Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon Dalton
The festival would essentially be changing its demographic, like the Ticats are attempting to do. Maybe it'll work, but they're going to have to give up a a reliable customer base to find out.
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A UK music festival I frequented (as both punter and perfomer over the years) changed its demographic and lost its core base in recent years, with no ill effect in terms of numbers.
However, it was an event that people travelled to due to location anyway - and wasn't free - which are two factors that I think the organisers would need to keep in mind.
Would FoF stay a free festival on the new site? Would it actually matter, if they're looking to shift the demographic (which would be inevitable, I guess). Depending on whether you consider the parking fees to be part of a de facto attendance fee, maybe they can charge a minimal amount and cite free widespread parking as a benefit.
Personally, the current location is great for me - and we enjoyed heading down and checking it out one evening this year (yay! finally got to see Richie Havens at last - although no "Going back to my roots" was a disappointment, but that's another thing entirely).
The line-up seemes to be a weird mix of older established names and presumably local bands - it'll be interesting to see how sustainable that is in any new incarnation.
In any case, I get the feeling Supercrawl (which I sadly couldn't make) and its afterparties at least offers something to downtown Hamilton if FoF leaves its current location.
Also, is there seriously no scope at all for other events to be put on in Gage Park - irrespective of FoF's future there?