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TechnographMusic festival grows in size and diversity
Summer Camp adds new bands, sounds to three-day concert
By Eric Heisig
Posted: 5/27/08 Section: News
This year, six stages were set up in various areas around the park, including one stage in the woods where smaller acts, including Champaign's Elsinore, performed.
"The people like good music, and not just jam band music," said Elsinore frontman and guitarist Ryan Groff before their performance Saturday. "We will try to be good music for them."
The more diverse lineup worked out for many of the artists. Flaming Lips, who performed Friday night at the Starshine Stage, attracted one of the largest audiences of the weekend. Their bright and psychedelic music and light-filled stage show is designed to be equally interesting to the eye and the ear. The band even went so far as to bring up naked women to dance with them during a cover of Led Zeppelin's "The Song Remains the Same."
Michael Ivins, bassist for the Flaming Lips, said he has never been entirely sure why they have become popular with the jam band community, but he thinks part of it has to do with audiences becoming more open-minded.
Other types of artists, such as George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, attracted more people to the stage as their performance went on. Much like the Flaming Lips, their extravagant stage show seemed to be designed to open the crowd up to music they may not otherwise listen to.
Even if the audience has become open-minded, not all of the more diverse artists went over as well. Indie rock band The New Pornographers played to a smaller audience than any of the more eclectic bands, even though they were in a headlining spot.
It did not seem to bother the band, as frontman and guitarist Carl Newman said that big crowds scare him, but it seemed an odd booking choice.
Festival organizers Jay Goldberg Events & Entertainment and Jam Productions booked the band in the spirit of increasing Summer Camp's diversity, but the majority of the festival-goers did not respond by attending.
While the festival is growing larger each year, festival organizers have tried to make the bookings more diverse.
When it comes down to it, though, Summer Camp rarely strays far from its roots. If anything, this weekend proved that while the audience was willing to experience new sounds, the most popular artists reflected the music that encapsulated the festival when it started.
"The people like good music, and not just jam band music," said Elsinore frontman and guitarist Ryan Groff before their performance Saturday. "We will try to be good music for them."
The more diverse lineup worked out for many of the artists. Flaming Lips, who performed Friday night at the Starshine Stage, attracted one of the largest audiences of the weekend. Their bright and psychedelic music and light-filled stage show is designed to be equally interesting to the eye and the ear. The band even went so far as to bring up naked women to dance with them during a cover of Led Zeppelin's "The Song Remains the Same."
Michael Ivins, bassist for the Flaming Lips, said he has never been entirely sure why they have become popular with the jam band community, but he thinks part of it has to do with audiences becoming more open-minded.
Other types of artists, such as George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, attracted more people to the stage as their performance went on. Much like the Flaming Lips, their extravagant stage show seemed to be designed to open the crowd up to music they may not otherwise listen to.
Even if the audience has become open-minded, not all of the more diverse artists went over as well. Indie rock band The New Pornographers played to a smaller audience than any of the more eclectic bands, even though they were in a headlining spot.
It did not seem to bother the band, as frontman and guitarist Carl Newman said that big crowds scare him, but it seemed an odd booking choice.
Festival organizers Jay Goldberg Events & Entertainment and Jam Productions booked the band in the spirit of increasing Summer Camp's diversity, but the majority of the festival-goers did not respond by attending.
While the festival is growing larger each year, festival organizers have tried to make the bookings more diverse.
When it comes down to it, though, Summer Camp rarely strays far from its roots. If anything, this weekend proved that while the audience was willing to experience new sounds, the most popular artists reflected the music that encapsulated the festival when it started.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
lala
posted 5/29/08 @ 12:12 AM CST
i would like to inquire about this green substance called "molly"--if i am not mistaken, "molly" is not a reference to an illegal green herb (if this is what the author was referring to), but pure, powdered MDMA (ecstasy) widely sold in capsule form at events like this. (Continued…)
i love molly
posted 5/29/08 @ 7:50 PM CST
green molly? wow
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