How Your Favorite Festivals Keep Up With the Times
5 Innovative concepts that can stand the test of time
By Marcus K. Dowling for Festival Advisor
The premium price for festival attendance is not in the dollar amount spent, but rather in the expectation of experience delivery. In North America, the culture has exploded, as have expectations. However, not every innovation feels as though it has the ability or interest to sustain itself. Here are five recent concepts that are making festivals bigger and better in a manner that can stand the test of time.
1. Gesaffelstein Fades Into Vantablack at Coachella
Gesaffelstein is regarded as the “dark prince of techno,” creating foreboding sonic scapes for his intense tracks. Thus, draping his Coachella performance staging in Vantablack, a fragile material that erases visible features on a 3D surface, thus disorienting the brain, made sense. As well, it’s the type of concept that from a brand and conceptual level showcases both artist and excitement in a way that significantly aids a festival’s drawing potential.
2. Embrace The Silent Disco Revolution
Silent Disco Vibe is one of many companies that have become standouts at deploying “silent disco” events at major festivals. Most festivals’ noise decibel level is 30–50% greater than what the United Nations’ World Health Organization notes are generally comfortable listening levels for outdoor events. Thus, when Silent Disco Vibe notes that “when the quiet clubbing / social experiment concludes, there is still a great sense of euphoria and overall peace amongst the crowd,” and that “no words are necessary to express the overwhelming inclusiveness or joy one feels after returning that set of headphones back in,” it’s important to note the underlying importance of the era of good feeling promoted in spaces that could have painful physical effects.
3. The Chainsmokers Bring Instruments On Stage
It wasn’t long ago when deadmau5 noted regarding the lack of instruments oftentimes seen onstage during live DJ sets that “[m]y “skills” and other producers’ skills shine where they need to shine: in the goddamned studio, and on the fucking releases.” However, in the past decade, electronic tracks ruling the roost on the pop charts and DJs performing on stages that rock bands once solely roamed has caused a change in course. In an interview with ABC News, it was noted that “The Chainsmokers are bringing a lot more live instrumentation to their performances. Perhaps this is a way to show the world that there’s more going on behind the scenes.” Drew Taggart, half of the tandem noted, “We play all the instruments on our own records just like any band would. Once the sounds are created, they digitally manipulate them.” As Alex Pall — the Chainsmokers’ other half — noted to Interview, “We perform our songs live, which we’re really proud of because it transcends the typical DJ now.”
4. “This is not an EDM festival…just a dark room with a disco ball.”
For the past nine years, Washington, DC’s U Street Music Hall has been a venue governed by the idea, “no bottle service, no dress code, no bullshit. Just fun.” Thus, U Hall owner Will Eastman putting together a four-day festival lineup for U Hall and the iconic 9:30 Club for his end of summer Blisspop Disco Fest in 2019 that featured Giorgio Moroder, Ultra Nate, Claptone, Holy Ghost!, Juan Maclean, and Nancy Whang spinning five decades of dance hits under nothing more or less than a shimmering disco ball makes sense. Also the idea that, U Street Music Hall is open, as Eastman told DC’s Metro Weekly, “until 6 a.m. on both nights, per a special permit that Eastman and company procured in part as a nostalgic tribute,” the desire to successfully execute a “back to basics” festival provides a blueprint for others who may want to host a similar event.
5. Ten Years In, Festivals “Evolve”
From its 2009 inception, New York City’s Electric Zoo Festival — because of its location in the media epicenter of New York City — has had to perpetually stay on the cusp of conceptual innovation. From “urban jungle” to “Wild Island,” “The 6th Boro,” and now 2019’s Electric Zoo: Evolved, consistently maintaining a mind for whimsy and a goal of growth have been essential. Dance and festival culture are now parts of America’s mainstream. Over delivering with wild thematic concepts aimed at exceeding fans’ expectations is important. Making bold, direct proclamations about, then backing up, a festival’s goals cements that.
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