10/06/2012 Virgin Mobile Free Fest @ Merriweather Post Pavilion

Venue: Merriweather Post Pavilion
Location: Columbia, Maryland

Time: TBA

Tickets: Sold Out - Presale was 8/23 and regular sale 8/24 (I'd keep looking around or checking for tickets on the web site. The FREE may be gone, but you may find "FREEmium" tickets available)
Who's Playing?

How about Jack White, Skrillex, M83, NAS, ZZ Top, Santigold, Alabama Shakes, Ben Folds Five, The Dismemberment Plan, Allen Stone, Trampled by Turtles, Portugal. The Man, Das Racist, Future Islands and Justin Jones.

If you went last year or the year before, then you know all about The Dance Forest. This year the forest will once again flash with lasers and vibrate to dropped bass beats. Here's who's coming: Above & Beyond, Porter & Zedd (Back to Back), Thomas Gold, Nervo, Alvin Risk and Penguin Prison, plus others to be announced.

While you're waiting, check out my blog post from VMFreeFest 2011! I also saw Portugal. The Man last October in Charlottesville. They are playing Free Fest this year.. here's my blog post from October 2011 for Portugal. The Man.

Also, here's a few things I learned from the 2011 Free Fest..

1. You will get dirty, but after about 7pm you'll stop caring.
2. You will get doused with beer or any number of mixed drinks.
3. You will wait to use the bathroom and/or buy more drinks. However, if you think smart you will not wait nearly as long as most. Go to the area where the "favorite" band is not playing to get your drinks. You'll be back well before those standing in the long line.
4. You will be ushered out of the pit after EVERY band in the main pavilion. You'll need to make a plan for who you really want to be on the floor to see. Last year, this process upset me a bit but this year it made sense and I saw a lot more than I would have had I been glued to one rail all night. Just before the end of the current band on stage, a line will for either to the right or left of the pit. This line will be let into the pit after it is cleared from the previous band.
5. Wear comfortable shoes. No really. The flip-flops you adore will not be well loved once they get wet (see #2) and your feet slide to and fro while walking or dancing. Wanna look cute in heels? I hope you wanna stand still, too. The property at the Merriweather covers enough room for three stages far enough apart that you can't hear the other bands playing. You are sure to walk a few miles before the night is over. Oh and 90% of the property is grass, dirt or mud.
6. It's ok to come later. Many (including myself) want to be there when the doors open. This makes for a 12 hour day of walking, dancing and just a little sitting. Unless you really want to see the first band of the day, you can come later and you'll still be a part of all the fun. I was a bit jealous of all the new people coming through the gate around 7pm looking refreshed and ready to party while I sat all but passed out on the side of the walkway.
7. Have fun. Take it all in. The music, the atmosphere, the people .. it's all there for you. Go with it. This year Kyrocera set up stages in a circle. Each stage had a device that could sense a patterned paper in front of it. The movement of the patterned paper caused the music emanating from the speakers to change. You became the music maker along with the people on the other stages. Pretty neat. Get your name written in Chinese character on a shirt. Paint something beautiful on a wall ... or yourself. Recycle a water bottle and get a refillable water pouch (they refill it free). Have FUN!