Has Rockness lost its way?

[weesteve]

Having been an avid Rockness goer since 2008 and preaching the ways since, i have always been told by the rest of Glasgow ( Well what seems like ) that T in the park was the best festival in Scotland. Not one to conform and follow the sheep i took this as success that the idiots would be at a different field than me. However lately i have noticed a large over gap in the crowds of Rockness and TITP. I have also noticed a slight shift in acts booked, It seems one year the TITP lineup will have last years Rockness headlines and so forth.

I have also noticed a huge change in audience of the festival, Its went from being a relaxed fun atmosphere to somewhat of a tenser audience. I am not saying it has became TITP ( A long way from it ) but it has changed from what i see as its original state. I have met many people who i consider to be friends through Rockness who have since went on to stop attending and i see it as a shame that these people have left what was seen to me as a festival family.

In my opinion Rockness should stop trying to be like TITP and continue to be what it was, and was good at - The alternative festival for electronic music and festival goers. I know at the end of the day Jim King is a business man and is trying to make money, but he said from day one it was always going to be a electronic festival and stick to its roots and lately it doesnt seem that they are doing that.

Every year the bus i get on takes more and more people, more people less concerned about the music and more concerned about the weekend, every year i see more undercover security and police. Every year i ask myself is this the same festival i went to the previous year?

What do you guys think? Is this the same festival or has it changed? I will continue to go because in my opinion it is an amazing festival with amazing acts, It doesnt matter if they waste their money on deadmau5 because there is always something else on. Those who have met me previous years know i am as happy in the campsite chatting and meeting new friends as i am at the tents trying to dance! And if all else fails theres always a fucking great burger at the food market!

[theampersanddevil]

One of the things I've noticed in my years of festivals is that this is a reccuring theme.

I often get the impression people go to a festival in the hope or expectation that it will be like it was before. Its just not to be.

For years my mates have slagged T but went anyway in the hope and expectation. A lot of our group dissappeared. We had some awesome times. But in amongst all that there is a feeling that T isn't what it used to be.

Whether it is or isnt, isnt important. They don't think it is. So I try to encourage them to move on.

But some of them turn it into something else. They set store by it. They feel betrayed, let down and a whole host of other emotions. At the end of the day, like not being able to go out with your mates every week, festivals eventually fall by the way. What used to be the most important weekend of the year, the only weekend where I can meet up with all my mates in one field is no more. So I moved on, made new friends, go to new festivals.

At the end of the day, its a fun weekend in a field listening to music, dancing, meeting new people, doing stuff and eating stuff and making memories. When it stops being fun or I think i can have more fun elsewhere, I will stop going.

I won't go in the hope that it will be what it once was, I am not who I once was.

So to answer your question, I think both rockness and yourself have changed.

Edited January 28, 2013 by theampersanddevil

[Paul ™]

Pretty much spot on mate.

Things change, people change, friends move on festivals evolve and you should keep moving with them.

[Kowalski]

Good, interesting, post Steve. It could have been written 2-3 years ago IMHO.

I've no idea where they are going with the festival. The late confirmation of the dates for this year, and the cheap deals, makes me think it might be a "cheap" line-up where as I'd always be happy to pay more for a better line-up, especially on the undercard. In saying that, I might still go if there's some half decent names announced as I am free that weekend.

I feel it peaked in 2009, well for me anyway.

[POKERDUDE]

Yes

[festkid]

Pretty much spot on mate.

Things change, people change, friends move on festivals evolve and you should keep moving with them.

[festkid]

But in answer to the question.. I think RN still maintains a friendly/big party atmosphere which it has had since the start. Line ups have changed over the years, but I still think the organisers make a valid effort to ensure that there is something for everyone. I'd go to RN just for Sub/Soma/Arcadia line ups myself.

[5head]

Totally agree with you WeeSteve. I'm also disappointed Rockness has moved away from its roots of being a predominantly electronic/dance orientated festival. That - and the location - is what made the festival unique imo.

It seems to me that ( and I hate saying it ) that Rockness is becoming a mini T in the Park. I know they are totally different events, but the line-up is getting closer and closer to that every year. Which is pish.

At the same time, Rockness has kinda become a victim of its own success with Daft Punk in 2007. That raised expectations to ridiculous levels in the following years, and nothing has come close since.

[weesteve]

Good, interesting, post Steve. It could have been written 2-3 years ago IMHO.

I've no idea where they are going with the festival. The late confirmation of the dates for this year, and the cheap deals, makes me think it might be a "cheap" line-up where as I'd always be happy to pay more for a better line-up, especially on the undercard. In saying that, I might still go if there's some half decent names announced as I am free that weekend.

I feel it peaked in 2009, well for me anyway.