Several years ago, a frequent festival attendee by the name
of Mark Levine started an initiative called FoolsFest where his goal has been
to create an American music festival in Houston, Texas that promotes the same sense
of community that he experiences at European festivals. There’s
only one catch, FoolsFest needs your support on Kickstarter to get off the ground!
Here’s an interview with Mark Levine where he talks about his vision for FoolsFest, his favorite festival, his ideal lineup and more! -Keba Robinson, PHOTOS TAKEN FROM RYAN MCGINELY'S IRREGULAR REGULAR SERIES
Keba: When did you decide that FoolsFest was something that
you wanted to do?
Mark Levine: I have been wanting to create a music and arts
festival similar to what is done in Europe for about 15 years (since I attended
my first UK festival in 1995). In 2005 I really began the formulation of what a
music festival needed to make it the best experience. From that point forward I
started writing up the documentation that became a business plan. Within 4
years I had come up with most of what I thought FoolsFest would contain. In
2009 & 2010 I worked on budgets and in 2010 forward I began to work on
finding funding for the festival.
ML: In 1995 I was the driving force to create a one day
music festival at my University. It took place on April 1 and was a great event
created under the name Fools Festival. The name stuck in my mind because, while
most music festivals occur during the summer, it isn’t practical in Texas, yet
a spring event is perfect. In the spring everything is blooming and March & April are the best months of spring for Texas. I shortened the name to
FoolsFest after working with a branding firm, so that the name was more
palatable.
K: In your mission statement, you say that you’ve traveled
the world and gone to many festivals and have noticed that American festivals
lack the sense of community that you feel overseas – What do you plan on doing
differently with Fools Fest that you think will promote community?
ML: Most (not all) music festivals in the US take place in
cities and do not have camping and are therefore more disconnected from the
revelers attending the event. Whereas, the festivals in the UK & Europe
that have the strongest sense of community are camping festivals where 90% of
the attendees are onsite for the weekend. By physically being around other
people that are at the festival for the entire time the community develops. For
instance, you’re more likely to be friends (even if for only a week) if you
rely on them to watch out for your stuff in your tent.
K: Do you think the lack of community you have experienced is based on the festivals themselves or preexisting cultural paradigms in America?
ML: Certainly because of the strong history of festivals in
the UK & Europe there is a culture that is more open to that communal
paradigm; but I don’t believe that this cannot be duplicated in the US.
Americans have deep roots in this type of culture…just look at the Deadheads of
the 70’s and forward. FoolsFest is simply building on that type of example and
creating a festival that has similar openness.
K: What’s the best festival you have ever been to and why?
ML: My favorite (and least favorite) festival is definitely
Glastonbury. I attended Glastonbury in 2009 and I camped with over 150,000
strangers. Within an hour, I had been adopted by a small group of people who
were meeting random friends (and strangers) at the football (US soccer) game
that took place the day before the first day of music. The teams were England
versus the rest of the world. Everyone who wanted to play was allowed, the
festival owner even came down and watched some of the game. The community
adopted everyone the moment they stepped foot on to the grounds. The best thing
about the festival was there was always something to do, I even met people who
didn’t go to see any of the 500+ bands playing at the event. Some people were
there just to hang out. That’s the dream! The reason that it also is my least
favorite is because there was so much happening onsite that there was no way
for me to experience everything. There were acres and acres that I never even
got to see. I think that’s the American in me that wanted to experience
everything that was offered; but as a festival lover, I realize that there is
always “next year,” and I still had an amazing one of a kind time even if I
didn’t see it all.
ML: My personal taste is somewhat eclectic, but I’m not
booking the festival for me. For FoolsFest, I want the artist roster to include
some big name acts that you could see at an arena or stadium show to headline
the festival, with middle sized artists that are just starting to get hot
within the indie-rock/country music community, and the smallest acts would be
bands that no one around has heard of, but are amazing performers that need an
audience.
If I were being selfish and booking bands for myself, I
would probably have these performers at the festival: The Beastie Boys,
Editors, Maxïmo Park, Johnny Cash, Green Day, A Tribe Called Quest, Lyre le
Temps, The Dandy Warhols, Blur, Pixies, Stevie Wonder, Grandaddy, Amy
Macdonald, Lana Del Rey, Zac Brown Band, Spoon, and Caravan Palace; among
hundreds of others.
