As the days heat up (in the southern hemisphere) and the calendar becomes more jam-packed it’s a sure-fire way of knowing that the onslaught of summer festivals is about to begin. In Australia, first up is Stereosonic, which recently attracted media attention when they banned shirtless men from attending the event in a move to make the event safer and more comfortable for patrons. We spoke to John Curtin of Stereosonic about the ban.
[21:08:36] Adrian Fernand: so Stereosonic no shirts off ban
[21:08:43] Adrian Fernand: tell me about your rationale and impetus for this
[21:09:51] John Curtin: we are just trying to make the event as comfortable for patrons as possible, we actually looked at trialling it this year and as one of our “premeetings” with NSW police they brought it up as something they would like to trial.
[21:11:37] John Curtin: the rationale behind it is that we need to make sure that 30,000 people have a fun and safe day and will go to lengths to ensure this: people need to realise that we are very lucky with our current festival setup and we would only need some bad situations to happen and festivals would get shutdown: as event organizers we take pride in the event but will also work with local authorities, police, venue mangement, security to ensure this.
[21:12:13] Adrian Fernand: sure, so is the belief that those who dance with their tops off are those who are the trouble makers?
[21:13:21] John Curtin: no not at all, there is a small minority and one of the issues we see at events is that large groups of guys shirtless crowding girls or other patrons
[21:14:39] Adrian Fernand: cool. so it’s kind of like the old-fashioned no shoes, no shirt, no servce policy?
[21:14:44] Adrian Fernand: i guess on a grander scale?
[21:15:43] John Curtin: yeah well i can’t go to the MCC without wearing a collar so i guess a festival you should wear a shirt and it is in victoria a licencing issue that people do need to wear a t-shirt in a licenced venue (such as ours)
[21:16:20] Adrian Fernand: cool. what about girls in bikini tops?
[21:16:22] Adrian Fernand: same rules?
[21:16:32] John Curtin: girls can wear bikini tops
[21:16:44] John Curtin: guys can wear half mid riff tops if they so desire as well
[21:16:48] Adrian Fernand: hehe
[21:16:51] Adrian Fernand: lord help us all
[21:16:56] John Curtin: totes
[21:17:02] Adrian Fernand: okay
[21:17:08] Adrian Fernand: just a couple more q’;s
[21:17:14] John Curtin: sure
[21:17:19] Adrian Fernand: has the Skin Cancer Foundation had anything to say?
[21:18:19] John Curtin: no they haven’t and they should as we all should slip slop slap, if we had time i would love to speak to UV guard (if anyone from UV guard or sunscreen company reads thsi contact me!)
[21:18:44] Adrian Fernand: sure thing
[21:19:02] Adrian Fernand: worst festival tattoo you’ve ever seen?
[21:19:10] John Curtin: haha
[21:19:18] John Curtin: this guy had WMD on his arms
[21:19:25] John Curtin: one guess
[21:19:30] Adrian Fernand: weapons of mass destruction?
[21:19:36] John Curtin: correct
[21:19:37] Adrian Fernand: that’s hideous
[21:19:45] John Curtin: didn’t think he went to iraq though
[21:19:48] Adrian Fernand: hehe
[21:19:56] Adrian Fernand: amazingly bad
[21:20:04] Adrian Fernand: i’ve seen gumnut babies
[21:20:13] Adrian Fernand: and the Beauty and the Beast logo
[21:20:23] Adrian Fernand: as in the Disney stage musicall
[21:20:28] Adrian Fernand: *musical
[21:20:30] Adrian Fernand: wrongtown
[21:20:39] John Curtin: ha
[21:20:45] Adrian Fernand: one final question:
[21:21:06] Adrian Fernand: how do you find festival-goers let themselves down in the decorum stakes?
[21:22:00] John Curtin: hmmmm they are all pretty good just the guys who get a bit loose, girls who decide that they have to pick up a DJ or ten and a few at the end that are a bit “tired and emotional”
[21:22:13] John Curtin: plus those who rock out with last years sunnies
[21:22:18] John Curtin: or phones haha
[21:23:14] Adrian Fernand: hehe
[21:23:17] Adrian Fernand: perfecto
[21:23:19] Adrian Fernand: that’s great
[21:23:21] Adrian Fernand: thanks!
