Music Festivals: The Indescribable Connection

Warm weather is synonymous for the months of June, July, and August in most of the

United States. The season of summer is a time for vacations, barbeques, and quality time for

friends and family, in varying social settings. Extremely popular among young adults is

attending summer concerts or music festivals. Popularity of music festivals started in the 1960s

and has been soaring ever since then. The biggest names in the current festival business include

Coachella, Electric Daisy Carnival, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza. So what is it about music

festivals that attracts so many people from every age group? Music festivals have strong roots in

American history, provide a welcoming atmosphere, and give listeners a chance to discover

many new opportunities and experiences.

In 1969, one of the biggest music festivals in American history took place in Bethel, New

York by the name of Woodstock Music and Art Fair. Over 500,000 people were in attendance

and artists such as Janice Joplin, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, and many more renounced musicians

played at this three day long festival in mid-August. The venue only had planned for 200,000

people to be in attendance and once they didn’t have adequate fencing, it became a free concert.

Since the original Woodstock, there have been five revival tours in America.

While Woodstock is the most talked about historical music festival in America, it was not

the first. In 1954, the Newport Jazz Festival was the first of its kind, where Louis Armstrong

performed and many other big jazz artists. In 1967, the Monterey International Pop Festival

became the first major rock festival in California. Lollapalooza (1991), Coachella (1999), and

Bonnaroo (2002) were festivals that focused, and still do emphasize, alternative music. This type

of music is targeted towards young adults mostly, which make up a majority of the crowd. Since

these three, and countless other American festivals, are so widely known and a part of American

history, the early roots of music festivals must be credited to the new wave of popularity in

music festivals.

For those that have attended music festivals, they know it is not the most desirable living

conditions, even if only for a few days. So what is the point of spending hundreds of dollars on

this event that has inadequate facilities, not many means of sanitation, rarely indoor housing

situations, and hardly any privacy? With five to ten stages blasting music from some of the most

popular artists in the country, thousands of friends to be made, and a three day vacation away

from life with the closest friends, music festivals create an atmosphere unlike any other.

Becoming an adult is a hard process for most college-aged kids and a break from reality is

almost mandatory. Attending music festivals help youth connect to those people around them,

gaining a sense of the world around them from a wider perspective than could be gained from

staying at home and not taken advantage of a break from responsibilities.

In addition to an indescribable environment, music festivals provide new opportunities

and networking options to it’s’ attendees. Whether it is the group of people camping in the tent

next to you, the people standing behind you in line for food, or the couple standing in front of

you at a show, there are countless opportunities to make connections and friends at festivals. A

person has to legitimately make an effort to not meet someone new at a music festival. Being

surrounded by people who are all in attendance for the same reason bring a unique bonding

experience between the festival-goers, one as Electronic Dance Music (EDM) users describe as

PLUR: Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect.

Each person attending the music festival is there for one major reason: the music. Being

part of a crowd that are all simultaneously are being affected by the music being played is an

indescribable feeling. The personal connections that grow between attendees of music festivals

goes much further beyond the weekend event: it becomes a conversation builder after people go

home. The wristbands, which many people keep wearing long after the festival ends, become

conversation pieces. It is a way for people to connect and share their experiences after the

weekend is done and over with so that they can keep those amazing memories alive and share

them with those around them. The people that regularly attend music festivals are (usually) very

friendly and open to new experiences and creating new connections, making those bonds and

memories powerful and unforgettable.

While music festivals have inadequate living situations, near-dangerous heated

temperatures, and minimal occasions for electric access, the historical roots, welcoming

atmosphere, and opportunities to grow bonds and friendships is an exclusive experience that

cannot be found in any other setting. The excitement and build of the time period preceding the

weekend event immensely adds to the amazing experience. Preparing, gathering supplies,

arranging meetings with your “group”, and making an itinerary for which shows to attend are a

huge part of the full experience. These small moments help build up the event and make every

moment of the long weekend worth the wait. By preparing properly and understanding the

environment that will be surrounding you for the festival, there should be no reason to have a bad

time at a music festival.

References

“A History of Music Festivals.” Popsugar. The Good Men Project. 13 April 2013. Web.

25 April 2015.

Gennaoui, Natalie. “Why Do People Attend Music Festivals?” Neon Tommy. Annenberg

Media Center. 2 Jan. 2015. Web. 25 April 2015.

Inscoe, Andrea. “Why We Love Music Festivals.” Bass Feeds the Soul. Square Space.

Web. 25 April 2015.

Shoup, Brad. “Deconstructing: Coachella and the Music Festival Industry.” Stereogum.

SpinMedia, 28 Jan. 2013. Web. 25 April 2015.

“10 Reasons You Should Experience a Music Festival.” The Jetstream. Hubpages, 9 Oct.

2013. Web. 25 April 2015.