By Kathryn Pinto
The paradox: every year the FYF Fest has an incredible lineup, but the festival just hasn't been well-run. When FYF, which takes place tomorrow, September 3 at the Los Angeles State Historic Park beginning at 12:00pm, first announced the lineup I quipped, "FYF 2011 or, how much will you endure to see Guided By Voices?" It’s as if the organizers booked the bands and then completely dropped the ball. Thousands of people are going to head out to the festival tomorrow, so let me arm you with information (or just check out the videos of my picks after the jump).
Last year as a fan I was stoked stoked stoked until the day of the show and then spent most of the day waiting in lines not seeing bands. By dusk I was so pissed off (and hungry) that my friends and I left in frustration before the marquee bands get anywhere near the stage. That said, the festival has made some changes this year, and brought Goldenvoice on board to help with logistics. So let’s hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
Let me break it down.
The festival takes place over a twelve-hour period in an open field with no naturally-occurring shade and usually on one of the hottest days of the year. (Tomorrow's predicted high is 82 F so it may not be as bad.) Festival rules prohibit outside food or drinks—including water—in any amount. No ins and outs. Your bag and person will be searched on entry. That much we can work with, but it continues.
There are lines for everything.
Waiting is so much a part of the experience that the festival's own illustrated map includes an area outside the festival half the length of the park labelled ominously "The Line." The lines, when they do move, creep along in geological time. At FYF 2010 bottled water was $4 for a small bottle (500mL), tap water was available at a single water fountain after waiting in a line of about 200 people. There were lines for food stretching out from the dusty field up to sad little groupings of three or four trucks like a Soviet bread line. FYF says they are doubling the number of food trucks this year, but they said the same thing last year.
Now I’m not a Doctor, but…
The restrictions and limitations (no outside food and drink, no weapons) that would be almost reasonable for a two or three hour concert become unbearable over an 8-12 hour period.
Survival Tips
Drink your water while you’re alive. You can’t bring water into the festival, but you can start hydrating now. And since you could easily be in the Will Call line for an hour, bring a bottle of water and drink it in line. When you finally get to the entrance, chug whatever’s left and bring in the empty bottle. Make sure you eat an emormous meal like a super burrito or the chili cheese omlette from the Pantry before you. You can probably bring in a couple packs of Energy Goo and no one would mistake it for food, or you could bring in several packs of gum. Festival rules allow unopened packs of cigarettes, so you could always forgo eating and just smoke.
Other than that, take all the normal preparartions for a long day in the sun: Sunblock (bring plenty and reapply), sneakers, clothes that give you some protection from the sun but don't turn your ass crack into a river of sweat. Bikini top, Black Metallica t-shirt: NO. Light blue Daytrotter t-shirt: YES.
Five bands worth a full body pat down to see.
Olivia Tremor Control
Explosions in the Sky
Ty Segall
No Age
Dan Deacon
The Head and the Heart
[Post updated at 10:10 pm 9/2/11]
The FYF Fest comes to the Los Angeles State Historic Park Saturday September 3 from 12:00pm to midnight.
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