also why is cee lo green at all of these rock festivals now?
They probably use hats with genres on them and just pull out a name and see who bites.
Come on let's not play dumb here, they pick who's "hot". Code word: Sponsors.
It's mainstream to midstream to a few local bands trying to make it to 2nd stage.
They've always had good line ups --- from an overall major music perspective; majors take 1st stage, up-n'comers midstream hitters on 2nd stage, etc. The "dj tent" that became part of it has been more appealing as I've outgrown the usual rock band formula (not that I completely disregard bands but you know, the typical E-G-A rock band shit that's been recycled for the past 40 years has gotten old).
My memorable moments were palooza 2 with Sonic Youth and Cypress being most memorable, though I caught the end of Jesus Lizard and wished I saw the whole thing.
Oh, and Moby was on 2nd stage; I'd heard of him at the time but that's it; he was triggering different midi sounds when he was hitting bongos and even though his singing and playing sucked on a Hendrix cover he had hunger and emotion in it that overrode it. Then I bought the tape and the production was 10 times worse than the live show:/
Palooza a few years ago with Daft and Pearl Jam were great. Iggy would've been better if it was smaller. It's not really the shows, it's the atmosphere. It's gotten too big and jumbled. You have to prioritize conflicting schedules. It's less music lovers and more tourists. If I had an extra few hundred to spend on a weekend with a chick who really wanted to go, I'd do it, otherwise I feel like I'd miss out more on one artist playing at their prospective smaller venue than that, like Trentemoeller at Mid last Thursday(!). But like I said, Pitchfork is more together, and I've missed on Coachellas and Sonars which seem more appealing.
This would be the year Little Dragon should take over 2nd stage (1st stage band but not enough monetarily in promoters eyes), but fortunately they aren't. Now that I think of it, I could really dig a big Little Dragon show at palooza because the Lincoln Hall shows they've done in the past 2 years have shown that they belong up there and the audience would know them and be into it. A hot day right after sunset with Dragon going into "Forever" would get the audience humid and that would be the perfect time to make babies.
If Metronomy (cuz of new album, only one I know) and Little Dragon were headlining I'd definitely consider it. I would've liked to have seen Bat for Lashes last year.
I've had way more memorable times seeing 1 or 2 bands I really enjoy play at their normal smaller venue, but if you're in a tailgate party kind of mood, fests are where it's at.
+1 on it not being an age thing. Most of the names are 2nd and 3rd stage bands. 3rd stage bands are regional, and 2nd stages are hit and miss between artists about to be mainstream or going back to 3rd stage.
Besides, the thing I like about being older
is being more interested than just the surface and losing interest in it (because there's usually not much depth to it!). Genuine and Intimate rules more in my book over a tailgate party, but there's a place for both.
