The Brave New World
The Brave New World
Be the change you want to see
(That is what it is all about, y’all)
I don’t know about you but I am really feeling it this week. Usually, by this time, my festival pile has grown to a masse and I am deep into all the “new music” I can find on the Bonnaroo playlist on Spotify and I am planning my schedule. My festival gear is almost ready to go and I am thinking about my food prep menu. But this year’s reality is thinking about PPE. I saw the post by consequenceofsound.net pictured above, about this festival suit, and I started thinking about what the future is really going to look like for us music lovers.
All I know is I am not ready for this and I’m not sure wearing a hazmat suit will be the same “festival experience”, but times are a-changing so I have a feeling what ever it takes, I’ll do it to be able to get back there!
If you are interested, I have a whole bunch of blogs about festival camp planning and some of the many tips and tricks I have learned over the years. Including some of my favorite tried and trusted must-haves for your festival camp, if any of you are adding gear to your wish list.
Gen Admission – VIP – Super VIP
But not this year, like so many of us I am struggling to grasp what I have seen on the media and I am trying to discern what is fact and what is fiction. I am trying to not be scared or anxious but the struggle with all of this weighs a ton. Not to mention that my work hard play hard philosophy has been hijacked for the summer by some mysterious disease. I am fortunate to still have a job and I can work from home, but so many friends and people have been affected by this – I just can’t help but empathize with those who have lost loved ones and those who have lost jobs. Strange days indeed. I have some serious heartache.
Experts are predicting that live concerts won’t return until “fall 2021 at the earliest,” but that won’t stop the music, I have seen quite a few Drive-in shows pop up, but it may be a while before we can all get sweaty and mingle.
It is super hard to sit here and write this thinking that I will not get to experience some of my favorite places on Earth this year with all my festival family, I have tears in my eyes. It may seem a bit silly to some, but I know some of you also look forward to this yearly utopia of festival season and the laughter, dancing, music, and friends as much as I do. I get giddy just thinking about the festival farms I love, all the pretty lights all the beautiful people and the energy. I know some of you depend on it to make a living too.
Live music inspires millions around the world, but the concerts we all enjoy wouldn’t be possible without the countless crew members working behind the scenes. I came across an awesome stream website of past Bonnaroo performances (check out my STREAM LIBRARY for the link) that also has a donation page for CREW NATION. As COVID-19 puts concerts on pause let’s think for a moment about all those people behind the scenes who LIVE for MUSIC just like we do and LIVE by MUSIC. If you are able please extend a helping hand to the touring and venue crews who depend on shows to make a living. We are all forced into this momentary lapse of SILENCE.
Crew Nation was created to help.
Crew members are the backbone of the live music industry, and I hope you’ll join me in supporting them through this temporary intermission until we can once again unite millions around the world through the power of live music. Crew Nation is powered by Music Forward Foundation, a charitable 501c3 organization, that will be administering the fund.
Live Nation has committed $10 million to Crew Nation – contributing an initial $5 million to the fund, then matching the next $5 million given by artists, fans and employees dollar for dollar.
Live music Crews.
There has been a lot of talk about LiveNation and the fate of the music industry and recently, Live Nation just sold 800 million dollars in debt. With nearly 20% of its workforce being laid off, it seems the company has fallen on seriously hard times just like so many other businesses struggling through this pandemic. I heard Saudia Arabia purchased half a billion dollars of shares of Live Nation on the open market.
The “New” normal
Every time I hear it I cringe…
I am definitely having a hard time processing and fathoming the impact this Corona Virus will have on our society, our daily lives, and the future of humanity. I think this is a place in time where we all can recognize that we are the same as we face this future of adversity and the unknown.
I think the best thing we can do is realize where you spend your money will dictate what the future holds for us and answer the question: are you willing to leave it up to a handful of huge corporations who are pretty much-feeding everyone poisonous garbage and running things?
The content you consume becomes your consciousness, the food you eat fuels your engine.
Anonymous
If you have a favorite local restaurant, SUPPORT THEM!
If you have a favorite product or business that you recommend, SUPPORT THEM!
If you have a favorite band buy some of their music so you own a copy or buy some merch, to SUPPORT THEM!
If you have a local record store, SUPPORT THEM!
If you have a local non-profit organization that is trying to create change for one of your issues, SUPPORT THEM!
Seek out those businesses and companies who offer you products with real value and not the ones who are fucking up the world. Because you know it is all about that mighty dollar dollar bill y’all, and if you think about it – this is where the power of the people is strong – if you don’t like the policies or practices of a business or company, then DON’T GIVE THEM YOUR MONEY!
If you have never really thought about it well – the rabbit hole is deep my friends. Just check this topic on REDDIT.
I recommend everyone take the time to watch this one to the end or at least take the time to listen to what this Doctor and cancer researcher says:
Definitely watch it before it gets DELETED!
That video is deeper than the ocean, but we all need to hear it. It is one of those paradigms like smoking, it is a pleasure, but you know it will kill you. Disease and chronic illness run rampant and then comes a virus that threatens the weakest among us. We are what we eat. And according to this science – Garbage in is the quickest path into disease and a body bag.
I don’t know about you, but I want a perfect earth, it started that way and it can return – it all starts at the local level. Just look at the progress and change local grassroots organizations have been making over the years –
According to Wikipedia:
Grassroots movements, using self-organization, encourage community members to contribute by taking responsibility and action for their community.[3] Grassroots movements utilize a variety of strategies from fundraising and registering voters, to simply encouraging political conversation. Goals of specific movements vary and change, but the movements are consistent in their focus on increasing mass participation in politics.[4] These political movements may begin as small and at the local level, but grassroots politics as Cornel West contends are necessary in shaping progressive politics as they bring public attention to regional political concerns.
VOTE with your MONEY and raise your voice with your VOTE!
This is a photo I took of two of my favorite volunteers for Headcount. I hold this non-profit organization near and dear to my heart. (not the weird guy in the background)
Headcount is an amazing group of people headquartered in New York City and they have teams all over the county who go to shows and festivals to register voters. You may have had one of their ambassadors approach you at some point, or maybe you have seen their booths at a local show or a participation row at a festival? They are EVERYWHERE! You can sign up on their website and look at the shows in your local area where there are volunteer opportunities. There are Team Leaders from all over so you can contact your local team and get involved.
Their mission is: HeadCount is a non-partisan organization that uses the power of music to register voters and promote participation in democracy. We reach young people and music fans where they already are – at concerts and online – to inform and empower. Our message is not about what party you support or where you land on an issue. It’s that you must speak to be heard.
If you need to register to vote or check out your voter registration status – click here.
Headcount has some really cool merch – check it out!
A few years ago I wrote an article about volunteering at music festivals if you have some time to read more about it:
What lies Ahead?
I think we are not in Kansas anymore, Toto…
And what the man behind the curtain has planned is the stuff that keeps conspiracy theorists up at night. This global pandemic is going to transform our society whether we like it or not – each one of us has a choice – to idly stand by or to be an active participant as WE SHAPE THIS “NEW NORMAL”. Just imagine if each of us chooses an issue in our local community and made a commitment to do everything possible to make that change.
You are not powerless! We are not Powerless!
Sadly, my FESTIVAL LIST has become the list of COVID -19 carnage and broken hearts and there is a lot of uncertainty about the future of the few remaining shows that have not canceled on my list. There have been and still are a few hold outs that have moved dates, and I will do my best to keep that updated but don’t quote me, everything is SO fluid.
Hopefully, soon we can gather, dance, and laugh again – until then let’s radiate love and positivity into this world and not live in fear. Find a good source of information and FEED YOUR HEAD!
~Wren
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