Music Festivals

Photo: Santiago A. Gomez Flor

On May 2, 2013, Baruch clubs held there annual Spring Fling. Nicole Clemons writes all about the students reactions to this fun filled event in “Spring Fling revives school spirit with JoJo concert.” The main event for this fair was the concert by  R&B singer-songwriter Jojo. At the age of 13, she was the youngest solo artist to have a number one single in the United States with “Leave (Get Out).” Many of the students were surprised that we got a recording artist to perform for the main event. Jojo was the finshing touch on a successful Spring Fling.

SFX entertainment is a company that sells stocks with regard to the electronic music festivals. These festivals are attended by generally younger people who have no interests in stocks. SFX entertainment is now trying to buy off other companies that associate with these electronic music festivals. Ben Sisaro states in Tepid opening for Promoter at Electronic Dance Music, that even though there are drug related deaths, if the promoters work hard then the attendees will have fun as well.

A drug called MDMA or Mollys that goes around at the concerts of the electronic music festivals has been affecting these electronical music festivals. At one of the biggest electronic music festival in new york, a three day concert has been cut short due to the fact of festival goers have overdosed on this drugs and had passed away. In “Drug Deaths Threaten Rising Business of Electronic Music Fests” Ben Sisario and James C. McKinley Jr. from the nytimes, wrote an article about how the drugs has been around for years and officials should not be concerned about the drug usage of the patrons. The business men working behind the scenes at these festivals wants the festivals to open even if the drug related deaths are happening.

Jon Pareles gives us an overview of this year’s Electric Daisy Carnival in his article “ Electric Daisy Carnival at Citi Field.” This was the second year of Electric Daisy in New York and it attracted an audience of about 40,000 people. The audience was dressed in eye-catching ensembles such as tutus, and fun accessories like light up pacifiers and beaded bracelets.  A few of the healiners included artists such as Dirty South and Nicky Romero. Like Pareles emphasizes, “It was, strictly speaking, a party in a parking lot.”

Festival goers aren’t too happy this year in Baalbek. Lebanon. Author Anne Barnard, writes about the complications present this year for the Baalbek International Festival in her article, “Amid Turmoil, Lebanese Music Festival Presses On.” With the war going on this year in neighboring Syria, the festival had to undergo some changes. Not only did the festival committee have to reluctantly move the location of the festival but also due to higher security costs for the festival, they were unable to book a major performer. Even with these complications, the festival committee refused to cancel which shows great determination!

In September 2013, a small city in Georgia known as Chattahoochee was chosen to host the electronic dance music festival, Tomorrow World. In “At a Festival, Molly Danced but Didn’t Cut In,” Ralph Ellis gives us an overview of what seemed to be a success of the music festival. This year was the debut of Tomorrow World, which is the American version of the popular Belgian electronic music festival, Tomorrow Land. A high number of 50,000 guests from 75 different nations danced from noon until midnight to music from various starts including stars such as David Guetta and Axwell. Having drug issues present at recent music festivals such as the Electric Zoo Festival in New York City, motivated Tomorrow World concert promoters to keep an extra look out for any illegal behavior and fortunately there were no major setbacks so overall it was a success!