Val's Blog 4.14.14

Chicago in August. Perfect playground for a music fest.

That's why Lollapalooza SOLD OUT in a few hours.

CHICAGO'S PREMIER MUSIC FESTIVAL

August 1, 2, 3

So what if Valslist could take you there.

Would you go?

Come spend a day with us for a "Taste of Lolla"

with Valslist as your concert - concierge.

Pick your day. We'll show you the way.

PS: ADULTS ONLY

Lollapalooza 2014 :: Aug 1-3 :: 10 guests each day :: $100 day pass

RSVP asap

(details below)

I was on the verge of a panic attack and I hadn't even left the house yet.

I was 50 years old and heading out for a weekend at Lollapalooza, Chicago's 3-Day August music fest in my city's wonderful Grant Park. Did I mention I hate heat and big crowds? It was pushing 100 degrees with serious storms in the forecast, record ticket sales, and my four teenage sons had a houseful of college friends in from out of town for the weekend.

I worried about everything from heat stroke to claustrophobia to stampede to hearing loss. I worried about the kids' guests -- would they party, go crazy, die under my watch? I had an exit strategy in case the storms showed up, I had a mom bag with everything: bandaids, tums, earplugs, sunscreen, mophie, rubber bands. Seriously? I was ready for an Outward Bound excursion. And frankly that was my expectation. Worried that this grown-up trek back into the fest scene, after the long lapse between my twenty something and fifty something years, would not be a fit anymore. And that would be the saddest revelation for me, a music-obsessed boomer who launched an entire music business to help busy adults get back into the music scene.

So I pulled myself together and dove head first out of my comfort zone. And it was one of the most magical, anonymous, kumbaya, music-drenched weekends of my adult life.

Oh, I'm out at music most nights. It's not that. I'm super comfortable at any venue, from the grungiest city dive to the packed arena. I'm totally at home in the band's green room interviewing artists, or packed in with the kids in a standing-only small venue, chatting with the sound engineer or merch guy. My trepidation about a fest was different: I didn't want anything to get in the way of the music. I wanted carefree. And the instant I entered the grounds, that's what I got.

If you want to try your hand at a fest, Lolla's a good one. It's smack dab in the middle of our city. The skyline view is stunning by day and night. The lake breezes are glorious. Music was my goal. Everything else was secondary. You turn inward and be true to yourself - go to the stages you want, grab a bite when you want, find some shade under a tree when you want. To be your alter-ego for a weekend, in a playground you love - is nirvana. Literally.

I want to take you there. This year I have ten (10) tickets for each of the three days, to offer to a few lucky music lovers who would love - have dreamed of - going to Lolla - but never ventured out because they were intimidated, had no one to go with, or started to believe that music fests are just for kids or they're too old now.

No. You can't tell that to this generation of adults who grew up on great music, who used to OWN this playground. Our generation are the Deadheads, the Hippies, Flower Children... We experienced the British Invasion, Beatlemania, Protest Music, the free spirit of the 60s, the polyester of Disco and the pins & studs of Punk. We watched Frampton come alive, and knew Springsteen before he was Boss. We filled arenas and stadiums in tie dyed bell bottoms, halter tops, Dr. Scholls, and puka shell necklaces to hear Clapton after midnight, and Foreigner tell us what love is. Elton saved our lives that night, Fleetwood Mac gave us dreams, Cat's first cut was the deepest, Jethro spewed locomotive breath, Joni looked at both sides, Carole was a natural woman, Daryl & John made our dreams come true. This classic music - the music that changed everything - IS our past.

Music fests are about the future. New emerging artists are introduced by day, on side stages in early afternoon hours, grateful for the crowds of fest-goers who pass by their stage or target them as a "new find". New artists are to be discovered as you enjoy the day, awaiting the famous headliner you've come to see that night. It's a perfect plan. However, many fest-goers don't do their homework. They land a ticket and simply show up. A lot of our kids do this. They don't know much about the side stages or new acts. So they wander, or likely spend most of their day at the DJ stage with electronic dance music EDM pulsating through their veins. (Don't get me wrong - it's fun - just not all day.) For many, the fest is more about the scene, less about the music...

I am the opposite. I'm a serious fest-goer. It's a working weekend for me. I research every single act that will be playing, and I make a set list of who I'm going to see when. The music nerd in me is making this statement, but it's really efficient and productive when you have a list of all the bands you want to see, and a schedule to follow. It gives you direction in a crowd, and new surprises all day long. You come away having discovered so much new music in such a short period of time. The heat and crowds are worth it.

So who's in?

If you're interested in doing Lolla my way (details below), email me / respond to this email and I'll add you to the ticket drawing. Hurry, availability is extremely limited. And so you know what you're getting into:

HERE'S WHAT YOU WON'T BE DOING:

getting thrown in the mosh pit
standing front row smashed up against the stage
drinking / partying your head off so you're sick by noon
wearing fancy uncomfortable clothes that are too hot / too cold
getting lost, wandering aimlessly, sticking out like a sore thumb
going deaf with music that's too loud
worrying, feeling nervous, regretting this decision to come
this isn't VIP - you won't be in A/C getting a neck massage w catering
this isn't a field trip with all of us going en masse from stage to stage
this ticket cannot be transferred to your kids - if you can't use your ticket it will go to another on the wait list

HERE'S WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING:

We'll be at every stage a lot - back far enough where there's space, a breeze, great sound and great view (Jumbotrons incl)
Valslist will prepare you for everything so you'll be in the know
Our goal is to help you be comfortable, have fun, discover great new music
We'll give you tips on what to expect, what to bring, what to wear, how to act
We'll do all the music research - and give you a suggested schedule of what stages to visit and what new artists to definitely check out
Expect to be hot and a bit dirty / or wet, chilly and muddy if rain
We'll be sending out lots of fun communication leading up to Lolla - with news, thoughts, music to start checking out
I will be blogging about our group so you'll need to be okay with that!
You can follow me around the fest or go off on your own, well-equipped
We'll have meeting places to connect if you wish
We hope that you'll tell your story - using Facebook, social media, etc.
There's a possibility of television coverage - hope you're cool with that too