/FESTIVALS/

>>1179990
burning man isn't a rave you fucking idiot.
im really tired of people thinking that it is another corporate funded cattle herded big stage watch kanye and skrillex and blast loud noises kind of shit show.

burning man is what festivals should be (though it has changed quite a bit in recent years)

>>1180024
>burning man isn't a rave you fucking idiot.
Clam down. It is a festival that got away from the origin in a fast way. It's over. Now it's just destructive to the environment and stupid.

OP, there are festivals all over the world that are highly attended of all types, from funky Bonaroo to hipster and hippes at Sasquatch and Ultra Miami (where you should go early and do events at Winter Music Conference first) to the Electric Love Festival to the must-see Jazz and Heritage Fest in New Orleans to Iceland Airwaves in Reykjavik. Want a really bizarre amazingly large one? Try Wave Gotik Treffen one year in Leipzig Germany. The festival literally takes over a city with costumed people, and really amazing musicians. The people watching is crazy from steampunk to metal. It happens 7 weeks after Easter each year, and runs 24/7 for a solid 5 days in a dozen venues, and there's a "americans in leipzig" forum for you to adequately plan your time with others there for next year. There has been as many as 200-300 bands in previous years, most announed in the last week before the concert, though you can watch for the ones you like upfront. I don't think there's much like it, so once in a lifetime experience where the entire city is freaks.
Last year:
http://monkeypress.de/2015/12/live/ankuendigungen/wgt-2016-wave-gotik-treffen-bands-news-line-up-tickets-programm/#offizielleBands

And then of course, look at THESE bands in New Orleans last year. People play at it who don't ever tour elsewhere.
http://lineup.nojazzfest.com/

>>1180032
Nice post, I definitely want to bucket list these although I am getting way too old, I never partied enough in my youth. Maybe if I color my hair nobody will get too pissed. lol

>>1180040
None of the festivals I mentioned would be an issue for an older person. Most of the better bands in the world are for 40somethings, now that they have money, they can afford the expensive tickets, the travel, and make it worthwhile for the, say, Van Morrison's of the world.
I have to say, the older that I get? The more I'm grateful to see some of my older guitar heroes not being so popular anymore, so that I can see them in more intimate venues like back before they had any names. I like club shows, and especially like shows I am not standing up the entire time without a choice. All of my favorite experiences are being able to be 20 feet from the stage or less, if that's my choice. This is why I recommended WMC, where you can get yourself paid up like you're studying DJs and once you're on a couple VIP lists, next thing you know, you're standing having a vodka with DJ Tiesto at this little dive bar having a conversation before he goes and helps some DJ in some mashup. It happens! And, the next day you're on some yacht with some DJ who will be the next Deadmouse, give him 3 years.

Like to travel for these unusual experiences? Look at Film Festivals. Those little Director/Producer/actor panels are fun, as are sitting at a film premiere in the row in front of a couple of the stars and the director, and then getting them to stand up at a mic post-show and take curious questions about the process, having zero idea who each member in the crowd is...and then seeing films a couple years before Weinstein buys em up and releases them in the theatre. You could blog your way into paying for your trip too, if you have some writing skills.

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Im super interested in festivals that have that
>senpai
vibe to it. Im not talking about family festivals and shit. I mean those festivals that no one is giving anyone shit, where you bump into someone and they stop to look you in the eye and apologize. But the general store sells coke spoons.

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>>1179990

Big festie fan here. I did EDC in Las Vegas earlier this year, and it was unreal. I also did Above and Beyond Group Therapy #200 in Amsterdam in October. They have this once a year at a different location. I can’t wait to see where it is in 2017. I’ll go unless it’s someplace I’ve already been, as I’m all about hitting new countries whenever possible.

