You know when you pay a lot of money to grab a festival ticket, and there are those few moments during the festival that help redeem that? This article is all about it.
Considering how expensive festival tickets can be, the one prayer that escapes our lips is almost always this – ‘This better be worth it’. As your bank accounts are drained off with copious amounts of money, you’re only wishing that it all adds up in the end, that the experiences count, and you walk away with all your money’s worth.
Well, here’s The Sherp coming up with all those winning moments that make you round of festival trip worth it!
Smaller wins
Here are the legitimately smaller moments that are worth mentioning, but won’t actually help redeem the ticket’s worth. But there’s not denying that they make for good festival takeaways!
No line at the box-office
The best kind of festivals are the ones managed to everyone’s comfort. We’re sick of long box-office lines to such an extent that seeing one doesn’t even piss us off anymore. It just makes us grunt and enter the abyss of an existential crisis – “What is the meaning of going to a music festival anyway?”. And if there is one thing we hate, it’s a music lover questioning the very emotion that pushes him forward. Sigh. Be done with them long lines already.
Great weather
Most festivals are gracious enough to mention expected weather conditions, but who’s to control what’s absolutely uncontrollable? Rain or harsh sun. Neither are welcome. Just the right kind of warmth coupled with the right kind of breeze, so how many ever layers of clothes you have chosen seem perfect is an underrated win, truly.
Being able to carry your goods inside
It’s like it’s not even a music festival anymore, but a damn high security surveillance. You’re forced to be rid of everything on you – water, cigarettes, small amount of food, only so you can buy them inside at wallet-squashing rates. If anyone thinks that a small bottle of water will take care of you for 12 hours, then he/she needs urgent science lessons. And for the festivals letting you take your ‘harmless’ property inside, you will be thanked for eternally.
Fewer pretenders
Nothing kills a festival faster than bad vibes. Imagining being at a Paul McCartney gig, listening to young people complaining about being there for a rumoured Kanye special appearance. It’s horrible! You’d rather hobnob with fellow sweaty fans, than sweaty non-fans. So the more genuine lovers at a music festival, the better the start for you.
Slightly Better Wins
The satisfaction from these wins, while slightly better is never quite there. But let’s face it, we silently pray for them all the way to venue.
Shorter sound-checks
Nothing is more infuriating than reaching the festival venue on time and being forced to wait around, because the sound system has taken a hike. Shorter, crisper sound checks are a blessing to any music fan, and we’re guessing to the artists too.
Sets starting on time
Festivals usually put up a time-based schedule but only very rarely stick with it. While some wild enthusiasts will gladly gig their way into the night, some of us have parents to answer to. And some have an overtly suspicious parent waiting in the parking lot. It’s either the headlining set or the angry parent. So a set ending on time is a blessing like few things.
Cheap alcohol
There is nothing that soothes eager festival goers more than cheap alcohol. How is one supposed to keep going for three or more days of the festival bone dry?
Cheaper food
But what is it more important that alcohol? Well, food, of course. Nothing brightens up our days like free or cheap food anywhere. And cheap food at a festival that you’ve already pooled in a lot of money into? Even better!
Much Better Wins
These are the wins that make the music lover in you utmost satisfied you took this trip. This isn’t music nirvana, but it almost is!
Discovering a great new band
For the music lover in you, this feeling rings real true. There is no greater a joy than listening to an unfamiliar sound that is most pleasing, leading you to the stage you never intended to be at. Soon, you find yourself cheering for the band, that you just realised will be one you’ll be listening to forever! Worth. Every. Cent.
Remembering the lyrics to your favourite songs
You’re exciting about catching your favourite artist, and you’ve totally memorised the lines to all the favourite songs and when your moment has arrived, you remembered them to pitch-perfectness and sang along like the true music fan you are! Such a moment of pride for you to be able to hold your own among other proud fans and several pretenders. You clearly ruled what you came there for!
Eye contact with your favourite artist
Between all his/her performance shenanigans, your favourite artist looked at you. Even for the smallest fraction of micro second, but in the mind space of your favourite artist, you existed, physically for a small frame of time. It’s a beautiful feeling. And anyone telling you otherwise deserves not to be a music lover!
Best sets
The true recognition of the effort put into a music festival are the rewards in the form of great music acts. It’s true. It’s what you planned the entire trip for, and not one, but multiple great sets is the end you had in mind. It’s pure satisfaction.
Best Wins Ever
These are so ridiculously amazing, that they rarely ever happen. So if they do happen to you, you’ll wish to live in that moment forever! These are the best kind of wins there ever will be! Basically, a festival goer’s moment of nirvana.
Your favourite artist crowdsurfing on your face, or around it
Your favourite artist did not just decide to crowdsurf but he/she also decided to land on you, or around you. He/she probably clapped your hand on your way through the crowd, or in the best kind of cases, probably gave you a hug worth remembering. You might decide to not take a bath for a few days after to soak in that feeling for a lifetime.
Backstage entry
You’ve been begging that one point of contact you have in the festival committee to take you backstage for that one meet-and-greet with your favourite artists, and this time, as opposed to other times, they actually decided to oblige you. And you spent a few gracious minutes actually hanging out with the musicians you’ve been idealising all your life! If this isn’t the best, what is?
Afterparty with your favourite artist
Your favourite artist, or their graceful friends decided to invite you, you of all people, for a private afterparty with your favourite musicians. A night long of fun reflections on the festival that just ended. A night long of stories to share of and better still, some pictures to prove your happiness. This it it. You’re dead. And in heaven.
(Image source: giphy.com)