$350??? Damn times have changed when were saying that's not unreasonable. I think I remember paying $100 in 2008 or something like that. I think that price has to mean pretty humongous headliners.
I think concerts and fests in general are ridiculous. It's shocks me that a lineup like this near me comes out to 200 dollars now -_-
How much was Riot Fest this year? I know when I went in 2021 the 3 day passes started at like $150, but I'm pretty sure I heard there was a price hike for 2022. I think this is also just a product of inflation + 2 years of profits lost due to covid + music sales continuing to decrease.
When this very first got teased (what was that now- one… maybe 2 years ago???) I couldn’t have been more excited. It was a near certainty that I was going. but the more John D says about the festival the more it sounds like it’s gonna suck. he’s gone full on NFT/cryptobro which is always really cringey to see. He seems to be in business to some degree with Dave Portnoy (oof) He keeps talking about how they’re investing in the “experience” when personally, I feel like that’s where most festivals waste way too much money as is. Just give me the most solid lineup you can. It’s a music festival, I’m paying for the music. It seems like his idea of that “experience” includes esports, and tiktokers and (no offense to any gamers or tiktokers here) that literally sounds like a worse crowd/vibe than if he had had nothing in that spot at all. and while the initial teaser video literally said “Emo’s not dead”, it seems like he wants to distance the fest from the emo scene and book a bunch of pop and rap artists. dude is destroying any and all excitement I had for his festival every time he opens his mouth- but he clearly thinks he’s killing it lol
i mean, personal opinions about John D aside, Bamboozle has a demonstrated history of being a very fun, successful festival - he should absolutely stop speaking and using social media because he sounds like a spoiled petulant child, but i have 0 reason currently to think this won't be a great festival.
I think there's some truth to what you're saying, but more than anything, I've seen it happen SO many times with big fests, like WWWY, Lolla, Riot Fest, etc. People buy tickets impulsively, thinking they're going to go, expenses add up, and they sell their tickets. Not saying tickets will be rock bottom prices or anything, but I do think the expectation lowers the pressure.
Would be interested in going, depending on the lineup. I always wanted to go back when it was active but never could cause I was too young.
$350 ensures that I won't go all three days, which is good, because I feel too old to make it that long.
You guys forget John D being annoying and getting on everyone’s nerves and overselling everything is part of the Bamboozle experience at this point.
Hoodwink 2009 is easily in my top 5 days of a festival ever. Bayside covering NOFX, Set Your Goals doing Foo Fighters and Nirvana, Badfish, New Found Glory doing Green Day... And closing the night with the Misfits and the Clash by the Ataris and Anti-Flag, respectively. Super fun day/night! And something that made the weekend feel super unique compared to other festivals I'd been to before (and, frankly, ever since).
Can’t blame the guy for being over the top when he’s promoting basically an independent festival…LiveNation and AEG own everything so they can promote nonstop on all media all the time…how else can he try to kee up
I'm surprised they couldn't keep that going. Completely agree on it being a truly once in a lifetime type day. I always tell people NFG doing Green Day (and like obscure green day too....Angus soundtrack!) Is top 5 favorite sets of all time. They were real bands too. Bayside, anti flag, set your goals, nfg, cartel
I’m hesitantly excited for Bamboozle. I picked up tickets for the other Jersey festival, but if Bamboozle blows me away I’ll probably go to this one instead. The guy seems pretty passionate about it, and the festival has had some really intriguing lineups in the past. I love that they weren’t afraid to pull heavier artists I enjoy to go along with some off the wall huge names (Bon Jovi headlining the same day as Comeback Kid and Like Moths to Flames, for example). I realize this iteration may not be anything like previous ones, and it may get weird for me, but I hope it blows me away.
The year that Bon Jovi, Foo Fighters and (then cancelled) Blink 182 headlined it was a Live Nation event. Now that they're independent again I can't see them getting that huge of names. Bamboozle 2005 through 2009 were amazing lineups, so I'm really hoping they can capture that again. They teased old footage of Meg & Dia on their instagram page and I'd love to see them come back next year.
I will never forgive myself for missing The Maine covering Everclear. I really wanted to see Eye Alaska cover Kanye West too