Hellish festivals make way for new breed of boutique live music events

poledriver

poledriver

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Hellish festivals make way for new breed of boutique live music events

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LIVE music events are back in the firing line after a woman was indecently assaulted at a Melbourne festival this week.

The shocking incident, in which a man ejaculated on the 20-year-old as she watched hip-hop act Thundamentals, comes as experts call for pill-testing at Australian dance parties.

It follows the death of Georgina Bartter, who reportedly took ecstasy at Sydney’s Harbourlife festival, and that of a 19-year-old man at the city’s A State Of Trance festival.

Police are investigating claims he was competing with a friend, who was left in a critical condition, to see who could take more drugs.

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These disturbing stories only serve to bolster the perception of Aussie festivals as magnets for drunk, drug-addled, violent youth — and it’s leading some to give them a wide berth.

A brawl at Stereosonic in December compelled co-founder Frank Cotela to post a Facebook message criticising the “’roided up bros” whose violent “muscle culture” is spoiling major events.

It has seen several festivals, including Future Music’s under-18s sister event Good Life, place a ban on shirtlessness.

And with a number of events cancelled last year after struggling to sell tickets, is the Australian music festival losing its shine?

Even festival behemoth Big Day Out is taking a year off, perhaps to decide what it can offer the punters sick of ageing rock acts and loutish behaviour.

“I used to be a huge festival-goer, and I found myself at Parklife in Sydney a few years ago,” Kim Wilmot told news.com.au.

“It had been raining on and off all day, and around me people were rolling about in the mud. Lots of kids had made a point of advertising how ‘munted’ they were by writing so on their arms and clothes.

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“About 10 minutes into the headline act on the main stage my friend next to me squealed, I thought she’d been hurt.

“She had a look of pure horror on her face. At the same time I felt something warm and wet on my back. We both turned at the same time to find a guy with his penis out, staggering around and urinating on anyone who got in his way.

“We looked for help but most people in the crowd (who weren’t being urinated on) thought it was hilarious. We left early — it was a horrible end to a terrible festival and I’ve never been to one since.”

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Cont -

http://www.news.com.au/entertainmen...ive-music-events/story-e6frfn0r-1227233177458
 
I don't see what men committing sexual assault has to do with drug testing. If that was the explanation for it, it wouldn't be so horrifyingly common.
 
^ That's pretty much the reason I posted the article at all. Because of this bizarre part -

The shocking incident, in which a man ejaculated on the 20-year-old as she watched hip-hop act Thundamentals, comes as experts call for pill-testing at Australian dance parties.
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I have just finished the two day Soundwave music festival in Melbourne and it was as it is every year one of the best music festivals we get. The Melbourne soundwave crowd has always been outstanding from my years of experience. We all look after each other, I have even seen people smash their heads together as they both raced to bend down and pick up a fellow mosher who had come unstuck and fell in the pit.
Sure there have been and always will be a few anti social people, never ones on drugs but the one who has been at the bar for the last 5 hours and finally decided to venture out and cause problems but the crowd quickly turns on them and engages security and before the song is out they are marched out and no longer a issue. I have seen a few times over the years after a band has finished and the pit disperses someone yell out, hay I found a phone or wallet, check if you have yours. Any other festival I have been too you would never see that.

It is the festivals that attact the raging roid wankers and people who think you have to take excess amounts of drugs to experience the "true" sense of the music and festival that have problems.

As for the guy ejaculating in the crowd. The St Kilda festival is one like no other and nothing will ever be able to replicate it, the entire suburb of St Kilda has a week long arts and music festival starting off with the Gay and Lesbian pride march to open it and then many pubs and art locations have various types of events and shows on with the festival wrapping up the following Sunday when they close off just about all the streets and turn it into a all day festival. The day light hours is more of a family friendly style and as the sun goes down multiple stages start up with live music and ends in a massive bang. There are always a few minor incidents as there will be when you hold a event of this size where people from every where converge in one place, but never has this sort of thing occurred and I doubt you will see it again. It was just one disturbed person who needs help that happened to step out of line. Highly unfortunate for all concerned.
 
If you want to see anti social behaviour you should head to the Notting Hill Carnival. Like the St Kilda festival it runs through and entire suburb, but that's where the comparisons end. Granted it has improved over the years.

Soundwave is completely different to a electronic music festival because metal fans are generally less inclined to be spangled on drugs. The women are less likely to be harassed too. Perhaps it is because they are tough metal chicks or perhaps its because they usually wear more clothing, who's to know?
 
One Thousand Words said:
If you want to see anti social behaviour you should head to the Notting Hill Carnival. Like the St Kilda festival it runs through and entire suburb, but that's where the comparisons end. Granted it has improved over the years.

Soundwave is completely different to a electronic music festival because metal fans are generally less inclined to be spangled on drugs. The women are less likely to be harassed too. Perhaps it is because they are tough metal chicks or perhaps its because they usually wear more clothing, who's to know?
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One of what are many reason I feel is that metal festivals have less issues is that they attract a diverse range of people who can be grouped together as metal fans, but you have many diverse genres all at their different stages but partying as one seeing bands which rarely they would see tour together. So the fans are actually there for the music and live acts, not to fight and attack women.

You get the EDM festivals and it is barely different than attending any club on the weekend, it is just outside and with more people. Many of the people are there to just take drugs and not for the music which leads to major issues as they have no respect for the event or other attendees
 
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