by Ryan Dombal
April 7, 2015
With Coachella kicking the music festival season into high gear this weekend, we decided to get a few tips and tales from the people who know fests best: the artists. We asked 32 acts about their faves, their hidden gems, and what they would do if given free reign over their own festivals. The responses are globe-spanning, thoughtful, embarrassing, creative, and ridiculous, from Icona Pop’s hopes for an Elvis Presley hologram, to the Roots’ ?uestlove recalling an unlikely mash-up set with New Kids on the Block, to that one time Jessie Ware was forced to punch a drugged-up fan. Check it all out below—and if you’re still putting together your own summer fest plans, make sure to consult our continually updated festival guide, too.
"At one festival, there was a couple having sex next to me in a ballpen playground. I didn’t move, and neither did they. They were really nice actually."
—Charli XCX
Photo by Bella Howard
*Charli XCX*
Charli XCX: "Doing It" [ft. Rita Ora] (via SoundCloud)
*My Favorite Festival*
Glastonbury
*The Best Act I've Ever Seen at a Festival*
Justice, when I was like 15. I cried.
*If I Had My Own Festival It Would Be Called*
Pussy Rock
*The Artists I Would Get to Headline My Festival*
Rihanna, Björk, the Donnas, Britney Spears, Bow Wow Wow
*The Band I Would Give a Billion Dollars to Reunite for My Festival*
Shampoo
*Some Other Amazing Details About My Imaginary Festival*
Champagne fountains, roller skating rinks, compulsory dancing, free kittens, and everyone gets a party bag full of fun naughty things
*The Artist I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
Myself, because I would look great as a hologram ;)
*The Craziest Festival Goers I Have Ever Come in Contact With*
A couple having sex next to me in a ballpen playground. I didn’t move, and neither did they. They were really nice actually.
*The Dumbest Decision I've Ever Made at a Festival*
Stealing an ax from a backstage building area and running into the festival with it. After that, I got put in a car with my ex-boyfriend and dropped five miles away in the middle of a field. I was drunk.
*The Best Food I've Ever Eaten at a Festival*
If there’s Taco Bell I’m happy.
*The Artist I Would Pay a Billion Dollars to Never Play a Festival Again (Because It Would Tarnish Their Perfect Legacy)*
The Spice Girls
*The Most Fucked-Up Thing I've Ever Witnessed at a Festival*
Anyone in a K-hole trying to swim through the air or cling to one of the poles holding up a tent. I love those people.
*The Festival I Would Love to Play (Not to Beg in Public or Anything)*
Coachella, but I heard the guy who books it doesn’t like my music so oh well.
Charli XCX is currently scheduled to play festivals including Lollapalooza, T in the Park, Bestival, and more.
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*iLoveMakonnen*
iLoveMakonnen: "Whip It (Remix)" [ft. Migos and Rich the Kid] (via SoundCloud)
*If I Had My Own Festival It Would Be Called*
Love Fest
*The Artists I Would Get to Headline My Festival*
Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Killers, Alice Glass
*The Band I Would Give a Billion Dollars to Reunite for My Festival*
Crystal Castles
*Some Other Amazing Details About My Imaginary Festival*
There would be drones that serve drinks and food directly to consumers.
*The Artist I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
Michael Jackson
*The Festival I Would Love to Play (Not to Beg in Public or Anything)*
Coachella
A$AP Ferg
*A$AP Ferg*
A$AP Ferg: “Fergsomnia” [ft. Twista] (via SoundCloud)
*My Favorite Festival*
Bonnaroo
*The Best Act I’ve Ever Seen at a Festival*
Skrillex at the Bonnaroo superjam featuring me, the Grateful Dead, Lauryn Hill, Fatman Scoop, Damian Marley, and Janelle Monae
*If I Had My Own Festival It Would Be Called*
Trillagain Island
*The Artists I Would Get to Play My Festival*
A$AP Mob, Marty Baller, Crystal Caines, Meek Mill, Big Sean, Chris Brown, Flatbush Zombies, Tan Boyz , Lil B, Haim, Diplo, DMX, LOX , Lil Kim, Swizz Beatz, Pharrell, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Kanye, Missy Elliott, John Legend, Kevin Hart, Woodkid, Drake, Nick Hook, Lauryn Hill, OverDoz
*The Band I Would Give a Billion Dollars to Reunite for My Festival*
Self Scientific
*Some Other Amazing Details About My Imaginary Festival*
There will be great West Indian food based on my mom’s recipes.
*The Artist I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
None
*The Best Non-Musical Entertainment I've Experienced at a Festival*
Me and Wiz Khalifa talking for hours about life.
*The Weird Little Festival That Nobody Knows About But Is Really Cool*
The Hungry Ham Block Party on my block, 143rd St., in Harlem
*The Best Food I've Ever Eaten at a Festival*
Chicken tacos for free because I'm A$AP Ferg
*The Most Fucked-Up Thing I've Ever Witnessed at a Festival*
Me coming onstage and the sound system going out completely in front of a massive amount of people.
A$AP Ferg is currently scheduled to play the Full Flex Express Train Tour as well as festivals including Pemberton, Quebec City Summer Fest, and more.
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*Perfume Genius
Photo by Luke Gilford*
*The Best Act I've Ever Seen at a Festival*
Jimmy Eat World
*The Artists I Would Get to Headline My Festival*
Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis
*The Best Non-Musical Entertainment I've Experienced at a Festival*
Families of wild peacocks roaming around End of the Road Festival
*The Craziest Festival Goer I Have Ever Come in Contact With
*People trying to do blow outside at Primavera—very precarious and inefficient.
*The Thing I Would Change About Festivals to Make Them Better*
Add women, subtract men
Perfume Genius is currently scheduled to play festivals including Coachella, Primavera Sound, Pitchfork, and more.
Speedy Ortiz. Photo by Shervin Lainez.
*Speedy Ortiz*
Speedy Ortiz: "Raising The Skate" (via SoundCloud)
*If I Had My Own Festival It Would Be Called*
Sadie Dupuis: After seeing images of the empty posters that are left when all-male acts are redacted from festival lineups, I've been preoccupied with the idea of a Ladyfest USA. Ladyfest festivals are non-profit, volunteer-run, community oriented showcases that highlight female-identified performers and offer feminist lectures and workshops in everything from pedal design to live sound engineering to self defense. I've played Ladyfests in several bands, but only ever in small towns, which means the audience is limited. It would be amazing for the many feminist-identified musicians who've been so outspoken about their political beliefs in the past few years—from mainstream pop to rap to indie—to band together to create a Ladyfest on a larger scale to compete with the likes of the Coachellas and the Bonnaroos. This is currently my #1 pipe dream! Beyoncé, call me.
