I agree, and applaud TBF for not caving in to the trend. Perhaps I’m overly critical on other topics, but would like to give credit where credit is due.
Perhaps all festivals which don’t create a class system could embrace an “open source network” or affiliation of events which do not divide us. As the VIP trend continues to figuratively “cause the person who’s reclining in front of you to jam into your knees”, maybe those events without such a class system could leverage it to an advantage. A “VIP Free Zone” emblem would catch my eye if I were considering a festival or event.
After having attending the SCI run @ the Las Vegas Brooklyn Bowl this past Feb, and feeling what it’s like to be packed into a sweaty sardine can in the worst possible way … only to see those who sprang for the VIP bowling lane or box to be twirling free with tons of space, I’ve made a mental note never to attend an event at that venue which has the possibility of selling out.
:wave I think I am creative enough to figure something out and as far as a division of class, that is silly. I think that people are willing from all divisions of life to pay the most for what matters most to them. Be it a Fly Rod, a Mandolin or a seat at a musical event. :medal :medal
I know a few that eat peanut butter and jelly so they can climb a faraway mountain. We all have a budget and we all have to manage. Choice is a good thing and American :cheers
Many of us are already eating peanut butter and jelly just to get to the festival in the first place. As Skubes and Billy pointed out, having a VIP ticket available will only serve to price many of the festival attendees out.
just a thought…having a town park ticket is like having a vip pass. except instead of paying more for a ticket, it takes either dedication in securing your ticket or luck of the lottery. i personally like this system… :flower
I already have it figured out and I thank you all for your suggestions and I would never intentionally try to rearrange the system. I was just being creative and looking for alternatives as I age. I think the big draws are the old dudes and the fans are the same and sooner rather then later this age thing will be an attendance tipper.
Actually there are quite a few ways to get into the Poser Pit. Here are just a few:
Win the PowerBall lottery, start a guitar company and advertise it with several full-page program ads.
Marry (or gay-marry) Dustin, although the current Mrs. Dustin might have something to say about that.
Rent a vendor tent and have some Mexican druglord diggers build you a tunnel from your vendor tent to the Pit. But beware that they go the correct way - you’d not be happy to poke your head out into the basement of a PortaPotty.
Ask Captain James T. Kirk to beam you there.
Show up to the back gate as “Craig Ferguson’s long lost, and previously unknown, twin”. Tell Security that, while they get the DNA tests running, you’ll be waiting in the Pit.
Become the Festival’s sole supplier of fencing, then at the last minute tell them that you forgot to bring the one that holds us normal folk back.
Tell Security that you’re Sam Bush’s new tuba player and that it should be arriving any minute by FedEx.
Become a professional celebrity marshmallow collector and explain to Craig that your life’s work just won’t be complete without one that has the sweet sweat of each of the members of Yonder Mountain.
And that’s just a few of the ways to get in. I’m sure other Festivarians would have other ideas and would be willing to part with them in exchange for a beer or two!
I certainly didn’t mean to imply that you were seeking to “divide us” landshark. Having had cervical spine surgery this past Tuesday, I see where you’re coming from … attending festivals becomes a bit more challenging as we progress in years & our bodies don’t quite cooperate quite as much. It would be nice to somehow get a prime spot without having to constantly physically jockey for space, but have kinda just resigned myself to make due & things will pan out … sometimes well, sometimes not so much.
Perhaps I get a bit stuck on a concert experience being a communal event … whereas affording “preferred access” based upon ticket pricing is a slippery slope which chips away at the communal bonds in favor of financial considerations. There are currently large promotional companies which focus exclusively upon the “upsell market” & I believe once the door is opened in Telluride, it would invariably keep moving in such a direction … even with all the best of intentions. I just think there’s a certain entropy which once set in motion will continue … and aside from the immediate effect of ticket prices, we wouldn’t realize until it’s too late (kind of like a frog boiling in water).
Wow that sounds pretty serious. I hope your are making a speedy recovery friend. I always find our different views so interesting. They are the same and yet not so much. Well I think as the crowd shifts so will the fest. PBG has always been #1 when it comes to accomidating and listening to the needs of the festivarians. I have total faith that they will recognize the needs and be proactive in some way. I adore what they do and wish I was Ferg for a day just to really understand all the different aspects and efforts it takes to get this fest off the ground.
I wish you well my friend and yes the times are changing but the spirit remains the same. Love and light, acceptance and grace, kinship and contributions and best off all the best music on the entire planet set to the wind, the heat and the rain. :medal
Are you implying that the overall demos of the festival are getting older, more affluent, and therefore Planet Bluegrass will cater to this changing demo and offer higher end packages, etc?
I’m going the other direction, particularly with how social media has changed things, and say that, if anything, the fest has gone younger in the last 5 years.
Hi Billy. yes I am implying that some of us even still at the age of 50 and 60 and beyond plan on attendance, after all tradition runs deep… so it is in fact something to consider. Not wanting a restructure just an option. Most older folks are on a budget, no work will do that and so here again a class separation as some may interpret is more telling of your views then rank on seating. When I was younger and stood all 4 nights front and center I could care less who was seated in front of me in the poser pit. So just planning and looking ahead. Make no fuss its just lil ol me trying to shake things out,cowboy. :flower
Thank you BillyB! I understood and now we know the stats on dat however I see this as a trend, a change, a game changer if you can retain as long as possible. I am aware that fresh new young blood is needed to make fest thrive and love the mix and family feel all around me at this fest so all inclusive is a stream of infinity…
This has been a great discussion, thank you so much for initiating it. I think the issue might be the idea of “VIP pass” as opposed to something like a “comfort pass”. I loved the egalitarianism of TBGF ( in fact, I keep mooning over how much I miss it as I make my way to work in the cold dark weather here).
As people get older our needs change but hopefully not our passion. I used to attend a great little festival here that had a special stand for ageing and infirm rockers. There was a stand to the side but with a good line of sight of the stage. It had seats, shade, a bathroom and a ramp. Veterans of the festival were invited to sit there and could invite one guest to join them at a time. It was a nice place to hang out before re- entering the main stage area and the sound was excellent.
Not the answer for everyone I know but it was a very inclusive way of ensuring everyone got to stay connected to the sound even if the body was shaky
If I may be so bold, I believe landshark just meant that PB does a great job of “feeling” what their audience is and adjusting the festival appropriately, regardless of the vip issue.
With that said, it seems like the main issue is mobility for us aging folks (all of us). The poser pit is the furthest point from the entrance and is unprotected. Possibly a Kelty area in the back with a small video screen of the stage? Reserved for the mobility impaired, that is. Shorter walk, closer to first aid, food and water, and shade. Just a thought. Having been recently temporarily mobility impaired, I have a new appreciation for how difficult just getting around can be for some people.
I have been looking at campers. Holy cow this could be my seat up frontish, toilet, shower and Town Park , condo all in one. Me thinks we should except the things we can do and maneuver around the things we can not do. :lol
So what is camper situation besides size, is there anything important I should consider?
I am healthy and willin and I still cut the grooves for some mean dance moves. Im in for infinity. :cheers