I loved Wayhome Music Festival, but I don’t think I will ever go back again, ever. It was a fun, wonderful and music-filled experience. But it was also a terrible, exhausting and ridiculous time.
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CONS
- FESTIVAL CROWDS ARE THE WORST CROWDS.
- There’s a special place in hell for people who push their way through under the pretense of “I’m getting to my friend up there!” or worse, when they don’t even say “Sorry, excuse me, thank you, etc.” One person even tried to justify it saying, “This is a concert. We’re all here for a good time.” No, that’s not an excuse for you to be an asshole. It’s not cool. If you wanted to have a spot nearer to the front, you have to come earlier, wait longer and sacrifice seeing other artists. Just don’t be rude, and I’ll probably let you through if there’s space. After the first few times, I started actively blocking people. Yes I got some angry people, but I’m doing this on principle. If you want to get ahead, go around me. I’m not going to get trampled on, just because I’m a short guy.
- The completely wasted/high people who stumbled through the crowd and physically harassed others while watching Arcade Fire. Everyone at concerts deserve to be safe. My grandma always tells me not to get into confrontations, but I’m going to stand up against these people when others around me are feeling uncomfortable. It’s just not cool, you’re making others uncomfortable, and we want you out of here.
- THE LACK OF RACIAL DIVERSITY AT WAYHOME IS TRULY DISCONCERTING. I’m estimating that ~90-95% of people at Wayhome were white. While there were artists who are PoCs in Wayhome’s lineup – Nancy Whang from LCD Soundsystem, Shad, A Tribe Called Red – it’s simply not enough. It’s not like PoCs don’t make good music, and it’s not as if PoCs listen to this music either. We love, create and listen to this music too and I hope that can be further reflected in the indie music community.
- I NEVER EVER EVER WANT TO SEE BINDIS WORN IF YOU’RE NOT SOUTH ASIAN. NEVER EVER EVER. ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE AT CONCERTS WHERE I’M AT. YOU’RE NOT ENLIGHTENED, YOU’RE RACIST.
- A note on A Tribe Called Red: Chart Attack overhead this đź‘Śđź‘Śđź‘Ś conversation: “Does anyone want to see A Tribe Called Red?” “Who are they?” “They’re like these guys that dress up as Indians.”
WTF. ATCR is about Indigenous empowerment, not your regular terrible EDM music. Please GTFO. - You can’t match the intimacy or the ability of artists to dive deeper into their discography at smaller shows. Sometimes, the shows are too big to really enjoy and their sets end sooner than you want. And they can’t even do encores, bound by the festival because it would run into other artists’ shows.
- You have to sacrifice seeing certain artists because they overlap, or you need to run to the next show. I had to miss CHVRCHES even though Lauren Mayberry is bae because Foals played at the same time. Still sad about that.
- Long lines for everything. Everything is expensive af. $10+ for piss water beer.
- Flower crowns and shirtless douchebros. Just no.
- The 1km+ walk from the parking to the festival grounds.
- Port-a-Pottys
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PROS
- The music. It’s always about the music. Really really great shows that I’ve seen this weekend.
- Seeing Metric, Stars and BBNG, all of whom I’ve seen many times now, is like seeing an old friend. Emily Haines is bae. Torquil Campbell is up to his old antics again. #DOINGITFORGORD
- Trapdoor trapdoor.
- Moshing to BADBADNOTGOOD’s cover of Adele’s Hello
- Finally got to hear Foals live even if I was in the back. So good.
- James Murphy is my hero.
- Seeing LCD Soundsystem was one of the most emotionally impacting performances I’ve seen and it’ll stick with me for a long time. I screamed through, and almost cried, when LCD did the 1-2-3 punch of Home, Dance Yrself Clean and All My Friends. “You spent the first five years trying to get with the plan/and the next five years trying to be with you friends again.” I hope this it’s not the “end of an era” and I’ll get to see them again.
- I got to see two childhood bands whose singles have been stuck in my heart since forever, and as I grew up I got to discover their newer and more obscure songs. The Killers were amazing. But Arcade Fire was the most epic show I have ever been at. THERE WAS FIREWORKS. It was AMAZING.
- The vast scale of everything. The amount of people watching, singing and dancing to the headliners. The huge stage. The ridiculous sound and massive bass. THE FIREWORKS. I have never seen anything like this. The headliners will only ever play at arenas like the ACC and seeing them now let me cross these experiences off my bucket list.
- Painting TSWIFT IS A SNAKE.
- “Don’t mind them. Just listen to your heart.”
- “How’d you know my name?! You must be psychic!”
- I could not have asked for a better group of friends to go with to survive this experience with it. Thank you Quan, Andrea, James and Steph.
Wayhome 2016, you were great. But I’m sorry, I probably won’t be going to Wayhome again. It’s just too much.