Question of the Day - April 18, 2009

TheHolodigm.com

MUSIC FESTIVALS

Jaimespinn asks:

Do you believe that today's music festival's will ever have the same impact as on today's society and generation(s) as music festivals such as Woodstock did in the late sixties?

Hartmann responds:

Music festivals in the future could have significant impact if they came to stand for something more than just a bunch of acts trying to make a buck and a lot of kids drinking beer and trying to hook up. Events like Monterrey Pop and Woodstock had huge sociological overtones that had to do with counter culture values rising against the Viet Nam war, racism and other forms of injustice that prevailed at the time. The next big music event will be a product of rebellion against the economic elite and their ongoing war against the middle class.

nicholec comments:

I completely agree with your opinion on today's music festivals. I felt sad and a little jealous, in a way, last night when we watched "Monterrey Pop." The people of today probably won't be able to experience a festival like that. Those artists were purists; they were there because they loved the music and they wanted to share it with those that loved and appreciated it as well.

Hartmann responds:

I share your sadness at the loss of this kind of event. There was something wonderful about the early pop music festivals before they became all about the money. The best Monterrey and Woodstock started out as commercial ventures but quickly turned into free concerts. It was all music, free for all present, all the time. However, we cannot deny that festivals like Coachella, Stagecoach and many others provide a lot of employment for bands and they are very popular with music fans. They may lack some of the historic and romantic value, but they are commercially successful events.