In his comment on yesterday’s blog, David makes some excellent points, including:
#1 Why do we talk about Lilith in terms of “need” at all, when we never ask that question of Ozzfest or Lollapalooza? and #2 Most of the negative press surrounding Lilith has been around its canceled dates; meanwhile, numerous other artists have also canceled dates this summer.
While I think I beat the whole “need” issue to death yesterday, it’s worth asking – if it’s more “want” than “need” now, why has Lilith Fair lost artists and canceled a third of its stops? But that question becomes less important in light of David’s point #2: “John Mayer, the Eagles, Limp Bizkit, Rihanna, and Christina Aguilera, among others, are canceling shows and tours.” Indeed, while concert promotion is no science, according to an NPR report I heard on the subject last week, I’m solving no great mystery by asserting that in troubled economic times, people will attend fewer concerts. And, as another NPR report attests, some concert promoters have gotten just downright greedy, and will probably (God, hopefully!!!) adjust their prices in answer to lagging sales next summer. Or, at least Lilith Fair’s McBride seems to think Lilith will.
An article on Autostraddle called “Panic! On the Lawn: What Happened to Lilith Fair” poses just that question to its readers. Author Jess writes, “Maybe it’s the high ticket prices, maybe it’s the lineup of artists, or maybe it’s hard to re-create the pure artistry that happened from 1997-1999 when we’re now living in a Ke$ha world.” While there’s a little genre bias there (one I admittedly share), I think Jess is probably right, and it’s some combination of all of these elements. Commenters on the blog cite a combination of disappointment in a “ho-hum lineup,” prohibitive cost, and geographic hindrance (it’s true. Irvine is not Los Angeles, in fact it’s really far from Los Angeles in heinous SoCal traffic, so LF should probably have just said “Irvine”).
I admit – I didn’t even go to Lilith Fair! I was out of town that weekend and couldn’t really afford it (which is true, but doesn’t it sound excuse-y? Also, my dog ate my homework…). But in retrospect, I am disappointed in myself for not saving up my pennies in advance and making the trek, if only to support the idea of Lilith and women in music. I know an idea is not really enough, and it has to be a great show, but I certainly believe in its possibilities. The first time around, I didn’t love every single artist I heard, but I still remember loving every single moment of just BEING there. I hope that circumstances get better for all of us next summer, and that if there are lessons for the organizers and promoters to learn, they’ll learn them, and 2011 will be even better. Who’s coming with me to Lilith Fair next summer?!