James Anderson10 said:hm, lineup looks stronger than last year. but why would this be the last one? is City Hall or the local GOP giving us grief or something?
thanks for the compliment in the first part of your post. we try to level up the programming every year, but you gotta remember we’re working with a super tight budget. the whole goal is to keep this fest cheap to attend. maybe it feels like we’re booking the same bands every year, and there’s some truth to that, but the local scene really boils down to a handful of solid acts—at least on the punk/HC side. we bring in metal bands just to break things up and keep the vibe diverse, since this isn't strictly an HC punk fest like Montego Bay. the DIY approach and punk atmosphere are what make it similar to those shows. if our plans for this year pan out, it could be huge and pretty wild. also, just a heads up, we'll have our usual DJ, Peter, but this time he'll be hanging with Maria Kovac.
as for the second half of your post, that's all just speculation. there aren't any issues with the city government. the real headache is that the fest is getting more expensive every single year. ticket prices keep creeping up while costs barely stay covered. for example, this year alone, the stage setup (full pro rig with roof) plus sound and crew is costing about $30k, and corporate sponsorships are pathetic—basically nonexistent (let's say they're just enough that 7 or 8 of us on the organizing crew end up paying out of pocket just to cover our own stays during prep and the fest itself). not to mention the local zoning board wanting their slice of the pie too... no matter how much fun those few days are for everyone else, for the organizers, it's a thankless job. anyway, this isn't the last one, but enjoy it like it is... cheers