*The Best Act I've Ever Seen at a Festival*
Darl Ferm: Kool Keith with Ice-T as a hype man at All Points West. Ice-T was turning his towels into large phallic objects while shouting, "Afternoon rap show for the white kids!" Kool Keith also had two other hype men who were wearing tie dyed Superman shirts, so I have to give them props, too.
*The Artist I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
Mike Falcone: Wesley Willis. I think the absurdity of the concept matches a personality like Wesley's pretty nicely. And it's not like his movements would be that tough to emulate. He mostly just sat at a keyboard screaming "SAY ROCK! SAY RAWL!" Who wouldn't wanna see that?
*The Band I Would Give a Billion Dollars to Reunite for My Festival*
Devin McKnight: Chavez. I'm sure they'd love the billion dollars. Plus, they're my favorite band. I don't care if no one else knows them. It's my imaginary billion dollars.
*The Dumbest Decision I’ve Ever Made at a Festival*
Sadie Dupuis: I hugged Earl Sweatshirt at Primavera but somehow we're still not friends. IDGI.
*The Artists I Would Get to Headline My Festival*
Mike Falcone: Sly and the Family Stone, Hum, D'Angelo, Slayer, Nelly, Ke$ha, System of a Down, Lil B, Andrew WK, and Rebecca Black as the MC
*The Strangest Non-Musical Entertainment I’ve Experienced at a Festival*
Sadie Dupuis: One time I was hanging out at some kind of festival at the old [Brooklyn venue] Silent Barn, and there was a woman making liquid nitrogen peanut butter and jelly ice cream while dressed up as the Apprentice from The Cremaster Cycle, bloody rag in mouth and everything. Other festivals should take note and hire her.
Speedy Ortiz are currently scheduled to play festivals including Shaky Legs, Forecastle, Outside Lands, and more.
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*Vince Staples
Photo by Jim Vondruska*
Vince Staples: "Limos" [ft. Teyana Taylor]
*The Best Act I've Ever Seen at a Festival*
Justin Timberlake
*If I Had My Own Festival It Would Be Called*
Poppy Street Phonk
*The Band I Would Give a Billion Dollars to Reunite for My Festival*
The Temptations
*The Artists I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
Mausberg and Nate Dogg
*The Craziest Festival Goers I Have Ever Come in Contact With*
Every white woman I've ever met with dirty bare feet
*The Thing I Would Change About Festivals to Make Them Better*
No barefoot white women
*My Most Embarrassing Drunk Festival Story*
I don't drink.
*My Story About That Time I Almost Died at a Festival*
Asthma attack at Coachella during a dust storm
*Artist I Would Pay a Billion Dollars to Never Play a Festival Again (Because It Would Tarnish Their Perfect Legacy)*
I would pay myself ‘cause I'm about billions.
Vince Staples is scheduled to play festivals including NXNE, Pitchfork, and more.
"I ran into David Lee Roth at a festival once and he was the most unlikely admirer of our music ever."
—?uestlove
Photo by Ben Watts
*The Roots’ ?uestlove*
The Roots: "When the People Cheer" (via SoundCloud)
*The Best Acts I've Ever Seen at a Festival*
It’s a two-way tie between Wu-Tang at the Oya Festival in Norway two years ago and the reunited Police in 2007 at Bonnaroo.
*The Band I Would Give a Billion Dollars to Reunite for My Festival*
A proper Sly and the Family Stone reunion, or Average White Band. However, the obvious answer of course is Prince and the Revolution.
*Best Backstage Perk I've Ever Experienced at a Festival*
One year at Lollapalooza, the proprietors of the Chicago restaurant Next were the backstage chefs, and that was amazing. Eminem was headlining that year, and they served him his first lobster, which was a big deal to those guys.
*The Scariest Encounter I've Ever Had With a Musical Hero at a Festival*
It wasn’t scary, but I ran into David Lee Roth at a festival once and he was the most unlikely admirer of our music ever. First off, he knew all of the Roots by our actual names and then went on, like, “D’Angelo’s Voodoo—love it! Erykah Badu’s Mama’s Gun—love it! Things Fall Apart—love it!” Even now, he hits up our guitarist Kirk, like, “I’m in New York, are there any jam sessions that I could go to up in Harlem?”
*The Strangest Set I Ever Played at a Festival*
For the first few years of the Roots Picnic, we we would open and close the show, and one year the first 300 fans who showed up were treated to a weird Roots/New Kids on the Block mashup set. New Kids had just reunited and they were staying close by and they happened to be there super early, so we just brought them onstage—we did the craziest version of “Hanging Tough”. It was like the show that never happened—but it actually did happen.
*The Artist I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
I’m certain that they will perfect the technology in three years and I know that the Jacksons are going to take advantage of Michael’s hologram—it would be funny if, as a hologram, he outperformed them. I’ve seen the Jacksons’ Vegas show and it’s actually kinda dope. A lot of us had the folded-arms thing going when we saw that, but they were going for blood, in a good way.
*The Dumbest Decision I've Ever Made at a Festival*
My bad decision was not making sure that the inebriated members of my band got out of a particular festival in time. Instead, they totally trashed the headliners’ dressing room, stuffing T-shirts in the toilets and everything. It took us about five years to get invited back to that particular festival. And I don’t want to name the band because I still don’t think they know that we were the ones that trashed their room.
The Roots will once again bring their Roots Picnic to Philadelphia this year, featuring the Weeknd, Erykah Badu, and more.
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*Clark
Photo by Alma Haser*
Clark: "Unfurla" (via SoundCloud)
*Best Backstage Perk I've Ever Experienced at a Festival*
Someone gave me a shit load of magic mushrooms at Glastonbury once—the guy was well fucked, talking about triangles whilst simultaneously trying to flirt with my girlfriend. He got a bit pukey and left the bag with us, and we went into the countryside; I’d never do mushrooms at the actual festival, that would be a nightmare.
*The Artists I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
I would like to see Debussy rip through something devastating. Or Thelonious Monk. Maybe Frank Sinatra, but I’d only do it if you could put pitchshifters on his vocals. Would definitely improve it.
*My Least Favorite Festival (That Will Now Never Book Me Again)*
I played at this weird festival in Bristol once that was meant to be techno and it ended up being psy trance, which scares me. The music is far too ordered and made by people who I thought were annoying juggling hippies; it’s almost like the dreams you imagine a bland sociopath with a violent mind would have after the meds kicked in and they are stabilized. So I just ended up recording insults on a dictaphone, slowed it down, and played it over heavy UK doof style techno. It sounded awesome, but I definitely lost a few “friends.” They will never have me back.