You’d love Electric Forest in Michigan. The way they decorate the woods has to be seen to be believed. Nothing but good vibes, too. There’s a small one here in Minnesota called Illumination Gathering, which is as psychedelic as it sounds. More or less an excuse to take mushies/Lucy/Etc. in the woods with like-minded people. Next year will only be the third one. I’ve been to both. Lastly, there’s Electric Zoo which, like EDC, has multiple locations every year. I’ve been once to the one held on Randall’s Island in NYC. As other people have said, there’s also Ultra, but that’s seems a little too “spring break” for me at this point in my life. Anyone can correct me if I’m wrong on that.

Still on my to do list:
Burning Man (Will probably never happen)
Bonaroo
SXSW
Cochella

EDC Las Vegas Lineup Pic: Orange was my "can't miss" acts. Blue is my "want to see" acts.

TLDR: I’d give a hard reco to Electric Forest in Michigan. It’s two weekends starting in 2017.

HUGE recomendation for bonnaroo. Ive gone twice and both times were amazing, unbelievable experiences. Also went to wayhome up in canada, same deal.

Amazing vibes. Its like everyone is your best friend. Strangers just stopping to learn who you are and share the experience and shake your hand. I remember the line of people (more like parade since it didnt stop) getting into the stage area looped back and forth like a zigzag and everyone cheering eachother on and giving an endless stream of high fives to the people on the other side of the barriers. Just insanely happy people, everyones just so into having a good time. Of course theres bad apples but at neither festival did i ever see anyone even raise their voices in anger to anyone else - instead random strangers just breaking out in singalongs and dancing and just straight up fun.

To me its a little slice of heaven. Not to sound like a gushing little fag but both these festivals give me hope for mankind despite the fcked up world we live in.

On the bad side, inevidably these festivals will become more and more watered down and corporatized like burning man has apparently become until its just a husk of its former glory. Some would argue bonnaroo is already on that downward (been going on since 2001) spiral although id strongly disagree. Wayhome is really new (began 2015) but has an amazing atmosphere and i dont see that changing. Was really cool there especially as an american at a canadian music fest, so much piss pulling between me and the people i met and just good times. Man i cant wait to go back to both.

If it helps i went alone to both with zero plan and both times i wound up staying with a big group of total strangers who ill be friends with for life. Already met some again in real life outside the fest, and 100% seeing them again next year at the fests.

>>1180187
>To me its a little slice of heaven. Not to sound like a gushing little fag but both these festivals give me hope for mankind despite the fcked up world we live in.

I totally feel the same way. Which is why I get depressed afterward for a while.

>>1179990
The festivals in Canada suck, don't bother coming to them.

>>1180432

Wayhome festival was fucking awesome. Its exactly like bonnaroo, just more mellow and toned down. Probably because its still new, has half the crowd bonnaroo does, and is full of canadians rather than americans who tend to be rowdier. The founders of wayhome also worked with bonnaroo which is why they share the same vibe and have similar genres and sets.

Bonnaroo has a crazy drug-fueled madhouse side, especially after dark. Wayhome certainly did have a fuckload of drugs too but it wasnt *everywhere* like roo was. For example, every single porta potty at roo was covered with stickers, graffitti, etc on the inside. Like a giant shit stinking billboard in there that everyone adds to. Wayhome had very little of this. Shit example (pun intended) but little details like that stand out to me on the differences of atmosphere.

Anyways tldr not all canadian festivals are shit and gay. Will 100% be returning.

>>1180389

Post-fest depression is so real. I mean getting only 10 hours of sleep in 4 days and doing drugs and hideous amounts of drinking from sunrise to sunrise likely is a factor as well... but definitely. You get back to the real world and everyone isnt so genuinely happy to just be there and experience whats going on around them. All one can do is just cherish the memories dearly and count down the days to next time!!

>>1180438
Damn, you've already been here so I guess it's too late and you know how great it is. Can you please tell all your friends it's terrible? We really don't want any more foreigners here unless they're unaccompanied Japanese qts or film crews with expensive budgets. A lot of people come here and decide they never want to leave, not realizing that we're quite full and it's actually starting to get on our nerves.