Why we are corporate whores to music industry pimps

Music festivals

Summer hosts a mutlitude of them and I know everyone goes, and most people try and relay enthusiastic reviews to all and sundry, trying to drive them to envy you and admire how cool and rock you are..


But isn't there just like this small, tiny part of you that is just over being one of the great mass of swarming, sweaty human beings; all of whose excretions leave a particularly foul that permeates all around you in the skanky portaloo (a la Kenny... for 12 twelve hours)..




I'm not just poor and bitter (well, actually I am), or smug seeing as I've been going to the festivals I'm whingeing about (well, one, as in Days Like This....Peats Ridge is completely excluded from this rant..)



I say this in reference to all the latest on the exorbitantly priced promoter's bonanzas such as St. Jerome's Laneway Festival, Big Day Out, Days Like This and the poorly facilitated Sydney Festival..


This year saw a venue change for Laneway from Circular Quay laneways and The Basement to Rozelle's Sydney College of the Arts.


I went last year, admittedly, but I avowed afterwards never to return, dubbing it LAMEWAY FESTIVAL cos we barely got to see any bands except for shit ones or crap clubber music that isn't really like seeing a band at all...


Except for standing 30 metres away down Reiby Place to catch a glimpse of stereolab, we only could gain access to the basementearly in the afternoon, by 4pm we'd spent three hours standing in futile lines, all en masse like lambs to the slaughter..




The only chance we were going to get of seeing any music within decent proximity, if indeed at all, was over at the DJ Academy. 


The crowd was made up of a feisty purple haired twinkle toes, silently challenging other fellow flamboyant performers with a sharp piercing glare from his blue-lidded eyes...
 

The pill poppers were less oppressive, other option being a delightful act called Toy Death, of which I will not publicly comment on...


 In desperation, i confess that i jumped the barricade to see Holly Throsby, accompanied by her girl, Bree (below on accordian) I am ashamed of my actions...

And, Ok, I saw Still Flyin' and Architecture in Helsinki (legitimately)...but at $100 a ticket and a shitload of money on their crap imported beer..NOT WORTH IT = feeling used by The Man...



Big Day Out always seems to be a covert operation in global warming, always intent to force punters to sway and swelter, in hope of a water boy, lulling you into an unexplainable spending trance..



And Days Like This, (the only highlight, Cat Power: pictured below) was just like a police crackdown on crack whores (and others)..It too, was insanely hot at the revolting Moore Park Entertainment Complex: a whole little gated community in the middle of nowhere..(but in the centre of everything as well)

And, now it seems our wallets will also suffer further from touring bands...You know Massive Attack, hey? Awesome, awesome stuff...and hey, they're coming to Australia to do a gig! But hey you know what, the tix are priced @160**** and it's at the poxy opera house..bugger that!


And hence, we play unassuming whores to one of the Michael's (Gudinski, Chugg, Coppel) or the likes of tour promotion; management; and our music-loving souls, like our hydration levels ultimately are depleted...


**I wish to again assert my love for Peats Ridge Festival**


***ticket price to massive attack includes newest album, Heligoland, which is why they're bothering to haul arse down to the opera house..