We are lucky enough to have many large music festivals in this country. Blue Ridge Rock Festival is one of the largest. It is also one of the youngest festivals and most potent, with powerhouse line-ups over consecutive days.
With headliners such as Mudvayne, Slipknot, Disturbed, Ghost, and many more national headliners. What separates this festival from many others is not just the variety of genres of music but the fact that this is truly a fan-driven experience; concert-goers are allowed to vote on the line-up every year.
The result of this is a diverse group of people brought together by their love of music were the only politic was to decide which band to go see, The only struggle was to make it up the hill for the other stages.
At times I couldn't help but think this is amazing given our times after Covid-19 and political tensions, there was never a better time for a festival like this to truly blend our country over the love of fantastic music. I've had the privilege of shooting at a few large festivals, and I have no problem telling you this is my favorite, Not just because of the line-up but because of the fans.
Being a fan of all different genres of music, I can truly appreciate a mixed bag of music and the fans that come with it. There are very few places where you could catch Ice Cube and Alice Cooper with A Day To Remember just over the hill. I have to be honest; I read many reviews from years prior, and I anticipated absolute confusion, long lines, horrible parking, and not nearly enough bathrooms. Still, I was dead wrong in having this assumption.
The only line that I witnessed was long was the shuttle to offsite parking and camping. I never had to wait in line for a bathroom and to get food. It was comparable to waiting for a beer at a football game, so not long on top of that, the pricing of anything was on par with any other festival or large event.
They had multiple water bottle filling stations, which, if you go to any other festival, are a 4-8 dollar purchase at any large event. The bottom line is we have to be realistic. It is a logistical nightmare to put on a festival of this magnitude. It is clear that the organizers listened to the fans and understood and adjusted, and in most cases, addressed grievances; for the most part, they have achieved further, making Blue Ridge a fan-driven experience, which further proves their commitment to their fans.
The fact that they heard and adjusted shows their commitment to making Blue Ridge a fan-driven experience. I could scratch off many of my bucket list artists not just shooting but watching their performances.
One of the coolest things I was able to see was Southern Maryland's very own Any Given Sin kick-off on day three on one of the main stages on one of the country's largest festivals.
This was a dominating performance. Which wasn't a surprise to me with performing tracks such as Insidious, Dynamite, and their newest single, Still Sinking. Further showing the rock/metal community that they are a force to be reckoned with. However, they weren't the only Maryland band that brought it at Blue Ridge.
Silver Tongue, a Baltimore band, also crushed it. Even though those artists stood out to me because they are close to home, I believe they all were amazing. I can guarantee you this whether I am covering or not, I will be at Blue Ridge 2023.
I believe, like many other fans, this is my festival, and as the title suggests, I believe that this is less like a festival and more like an experience.
No comments:
Post a Comment