News Spin: London's Vinyl Festival, Live Nation's Festival Pass, and RIP Chris Cornell
Vinyl Festival Happening in London
There have been lots of arguments about when the vinyl renaissance will peak and once again roll back into the sea. The Vinyl Festival, a two-day event that'll be held London in September, feels like a good test.
"Consolidating all aspects of vinyl culture under one huge roof, festival-goers can dig through thousands of crates of vinyl on sale from 100 stalls of the UK's most exciting independent labels and record traders, plus a further 48 stands showcasing the newest developments in audio technology, hardware and vinyl care," says it's official description. "There will also be Vinyl Evaluation area, where collectors can have their records evaluated by a team of experts. A selection of mouth-watering street food and fully stocked bars serving craft beer will provide refreshments throughout the day.
"Offering further entertainment, leading industry figureheads will be providing the soundtrack to the weekend, spinning their own cherished vinyl, as well as speaking about their experiences and passions with the physical format in conversation on the couch."
On first glance, this sounds more like a beefed-up version of the type of record fairs that happen all around the country, like the Bay Area Record Fair, for instance. The this festival in London appears to be on a much larger scale, adding elements like the "Antiques Roadshow"-esque evaluation of collections, as well as the "industry figureheads."
Possibly the most interesting thing about the Vinyl Festival how it'll be received. You can bet people on this side of the pond will be watching to see whether it's a success or not. And if it is, perhaps expect to see similar offerings stateside.
Live Nation's Festival Passport Will Get You Access to Nearly 100 Festivals in the US and Europe
In other news, concert giant Live Nation has announced a new product called the Festival Passport, which will grant its holders admission to 90 music festivals around the world, including Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, EDC Las Vegas, Lollapalooza, Reading Festival, Creamfields, Isle of Wright Festival, and a ton more. A limited number of passes go on sale May 22, and P4K reports it'll cost $800.
If you've got the time and money, this sounds like a screaming deal, although be sure to read the Terms of Use, as you'll be needing to reach out to Live Nation to request camping spaces at certain festivals, for example. If this thing does what it says, it could be a dream come true for music fans who can swing the travel expenses.
Farewell, Chris Cornell
Not a whole lot to say about the passing of Chris Cornell that hasn't already been expressed at this point. The man was a legend with one of the most incredible, inimitable voices in rock history.
In 2014, I got the chance to see Soundgarden perform an acoustic set at Neil Young's annual Bridge School Benefit in the Bay Area. It was my first time seeing Soundgarden live (I know), but Cornell's voice sounded just as powerful as on record. Pearl Jam were also on the lineup that year, so it felt inevitable the two groups would come together to play some Temple of the Dog classics, which hadn't been performed live in years. Below is a sample.