*The Things I Would Change About Festivals to Make Them Better*
Good salad, good psychedelic drugs, more of a range of dry snacks, and more ice cubes as well. I’m an ice snob. I love everything about ice. Sometimes I’ll think of all the different kinds of ice cubes as a way of calming my brain down before I sleep.
*Artist I Would Pay a Billion Dollars to Never Play a Festival Again (Because It Would Tarnish Their Perfect Legacy)*
Probably Burial. He plays too many festivals and he’s so arrogant onstage as well, always calling people from the audience if they aren’t dancing enough, doing too many rewinds, wearing Burial T-shirts, shoes, socks, etc. He’s in danger of overexposing himself.
Facetiousness aside, I love his tunes, and I reckon the idea of him playing live would be pretty weird. His legacy is almost better because he doesn’t do it. Pure headphone music.
*The Most Fucked-Up Thing I've Ever Witnessed at a Festival*
I’ve never been, but my friend went to Burning Man and said there was this Shaman who would walk around with a bag of frozen turds he had collected and was using them in some bizarre hex/induction type scenario.
Clark is currently scheduled to play festivals including Roskilde, Field Day, and more.
"Perfect weather, free mushrooms, meditation tents, exquisite fruit tent, sad party tent, staff are all mimes."
—Details of Lower Dens frontwoman Jana Hunter's dream festival
Photo by Frank Hamilton
*Lower Dens’ Jana Hunter*
Lower Dens: "To Die in L.A." (via SoundCloud)
*My Favorite Festival*
Big Ears
*The Best Act I've Ever Seen at a Festival*
Björk
*If I Had My Own Festival It Would Be Called*
Pony Cyclone
*The Artists I Would Get to Headline My Festival*
King Chip, Cass McCombs, Björk, Beach House, Tink, SOPHIE
*The Band I Would Give a Billion Dollars to Reunite for My Festival*
If I had a billion dollars I’d give it to an anti-human-trafficking NGO; if I was God I’d reunite the Smiths.
*Some Other Amazing Details About My Imaginary Festival*
Perfect weather, free mushrooms, meditation tents, exquisite fruit tent, sad party tent, staff are all mimes
*The Scariest Encounter I've Ever Had With a Musical Hero at a Festival*
I ain’t scared.
*The Artist I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
I’m only into flesh-based performers, but if we’re gonna keep with the holograms I want Warhol.
*The Craziest Festival Goer I Have Ever Come in Contact With*
I was stuck behind a big skinhead going real nuts with his arms, spinning around with those tree trunks knocking people over, so I backed up a little and ran at him, pushing him into a barrier against the stage. He turned around to get me, but bouncers descended on him.
*The Weird Little Festival That Nobody Knows About But Is Really Cool*
Fields Fest in Baltimore
*My Least Favorite Festival (That Will Now Never Book Me Again)*
I have yet to attend a truly shit festival, but I hope to have the opportunity soon (wink wink, $$).
*The Thing I Would Change About Festivals to Make Them Better*
No alcohol
Lower Dens are currently scheduled to play festivals including the Capitol Hill Block Party, NXNE, and more.
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*Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Ruban Nielson
Photo by Dusdin Condren*
Unknown Mortal Orchestra: "Multi-Love" (via SoundCloud)
*My Favorite Festival*
Meredith Music Festival in Australia
*The Best Act I've Ever Seen at a Festival*
The Stooges
*If I Had My Own Festival It Would Be Called*
No Cops
*The Artist I Would Get to Headline My Festival
*Prince with the Time and Sheila E.
*The Band I Would Give a Billion Dollars to Reunite for My Festival*
David Bowie with Carlos Alomar, Dennis Davis, George Murray, and Roy Bittan
*Some Other Amazing Details About My Imaginary Festival*
It will take place in zero gravity.
*Best Backstage Perk I've Ever Experienced at a Festival*
I’m a grateful person when it comes to this stuff and I’m not fond of corny luxury. If there’s a hot tub or massage backstage, I’m not doing it. I’m usually just trying to find WiFi, tequila, and a little bit of “leave me the fuck alone.”
*The Artist I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
I want to see someone living—like Kanye—do a hologram tour.
*The Strangest Non-Musical Entertainment I've Experienced at a Festival*
There was this crazy festival in Australia where you walked through this really tall transexual woman’s legs into this weird sex club. It must have cost a fortune. There were dancers and people on drugs everywhere. That festival went out of business. I salute them though.
*The Weird Little Festival That Nobody Knows About But Is Really Cool*
Desert Daze in California
*The Dumbest Decision I've Ever Made at a Festival*
I ate a bunch of edibles I’d been given the night before a festival in Texas and woke up not even stoned but lobotomized. It was like I had lost 70 IQ points and couldn’t form any abstract thoughts. I had to be guided to the stage. It was so strange. What happened to weed?
*My Most Embarrassing Drunk Festival Story*
There’s a video on the Internet of me literally prancing around in half a bear costume backstage in Wales. Prancing, bruh.
*The Most Fucked-Up Thing I've Ever Witnessed at a Festival*
The thing I get most annoyed about at festivals has to do with male dominant behavior—either police treating festival patrons like criminals or guys dominating the enjoyment of a band/DJ. Turn down, males.
Unknown Mortal Orchestra are currently scheduled to play festivals including Primavera Sound, Latitude, Dour, and more.
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Next: Festival tales from Icona Pop, Jessie Ware, Carl Craig, and many more.
*Icona Pop
Photo by Fredrik Etoall*
Icona Pop: "My Party" [ft. Zebra Katz] (via SoundCloud)
*My Favorite Festival*
Roskilde in Denmark
*The Best Act I've Ever Seen at a Festival*
Chemical Brothers at Glastonbury
*If I Had My Own Festival It Would Be Called*
Music Kills
*The Artists I Would Get to Play My Festival*
The Slits, Elvis Presley, the Chemical Brothers, Billy Holliday, Mark Dunn, Beyoncé, Tina Turner, A$AP Ferg, Kendrick Lamar, Young Thug, and then us, of course. Something for everyone.
*The Band I Would Give a Billion Dollars to Reunite for My Festival*
Joy Division… if they were all alive
*Some Other Amazing Details About My Imaginary Festival*
It would be a week long and music would be playing 24/7 that whole week. All food and drink would be free. It would be all-ages, and all kinds of different people would be there to enjoy the music and not just party. The whole week would be remembered like happy chaos.
