how was hfstival?

was it awesome? did it suck? was it crowded? anyone have pics?
I had fun at day 2.
without getting into too much detail.

Merriweather is a good place for HFStival.

the kids didnt like the no tailgating rule or the fact that security was busting underage drinking or open drug use, but that kept the place calm and enjoyable.

good bands were hard to come by, but Radiohead covers were not. Panic at the disco did "Karma Police" and Dashboard confessional did "Fake Plastic Trees"

hopefully it will be a bit cheaper with a better lineup next year. I think being at merriweather it could appeal to an older crowd, so maybe a lineup that appeals to an older crowd would work too.

turnout wasnt so bad though.
how was DAY 1?

atmosphere?
Originally posted by definitivedoodle:
how was DAY 1?

atmosphere?
atmosphere was kickass. he had a live band backing him, dont know whether thats normal or not, but it was great sounding.

he played on the second stage, where the audience was not as packed and the sound was great. he didnt play National Disgrace though, but hes a good performer nonetheless, i was thankful we left Cypress Hill to see him…and so were my friends :)


also on day 1, rise against was awful, Kanye west was very good, even though i expected to be annoyed by him.
Matisyahu is totally overrated except for his beatboxing prowess.
Originally posted by the sonick:
security was busting underage drinking or open drug use, but that kept the place calm and enjoyable.
Even though security probably does more drugs then the people getting busted…..I know, I know, at least security doesn't do it in the open. ;)
What was the layout like? The same or similar to Curiosa? I agree that Merriweather is probably the best place of all for the HFStival. A much more pleasant environment rather than the madhouse of a stadium.

Strange observation: My 12 year old nephew who went to the HFStival (his 1st) last year and absolutely loved it had no desire to go this year and even knocked it due to the line up. For some perspective, he's a big System Of A Down fan. (blugh) Now, I'm not sure if that was a comment on his taste improving or how shitty this year's line-up was.
Originally posted by Rob_Gee:
Even though security probably does more drugs then the people getting busted.
thats an odd statement to make.
Originally posted by Jaguar:
What was the layout like? The same or similar to Curiosa? I agree that Merriweather is probably the best place of all for the HFStival. A much more pleasant environment rather than the madhouse of a stadium.

Strange observation: My 12 year old nephew who went to the HFStival (his 1st) last year and absolutely loved it had no desire to go this year and even knocked it due to the line up. For some perspective, he's a big System Of A Down fan. (blugh) Now, I'm not sure if that was a comment on his taste improving or how shitty this year's line-up was.
+

there were 3 stages, the main stage, the local stage was behind the 932 club and that big bathroom barn by the north entrance.

the "street stage" was waaaaay out in the West Parking Lot the stage actually butted up against broken land parkway.
Originally posted by the sonick:
Originally posted by Rob_Gee:
Originally posted by the sonick:
security was busting underage drinking or open drug use, but that kept the place calm and enjoyable.
Even though security probably does more drugs then the people getting busted…..I know, I know, at least security doesn't do it in the open. ;)
thats an odd statement to make.
You know that Rob is just as oppositional as Rhett. :roll: He just has his own style of being so.
The fest works at Mweather easily. (I remain an RFK fan, though) Crowd flow worked, but would've been overwhelming if another 6-8,000 showed up.
The Buzz Tent, missing this year, would've altered the flow a bit, but there'd prob. have been good room for it.

Crowd was typical HFS crowd. And nice weather helped out tremendously. Towards end of Day 2 there was a brewing hardcore scene near fence on the right side of lawn; security presence provided some calm for the scene that seemed to be packs of concertogers seeking party info for afterwards or looking for party tools.

Music? Far from a great lineup, but still ok for a fest. Nico Vega on Side Stage was a nice entry;
Originally posted by the sonick:
Originally posted by definitivedoodle:
how was DAY 1?

atmosphere?
atmosphere was kickass. he had a live band backing him, dont know whether thats normal or not, but it was great sounding.

he played on the second stage, where the audience was not as packed and the sound was great. he didnt play National Disgrace though, but hes a good performer nonetheless, i was thankful we left Cypress Hill to see him…and so were my friends :)


yea he just started touring with a live band about a year or so maybe longer, was there any DJ? Ant? They puts on one hell of a show.
When I saw Wilco at Merriwether last summer, Security was nonexistesnt. People were "tailgating" like mofo's in the lot all day. I saw keg's and lawn chairs and all that shit. I was told that this was due to Marriwether's new ownership, and it was different now.

Is this not the case? or was the security just in full force because of it being a festival?
My guess is that management figured that if they allowed tailgating at the HFStival, it would be way too difficult to keep it from turning into one big underage drinking, drug infested parking lot party. Way too many legal issues and madness to have to deal with. Unlike sports events, the HFStival draws in a much, much larger underage audience to have to tend to which brings its own set of problems. Especailly considering that there is always some MADD mother or such out there trying to ruin everyones' fun. Maybe it's a compromise with the foolish anti-Merriweather neighbors.

Would be great though to work out some kind of deal for tailgating for other music events, especially festivals. Don't know how feasible that is though.
Well, I have a feeling it's all about who's performing.

If I went to Paul Simon in July at Merriwether, I could probably sit in a lawn chair, funnel beers with my shirt off and grill Johnsonville brats while blasting Night Ranger and no one would give shit.

But if I went to Widespread Panic and tried to pull that off I'd have some kind of run-in with a state trooper before I even finished my first can of Natty Boh.
Again, Paul Simon pulls in the old farts.
Widespread Panic attracts their 'children'.

You have to consider the politics of the matter.
I'm caught somewhere in the middle.

I'm a grown up who acts like he's 17.

:(
It's also probably due to the fact that the State Police, etc were cracking down on everything this weekend… Never seen so many troopers out nabbing speeders while heading to and from Camden Sat…
there is a No Alcohol Policy at Merriweather, for all shows, in the parking lot.

but of course, its enforced more depending on the show.
Originally posted by the sonick:
there is a No Alcohol Policy at Merriweather, for all shows, in the parking lot.

but of course, its enforced more depending on the show.
Did you lay the smack down on anyone this past weekend?