I told myself that last year's Coachella was going to be the last music festival I would ever go to (but I had said that the year before as well...) Well, at last year's Coachella, I left early (again) because it just became too painful. As much as I love going to see bands play live, I like quality, not quantity. My spirit was slowing breaking after the 99th band and I was feeling a bit claustrophobic...
Lately, going to see a band is more about the intimate experience and less about being with the general public. Yes this doesn't sound right but all I care about is seeing what the band sounds like live, how well they play their instruments, and whether or not they are dripping with charisma. The best place for this is not in the front or amongst the folk, it's leaning against the back wall or the preferable corner.
But when my band was invited by MBV to play this past December's ATP at Butlins, how was I suppose to refuse this ultimate honor? What's one more show right? Especially as something as special as this... MBV did an excellent job curating the festival. Best music festival experience ever...
I've never been to ATP but it's the kind of festival made for someone like me: it was relatively clean and not muddy whatsoever, all three stages were within one minute of each other, the on-site accommodation was not too shabby, and most importantly, I only saw one drunkard being taken away from the venue the whole weekend... Absolutely civilized. ATP is really about the music, well the kind of music I like and grew up liking. It felt intimate enough and being amongst the folk, who were just as into it as I was, there was no other feeling like it. Kindred spirits.
Do you know how fulfilling it was to have gotten the chance to finally see Television Personalities and The Pastels at last, two of my all-time favorite bands?
TVP's Painted Word is pure genius.
Pastels' Comin' Through is pure pop.
