From Woodstock to Coachella: The progression of music festivals over time
- Olivia Smith
- Dec 10, 2019
- 3 min read
It’s 1969 and a crowd of half of a million young adults is flooding the streets of a rural town in Bethel, New York for a three-day music festival. An enormous cluster of free-spirited individuals piles on top of each other to find the few open spots to call their campsite for the next few days. No one had anticipated this music festival to have an insanely packed turnout; fences were still in the process of being set up, concession stands and medical tents were limited, and there were no ticket booths-- the festival became essentially...free.
The Grateful Dead, The Who, Santana, and Jimi Hendrix are just a few of the artists headlining out of 32 total performers. Originally called “An Aquarian Experience: 3 Days of Peace and Music,” this legendary music festival turned out to be what everyone knows as Woodstock. A weekend full of music, drugs, sex, and rock and roll.
Woodstock sparked the counterculture movement, but it also paved the road for music festivals ahead. I am amazed at the lengths people will go to just to see up to an hour of their favorite artists. Devoted fans are drawn to the experience of a music festival, camping in a tent up to five days, saving hundreds for a ticket, and traveling across the country, all for the music. It seems that music festivals have become a huge part of American culture and it’s only getting bigger worldwide.
One of the most recognized music festivals today, Coachella, is considered the “modern Woodstock”. Flower crowns, celebrities, and Instagram pictures aside, the wide variety of popular artists performing bring in more than $100 million a year. Music festivals in the ’60s and ‘70s brought together a common crowd who were into the same kind of music, came together to spread love, the ultimate driving force back then. Now, music festivals are recognized as profitable, transcending the experience into an unforgettable event or experience.
Every year during Coachella, I log onto Instagram to find endless posts focusing on a girl’s outfit, or a party they attended before while a short video pans to a group of girls backstage of a DJ’s set. Comments like, “Where did you get that outfit?” or “You won Coachella queen” or “Goals” pile under the posts-- drawing the focus away from the actual music and instead focuses on glorifying the best outfits or parties as if it’s a contest. I would never attend Coachella for this reason, but I understand why many do.
Embracing modern technology and digital effects, stages are illuminated by an explosion of colorful lights and laser-beams shoot out into the crowd. Visuals set the backdrop, heightening the artist’s vocals with speakers practically surrounding the crowd. The luxury of attending a festival now has revolutionized the experience, compared to how they once were; one or two stages with limited lighting and effects other than the raw, untouched music pouring out of the speakers. EDM festivals now like Electric Daisy Carnival and Ultra designed an experience where the excitement of carnival rides and music is synchronized to create a euphoric wonderland. Burning Man, another popular festival, has created an entire culture embracing individuality and body-positivity, as half-naked attendees roam around in the middle of a desert for days, biking from stage to stage. It sounds weird probably, but it’s definitely on the top of my list of fest’s to go to next.
Since the age of 14, I have developed a habit of attending music festivals, almost like an addiction. The feeling of immersing yourself into an alternate reality composed of captivating lights, visuals, sounds, and effects serves as an escape. Recently, as more people start attending music festivals, the music seems to become less of the drive to go, while the overall experience seems to take its place.
Although the progression of music festivals excites me and keeps me returning each year, I hope the artist’s talent and music remain the true motive of attending a music festival. Behind the flashy lights, high production, and entertainment, the chorus of instruments and angelic vocals is what truly captivates me, as I travel near and far to catch a quick moment of my favorite artists performing.
So, about Burning Man… anyone else interested?
Comments