*The Artist I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
Elvis Presley
*The Craziest Festival Goer I Have Ever Come in Contact With*
There is a man in Sweden who is about 100 years old, and I’ve seen him at many festivals over the last 12 years. Nothing else matters in his life. His whole year is all about planning Swedish summer festivals, and everyone loves and invites him to their camp. He is just one of those festival spirits that you pray that you see every year and if you don’t you actually cry a little inside your soul.
*The Weird Little Festival That Nobody Knows About But Is Really Cool*
We’re actually planning to do a super-intimate festival in a barn in a place called Gotland in Sweden. We would cook the food and people would sleep in tents outside; no money, just exchanging things. It’s coming soon!
*The Thing I Would Change About Festivals to Make Them Better*
Tickets wouldn’t be so damn expensive.
*The Worst Food I’ve Ever Eaten at a Festival*
Why did we try to order sushi at a festival in Germany? We ask ourselves everyday but still don’t know.
Protomartyr. Photo by Angel Ceballos.
*Protomartyr*
Protomartyr: "Come & See" (via SoundCloud)
*If I Had My Own Festival It Would Be Called*
Joe Casey: ConAgra and Halliburton Presents: The General Mills/Unilever/Lady Speed Stick Ultimate Punk Fest & Lifestyle Seminar. Hey, a guy's gotta eat.
*The Artists I Would Get to Headline My Festival*
Joe Casey: If I'm getting anybody for the CHPTGMULSS Ultimate Punk Fest & Lifestyle Seminar, they are gonna need a stunning lack of scruples.
*Some Other Amazing Details About My Imaginary Festival*
Joe Casey: No restrooms of any kind and packs of wild roaming dogs
*The Scariest Encounter I've Ever Had With a Musical Hero at a Festival*
Alex Leonard: At Hopscotch in Raleigh, North Carolina, the show had us, Thurston Moore, and Pere Ubu. During Pere Ubu's soundcheck, I heard someone banging on our door to get in. I opened it up and it was Thurston Moore. He said something like, "I'm playing tonight." I mumbled "yah, yah." In my imagination, though, I had the encounter going like this: Me: “Sorry, bands only.” TM: “I'm playing tonight.” Me: [opening door] “Just kidding Mr. Bowie, right this way.”
So meeting Thurston Moore caused me to hallucinate an encounter where I embarrass myself, which is pretty scary.
*The Artist I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
Greg Ahee: Protomartyr
*The Craziest Festival Goer I Have Ever Come in Contact With*
Greg Ahee: There was a guy watching Wolf Eyes play at OFF Festival in Poland that handed us the raw olives that he was holding so that he could try to play drums for them. We assumed that they knew him, but they didn't.
*The Dumbest Decision I've Ever Made at a Festival*
Greg Ahee: I ate some raw olives provided by a Polish Wolf Eyes fan.
*The Most Fucked-Up Thing I've Ever Witnessed at a Festival*
Joe Casey: Greg eating whatever a drugged-up Polish guy gave him at OFF Festival.
*The Weird Little Festival That Nobody Knows About But Is Really Cool*
Greg Ahee: Urinefested in Detroit
*My Least Favorite Festival (That Will Now Never Book Me Again)*
Greg Ahee: SXSW. Something tells me they would still book us to play free shows for them though.
*Artist I Would Pay a Billion Dollars to Never Play a Festival Again (Because It Would Tarnish Their Perfect Legacy)*
Joe Casey: If I had a billion dollars I wouldn't use it to embarrass some shitty band. I'd give it to charity or buy a bunch of expensive sports cars, you know?
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*Julio Bashmore*
Julio Bashmore: "Peppermint" [ft. Jessie Ware] (via SoundCloud)
*My Favorite Festival*:
Glastonbury. There really is nothing else like it.
*My Least Favorite Festival (That Will Now Never Book Me Again)*
Probably Glastonbury! I enjoy it now, but it’s taken years to get to that point. I’ve had to call my dad to pick me up three times because of flooding and being in a really shite mood. And all those bitching about Kanye really wound me up; I guess Glastonbury attracts some very close-minded people too.
*The Best Act I've Ever Seen at a Festival*
Prince at Hop Farm in 2011. He played every hit and even brought out Sly Stone. I’ll never forget his sparkling gold boots dazzling the audience during a 10-minute improvised dance solo.
*If I Had My Own Festival It Would Be Called*
Knights of the Round Mirrored Table. It would be a hedonistic, sexually charged LARPing festival.
*The Artists I Would Get to Headline My Festival*
King Arthur, Anne Boleyn, and Joy Orbison
*The Band I Would Give a Billion Dollars to Reunite for My Festival*
Squirrel Piss, my first ever band. I’m pretty sure we’d get bottled off stage, but we’d be really rich so it’s fine.
*Best Backstage Perk I've Ever Experienced at a Festival*
The Loch Ness Lake at RockNess—pretty mind-blowing loch.
*The Scariest Encounter I've Ever Had With a Musical Hero at a Festival*
I was checking into a hotel at the same time as Peter Hook and I literally froze and couldn’t talk to anyone for a good while. This prompted some puzzled looks from the reception staff. And from Peter Hook.
*The Artists I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
A hologram supergroup made up of J.S. Bach and Tupac Shakur called Backpacker in which they’ll play all of their hits combined. Also I’d like to see an Elton John hologram—I know he isn’t dead, but I would like to see him playing the hits as his younger self.
*The Strangest Non-Musical Entertainment I've Experienced at a Festival*
Muse
*The Weird Little Festival That Nobody Knows About But Is Really Cool*
Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Festival in Sete, France
*The Worst and/or Best Food I've Ever Eaten at a Festival*
Paella, both best and worst. Actually just don’t do it.
*Artist I Would Pay a Billion Dollars to Never Play a Festival Again (Because It Would Tarnish Their Perfect Legacy)*
Pretty much any aging rock band. They can’t pull it off like an old jazz band, or even an old country singer. Exceptions to this are Black Sabbath, who I saw last year and absolutely killed it.
*The Festival I Would Really Love to Play (Not to Beg in Public or Anything)*
Cruise to the Edge. The premise is essentially the same as Holy Ship!, except for the fact that it only books aging prog rock bands. I’d play it so me and my dad could go and watch Rainbow and Yes.
Jessie Ware. Photo by Tim Zaragonza.