[21:23:46] John Curtin: no worries
[21:23:52] Adrian Fernand: so i’ll write it from a social protocol standpoint
[21:24:00] Adrian Fernand: more about how to behave at festivals
[21:24:01] John Curtin: unreal
[21:24:08] Adrian Fernand: top 10 tips to survive etc.
[21:24:21] John Curtin: great
[21:24:25] Adrian Fernand: it’s perfect. this is the kind of stuff we eat up
[21:24:32] Adrian Fernand: Bogan bingo at the Races was a huge hit
[21:24:59] Adrian Fernand: see if we can get a bit of commentary going on
[21:25:11] Adrian Fernand: I’ll forward you the link once it’s done to post as you see fit
[21:25:19] John Curtin: great!
[21:25:51] Adrian Fernand: just launched the new site today so you’re sure to get the front page for at least a few days
[21:26:06] John Curtin: haha
[21:26:09] John Curtin: VICTORY
[21:26:26] Adrian Fernand: hehe
[21:26:27] Adrian Fernand: awesome
[21:26:32] Adrian Fernand: think it’s a great idea
[21:26:42] John Curtin: its a trial
[21:26:53] Adrian Fernand: one can’t help but feel insignificant when one is an emaciated bag of bones next to those muscle marys
[21:26:53] John Curtin: not end of the world but we want to make it a comfortable festival
[21:26:57] Adrian Fernand: good idea
[21:27:03] John Curtin: it must have been a dead news week though
[21:27:10] John Curtin: as alot of media jumped on it
AGONY UNCLE: Tell us about your rationale for the no-shirts ban.
JOHN CURTIN: We’re trying to make the event as comfortable for patrons as possible. We actually looked at trialling it this year and at one of our pre-event meetings with the New South Wales Police and they suggested it as something they would like to trial also.
AU: So is the belief that those who dance with their tops off are those who are the troublemakers?
JC: No, not at all. There is a small minority who we’re targeting; one of the issues we see at events is that large groups of shirtless guys crowd girls or other patrons.
AU: So it’s kind of like the old-fashioned ‘no shoes, no shirt, no service policy’ on a grander scale?
JC: Well I can’t go to the Melbourne Cricket Club without wearing a collar, so I guess at a festival you should wear a shirt. It’s in Victoria’s licencing that people do need to wear a t-shirt in a licensed venue such as ours.
AU: What about girls in bikini tops? Do the same rules apply?
JC: Girls can wear bikini tops. Guys can wear half midriff tops if they so desire.
AU: Move over, Richard Simmons!
JC: Totes.
AU: How do you find festival-goers let themselves down in the decorum stakes?
JC: They’re all pretty good; just the guys who get a bit loose, girls who decide that they have to pick up a DJ or ten and a few at the end that are a bit ‘tired and emotional’ … plus those who rock out with last year’s sunnies.
AU: One final question: what’s the worst festival tattoo you’ve ever seen?
JC: This guy had ‘WMD’ written on his arms. One guess …
AU: Weapons of mass destruction?
JC: Correct. I don’t think he went to Iraq though.
Top tips to survive festival season
1.
Drink lots of water. It might seem elementary but heat exhaustion combined with excessive boozing will see you in the sidelines in no time. No one wants to look after their loose friend, even the St John’s ambos.
2.
Wear sensible footwear. No one’s feet look good in a pair of flip-flops after a day traipsing through dirt. Take heed, stop being so lazy and at least put on a pair of sandals.
3.
Wait your turn. You’re the one who decided to thrust yourself among throngs of people so be prepared to battle it out for position, drinks, lavatories and other amenities. Forget nightclub pulling power, festivals are about democratisation.
4.
Stick together. Have a contingency when a member of your group gets lost, always venture around the grounds with another person and pick a landmark. That giant inflatable pineapple by the entrance might just be your saving grace.
5.
Leave the aggro/biffo at home along with the protein bars and the growth hormone. Roid rage is so déclassé.
Speaking of which, here’s a little something that was doing the rounds a couple of years ago. Drugs are bad, folks.
What are your top tips for summer festival? Sign in with one click and leave your comments below.
December 4th, 2009 @ Agony Uncle