Ti festivalkjappe fra Los Angeles

July 31, 2009

Amerikanske Chris Barton er musikk-anmelder i selveste L.A Times. Her kommer noen glimrende tips for deg som ønsker å utvide festival-horisonten:

Name: Chris Barton
Age: 37
Country/city: USA/Los Angeles
Occupation: Writer, editor, jazz-head for the L.A. Times

What is your favourite festivals – why – and dresscode?

- Coachella has been the best of the best in the US in past years, though Bonnaroo seems to have taken the lead the last few years.

Dresscode: Light colors, shorts and comfortable shoes. Oh yes, and a big ugly hat — the sun is angry.

- Playboy Jazz Festival: Some wonderful, adventurous stuff in an at times overly festive setting.

Dresscode: Look summertime-sharp, this is THE jazz/blues/funk celebration for the city. Big ugly hat optional, depending on time of day and weather

- Angel City Jazz Festival: Cheating a little because i haven’t been to this one yet — this is its second year — but it’s at a bigger location and again booking some fantastic acts, including Nels Cline Singers with Tortoise’s Jeff Parker, Scott Amendola’s ensemble Plays Monk and Wayne Horvitz. Happening Sept 6-7, can’t wait.

Dress code: Whatever’s comfortable to wear over some big, listening ears.

Also receiving votes (because I desperately hope to see one day): New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Rotterdam’s North Sea Jazz Festival, Knoxville’s Big Ears Festival, Bonnaroo, Bumbershoot.

You never forget to bring?

- Sunscreen. We gingers burn like dried paper in the sun.

How do you get a festival mood?

- Find a way to balance excitement and patience because everything will be a little harder and more crowded than it should be (but generally worth it). Plus coffee.

Your best festival advice?

- Hydrate. Drink as much water as you can stand then drink another bottle after that. No, really. But maybe that’s just my Coachella experience talking.

Mud wrestling in the camping or clean hotel sheets?

- Clean hotel sheets, all the way, especially if I’m covering the thing. After a whole day of running around and scribbling in a notebook a hot shower and four hours of drum circle-free slumber feels like a velvet elevator ride to heaven.

Going with friends or meeting new ones?

- Going with friends. The better for sharing the stories afterward

Easy listening or head banging?

- Depending on the time of day, either one are welcome. But if one can headbang to easy listening, then you have something.

Dirty toilets or peeing in the park?

- Brave the toilets, friends. Sure, it’s a terrible thing, especially as the day goes on, but think of your fellow festival folk.

- We’re all in this together, at least until everyone goes back to hating each other in the parking lot afterwards.

Your best festival memory ever?

- Somewhere between hearing Jane’s Addiction call down a cool ocean breeze through the force of “Summertime Rolls” at Lollapalooza 1991 or watching Coachella 2007 swell with the energy of anything-can-happen chaos during the Rage Against The Machine reunion

Which festivals can we meet you this season?

- Angel City Jazz Festival, Eagle Rock Music Festival (sorry, you’re going to have to come to California), Playboy Jazz Festival if you had a time machine. Wish I was seeing more…