|
Breaking down the messages from Towersey, Cropredy, assorted other festivals and artists, it seems there are several main problematic areas:
Costs of Staging & Promoting the festival
- Infrastructure
- Artists fees
- fuel
- lighting
- PA
Artists have been mentioning their costs:
- fuel
- accommodation
- equipment
But costs to customers have been going up steadily, too.
- fuel
- tickets
- festival food & drink
- merch such as t-shirts
So, of the above, what can be ameliorated?
- Fuel costs will continue to rise, there's little doubt.
- Artists' costs and thus fees are going through a sea change upwards.
- Accommodation when touring has gone crazy. £400 a night in a Travelodge is actually cheaper than most other hotels.
- B&B's don't usually provide safe storage for equipment. Even if they're cheaper, sometimes.
- Staying with fans works for small bands and individual artists sometimes, but again, safe storage isn't available.
Tickets? Cropredy cost us £386 for two people plus camping this year, in the first tranche. Yes, prices go up, yes, we should expect it. Maybe they don't go up enough to cover costs? Perhaps that time has come.
Food & Drink at Festivals has increased in price every year too. In part that reflects their additional costs in getting a pitch, but for me, they're on the cusp of being a once-a-festival expenditure, if that. Bring our own? Yup. Maybe much more so now than before.
Merch. CD sales will be well down for all artists, fewer are sold every year. T-shirts for £50 aren't far away at all. Then the festivals *sometimes* take a cut as well as charging for the vendor's pitch. That adds cost too.
Also, artists. Fewer artists seem to be touring now, which can result in festivals having very similar lineups. Difficult choices for the customer.
The last time I heard Simon talking like this was 2004, Wendy and I answered that call. I hope all the festivals get a similar response this time.
By the way, with fewer festivals, the opportunity exists to spread them out a bit. Towersey and Shrewsbury the same weekend is just one example of a choice I'd prefer not to be given.
Anyway, just some random thoughts. Sorry if they're a bit depressive, I don't know any answers.
|
