a lot on the acts/genres that get booked? For instance, I don't think there were problems at Lilith fair and I don't remember the problems at lollapalooza being major either. Even Ozzfest is pretty is pretty tame.

Gettin drunk outside listening to music can be fun if the crowd isn't totally retarded.

Oh, I just finished reading that article from that link. That's fucked up.

I also read the article about the 'Oi, Fest' on the east coast. There is most certainly going to be violence at that show. Fuck that shit, I'd avoid that whole area!

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Originally Posted by Toe Cutter

Don't you think it depends a lot on the acts/genres that get booked? For instance, I don't think there were problems at Lilith fair and I don't remember the problems at lollapalooza being major either. Even Ozzfest is pretty is pretty tame.

Gettin drunk outside listening to music can be fun if the crowd isn't totally retarded.

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I don't recall hearing anything about Lilith Fair, but there were reportedly both beatings and ***** at Ozzfest bumfuck locale, which might seem paltry compared to this, but still sucks.

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Originally Posted by AmeliaG

but there were reportedly both beatings and ***** at Ozzfest bumfuck locale, which might seem paltry compared to this, but still sucks.

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That suck's I hadn't heard anything about that. Maybe it's a California thing?

Crowds are pretty rough in Kansas City too.

amen brotha i like to pay for a seat

haha, I saw GBH. it was full of 13 year olds with mohawks, and when I tried to stage dive no one was gonna catch me so I just jump kicked the people underneath me. Fuck shows. people are idiots, they have the mental capacity of sheep, they shouldn't be allowed to assemble in large groups because it acts like a contuctor for thier stupidty and like magnfies it and spreads it to others.

PS. the people in san bernaghetto are douche bags, I'm sure they deserve whatever they get. that's one of the worst palces I've ever been, the cost of living is 4 times as high as the hood here, and the place looks 8 times as shitty. the people just don't give a fuck about anything, and it's not that they don't have the opportunity to overcome the situation, they just seem to like being ignorant assholes.

My cousin (by marriage) played that show. Could have set you guys up if I'd known. I'll try to get the lowdown. The Adicts tour fucking sucked.

OEC

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Originally Posted by Morning Glory

PS. the people in san bernaghetto are douche bags, I'm sure they deserve whatever they get. that's one of the worst palces I've ever been, the cost of living is 4 times as high as the hood here, and the place looks 8 times as shitty. the people just don't give a fuck about anything, and it's not that they don't have the opportunity to overcome the situation, they just seem to like being ignorant assholes.

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That's an understatement haha.

OEC

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Originally Posted by AmeliaG

I don't recall hearing anything about Lilith Fair, but there were reportedly both beatings and ***** at Ozzfest bumfuck locale, which might seem paltry compared to this, but still sucks.

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What Bay Area bands do u like? It's pretty easy to get something going there.

OEC

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Originally Posted by Morning Glory

PS. the people in san bernaghetto are douche bags, I'm sure they deserve whatever they get. that's one of the worst palces I've ever been, the cost of living is 4 times as high as the hood here, and the place looks 8 times as shitty. the people just don't give a fuck about anything, and it's not that they don't have the opportunity to overcome the situation, they just seem to like being ignorant assholes.

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Well, think about it. I mean, Las Vegas is right there and Los Angeles is right there and it isn't the cheapest place in the world, yet people choose to live in San Bernardino. Culturally, you are totally right, it is kind of a wasteland and it does not make sense to throw rock shows there and act like everything will be fine. A cop shot a military officer on leave from Iraq there recently too and the video shot of it shows that the guy was on his knees complying with everything the police officer instructred.

yeah, that was a bit off said. I just can't really take sides on this issue. I feel sorry for all the people involved that they think violence is the answer to anything.

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it's always crazy hot and people get dehydrated when even water costs so much.

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ive seen this everywhere... people fainting and shit from heatstroke and dehydration... fuckin water should be free.
nobody wants to pay 3 bucks for a small ass bottle of warm water :S id rather drink out of a puddle.
ive never heard of any major problems with ANY concerts in canada though, save for a few massive fights seen at warped tour involving retardedly angry over muscled punk rock type jerks... dont get me wrong... every other type of punk i love... but... the ones that are ignorant to everyone and everything except themeslves... no.
oh yeah and there was that one riot in... montreal? i could be wrong... when guns n roses decided to cancel their show LAST SECOND... people were pissed.

Here's an actual report from a band member who played the show

"yeah well it was a huge show, 4000 then a huge fight with just 6 white power dude's after they got beat and stabed the crowd was so worked up,and a little stupid (fuck) started throwing shit at some cops of course they called for backup: teargas flashbang's rubber bullets....beanbag bullets riot.... but we got to play and that was great. "


As usual, the appleheads started shit.
Slight editing by OEC

Didn't quite edit it all. The above is what actually happened, however.

OEC

I am so pissed. I took off work and saved up to be able to roadtrip to that show and then this happened. All I ended up with is a headache and swollen eyes and missed work and I didn't even get to see the bands I was most into seeing. What's an applehead?

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Originally Posted by deathrockjill

I am so pissed. I took off work and saved up to be able to roadtrip to that show and then this happened. All I ended up with is a headache and swollen eyes and missed work and I didn't even get to see the bands I was most into seeing. What's an applehead?

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Applehead = WP skin (Bay Area slang 90s vintage :1orglaugh ) Their heads are bald and shiny like apples. It doesn't apply to all skins or people who shave their heads, however.

OEC

on a semi unrelated note, I just got back from a show at the local anarchist collective to celebrate my freinds birthday. It was really nice to see a bunch of people getting together to just have fun and listen to music, without all the pretenious bulllshit. If these so-called punks, skinheads, goths, whatever, alternative group you are in is really so revolutionary, then why do they act just like highschool cliques?

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Originally Posted by Morning Glory

on a semi unrelated note, I just got back from a show at the local anarchist collective to celebrate my freinds birthday. It was really nice to see a bunch of people getting together to just have fun and listen to music, without all the pretenious bulllshit. If these so-called punks, skinheads, goths, whatever, alternative group you are in is really so revolutionary, then why do they act just like highschool cliques?

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Human nature isn't negated by a mohawk:1orglaugh :thumb:

OEC

i read somewhere that crowds are only as smart as the stupidest participant

yeah that sounds about right.