Folk festivals.
Dancing
What is the deal with the "no dancing" at some festivals? Edmonton, you hear me? Late night should be for fun, but each time I've been there, it's all mellow and everyone just sits there holding candles like they've taken some valium or stoned. I feel like I'm in a retirement home. It's not Victoria, people. It's EDMONTON. You people are not that old. Why the overly chill vibe? It's LIVE MUSIC! Get up and dance! Oh, you didn't map out enough space for dancing because you needed to sell three zillion tickets? You know some places actually rope off a dancing area? Kudos to NCF. And Abayance Bay.
Liquor access
I like how festivals are figuring out that they can serve liquor without the old puritanical "liquor is evil-don't-let-people-see-you-drinking" attitude of prohibition times. I'm not a fan of the beer tent where people are there just to get drunk and yell at each other over the music. I'm also not a fan of the falling down drunk partiers yelling, "It's the FAIR, man!" Ugh, try going there with your teacher-husband. "MR. RAMSEY! Come have a drink with me!" Just. NO.
Vibes
Maybe it's just me, but I expect "chill with a touch of fun" at worst or "non-stop fun with moments of chill" (you know who you are, NCF!) at best, and generally festivals deliver. Moab, though? Your smug cloud is a bit off-putting.
Volunteers
I know these festivals run on volunteer time and most volunteers are wonderful. But some of them act like this is their one chance in life to tell other people what to do. Seriously, you're not an airport security guard. No need to treat people like they are grade eights in an out of control classroom.
Why are they called "folk" festivals?
Ok, let's be clear. These aren't folk festivals even when they're called folk festivals. They are music festivals. If they were folk festivals, they would be more political. Traditionally, folk music is the music of the common person, played on traditional acoustic instruments, revolving around themes of concern to the average person-injustice, oppression, war and so on. But at the average festival, you can hear anything from folk to blues to jazz to electronica to performance art with a good amount of world music thrown in. I find it odd that at some festivals, the audience meets anything political with a sudden chill. Moab was dreary enough to start with, then the headliner of the evening said something remotely un-republican and the temperature in the room dropped about 20 degrees. The audience shut down. Folk music has its roots in protest. Folk musicians tend to believe in freedom and justice and hate inequality and environmental degradation. But some audiences are not there for it. Take Calgary for example. DO NOT MENTION THE ENVIRONMENT at Calgary Folk Fest. Like, not even in passing. That will harsh the vibe of the hardworking oil and gas people.
Over the years, I am sure these local, volunteer run, community based events have become money makers. And if your goal is to make money, you can't afford to "offend" anybody. And yeah, I find that offensive.
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| Rich Aucoin in Calgary. So fun. But not "folk". |
What's with the tarps? SERIOUSLY.
I like how Canmore does it. After a certain time, the tarps closest to the stage have to be removed so people can DANCE.
The "I'm-not-here-for-the music" people
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| I'm "supposed to be at the front" the guy says. Then spends 10 minutes on his phone. Then leaves. |
Oy. We've all heard these super annoying people who think they're at a house party or a crappy bar and all they want to do is yammer. Loudly, of course, because guess what? THERE IS MUSIC BEING PERFORMED. And then if you give them a "look" or worse, make a "comment", somehow YOU are the problem? "Like, dude, seriously, chill! I am just to hear to impress this hot chick with my non-stop banter and you are cramping my style." Or the White Claw chicks in Montana, yapping so loud my husband says, "Why are they even HERE?' Or "Man, CHILL, it's the FAIR!! That's not FAIR behaviour!" Well honey, I've been going to the "FAIR" for 35 years. I think I know what "FAIR' behaviour looks like. LISTEN TO THE GODDAMN MUSIC OR GET OUT.
Workshop stages
Most of my experience is at the North Country Fair. Here, artists are given a theme and there is a wild mix of musicians of different genres all jamming together. One takes the lead but the rest join in. It's probably my favourite thing. You'll get some African drummers and a Latino band and a blues guitarist and they come up with some wild stuff. No egos on the line, no one trying to hog the limelight. Just great (sometimes not great) music. But then at some festivals, a workshop stage is a bunch of performers sitting in a circle, taking turns doing their own songs that you already heard when they performed. Is that an American thing? SO BORING.
At one notable performance in Calgary, a performer went off on a super self indulgent, self involved whine about his broken heart, next dude mocked the whole idea of having your heart broken with a funny song, and the first dude walked off and that was the end of that whole workshop.
Pretty funny.
The "I-don't-care-if-you-can't-see-the-stage" people
I think the pictures speak for themselves.
