Darren Black -
All That I Hoped For And More
A YEAR OF FESTIVALS
What constitutes a perfect music festival? Does such a thing really exist? If so, is it out there
waiting to be found?
Is there a set of individual elements which, when brought together, would create the perfect festival?
Can an individual moment define a perfect festival and, if so, what could it be?
I travelled to thirteen music festivals during 2007, festivals which took place across three continents,
in nine countries, with the aim of establishing what the answers to these questions could be.
The individual festivals were chosen for specific reasons; the contrast of different cultures,
the comparison of the large festival with the small, the long established with
the newcomer, the alternative with the commercial. Different genres of music were
also considered in the mix.
They were:
- Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (USA)
- The Isle of Skye Music Festival (Scotland)
- The Isle of Wight Festival (England)
- Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts (England)
- Roskilde Festival (Denmark)
- Latitude Festival (England)
- Festival Internacional Benicàssim (Spain)
- Fuji Rock Festival (Japan)
- Haldern Pop (Germany)
- The Green Man Festival (Wales)
- End of the Road Festival (England)
- Reeperbahn Festival (Germany)
- Iceland Airwaves (Iceland)
Festival goers were asked why they go to festivals. Festival organisers were asked what drives them to hold festivals and performing artists were asked why they tolerate the technical and personal grievances that would be unheard of outside of the festival season.
And there's now a book. In essence a travelogue; how the idea was conceived is detailed, both the individual festivals and my personal experiences are chronicled, and what I learnt during my travels is reflected upon.
And of course the inevitable question is addressed; did I find the perfect festival or is there no such thing after all?