MAGNET’s Maureen Coulter will be reporting from the 2013 Firefly Festival in Delaware.
Festivals are a thing now.
From star-studded behemoths Bonnaroo and Coachella, which are routinely featured in Rolling Stone, to the regional genre-inspired staples like L.A.’s indie-pop FYF Fest or West Virginia’s jam band-centric All Good Festival, there’s no shortage of events you can go to if you want to see multiple artists you like all at once, while paying $10 for watered-down beer and forgoing showers for three days.
Festivals used to mean spending several days living out of your car, forking over $5 for communal showers and munching on some kind of meat/bread combo wrapped in tinfoil. Now you have “glamping” (glamorous camping, with air-conditioned tents and such), amenities like arcades and chill-out tents, and local upscale restaurants setting up shop in between the hot dog and gyro stands.
While the nation has festival fever, the field is becoming ever more crowded. In order to become a “premiere” music event, where Paul McCartney’s PR team is calling you up and hotels are completely booked within a 40-mile radius of towns like Manchester, Tenn., and Indio, Calif., any rookie needs to hit the ground running. Firefly Festival concert promoter Red Frog Events, the same folks who bring you the ubiquitous Tough Mudder runs, knows a thing or two about competition.
After a successful inaugural campaign in 2012 that drew 30,000 fans and landed top-notch acts like the Killers, Black Keys and Jack White, Firefly managed to sell out its three-day passes this year, and hotel rooms in Dover, Del., near the grounds are scarce.
Like most of today’s music festivals, you have a lot to distract you from the main stages. On top of returning attractions like the hammock grove and hot-air balloon, Firefly also has an air-conditioned arcade, an outdoor cinema showing silent movies and a coffee shop, which is hosting intimate performances by up-and-coming singer/songwriters like Matt Sucich.
In addition to wizened but still popular rock-god headliners Red Hot Chili Peppers and Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, Firefly 2012 attendees will note that the bounty of acts has ballooned from 48 to 71 this year, as well as the daily post-headliner parties featuring EDM favorites Dan Deacon and Zedd.
Like many festivals these days, Firefly diversifies its lineup to attract to the most number of fans. Many of these acts are staples on the festival circuit, probably spurred by the decline of the record industry and increased reliance on touring and live shows to make a dime. Firefly, similar to other festivals, has a lineup formula: a dash of bands your dad listens to (Petty), a cup of groups you listen to (Passion Pit, Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and several teaspoons of artists your 14-year-old brother listens to (Grizzly Bear, Twenty One Pilots). They need to make it as widely appealing as possible. And you know what? It’s working.
