I recently attended Tyler, the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw music festival. This was my second time going, and after my experiences from the past two years, I can confidently say that music festivals are better than individual concerts.
After a week-long delay, this year’s Camp Flog Gnaw took place on November 22nd and 23rd at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Featured artists included some big names like Childish Gambino, A$AP Rocky, Tyler the Creator, Kali Uchis, and Doechii, as well as up and coming names like Fakemink, Paris Texas, MIKE, and Blood Orange.
First, festivals give so much value for your money. I spent $400 for my ticket, which is not crazy to pay nowadays for good seats to any concert. For my money, I saw 17 artists this year and 11 last year.
My second reason is the exposure to new music. Last year’s festival had such an effect on my music taste going forward. I was exposed to some of my current favourite artists like Omar Apollo, Kaytranada, The Alchemist, and Earl Sweatshirt. Some artists I’ve begun listening to after this year’s fest are Navy Blue, PARTYOF2, Fakemink, and Foushee.
Another reason is, being that there are so many artists in one weekend, songs that are rare to be played live are played. A$AP Rocky and Tyler played “Who dat boy” and “Potato salad” this year, the last time these were played together was in 2019 and 2018, respectively. It is rumored that Childish Gambino’s performance was his last. He let his fans vote for his setlist, playing his best songs like “Me and Your Mama,” “L.E.S.,” “Redbone,” and “Lithonia”. Last year also featured the first performance of Tyler’s album “Chromakopia.”
Lastly, the production values are incredible. Smaller artists are given more opportunities for sets that they might not have had before, and bigger artists are given a stage for whatever they can imagine. I was most impressed with Tyler this year; the lighting, choreography, and pyro were taken to another level. The headliners brought new ideas to the table. Gambino brought a drone show, and Rocky performed from a helicopter on stage.
Next year, being in college, I will have more options for festivals to attend. Camp Flog Gnaw remains a great option for festivals, and I hope to continue attending for years to come.
