The music festival circuit is well past event horizon (note to self: launch music festival called Event Horizon) and poised to enter its black hole stage, in which all who enter shall never be seen again. To a degree, this would be beneficial for reunion sets to truly being the curtain call, never to be seen again. But its widely reported our planet cannot handle another music festival in the system, they’ll merge, homogenize, and destroy us all—from the inside of our wallets, out.
At the core of this resistance is the indie festival. The big thinkers on small budgets forced to brainstorm differently than the big leaguers with deep pockets and sponsors at their beck and call. This list goes out to the off-brand festivals of DIY bastions who are thinking of their community first, whether its putting on for their city or their sect within the city limits.
Last weekend Andy Animal’s Meltasia took his Melt-series to the next level of brain-frying insanity, mixed with light camping. This weekend Basilica, the indie-retreat of trust falls into the arms of Michael Gira, Mish Way and Meredith Graves, will combine the simple life of Upstate New York with the boho comfort zone of brunch and flea markets. From now until November, it’s the flyover states’ turn to take advantage of their loveliest season and mildest weather, throwing camp ground hoedowns for DIY eccentrics, grungy grime-fests, and full city takeovers of micro-SXSW proportions sans the industry clutter. Just good people for Sun Kil Moon to call hillbillies.
