so how did we like the V Fest

[serpent boy]

Thanks for making this V-Fest really enjoyable, Seth! Like everyone else, I had a blast.
 
 Before my "good/bad" split, I have to admit that I was wrong about questioning the choices to bring some of the bands (The Offspring drew a huge crowd, as did Paramore and Lil Wayne). You know best.
 
 And you rocked the drums.
 
 ---
 
 THE GOOD:
 - Cat Power, BRMC, NIN, Bloc Party, Iggy Pop, and Rodrigo y Gabriela all killed it. Amazing.
 - I loved the fact that there were so many female-fronted bands!
 - The stage setups were excellent this year. Never felt too crowded, unsafe, or unable to see the band.
 - Great headliners (especially NIN) with nice choices for all people.
 - No problems with parking or traffic.
 - Tons of recycling options.
 - Scheduling was actually very effective on both days, I thought. Kudos!
 - Very courteous staff throughout the venue.
 - Prices were OK, except $5 for ice cream.
 - Your marketing for the festival was quite effective. Every DC 101 listener was well aware of the festival, and all the billboards on buses and bus stops caught my attention.
 - Just about everything about the show was great.
 
 THE BAD:
 - Chuck Berry was AWFUL. He missed so many notes; it was sad. Why couldn't he figure out how to replug his guitar? Good god.
 - Bob Dylan is a legend and he sounded good, but he just didn't fit this festival. The "classic" acts this year weren't up to par to The Police, The Who, Cheap Trick, etc. Sorry.
 - LIL WAYNE!!!. He was 40 minutes late. Everyone was booing. His entourage pranced on stage for at least 15 minutes. His DJ was awful. It was a wreck. It definitely sold a hell of a lot of tickets, though.
 - The placement of She & Him before Lil Wayne led to A LOT of rude people talking, shouting, chanting and disrupting Zooey and Matt Ward's set. It ruined what was an otherwise enjoyable mid-day set.
 - The Black Keys not getting a 1-hour set as promised by the schedule.
 - There were no recycling options in the VIP Grandstand. Why not? It was perfect everywhere else.
 - The Dance tent bled into just about every North stage set on Saturday.
 - I didn't see any water fountains.
 - Bring back the FYE tent.
 - A LOT of people were smoking weed all throughout the venue. Was there no security?
 - Could've used more ROCK. I appreciate the diversity of music, but it was spread too thin at times.
 - Hollywood Undead was beyond awful. What the fuck?
 - Not enough British acts. That's what made the past 2 years really special.

[serpent boy]

Originally posted by Seth Hurwitz:
  Believe it, or not...the Black Keys set was not cut short...that was it

How is that possible?
 
 The schedule said 1 hour. They played for 30 minutes (I think I counted 7 songs) and explicitly pointed out that they were cut short due to Lil Wayne.
 
 My brother spoke to Dan and Patrick before Kanye came on stage, and although they were gracious and in high spirits, they confirmed that they had to cut out a lot from their set.

[azaghal1981]

"- A LOT of people were smoking weed all throughout the venue. Was there no security?"
 
 
 Weed and music festivals have gone hand-in-hand (or joint-in-mouth, if you will) for the last fifty or so years.

[vansmack]

I didn't go but The Director said....
 
 That the Foos cover of "Young Man Blues" was smackie worthy and that STP put on the best show of the year.
 
 I'm not allowed to share the rest of what The Director said, so don't shoot the messenger.

[lancha]

i'm curious here:
 
 how big of a crowd watched Hollywood Undead? and what kind of reception did they get?

[sweetcell]

Originally posted by azaghal1981:
  "- A LOT of people were smoking weed all throughout the venue. Was there no security?"
 
 
 Weed and music festivals have gone hand-in-hand (or joint-in-mouth, if you will) for the last fifty or so years.

that, and security staff have other concerns... like, you know, security.  someone smoking a joint isn't a threat.  if anything, it'll make you safer - folks that are high tend to be pretty mellow and non-threatening.
 
 imagine that, someone smoking pot at a rock concert.  what will those crazy kids come up with next?!?
 

Originally posted by lancha:
  i'm curious here:
 
 how big of a crowd watched Hollywood Undead? and what kind of reception did they get?

me too.  a few people have mentioned they were horrible.  how horrible?  why horrible?  i like me a good trainwreck every now and then.

