Osheaga Gossip and Indie Pressure

Well, the team is really well begun with the Osheaga blogging while I’m here in the “office” because in a fit of generosity and over-workedness I passed on all our Indyish press passes to our crew of writers. Brilliant moves Dickens, you love the Pumpkins! Heh heh. Ok. I’m ok actually and Marilis, Tessa and Alanah have done a great job, and Tristan and Lise will kick in some good stuff I’m sure today. Meanwhile, I figured I’d fulfill my communicative function and fill you in on some randomish fyi type things.

1. Regarding Osheaga - Some word on the street type stuff for you, which, as blogger, I feel duty bound to share- apparently the pressure is on from the Gillette Entertainment Group for Osheaga to double ticket sales or risk losing all it’s funding and infrastructure next year. Ach, and with about 3000 tickets sold vs 10 000 anticipated (that’s what I heard but who knows) it doesn’t seem likely. Apparently 2 years is long enough to try to build a festival. (Hmm, compare this to Seligman and the POP team’s 6 years of self-motivated grant writing, sponsorship hustling and steady growth and good programming.) Anyway if it’s true, and if they don’t double (in the 2nd year!) it sure sucks for Dan Webster.

Aside from running Osheaga for GEG, Dan is one of the owners of the Mile End Cultural Centre (Main Hall and Green Room) which, as you may know, has been hard hit this year (we sure know, we were inside when it happened! Our poor What is Indie Indyish fundraiser!) Dan’s venues (upstairs and downstairs) have been wracked by license issues forcing tons of canceled shows and a really tough time getting the staff shifts and the bills paid - see their site for the petition and a few more details). Hopefully things are looking up all around for the well-intentioned crew at Mile End Cultural Centre, we’ve definitely had a good time there recently with the Monthly Mess.

2. Also regarding Osheaga - we only found out 2 days ago that our photographers (Marilis and Tristan) were not going to be allowed to bring their professional cameras into the site. Osheaga decided to limit all pro photography to a few of their own hired hands, who we were told would be sharing via FTP. Which sounds nerdy cool, but in practice yesterday there were apparently tons of pro cameras around and on stage. It seems when we were told NO ONE was going to be allowed Digital SLR we were being um, misinformed? Or something? Regrettable because Marilis and Tristan had both independently invested some scrounging to come up with extra awesome lenses and chips and other photographer things for the occasion. Boo! But ah well - they were allowed to bring point and shoot, and I guess if fewer photographers in the pit means better audience experience then that’s ok. If that’s what it means. We’ll see what happens today.

3. Lastly, re:Osheaga and communications, vendours I know have seemed excited about the event in weeks preceding but do complain of some disorganization in the email/phone get back or sometimes lack thereof (Marilis can attest with me to the chaos of organizing a market with indie vendours! C’est pas evident! Mais le fun.) I can also attest to a lack of communication from Osheaga, though they were cool with the blogger press passes and free tickets for our raffle; all our interview requests (like Alanah’s here) went unanswered). I really hope it turns out great for them- the vendours I mean (but also the organizers and you know, humankind)- the vendours pay to be there and make the gamble investment on their goods in the first place so my good vibes go to them! If you’re heading out there today, go buy their good stuff!

I mean it, just the good stuff. No sense supporting crud just cause it’s under a banner that says indie or art. No means no, crud!