It’s been fun to read over recent weeks that flags at festivals in the UK have become a problem?! Yeah right…
Firstly Download Festival banned them - very rock n roll eh, those rock kids are so wild these days - and then Glastonbury had a poll to see if the festival going “party people” minded someone waving a flag. Thankfully Glasto goers, just about though, decided it was OK.
What is it with people these days? Why is this type of thing even happening? Why do we seem to want to sanitise live music?
Well you get the obvious one - “people pay good money to go to festivals and they can’t see the band if someone is right in front with a 20ft flag” - OK, well try moving somewhere else in the crowd you mug. And whilst we’re on the moan…let’s be honest…what exactly can you see anyway when you’re towards the back of the crowd at a major festival? It’s about the buzz, the vibe, the experience…take that away and you start to seriously dilute the thing. Flags help the atmosphere, add colour and are a perfectly acceptable ‘badge waving’ part of our identity as people when we get together in large groups…
The Festival, like our football grounds, is becoming too obsessed with sales and sponsorship and ‘customers’ as opposed to fans, the type of person attending festivals has changed (just like it has in football grounds)…they must have if you feel you need to moan about a fucking flag at a Festival!
Is it any wonder that we are starting to see the rise of (admittedly small) DIY parties, gigs and events - people want a bit of an edge, a bit of excitement and there is nothing wrong with that… particularly in the live music environment. Now we’re not saying that flags are the ‘be all and end all’ but it’s the start of more erosion of perfectly enjoyable live music events…you see, what next?
No smoking festivals, reductions in PA volume because it’s too loud, non-alcohol beer, seating only, on stage adverts between the bands…..you get the idea.
Come on people don’t let the powers that be start to spoil your fun at a festival. And if they do then don’t go, don’t give them your money…. and make your own party.
GYEO