Its TradIndie Dad!
This lacklustre ad for a festival (via Popjustice Twitter) for some reason reminds me of nothing less than how Trad Jazz bands used to advertise their niche wares in the late seventies. Much like much of the worst excesses of CAMRA, the affair seems there to celebrate an inbred scene which can only define itself against what it doesn’t like. In this case what it doesn’t like appears to be cheerleaders and fireworks.
Well, I don’t know about your festival going experience, but I can’t say I recall seeing that many cheerleaders at festivals. Perhaps in the 1982 Glastonbury headlined by Toni Basil, but not since. AND WHO HATES FIREWORKS. Only King Funhater III The Miserable, King Of Funhatingdonia in the continent of IHATEFUNOPA, that’s who. And that bloke who was blinded in the Public Safety Announcement by the rocket in the milk-bottle, who has probably emigrated to Funhatingdonia already for their No Fireworks policy. Not Oxfordshire.
Further investigation seems to suggest that this is ALL ABOUT THE GUITAR, whilst clearly being musically diverse. Look at this line-up. The Holloways. Starsailor. And a big name to be announced
a)Soon
or
b) The Pigeon Detectives if you click the link.
And I suppose compared to Starsailor, The Pigeon Detectives are a big name. A whole nine letters more!
So all that, and you get the chance to win an indie guitar (Note, indie guitar can only be used to play indie music. It will self destruct if you try to play pop or metal on it). What are you waiting for?
Pete Baran in FT • Pop • 224 views
Almost too much brilliance in that. “Only 7000 tickets”, so it’s bigger than ATP, End Of The Road, Secret Garden Party and Summer Sundae, to name four much more highly regarded and longer established festivals. Another example of which is Truck Festival, which takes place in the same county on the same weekend. Then there’s the level of hubris in calling a festival “honest”. And the “cool music diversity”, which seems to mean booking Teddy Thompson and Thea Gilmore and crossing fingers. Plus, why the hell launch a new festival the year after the new festival business spectacularly blew up?
Credit Where It’s Due Dept: Popjustice got this from the same place I did, i.e. Simon Price’s Twitter!
It is genuinely the gift that keeps on giving: good spot in the link in the big name to be announced soon.
So are we guessing its a Truck spoiler! (In itself a bizarre idea!)
My favourite line on the flyer is “If you buy early, you’re in”
For which we can read
“If you buy early, we may just be able to afford to put it on”
introducing the “HONEST INDIE FIREWORK”
i: light blue touchpaper
ii: sit glumly in your BEDROOM as touchpaper goes out and NOTHING ELSE HAPPENS
Just noticed British Sea Power (mates of Price’s) have pulled out since the link was posted.
Wow. Speaking as someone whose ITunes library in the office share has just been identified as mine on the basis of being “indie as feck” that does sound absolutely terrible. There is an indie festival for people that don’t hate fun though. After all, trains! I’m pretty sure there’ll be nobody there that hates fireworks.
“.. and you can win an indie guitar?”
(note question mark, they aren’t sure)
It’s a ’64 Vox Phantom 12-string… copy.
Stone Roses tribute band, though!