*Jessie Ware*
Jessie Ware: "Kind Of... Sometimes... Maybe" (Remix) [ft. J. Cole] (via SoundCloud)
*My Favorite Festivals*
Glastonbury. Us Brits, I have to say, do a festival well. But I had the best time ever at Laneway Festival all around Australia and New Zealand—shame I never go back because I sell no bloody records there.
*The Best Acts I’ve Ever Seen at a Festival*
Björk and Nas
*The Artists I Would Get to Headline My Festival*
D’Angelo, Sade, and Fleetwood Mac
*The Artist I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
Billie Holiday
*The Strangest Non-Musical Entertainment I've Experienced at a Festival*
The Rabbit Hole at Glastonbury
*The Craziest Festival Goer I Have Ever Come in Contact With*
There's this wicked guy at Glastonbury who stays for a week after and rounds up all the people that lost their minds at the festival and makes sure they get home all right.
*The Weird Little Festival That Nobody Knows About But Is Really Cool*
Brixton Splash is right on my doorstep and is a perfect precursor for Notting Hill Carnival: jerk and jungle and reggae.
*The Thing I Would Change About Festivals to Make Them Better*
Have the most incredible air freshener for the toilets. And sometimes less people is a little better (sorry for sounding antisocial).
*The Dumbest Decision I've Ever Made at a Festival*
I was in Croatia at Unknown Festival, and it started raining during my set. I was like, “Oh man, I feel bad for you, let me get in the rain with you!” So I went to the front of the barriers and stood up and started singing and dancing, and then someone who was high on MDMA just pulled my top down (I had no bra on)—so I punched them. It was a reflex reaction. You can take the girl out of South London, but you can't take the South London out of the girl.
*The Worst and/or Best Food I've Ever Eaten at a Festival*
Osheaga in Montreal was the best: oysters and BBQ and anything you could dream of. Somewhere in Finland was the worst.
Jessie Ware is currently scheduled to play festivals including Isle of Wight, V, Electric Picnic, and more.
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*Viet Cong’s Monty Munroe and Matt Flegel*
Viet Cong: "Silhouettes" (via SoundCloud)
*If I Had My Own Festival It Would Be Called*
Fuckfest
*The Band I Would Give a Billion Dollars to Reunite So They Could Play My Festival*
The original lineup of Guns N’ Roses—on the condition that they play nothing off Chinese Democracy and only the songs I pick off Use Your Illusion. And Axl would be subject to a charity dunk tank during the day.
*The Artist I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
Young Rolling Stones
*The Strangest Non-Musical Entertainment I've Experienced at a Festival*
We played this hippie fest just north of Berlin when we were in Chad VanGaalen's band, and there were hundreds of naked Germans everywhere!
*The Weird Little Festival That Nobody Knows About But Is Really Cool*
SappyFest in Sackville, New Brunswick and Obey Convention in Halifax, Nova Scotia
*My Least Favorite Festival (That Will Now Never Book Me)*
Edgefest
*The Things I Would Change About Festivals to Make Them Better*
Free hot air balloon rides. Or maybe an area that’s just full of puppies that you could hang out with.
*Artist I Would Pay a Billion Dollars to Never Play a Festival Again (Because It Would Tarnish Their Perfect Legacy)*
Everyone with the potential to tarnish their legacy has already done so, and the people who haven't wouldn't take the money anyways.
*The Festival I Would Love to Play (Not to Beg in Public or Anything)*
The Gathering of the Juggalos
Viet Cong are currently scheduled to play festivals including Northside, Mo Pop, Green Man, and more.
Ty Dolla $ign. Photo by Jordy Lee Cordy.
*Ty Dolla $ign*
Ty Dolla $ign: "Rachet in my Benz" [ft. Juicy J]
*My Favorite Festival*
Coachella
*The Best Act I've Ever Seen at a Festival*
Zedd
*If I Had My Own Festival It Would Be Called*
Dolla $ign World
*The Artist I Would Get to Headline My Festival*
Prince
*The Band I Would Give a Billion Dollars to Reunite for My Festival*
The Grateful Dead
*Some Other Amazing Details About My Imaginary Festival*
It would be topless!
*The Artists I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
Jim Morrison and Rick James
*The Thing I Would Change About Festivals to Make Them Better*
Invite more black people
*The Dumbest Decision I've Ever Made at a Festival*
I did mushrooms and as soon as it kicked in Puff came around to me trying talk business. It wasn't good. I should've stayed in the audience and tripped out with the other fans instead of going backstage.
*The Worst and Best Food I've Ever Eaten at a Festival*
Best thing would be a bacon maple donut. The worst thing was one of those hot dogs that make you shit.
*The Festival I Would Love to Play (Not to Beg in Public or Anything)*
Woodstock, but they don't have that shit no more. So I'm going with Lollapalooza.
Ty Dolla $ign is currently scheduled to play festivals including Summer Jam, Pukklepop, and more.
--------------------
*The Soft Moon’s Luis Vasquez
Photo by Dennis Shoenberg*
The Soft Moon: "Black" (via SoundCloud)
*The Best Act I've Ever Seen at a Festival*
Einstürzende Neubauten at Primavera Sound in 2011
*The Dumbest Decision I've Ever Made at a Festival*
I let a random person spray an unknown drug into my eyes. When it kicked in it led me into a crazy blacked-out rage and I broke some of my equipment, punched walls, and shouted. I woke up the next day realizing I had missed my flight home by seven hours.
*The Artist I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
GG Allin
*The Weird Little Festival That Nobody Knows About But Is Really Cool*
Vasto Siren Festival located on the coast of the Adriatic Sea in Italy. We performed there during the sunset in an ancient castle situated on a cliff with a view of the sea behind us.
*My Most Embarrassing/Endearing Drunk Festival Story*
After performing during a heavy storm at a festival in Pordenone, Italy we ended up so drunk that the festival promoter told us we had to leave. We brought the party back to our hotel for a few hours, and then I walked everyone out the front door of the lobby to say my goodbyes. But when I walked back to the lobby door I realized I had left my keys inside. Desperate to go to sleep after ringing the the buzzer for about 30 minutes, I frustratingly picked up a large trash can and threw it through the front window. I woke up the next morning and had completely forgotten what happened until checking out and seeing all the glass on the floor. My bandmates didn’t know I did it, and I kept it to myself and never said a word. After a few days, I thought I had gotten away with it, but the hotel called the promoter and said they had the whole thing on camera. The first thing that came to mind was that I wanted the footage to use in a music video.
*Artist I Would Pay a Billion Dollars to Never Play a Festival Again (Because It Would Tarnish Their Perfect Legacy)*
Guns N' Roses with the original line-up mainly because Axl Rose is so hard to watch perform these days.
