howta-lolla-palooza

This past weekend was dedicated fully to Lollapalooza Chile!  YEAH BABY!

Both R man and I felt inspired by the experience to write a little something...music festivals being something near and dear to R man's heart...it's cute!

As a foreigner in a Chilean music event and newby to music concerts in general, here are some pointers I learned for howta-lolla-pa-looza it up Chilean style!

1.  Skin protection  - most Chileans were not wearing a hat or sun screen because they tend not to burn, but as a super whitey, that is not a point to blend in on!  Wear lots and lots of sun screen and a big ol' hat, cuz you gonna burn and burn bad!  I myself was partaking in a lovely 70 spf sunscreen (take that sun!) and wore my jacket over my head (to Rodolfo's manly cool horror) for good measure, much in the style of a burka... that pretty much did the trick!

2.  Shade.... Along with skin protection, take breaks!  Noon sun in Chile is way intense.  Unlike other places in the world, most of the heat comes from direct sun contact.  As soon as you step in the shade, you'll feel great!

3.  Water!  Drink lots and lots of water!  At a festival in the States, you would try to consume just enough not to faint but also to avoid scary long lined bathroom experiences....but here....the lines are short/non existent for port-a-potty due to the lack of popularity water drinking has here in Chile.  Coco Cola and beer, yes. Water?  Nope.  If there is an event in Chile where beer is not served (as was Lollapalooza), you are guaranteed a short line for el bano!

My one major complaint on how Lollapalooza ran as a festival was its access to water.  Entering the festival the first day, I held a large bottle of water in my hands, which they allowed thru.  The Second day, I pulled it out of my purse at the gate and was DENIED....watta huh?!?  


Lollapalooza had a massive water tank available for refilling your water bottle...
1. This is hard to do when your bottle is DENIED....grumble grumble grumble....  
2.  People were very disrespectful with the water tank...taking showers in it, leaving the water running when they were finished....standing and staring at it...geez louise....like you've never seen free water before?  Be COURTEOUS!  Fill your bottle, turn off the tap, run along!  MANNERS PEOPLE!  EEEK!!!!  Apparently, if something is free and available, it's to be wasted!?!  EEEEEERRRRRRRK!

4.  Both Rodolfo and I were really disappointed that they put all of our favorite "less popular" groups in a really small enclosed venue that was difficult to enter and exit.  Due to the small size, the massive crowd that they were not expecting to see show up for "Cat Powers" and "Cold War Kids" couldn't fit into the performance hall and they closed it off with an army of Chilean police officers on horse back for most of the day.....a good thing from this?  I know Chileans are beginning to have better taste in music....sorry, I love Madonna and all but really Chile?  The negative? We didn't get to see these groups play, how stinky.  The festival ended on a strong note though...Kanye West singing "Stronger"....hee.hee.hee....it was pretty awesome!

5.  Do not...DO NOT get too close to the stage.  Rodolfo tried to warn me!  He tried!  The moment a group comes on stage, there is a massive - wave like - surge of people who push towards the front!  I've never experienced anything like it!  This could be because I tend to stay towards the back in concerts, but Chilean crowds are a bit more intense and indiscriminate of personal space as well!  I decided to wait the hour before  The Killers opened to get a good spot in the front....bad idea....the moment they started playing I was enveloped into the sea of bodies.  The crowd surged in and I was crushed between strangers unable to breathe, covered in sweat from people I didn't know, bouncing up and down with the crowd not of my own will...I get that this could be fun if you have great knees.....are bigger than I am....are a single 18 year old guy...want to have Brandon Flowers' babies.....but that is not me!  Nope!  Boundaries!  Personal space!  Breathing!  Knees!  Free will!  I like these things!!  Love them!!!  I have an invisible box and I like it that way.  Yuck!!!!!  Cringe....coodies.....ew....still trying to forget the trauma....

So there you go....lessons learned from an awesome weekend at Lollapalooza *Chile!  YAY!