Great little presentation from Sally on the Australian music festival scene. Last summer she went to a whole heap of festivals and captured the key vibes of each.
Festivals have become really important to Aussie youth, primarily because it is something they all use to create their own identity and as a form of self expression. It’s a chance for them to escape the rules and restrictions of the everyday and express themselves through dance and social interaction. Whether you’re a festival rat who is addicted to the music, or a kid who just goes for the social scene and chance to dress up, it all comes down to a statement of belonging.
It’s impossible to classify all the youth tribes that have been born out of music genres and festivals. Over the past few years we’ve seen the emergence of the INDIE KIDS, as there’s been a move away from techno and hard house, toward more indie electro sounds at major festivals. The reality is even within ‘indie kids’ there are man different variations of dress, lifestyle, even they way the speak, based on what there other music interests are. So it’s all about fusing and mashing music and festival tastes together so you’re seen as fluid and up to speed with the latest. Even more traditional ‘rock’ festivals have seen an increased number of indie bands and indie electro acts in the lineup. However, don’t ever try and box a kid in and say they’re just an ‘indie’ or rock chic. According to Erica, you can be a rock chic who likes a side of hip hop and a dash of pop.
It will be interesting to see which festivals rock this summer in Australia and whether we’ll see an emergence of a new youth tribe born out of a specific festival.
Dan Pankraz Vs Youth 