*The Festival I Would Love to Play (Not to Beg in Public or Anything)*
Coachella
The Soft Moon are currently scheduled to play festivals including Primavera Sound, Way Back When, and more.
Natalie Prass. Photo by Ryan Patterson.
*Natalie Prass*
Natalie Prass: "My Baby Don’t Understand Me" (via SoundCloud)
*My Favorite Festival*
I'm not much of a festival person because large crowds make me super nervous, but I really dig the Newport Folk Festival. It's small, sounds good on and off stage, and has the best scenery.
*The Best Act I've Ever Seen at a Festival*
Charles Bradley at Grand Point North Festival
*If I Had My Own Festival It Would Be Called*
Nothing But Sunshine Fest
*The Artists I Would Get to Headline My Festival*
Weird Al, Anita Baker, and Ciara
*The Bands I Would Give a Billion Dollars to Reunite for My Festival*
I'd get everyone who recorded the Space Jam soundtrack to come and play that album in it's entirety.
*Best Backstage Perk I've Ever Experienced at a Festival*
Haircuts—always need an emergency bang trim
*The Scariest Encounter I've Ever Had With a Musical Hero at a Festival*
Robert Plant
*The Artists I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
Nina Simone or Ella Fitzgerald
Natalie Prass is currently scheduled to play festivals including Sasquatch!, Outside Lands, Way Out West, and more.
--------------------
*Son Lux*
Son Lux [ft. Lorde]: "Easy (Switch Screens)" (via Bandcamp)
*My Favorite Festival*
Melt
*The Best Act I've Ever Seen at a Festival*
Portishead
*If I Had My Own Festival It Would Be Called*
Meek and Eager Spirit Fest
*The Artists I Would Get to Headline My Festival*
Hologram Edgard Varèse and Wu-Tang
*The Band I Would Give a Billion Dollars to Reunite for My Festival*
A billion dollars would be much better spent on more worthy causes, like pyrotechnics. Let the sleeping dogs lie.
*Some Other Amazing Details About My Imaginary Festival*
The Monsanto tent
*The Scariest Encounter I've Ever Had With a Musical Hero at a Festival*
When Lee “Scratch” Perry “borrowed” our pen
*The Weird Little Festival That Nobody Knows About But Is Really Cool*
Bad Bonn Kilbi in Switzerland
*The Thing I Would Change About Festivals to Make Them Better*
Every festival should be on the edge of a volcano in Iceland.
*The Festival I Would Love to Play (Not to Beg in Public or Anything)*
The Gathering of the Juggalos
Son Lux are currently scheduled to play festivals including Off, Pukklepop, and more.
Mikal Cronin. Photo by Myles Pettengill.
*Mikal Cronin*
Mikal Cronin: "ii) Gold" (via SoundCloud)
*My Favorite Festival*
Pickathon outside of Portland
*The Best Acts I've Ever Seen at a Festival*
Nine Inch Nails and Slayer
*If I Had My Own Festival It Would Be Called*
Hellmania (shout out to Tim Hellman currently of Thee Oh Sees)
*The Scariest Encounter I've Ever Had With a Musical Hero at a Festival*
I was pretty nervous and awkward when I met Henry Rollins. Later that same night I drunkenly had a pretty long conversation with Stephen Malkmus about french horns. Sorry Steve!
*The Artist I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
Tiny Tim?
*The Strangest Non-Musical Entertainment I've Experienced at a Festival*
I played a festival outside of Mexico City and there was a Doritos drone—a drone that just picked up bag after bag of Doritos, flew up above a crowd, and dropped those Doritos.
*The Craziest Festival Goers I Have Ever Come in Contact With*
A few days ago at Burgerama I was playing with Ty Segall and I started to smell smoke—then I looked out and right in the middle of a crowd of thousands there’s an eight-foot diameter open circle of people with their faces all glowing orange. Someone had started a fire in the middle of the audience, which is ridiculous. After the set I was talking to some old friends and said, “Hey did you see that fire?” to which one of them responded, “Oh yeah! There was a sombrero on the ground so I lit it on fire!” So my friend lit a sombrero on fire in the middle of a crowd. He’s a hero and a madman.
*The Weird Little Festival That Nobody Knows About But Is Really Cool*
B-Sides Festival in Switzerland, which is on the top of a huge hill overlooking a small town by a big lake at the base of the alps.
*My Least Favorite Festival (That Will Now Never Book Me Again)*
Coachella is pretty overwhelming and I missed Fatboy Slim because the dust storms don’t agree with my contact lenses.
Mikal Cronin is currently scheduled to play festivals including Primavera Sound, Beaches Brew, Plissken, and more.
--------------------
*Carl Craig*
Caribou: "Your Love Will Set You Free" (Carl Craig Remix) (via SoundCloud)
*The Artists I Would Get to Headline My Festival*
Prince, Herbie Hancock, and Stevie Wonder all playing synthesizer in a band together
*Other Details About My Imaginary Festival*
It would only have Turkish and Lebanese food. The sound system would rival any IMAX theater. In fact, it would be in a complex of outdoor IMAX theaters. And there would be these special pills that whenever you talk, fluorescent light comes out.
*Artists I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
Alive: Genesis P-Orridge. Dead: Black leather Elvis from 1968.
Carl Craig is currently scheduled to play festivals including Coachella, Movement, Ostrov, and more.
--------------------
Next: Festival tales from Franz Ferdinand, Tinashe, Metz, and more.
*Flume*
Arcade Fire: "Afterlife" (Flume Remix) (via SoundCloud)
*My Favorite Festival*
Osheaga
*The Scariest Encounter I've Ever Had With a Musical Hero at a Festival*
Meeting Flylo and not even being able to speak
*The Weird Little Festival That Nobody Knows About But Is Really Cool*
Golden Plains Festival in Australia
*The Festival I Would Really Love to Play (Not to Beg in Public or Anything)*
Fuji Rock in Japan
*If I Had My Own Festival It Would Be Called*
Flumefest
*Some Other Amazing Details About My Imaginary Festival*
Segway roller derby with a DJ who exclusively plays dark, heavy techno.
Flume is currently scheduled to play Bonnaroo, Open’er, Governors Ball, and more.
Franz Ferdinand. Photo by Andy Knowles.
