This little promoter/festival organizer went to NERFA with a heavy heart, believing that Roots on the River Festival, having just completed our 15th annual festival [and one of the most successful {successful = broke even}], might have run its course. 3 of my top 4 volunteer staff, including one who has been there since day one, have all found other employment which precludes them giving up much of their lives for six months every year to help produce this little gem in Southern Vermont in early June every year. While I can, and have, done virtually every non-tech aspect of the festival over the last 15 years, I was not sure I was ready to roll back the clock and take on all the tasks that these three have done and done so well. The alternative was to identify, get them to commit and then train new volunteers to do those jobs very quickly in order to be fully functioning by January when I should have booked 50% of my artists for June 2015 and checked off dozens of other off-season festival prep. As I poured out my tale of woe to agents, artists, managers, other promoters, organizers, presenters, friends and fans, the feed back [and push back] I got was uplifting, inspiring and inspired, supportive, creative, helpful, practical and so on and so on. I realized this was one of the reasons I went to NERFA this year, specifically. So now, I am back after having stayed up until 3am on Thursday, 4am on Friday and 5am on Saturday, feeling not the sleep deprivation which I should be, but much more optimistic that there may be a way to save what is now a mature festival, having survived 15 years against all odds. Im also a realist and know that I may not succeed in my quest, but Im willing to try and fail rather than go out with a whimper. Keep those thoughts and ideas coming, along with suggestions for possible volunteer staffers who might want a challenge. Thanks for reading and remember Bellows Falls, Where live music lives.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Nov 2014 02:56:52 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015