Just Call It Moneypalooza

Wed., Aug. 14, 1996

Josh Belzman University Of Wash

I returned drowsily from Lollapalooza ‘96 only to realize I didn’t have nearly as good of a time this year as I did last year. Something was missing this year.

The incredibly eclectic festival atmosphere which made Lollapalooza a hit in the first place was absent this time around. The promoters were all too happy to put on a simple concert and split town with all the money they collected from $45 tickets, $23 T-shirts, $20 camping fees and $6 burritos.

They might as well have called this one Moneypalooza.

We spent a lot more money this year for a lot less. Last year’s festival was costly, but it offered more than music. There was the film tent, annoying transvestite wrestling, the line of extremist political booths and much more. This year, the mist tents were about the only thing worth taking a walk away from the main stage for.

Lollapalooza has lost its edge. If Lollapalooza is to return to its rightful place as the touring festival for the attention-span deficient generation, it must bring back the quasi-intellectual poetry booths, the condom contests and all the other quirky side-shows that made it once great.

Maybe the suits who have the power behind the scenes of Lollapalooza will learn from this year’s dwindling and disenchanted audience. Maybe next year I can again return to the Gorge in search of good times and revelry.

xxxx

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Josh Belzman University of Washington

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.