*Franz Ferdinand’s Paul Thompson*
Franz Ferdinand: "Take Me Out (Daft Punk Remix)" (via SoundCloud)
*My Favorite Festival*
The East End Social in Glasgow
*The Best Act I've Ever Seen at a Festival*
De Kift and Rats on Rafts together at Where the Wild Things Are last year
*The Artists I Would Get to Headline My Festival*
Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson, Blowfly and the Love Unlimited Orchestra, Les Rallizes Dénudés, Brainiac, Cutty Ranks, Country Teasers
*The Band I Would Give a Billion Dollars to Reunite for My Festival*
Dog Faced Hermans
*Some Other Amazing Details About My Imaginary Festival*
No phone signal and all the food and drink gets dropped in by a fleet of planes
*Best Backstage Perk I've Ever Experienced at a Festival*
Best Kept Secret in Holland take their artists on an actual safari with giraffes and everything.
*The Scariest Encounter I've Ever Had With a Musical Hero at a Festival*
At a Polish festival, [Franz Ferdinand guitarist] Nick [McCarthy] once got a team talk in the toilets from Flavor Flav and he also drank absinthe with Al Jourgensen, which he swears was laced with LSD.
*The Artist I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
Kanye West
*The Strangest Non-Musical Entertainment I've Experienced at a Festival*
A line of men all pissing through a fence as we were driving into T in the Park. We were on the other side, and it was like a 50-man glory hole.
*My Least Favorite Festival (That Will Now Never Book Me Again)*
V Festival
*The Dumbest Decision I've Ever Made at a Festival*
Going to see Dizzee Rascal at Roskilde when we were due onstage straight after, at the other side of the site. I waded through three feet of mud and about a thousand Danish hippies who were watching Santana. I barely made it.
*The Worst Food I've Ever Eaten at a Festival*
Currywurst, which is just a fucking sausage with curry sauce on it. Get over it, Germany.
*My Story About That Time I Almost Died at a Festival*
We played a festival in Murcia, Spain after a pretty gruelling South American tour, and I had contracted what was later diagnosed as reactive arthritis—my ankles were so swollen I couldn’t get my shoes on or walk upstairs. I also had a rather natty facial cyst to go with it. After that, the band took a year off (and I took a year off drinking).
*The Most Fucked-Up Thing I've Ever Witnessed at a Festival*
Probably the band Fucked Up at a festival
Franz Ferdinand are currently scheduled to play festivals including Lollapalooza Berlin, Goa Boa, and more as part of their upcoming project with Sparks, FSS.
--------------------
*Rudimental’s DJ Locksmith
Photo by Danny North*
Rudimental: "Feel the Love" [ft. John Newman] (via SoundCloud)
*My Favorite Festival*
Glastonbury
*The Best Act I've Ever Seen at a Festival*
Stevie Wonder
*If I Had My Own Festival It Would Be Called*
Wildlife. There would be animals running wild, people on trapeze doing somersaults—it would be crazy.
*The Artist I Would Get to Headline My Festival*
Wu-Tang Clan
*The Band I Would Give a Billion Dollars to Reunite for My Festival*
The Fugees
*Best Backstage Perk I've Ever Experienced at a Festival*
Full-body massage
*The Scariest Encounter I've Ever Had With a Musical Hero at a Festival*
Kanye West—he pulled up in four blacked-out Mercedes and had 20 big body guards around him walking to the dressing room.
*The Artist I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
Marvin Gaye
*The Strangest Non-Musical Entertainment I've Experienced at a Festival*
Dwarf dance-off
*My Most Embarrassing Drunk Festival Story*
It was dark one night and I didn’t really know where I was going and I tripped over four half-naked females going to the toilet.
*Artist I Would Pay a Billion Dollars to Never Play a Festival Again (Because It Would Tarnish Their Perfect Legacy)*
Tina Turner
*The Festival I Would Really Love to Play (Not to Beg in Public or Anything)*
Ultra Music Festival in Miami
Rudimental are currently scheduled to play festivals including Governors Ball, Bonnaroo, Lovebox, and more.
Tinashe. Photo by Michael Schwartz.
*Tinashe*
Tinashe: "Worth It" [ft. Iamsu!]
*The Best Act I've Ever Seen at a Festival*
OutKast at Coachella last year
*The Artists I Would Get to Headline My Festival*
Me, Janet Jackson, and Metric
*The Artist I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
I have to go with MJ—and then they could do “Scream” with Janet!
*The Worst Food I've Ever Eaten at a Festival*
Probably some stale-ass churros that had been sitting out for like 13 hours.
*The Festival I Would Really Love to Play (Not to Beg in Public or Anything)*
Definitely Coachella, but I don't wanna play the stupid stages so I'll just wait until I'm main stage.
Tinashe is currently scheduled to open for Nicki Minaj on her upcoming tour as well as play festivals including Wireless.
--------------------
*Ride’s Mark Gardener
Photo by Piper Ferguson*
Ride: "Moonlight Medicine" (Portishead remix)
*My Favorite Festival*
Glastonbury in the ‘90s
*The Best Act I've Ever Seen at a Festival*
The Prodigy
*If I Had My Own Festival It Would Be Called*
Space March (Leave Your Phones at Home Festival)
*The Artist I Would Get to Headline My Festival*
Ennio Morricone with full orchestra and choir
*The Band I Would Give a Billion Dollars to Reunite So They Could Play My Festival*
Bob Marley and the Wailers
*The Artists I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
Orbital and Elvis
*The Craziest Festival Goer I Have Ever Come in Contact With*
Myself in a backstage Glastonbury Portaloo mirror
*The Most Fucked-Up Things I've Ever Witnessed at a Festival*
A funeral procession and people turning into lions
*The Festival I Would Love to Play (Not to Beg in Public or Anything)*
Glastonbury again one day maybe?!
Ride are currently scheduled to play festivals including Coachella, Field Day, Best Kept Secret, and more.
Torres. Photo by Shawn Brackbill.
*Torres*
Torres: "Strange Hellos" (via SoundCloud)
*My Favorite Festival*
Latitude Festival in Suffolk, England
*The Best Act I've Ever Seen at a Festival*
St. Vincent at SXSW last year
*If I Had My Own Festival It Would Be Called*
Near-Cosmic Struggle! Festival
*The Artists I Would Get to Play My Festival*
Funkadelic, Fleetwood Mac, Taylor Swift, Sharon Van Etten, St. Vincent, Warpaint, Natalie Prass, Sufjan Stevens, David Bazan, Run the Jewels, Marnie Stern, the National, Diarrhea Planet
*The Scariest Encounter I've Ever Had With a Musical Hero at a Festival*
I opened for Brandi Carlile at SXSW recently, and we made brief eye contact near the green room, and my hands got immediately clammy. I was so nervous I couldn’t even say hello.
