The calendar might say March, but before we know it summer music festival season will be underway. Never fear though, Toronto Standard is here with some suggestions to help navigate the perils associated with these festivals, including (but not limited to): Porta-Potties, lengthy free beer lines, and sunstroke.
Get out of town.
Dreading another summer stuck in sweaty, Rob Ford-run Toronto? Take a trip to another part of Canada or book a flight to Europe or the United States. Besides the advantage of seeing acts that might not otherwise come to Toronto, you get the chance to explore another city or country. Montreal’s Osheaga Festival, which is held the first weekend of August at the beautiful Parc Jean-Drapeau, is a convenient bus or train ride away. If you’re a student, you can stay in one of McGill University’s residence rooms, which will leave you more money for bagels, convenience store liquor, poutine and Schwartz’s smoked meat sandwiches. On my summer music festival wish list this year? New York City’s Governors’ Ball, Pitchfork Festival in Chicago, and SappyFest in scenic Sackville, New Brunswick. If you’re stuck in Ontario this summer and can’t afford a plane ticket, there are a number of festivals that you can attend for under $50 (EXCLAIM! usually publishes a pretty comprehensive guide). For more recommendations, check out Cultivora and music website Consequence of Sound’s festival page.
Buy those festival passes early.
This year’s Coachella Music Festival in Indio, California―headlined by The Black Keys, Radiohead, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, and expanded to two separate weekends―sold out in three hours. As a result, my friend and I were forced to buy our passes from a Craigslist seller for significantly higher prices. I’m not saying this to get pity; rather, let this story serve as a cautionary tale to not sit around waiting when it comes to buying your festival tickets. It goes without saying that more-known acts on a bill, the quicker a festival will sell out. The big North American summer music festivals (Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Sasquatch!) will sell out. Plan accordingly or risk being forced to sit at home lamenting what might have been.
Go with friends.
Another no-brainer. Sure, you could go alone, but to quote Stardust, “Music sounds better with you.” Besides, when you meet (insert name of your favourite band here), who are you going to get to take the picture? This is of course assuming you have friends. If you don’t, please accept my apologies and move onto the next tip.
Check out something you ordinarily wouldn’t.
I can’t stress this one enough. You might be a fixie-riding, flannel-wearing, PBR-drinking indie rock enthusiast (please substitute these clichéd stereotypes accordingly), but take the opportunity to check out a band you’ve never heard or a genre that you might not listen to regularly, and you might be surprised what you find. For example, last year I volunteered at the Toronto Jazz Festival, and ended up catching some amazing jazz, samba and soul performances. Not what I typically listen to, but it definitely expanded my musical horizons.
Have a backup plan for your backup plan.
Music festivals are especially susceptible to last minute cancellations, artist meltdowns, set time changes and delays. That’s why it never hurts to have a backup plan. However, don’t go too crazy―sometimes not having a plan or relying on the recommendations of others leads to unexpected discoveries.
Search out the free shows, in-stores, parties, and acoustic performances.
Two of the best shows I attended at last year’s North By Northeast Music Festival―a rooftop party in Chinatown and a punk rock cruise around the Toronto Islands―were absolutely free. If you can’t afford a wristband, check out the free NXNE shows at Yonge-Dundas Square―last year’s lineup featured Cults, DEVO, Fucked Up, Pharcyde and Stars. Another alternative to hanging out smoky, claustrophobia-inducing bars, is the “Live in Bellwoods” series, which has local and visiting bands playing stripped-down sets at Trinity-Bellwoods Park (just watch out for errant Frisbees). Independent record stores, including Kops Records, Soundscapes, and Sonic Boom usually have afternoon in-store performances, that will only cost you a food bank donation to attend.
Social media is your friend.
How did people navigate music festivals before Facebook and Twitter? No seriously, I’m asking, because I don’t have the slightest clue. Besides turning everyone into amateur comedians, making it easier for people to share what they’re having for lunch, and occasionally inspiring a revolution or two, Twitter has changed how people attend shows. Besides the usual social media suspects, many festivals have introduced their own apps, which are free to download and allow festival-goers to listen to the artists playing, build their own schedules, and check set times. By using Twitter, you can find out about the secret shows, when venues are at capacity, and most importantly, where the free food and booze is. Which brings me to the next tip…
Drink in moderation.
Just because many bars are open until 4 a.m. during NXNE, doesn’t mean you have to drink until four in the morning.
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Max Mertens wrote this guide to distract himself from reading other people’s SXSW tweets. Follow him on Twitter at @Max_Mertens.
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