Are you making a gig mistake?
Music festival season is here
Music festival season is here. You’ve scored early-bird passes for a major one. You’ve planned which stages you’re heading to on which days. Your WhatsApp group is set up. Then, the gang starts making plans for the pregame. And it hits you: The last time you did this, you were in your 20s. Things have changed. Now, your idea of pre-gaming is loading up on carbs, anything to soak up the alcohol. How will you cope? Giddy-up grandma and grandpa. We 30-somethings do festivals differently.
Lower the dose: Tell older folks you’re attending any three-day festival, and most of them will ask, “All three days?” What about your ears, your back, your knees, your liver? Think small. Skip the Friday line-up. You won’t survive a four-hour concert after a whole day of work. And, if you have an early Monday (even 10am), leave the festival early on Sunday so you get ample sleep + Netflix + idle scrolling.
Keep it close: You’ve booked your flights for the festival, you’ve sorted your rides too. Don’t scrimp on a comfortable room close to the venue. Why suffer the long journey to a cheap Airbnb like the young people?
Prep the body: Fans walked an average of 26k steps on day 1 of the NH7 Weekender in Pune. So start getting some exercise at least a week ahead. Stretch. Stretch. Stretch.
Don’t drink every day: Find out which alcohol brand is the main sponsor. You’ll know exactly what will be served at the venue. Festival drinking options are typically limited to two spirits. And, if you’re lucky, some beer. Don’t mix them.Pick the days you want to drink, and keep the heaviest intake for the last day. “I thought I could drink a couple of drinks each day. Even then, I could not drink on day 3,” says Srishti Khera, 32, who attended the debut edition of Lollapalooza this year. Don’t be drunk when your favourite artist is performing. You’ll want to remember every second of it!
Stay hydrated: Even if it results in you braving another queue to the filthy washrooms. Pro tip: Loos near the exit and entrance are usually the cleanest.
Grab company: In your 30s, you’re not likely to make friends at a gig. So go with people you already like. Whatever you do, do not go with someone you’re only casually dating. What if it doesn’t work out? They’ll end up being the person whose name you don’t remember months from now, but who is in every group picture from the weekender. Also, it’s a recipe for drama. “A friend once got a date for the weekender. There was a huge fight and we were just taking care of the couple for the next two days,” says Karthik Raja, 35, a lawyer who attended the Mahindra I-Rock festival Mumbai.
Don’t expect to find The One: Your favourite band is playing a song that means the world to you. You sing every word, your eyes lock with someone who’s doing the same thing... and that, kids, is how you meet your soulmate. WRONG. Most people at festivals are too young. Or too drunk. Why spend the weekend babysitting?
Dress to unimpress: It’s better to look homeless than be uncomfortable. Ditch the boots, the hot pants, the bralette, for sneakers and oversized tees. No one is looking at you. “I searched for the perfect pair of boots to wear to the three days of Weekender in Pune. I spent a bomb on them, too. I got shoe bites on the first day, and spent four hours in the medical room hobbling around barefoot,” says Andrea Hooper, 32, who attended the Pune edition of the NH7 Weekender last year.
Take the next day off: In your 30s, a multi-day music festival is not a break, it’s a workout. Get some recovery time. Book a massage and be thankful you’re not 20 and throwing up anymore.
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From HT Brunch, February 18, 2023
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