*My Most Embarrassing Drunk Festival Story*
Early on in college, I went to a festival called the Big Nashty at an abandoned schoolhouse in Gallatin, just outside of Nashville. It was my first encounter with bottomless keg beer, and at one point I’m pretty sure there was some whiskey. I have splotchy memories of Natalie Prass holding my hair back while I hugged a bucket somewhere inside the schoolhouse. I was so embarrassed that I baked her cookies the next day.
--------------------
*Joanna Gruesome’s Owen Williams
Photo by Pat Graham*
Joanna Gruesome: "Last Year" (via SoundCloud)
*The Artist I Would Get to Headline My Festival*
Ravioli Me Away
*The Scariest Encounter I've Ever Had With a Musical Hero at a Festival*
We met someone from Bratmobile once and silently looked at our feet the whole time.
*The Strangest Non-Musical Entertainment I've Experienced at a Festival*
This dude with a hula hoop
*The Weird Little Festival That Nobody Knows About But Is Really Cool*
Supernormal near Oxford
*Artist I Would Pay a Billion Dollars to Never Play a Festival Again (Because It Would Tarnish Their Perfect Legacy)*
Joanna Gruesome
GoldLink. Photo by VSCO.
*GoldLink*
GoldLink: "Sober Thoughts" (via SoundCloud)
*The Best Acts I’ve Ever Seen at a Festival*
Hudson Mohawke and Aluna George
*If I Had My Own Festival It Would Be Called*
Chipotle Presents Taxation with Weponsentation
*The Artists I Would Get to Headline My Festival*
Lil Romeo, Kanye West, Vampire Weekend, Outcast, Beyoncé, Clams Casino, Clipse reunion, Diddy Dirty Money, Esta, Skee-lo, James Blake, John Legend (for my mom), C-Murder, Max B, OJ da Juiceman, Ray J, Kaytranda
*The Band I Would Give a Billion Dollars to Reunite for My Festival*
Prince and the Revolution
*Some Other Amazing Details About My Imaginary Festival*
Free Chipotle for everyone, served by strippers from King of Diamonds and Fuegos. A panel with J-Kwon, Mr. Collipark, Jibbs, and Hurricane Chris about the successes and downfalls of being a one-hit wonder (Rick Astley would moderate). Action Bronson would also host between acts and do the catering for the festival.
*Best Backstage Perk I've Ever Experienced at a Festival*
Free weed
*The Artists I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
Rick James and Big L
*The Weird Little Festival That Nobody Knows About But Is Really Cool*
Lost Paradise Festival in Sydney, Australia. It’s in the middle of nowhere and people camp out in tee-pees.
*Artist I Would Pay a Billion Dollars to Never Play a Festival Again (Because It Would Tarnish Their Perfect Legacy)*
Jay Z
*The Festival I Would Love to Play (Not to Beg in Public or Anything)*
Bonnaroo
GoldLink is currently scheduled to play festivals including Electric Forest, Northern Lights, and more.
--------------------
*Makthaverskan
Photo by Jessica Lund*
Makthaverskan: "Witness" (via SoundCloud)
*My Favorite Festival*
Irma Pussila Krook: Way Out West
*The Best Act I've Ever Seen at a Festival*
Irma Pussila Krook: Slowdive
*The Band I Would Give a Billion Dollars to Reunite for My Festival*:
Gustav Data Andersson: Broder Daniel
*Some Other Amazing Details About My Imaginary Festival*
Gustav Data Andersson: There would be a pool bar 100 meters from the stage and you could listen to all the acts from there without needing to be in a crowd of a million other people who you don't want to get crowded with.
*The Thing I Would Change About Festivals to Make Them Better*
Hugo Randulv: At least in Sweden, all the festivals book extremely lousy bands. So I guess I would change that.
Metz. Photo by David Waldman.
*Metz*
Metz: "Acetate" (via SoundCloud)
*The Dumbest Decision I’ve Ever Made at a Festival*
Hayden Menzies: I gorged myself in the catering tent about 20 minutes before our set once, and I felt like I was playing in slow motion onstage.
*Best Backstage Perk I’ve Ever Experienced at a Festival*
Hayden Menzies: Hammocks
*The Thing I Would Change About Festivals to Make Them Better*
Hayden Menzies: I would prefer if they consulted me about set times for all the bands that I want to see. I’m very selfish so I'd like them to be on the same day as us and with enough time in between that I could casually walk from one stage to another without rushing.
*My Most Embarrassing Drunk Festival Story*
Hayden Menzies: It was at a festival in Europe where I was quite gitty with beer and decided to run into the bushes and remove my undergarments so I could throw them onto the stage; I was watching one of my favorite bands and my alcohol-inspired logic was that they would find it hilarious. Luckily, the underwear didn't make the mark and any further embarrassment was avoided.
*My Least Favorite Festival (That Will Now Never Book Me Again)*
Chris Slorach: We were mistakenly booked on an electronic festival in Scandinavia just before our first album came out, and the crowd and crew were all amazed to see a drum kit, guitar, and bass amp get loaded onto the stage. We cleared the room by the end of our first song.
*The Weird Little Festival That Nobody Knows About But Is Really Cool*
Chris Slorach: Moon Block Party in Pomona
*The Most Fucked-Up Thing I've Ever Witnessed at a Festival*
Chris Slorach: We played a festival where someone was murdered in the camp grounds—I didn’t witness it but it fueled a healthy fear of camping out at big musical festivals.
Metz are currently scheduled to play festivals including Best Kept Secret, Hurricane, End of the Road, and more.
--------------------
*Mick Jenkins
Photo by Lawrence Agyei*
Mick Jenkins: "Healer" [ft. Jean Deaux] (via SoundCloud)
*The Best Act I've Ever Seen at a Festival*
OutKast at Lollapalooza. Nuff said.
*If I Had My Own Festival It Would Be Called*
The Drafting of Free Nation Rebel Soldiers
*The Artists I Would Get to Headline My Festival*
Frank Ocean, Jill Scott, the Roots, OutKast, James Blake
*The Band I Would Give a Billion Dollars to Reunite for My Festival*
The Fugees
*The Artists I Would Love to See Play a Festival as a Hologram*
Bob Marley, Biggie, Michael Jackson
*The Festival I Would Love to Play (Not to Beg in Public or Anything)*
Afropunk
Mick Jenkins is scheduled to play Lollapalooza and other fests this summer.
Reported by Pitchfork 8 minutes ago.