[wml7]

Originally posted by vansmack:
  I didn't go but The Director said....
 
 That the Foos cover of "Young Man Blues" was smackie worthy and that STP put on the best show of the year.
 
 I'm not allowed to share the rest of what The Director said, so don't shoot the messenger.

My video of Foo Fighters.  Dave was funny all night.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSqWcoaCquc

[wml7]

whoops here it is
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSqWcoaCquc

[wml7]

My video of Seth and Chuck Berry playing Tuti Fruity
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QgCWGmswxU
 
 Oh yeah great festival.

[bkrome]

positives
 
 -Kanye West and Foo Fighters both put on great shows.
 -Good mix of hip hop and rock
 -The crowds at the two stages were much more balanced this year.
 -Great weather!
 
 criticisms
 
 -The Offspring should have led into Foo Fighters.  Chuck Berry and Wilco kind of killed the momentum...more so Chuck Berry.  
 - No lineup additions like the original press release seemed to indicate!
 
 I enjoyed the lineup although I felt like it could have been a little stronger, especially compared to last year. Still had a great time either way and I will surly be back next year! (Please bring it back!)

[serpent boy]

Good point about the lack of lineup additions. I thought for sure that V-Fest would throw in 2 or 3 more acts but all we got was Hollywood Undead.

[HoyaSaxa03]

Originally posted by serpent boy:
  - A LOT of people were smoking weed all throughout the venue. Was there no security?

was this really a problem for you?
 
 im generally a lot more angry at the drunken shirtless d-bags vomiting on their shoes at festivals than some dudes hitting a joint

[lancha]

heres the review from someone who spent most of his time in the dance tent. i went to coachella this year, so i can compare a bit to it.
 
 the good:
 - the dance tent. please please please don't ever get rid of it. it's about 80% why I went to the festival last year and this year.
 - being able to take beer wherever you please (this is restricted at coachella)
 - the chill tents that allowed you to take a break and surf the internet and what not.
 - getting in and out of the place was easy with no real traffic jams (again something you guys have on coachella)
 - things running on time for the most part (apart from the l'il wayne catastrophe)
 - picking some pretty rare acts (underworld, iggy pop, dylan, chuck berry, a live soulwax performance)
 - food and what not a somewhat reasonable price (water at APW was 4 bucks - here it was only 3)
 - the steak ciabatta sandwiches. holy poo they are awesome.
 - the location of the dance tent is awesome because the artists who play have to walk through the festival publicly to get backstage. this gives festival goers and fans the opportunity to meet some of their favorite artists. because of this, i got to meet moby, ritchie hawtin, ferry corsten, chromeo, bunny from rabbit in the moon, and donald gaulde. this made my experience so much more memorable.
 
 the bads:
 - ending at 10 PM sucks, but I understand the noise ordinance.
 - toilet paper was in low supply both days (especially after 5 PM)
 - a weird blend of artists to pick: taking back sunday and l'il wayne seemed very out of place here. but its one less conflict to have to worry about.
 - put some more money into the dance tent - add some more effects or lights or something. but this isn't a real problem.
 - as mentioned earlier, what would be awesome is that inbetween acts on the 2 stages, stream video of the act playing on the opposite stage. it would have been cool if those waiting for dylan could watch STP on video.
 
 i went last year and had an awesome time, went this year and had an awesome time, and will definitely go back next year just as long as there is a dance tent. it's really the only place here on the east coast (apart from WMC in miami) where electronic music junkies can get their fix.

[biga0u812]

Needs a band named Pearl Jam to play next year!!!

[chancegardener]

I attended on Sunday and had a great time, even if most of the acts struck me as being not-very great.  Still, the variety of the acts, and the other things to see (the side shows, the aerial sculpture, the booths, the shower tent) made it a full and fun day, and worth the $100, entertainment-wise.  Best moment was seeing a classic rocker (Iggy) give a full-on superb performance; best dance moment was Moby's set; best new act (for me) surprises were the Go Team and the Black Keys. This is what I came to see -- some popular current acts, some classic acts, some exposure to new acts. And once again the VFest delivered. Thanks Seth, I'll be back next summer.