I LOVE music festivals! All kinds! I am a music fanatic and working in radio gave me a great excuse to follow my live music passion. And there are so many kinds of music festivals around the world!
Some feature local bands, giving them a chance to play for thousands of fans. Some festivals are defined by a certain kind of music, like rock or country.
I usually don't go to these festivals to see any favorite bands. I go for the variety, for the new bands, and to hang out with friends and enjoy the music!
Outdoor music festivals are different from indoor concerts. I've been to jazz festivals, folk festivals, salsa and reggae festivals. I enjoy the free spirit, the ability to wander around, the energy, and the atmosphere of fresh music!
And I always get surprises at these festivals. Once, when I was living in Florida, I attended a country music festival. I didn't like country music at all in those days and thought I would be there for only an hour or so. Guess what? I ended up staying the whole two days and found there were many more types of country music than what I'd heard on the radio. Some featured lightning-fast string playing on instruments like guitar and fiddle. It was a great surprise and much more fun than I ever expected.
Not all cities in the US or the rest of the world have music festivals. So when there is one, it becomes an "event" that attracts musicians and fans alike. And of course, festivals in university areas tend to be cheaper and more accessible to students.
Hawaii was the last place I lived in the US before coming to China. The hospitable spirit runs high throughout the islands and people try to help each other. I learned a lot about Hawaiian music from those festivals.
Hawaii is also the home of one of the best natural concert settings in the world. Some promoters have recently re-started the rock festivals held in the crater of Diamond Head, the famous non-active volcano in Honolulu, Hawaii. Imagine performing in a crater! Who wouldn't want to?
People overseas often talk about China's rock and alternative music scene and I think it's cool that the world outside gets to learn that China does have modern music festivals. The Midi is the place to experience some of the best China has to offer, for only 50 yuan a day! Music connects us all... Hope to see you there!
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fanatic 狂热者
passion 激情
define 定义
variety 多样性
Salsa 萨尔萨舞曲(源自拉丁美洲的一种吸收爵士乐和摇滚乐特点的流行音乐)
Reggae 雷盖，一种始于20世纪60年代中期的牙买加民间音乐
fiddle 小提琴
accessible 容易接触到的
hospitable 好客的
Honolulu 檀香山
Rick O'Shea is an American who DJed for more than 11 years in China. |
