I've alway been a bit of an Inspector Gadget type, and can usually be found w/a utlity pack brimming w/accessories, doodads, what if's and just in cases. There's just something appealing about knowing that if I was stranded on a desert island, my trusty backpack and hideway pockets contain everything I'd need to live high on the hog without having to knaw off my own toes to survive.
I tend to take the same approach when heading out to a multi day festival. Whether we're talking Reggae On the River, All Tomorow's Parties or Burning Man (good god, especially Burning Man), you always have to consider the elements when on musical pilgrimage.
Every fest is a little different. The sun could be burning a hole through your vintage t-shirt or the rain might be pounding harder on the roof of your tent than the music outside. But one thing rings true for the multi-day, bring-your-own-everything concert-goer: comfort baby, comfort. Read more »
The Ventura Music Festival began in 1992 as an annual event under the direction of Dr. Burns Taft. Fuctioning as both an event and a non-profit organization, it was originally called the Venture Chamber Music Festival until 2003 when a new director took the lead and started introducing more eclectic artists from a broader palate of listening tastes.
It'd be hard to disagree that this year's presidential election was full of some innovative, creative and down-right genius ideas at getting people to pay attention. From the bottom to the top, everyone was encouraged to participate through mini-rallies, phone trees, social-networking websites and instant-relay message boards.
One of the most powerful techniques for getting out candidate's messages and getting the ear of the public was the use of music, music videos and the artists as spokesperson, and the Obama camp definitely owned this tactic. Read more »
Alright, let's call it what it is-the economy's in the toilet and folks are kinda broke. For the festival lovin' faithful, this might mean that your 2009 concert calendar is looking a little slimmer than you might have hoped. But fear not music junkies, there are still ways you can round up enough money to make it to your favorite annual festival to rock yourself silly. Exhibit A: ticket layaway. Read more »
This Saturday the fifth annual Tribal Fusion Faire begins with two days of live music, dancing, workshops, a gift bazaar and an international cafe with cuisine from all around the world. This event is jam-packed with performance after performance with the scheduled setlist to include more than twenty different artists.
Perhaps the most anticipated performance will be by Ras Danny and the Reggae All Stars.
Putting an emphasis on tight fiscal policy in the face of worsening economic conditions, Riviera Beach has decided to cancel the Riviera Beach Music Festival.
After providing funding for the festival during its last eight years, city councillors have decided that it was not willing to commit $75,000 that it had initially allocated to the festival's advisory committee as part of the municipal budget. The festival was seen as a financial risk in light of a changing venue and rough weather that has led to a net loss from every edition since the festival began.
After eight years, city taxpayers have lost almost $1.5 million to the production of the festival, but things turned downhill to a a noticeable extent only within the last three. In 2006, the city gave more than $750,000 and the program was hit with delay and storms, causing headliner Patti LaBelle to finish her set early. The year after, fierce winds actually blew the stage down, with the city's issuance of refunds adding even more pain to city coffers. Read more »
210 homes were destroyed in the Montecito Tea Fire, the first blaze of the three Los Angeles wildfires that eventually enveloped all of the greater LA area in smoke, fire or a combination of both at their height on November 14th and 15th.
In response to the drastic property loss incurred (estimated at $280 million, according to the property insurance publication Insurance Journal), a series of benefit concerts are being organized,one of them already having taken place at downtown Santa Barbara club Stateside Restaurant & Lounge. At the end of the series of concerts, reggae, classical, blues and r&b talents will have done their part to help get eastern Santa Barbara and Montecito families back into their homes. Read more »
So way back in 1999, Cool Nutz and friends started an (almost) annual festival at the long-gone La Luna venue that invited tons of local talent to perform without regard for inter-genre divisions and politics. When La Luna closed, the fest bounced between other venues with varying degrees of success. It has been what, four years since the last one (POH-Hop 9) went down at the Ash Street Saloon?
Well, in the last four years the Portland hip-hop scene has grown in breadth, if not actual numbers, and matured quite a bit. Lifesavas and Cool Nutz himself are still Portland’s most visible flag-waving supporters, of course, but the multi-tentacled Sandpeople crew and a recently revitalized Oldominion are helping to put Stumptown back on the map. Suffice to say, POH-Hop 10—though so far it’s just a weekend on the calendar—could be a pretty big deal. Nutz thinks so, too, as stated in a press release sent out this weekend: