Day 17.
Its almost Friday!!
And I have music festivals on the brain. With festival season just around the corner, down here in Oz, it's hard to escape the excitement of them.. they are everywhere! From small folk festivals in the bush, like Woodford, to larger New Years festivals like Pyramid Rock and The Falls, to huge one day electronic festivals like Stereosonic and Future, theres something for every type of music lover.
Festivals have been getting bad rep's in the media lately for being drug hubs and essentially dangerous places for young people to be..expecially in the growing EDM genres. but I feel like for the most part festivals are being unfairly targeted by this type of scrutiny. Drugs and Alcohol are present in so many parts of youth culture, from clubs to bars to house parties, to concerts..and it's always been that way. Young people just need to make smarter decisions about them, no matter what setting you are in. Festivals are full of amazing people and amazing atmospheres and should really be experienced by everyone atleast once in their life.
So because of this Pro-festival stance of mine and in light of the season I decided to make a list of
The top 10 things I love most about music festivals. I think most of you reading will relate and agree with atleast a couple of these, and I'm excited to reminisce a little about my past festival experiences with these photos... here we go.
{ONE}
Oh the sounds..the MUSIC. Obviously #1 on the list for me. One minute you can be listening to the sexy sounds of The Weekend and Frank Ocean while the next you can be in the dance tent jumpin' around to some crazy dubstep. The diversity of sounds at many of the larger festivals these days are insane..its eclectic and its beautiful. {This photo was taken at Coachella 2012}
{TWO}
One of the utmost greatest things about music festivals is the fact that you can wear the craziest outfits/accessories/costumes and not get judgingly stared at for it..only high fives and smiles. Festival people beat to their own drum and it's amazing to see the creativity that goes into the get-up's that these people flaunt. You can truly be whatever you want to be at music festival. Even a furry Yetty.
{This photo was taken at Sasquach 2011}
{THREE}
The Camping is always epic. Miles and miles of tents, cars and camper-vans lined up in a field, all baring flags and music and rowdy groups of campers. It's the best way to capture the full experience of a week or weekend long music festival. You don't shower, you eat only beef jerky, and you pee in gross porto-potties. Truly glorious. { This is me and Kate, our first day at Sasquatch 2011}
{FOUR}
Dancing is an integral part to fully enjoying a music festival. You don't care what anyone else thinks because they're all doing the same stupid, flailing moves.. you just giv'er. For optimal fun, you dance in a mosh pit of hundreds of people while electronic sounds are pulsing and the bass is heavy..but finger dancing with beers in tents is fun too. {This is me and Kate, first night at Sasquatch 2011}
{FIVE}
Your Crew! These are your beautiful friends who help you make the great memories.. the friends you dance with, party with and squeeze into one tent with at the end of the night. Your crew is always a great bunch of rowdy humans who you love and who share you're love for music and fun.
{This was The Coachella Crew of 2012..love em to death.}
{SIX}
Ah, the people you meet. I love how music festivals bring together like-minded people from all over the country, the continent and the world. It's hard to meet a legitimately bad person at a festival..because only the coolest and most fun people attend festivals. boring people do not go to festivals.
{This is a photo of our camping neighbours at Coachella. They were from San Francisco. Definitely some of the coolest guys I've ever met.. They also design rad T-shrits. }
{SEVEN}
Shenanigans! It's part of the festival lifestyle really. For 3 days, you get to act stupid (in moderation of course...) and wake up with a drink in your hand and spend the afternoons kart-wheeling and hoola hooping and playing games of beer pong and drinking vodka from a watermelon.
{EIGHT}
Mom won't like this one..Shoulder Rides! Most definitely one of my all-time favourite things to do at a music festival. All you gotta do is find a tall, strong looking man who will agree to lift you up on his shoulders while you bounce around, flailing your arms and screaming at the top of your lungs. Why? Because it is THE BEST VIEW EVER. You feel like you're on top of the world. No heads in your way, no annoying girls elbowing you in the ribs..just you, and your light saber.
{This is me opening night at Coachella, during Swedish House Mafia's set}
{NINE}
Body Paint is a must-have at a music festival. It's a fun and creative group activity that will never get old. Peace Signs, Hearts and Swirls were clearly a favourite of hours in this pic. Hippie Vibes all the way. {Coachella 2012}
{TEN.}
I will rap this list up with the best of them all. LOVE. There is so much love shared at music festivals (and i'm not talking about the sexy-time ronchy love..so get your head out of the gutters) I'm talking serious human love. At a festival it's virtually impossible to be in a bad mood and you feel so in love with your life - those around you, the sounds you hear, the setting you are in..everything. Good vibes are being spread. Strangers are coming together under one roof. You will not meet a more accepting and loving bunch of humans than at a music festival.
{This is a photo my friend Max spontaneously snapped of me and my good friend Ryker at the Gorge Amphitheatre, during Sasquatch 2011..so much friend love shared in this picture.. thats the love i'm talking about}
THE END.
Thanks for reading,
Until Tomorrow xo
