You can’t fight the will of the crowd. It’s an undertow, you have to ride it out, and if you’re smart, you’re doing it in sensible footwear.
Speaking with fans and musicians has got me thinking about the relationship between crowd and artist. It’s obviously a symbiotic relationship, but the back and forth flow of energy depends so much on culture, location and expectation. The success of FME is due in no small part to the distance from the inherently more cynical crowds of bigger urban centres. Specifically Toronto, where expectations run high and fans are a bit more reserved (to put it mildly).
It’s interesting how many great bands have been forged in the crucible of Montreal and have had to prove themselves by winning over fans world-wide before being « discovered » in Toronto.
Abitibi has become a hub for punk, hard rock and metal for years (maybe its the mining), and when you combine home-town fans with world class bands you get epic results. The Gros Mené show last night was a perfect example. The home town heroes handily inspired religious experiences from local fans.
New York based Blonde Redhead (already a very well established band), almost seemed taken aback by the hospitality that this small town could display. I’m realizing that crowd sociology is one of the more interesting aspects of festival going. Let’s see how it all plays out in the mosh pits of Indian Handicrafts and tomorrows Nuit Métal.