The summer after I graduated college I moved to Atlanta to work for a festival promotions company- one who promoted shows through grassroots marketing as well as ran the volunteer programs at numerous music festivals around the country. These guys work festivals from ones such as Bonnaroo, to Rothbury (now Electric Forest), all the way down to City Stages (Birmingham, AL, now gone). As of today they are working over dozens of festivals all over the country each summer.
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| Up in the crows nest over STS9 |
I spent this summer driving and flying to Wakarusa Festival in Arkansas, All Good Festival in West Virginia, down to Birmingham, and up to New Jersey for the sloppy All Points West. In between travels I stayed at the office in Atlanta, exploring the city and working local shows. At the festivals we organized and transported volunteers all over to their designated sites. We would arrive days before the fest, set up camp, drink all night, and scramble every day as hundreds upon hundreds of people flooded our tents trying to sign in, sign out, or just sign up to get free shit
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| The Gorgeous All Good Festival |
The first festival I worked was Wakarusa-back then it was around 12,000 of the backhill hippies you only read about. At Wakarusa I worked with the production company who basically organized the festival and ran bands to and from catering, the stages, etc. My least hazy memory from that week was driving Les Claypool back from dinner; wasted, he says to me.."What does a mexican weather man say? Cold today..Hot Tamale!" Legit..I can't even make that up.
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| The Black Crowes at Wakarusa |
It's that kind of summer where you can never fully explain to people the experiences you had. At All Points West we magically had VIP access for the week and spent every night in the artist's lounge drinking and watching bands get hit on by numerous hotties. The Arctic Monkeys played football while the Black Keys stayed in the corners. This kind of shit is what I miss.
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| Building Art Installations pre All Points West |
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| Tool @ APW |
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| VIP ing things |
Cheers
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