This years Virgin Fest mimicked the spirit of the man with its amazing bands, amazing people, and overall fucking great times. The party always starts in line. Music fans guzzle as much of the cheap LCBO liquor as they can before their bags get searched on the way into the park. Alcohol, is always a problem at concerts. It’s too expensive and too regulated. Why is it so hard to have a beer and see some fucking music? I either have to spend my time sober in a crowd of sweaty teenagers wishing I was drunk or drinking in the beer tent and missing the bands that I paid almost $100 to see. Aren’t we past this? Can’t we let people bring their own booze in and trust them not to go overboard and do something stupid? Clearly not. This years scrote-bag that ruined it for everyone is anonymous douche that busted onto the stage and pushed down Noel during Oasis’ set. All I have to say is: Sad day for Canadian music fans.

Some people choose to take their frustrations with authority out in a more humorous manner. In the beer tent on Saturday we witnessed this guy climb a tree because he wanted to drink and see music at the same time (or something, he was probably just hammered). In the video the guy is being yelled at by security jumps out of the tree and gets surrounded amid cheers. After the video security surrounds him and tries to kick him out. The chants began with: “let him stay”, then “one more beer” and finally “one more tree”. Then we fickle drunk people lost interest and he got kicked out.

I respect anyone that does what they think is right despite the consequences. Like me being hired to review music and not: or the Silversun Pickups refusing to end their set on time. They were about 10 minutes late and lead singer Brian Aubert was continuing to play. The drummer Chris was giving him the cut sign, the stage manager was giving him the cut sign. I swear to god I remember the stage manager mouthing “Fuck you” to Brian as he took his guitar at the end of the set. But in watching the video of their interview with Barry Taylor you can see that they are just fun-loving silly rock stars, there was no malice in his action and I think everyone should just chill the fuck out about set times.

The Foo Fighters are one of my favorite bands and they never disappoint. So many songs, so many hits. The girls behind me gave me a shot of their vodka, it was all amazing. At one point in the Dave Grohl starts climbing up the side of the stage, soloing with one hand, while dry-humping the aluminum. You can’t capture action like that with words, but you can see it in our virgin festival video.

I have always been a big fan of Bloc Party and I am looking forward to the release of Intimacy in late October. Their set was everything you expected it to be: Banquet, followed by charming British accents that melt the women around me and then Helicopter as the finale. If you like Bloc Party check out a band called TV on the Radio. Its like Bloc Party lite.

Its not all puppies and ponies at Virgin Fest. Some people do suck: in no particular order.
Against Me – Don’t try and play for 50 mins when you only have 2 songs
Paul Weller – UGH! Who listens to you? Honestly… if you are a fan please email me because I am clearly missing the good songs.
The Ferry – It takes FOREVER! Foo Fighters finished around 11 and we where there waiting for the Ferry until 1am. SO BULLSHIT. Build a fucking bridge

[The most beautiful thing about festivals is that there is always one diamond-in-the-rough. One band that you have never heard of that absolutely blows you away. This was that band:]

We head over to the crowd of people and find out that a British band called the Pigeon Detectives is about to go on. We decided to stay for one song and that was it, I was hooked. The lead singer comes out with tight pants, a screechy voice and ridiculous flash dance knee pumps. The fast-paced rock-pop was littered with callbacks and catchy chorus’. Though the lyrics were a little high school in nature the music was phenomenal.

I have never been happier at a concert than when I was right at the front of the stage singing along to the song “Everybody wants me” which I thought was everybody loves me in my stooper (I have to say shouting “Everybody loves me” aloud while wasted cures all paranoia). Then the singer swings his mic like a mace and throws it diagonally into the air over the crowd and pulls on the cord so it comes right back to his hand; rhythmic-gymnastic style.

It was a show and concert. We bounced, we sang, we laughed, I met a girl, she gave me her number. Band of the Festival for sure.

Check them out: http://www.myspace.com/thepigeondetectives

Photos from Virgin Festival 2008

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