I see your points. I was thinking of something nominal. To be honest, the biggest expense in Detroit is the over inflated hotel costs and the fact that the connecting flights from LA to Detroit boost it so much. We could have almost two flights to London for the same! ;)
> I think that Ian and Simon Kong bring up important points related to how > charging an entrance fee may have (unintended) social or cultural > impacts to the festival. > > Personally, I would pay to get in each day, and it wouldn't affect me, > however the note below reminded me of one morning where I was really > tired and slightly hung over, sitting outdoors at the main stage. The > sun rained down after a morning storm. In my haze, I watched a woman > with a little girl dance and play in a puddle by the stage, right near > some rasta hippy looking dude. It made me happy to see 'different > worlds' collide in natural ways, made possible via (free) music. Don't > know if I could find that in a more structured place. Maybe, but maybe not. > > When more structures/rules get thrown onto something that has enjoyed > 'less structure', there are often reactions and consequences (perhaps > losing the parts made possible by its 'free' status). Could we even > identify things at risk if we tried? Wasn't there a survey conducted > after last year's event? I'd suspect the peeps who filled that out fall > into the category of those willing to pay to get in anyways, but still > ... those results/data might be a useful place to look for ideas on what > might be done differently for this year vs last year. People making > business decisions (esp ones you're asking for $) seem to love ideas > that much more when they're supported by empirical data. > > Would be a shame if it turned into a festival of the elite, privileged, > or pay-only customers, since that seems so apart or disconnected from > the beauty of Movement. I'm not saying there should be 'no structure' or > that things shouldn't change, just that it's something to be mindful of > when considering the 'what to do' question. Certainly without money, > there would be no festival. > > Oh, and I do plan to attend. :) > > Lisa > > > Ian Malbon wrote: > >> On Jan 26, 2005, at 5:30 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: >> >>> Putting an entrance fee on it could result in a drop in attendance. Only >>> the real fans of the music will go and many of the "raver kids" just >>> looking for some music to practice their breakdancing skills to would shy >>> away from it (possibly). >> >> >> And it would also prevent me dancing with the 4-year old kid from a >> totally different socio-economic world who digs the bass just as much as >> I do. Or smiling politely to his grandmother, who's not used to seeing >> white guys in their thirties act like I am. >> >> The wider community aspect (aka culture collision) is a good part of >> what has made the festival work from day 1. Admission will remove that >> part too. >> >> City dwellers are USED to having free festivals at Hart Plaza. It would >> be discouraging for many if one had to pay AND empty coolers, etc. >> >> (P.S. I do not live downtown, and I'm not trying to further an agenda, >> just presenting my perception.)
