Asheville News

Moogfest: Trick or Treat? How will big new musical festival’s logistics impact Asheville?

Jason Sandford August 11, 2010

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

Moogfest will bring 30 bands to Asheville on Halloween weekend. Logistically speaking, how will this new festival – to be staged at the Orange Peel, the Asheville Civic Center and Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, impact Asheville?

Thirty bands, with their equipment and buses and road crews, will have to be carefully staged, otherwise I could envision delays in getting bands starting on time. In terms of the fans, will they know how to find parking and find their venues? I can see big-time traffic jams.

How will the music sound in the Asheville Civic Center? Will the big shows there point up once again a need for a new, more modern, music venue in Asheville than can handle thousands? Or is it still good enough?

A.C. Entertainment is the promoter for the festival, and there’s probably no better outfit to make this festival run smoothly. A.C. Entertainment, as the creator of Bonnaroo and other big time music fests, has plenty of experience to make the trains run on time. But Asheville’s never taken on an event of this magnitude. Hopefully we learn more about the nuts and bolts of the event as it gets closer.

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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3 Comments

Ricky Party August 11, 2010

With this ticketing model, it’s pretty much inevitable that there will be several frustrated attendees who are turned away at the door simply because they didn’t get in line an hour before the show. The Moog peeps are justifying it by saying if you really want to see a particular band, then you’ll know well enough to get there way in advance to ensure your spot. That seems too much like work for me. If I pay that much money, the only thing I should be required to do is show up when the band starts playing. I shouldn’t have to do anything beyond that to ensure my entry.

They also justify it by saying if you can’t get into the show you want to go to, then there’s sure to be something else going on at another venue that will be equally great. That seems really patronizing to me.

I think a better model would’ve been to offer a limited number of all-access weekend passes, then ticket out the remainder individually according to venue capacity and seating assignment. They could’ve easily made the same amount of money (if not more) if they’d offered tickets to individual shows. Jonsi is easily a $35 show. So is MGMT, and several others. As it is, who in their right mind is going to pay $75 for one day and not even have guaranteed access to any particular show? Seriously, when and where have concert organizers ever asked attendees to plop down that much money just so you MIGHT get to see the bands you came for?

I realize that most people will get to see what they want, because they will gladly get in line and wait long in advance. Surely, most people will get to see what they came for. But not all. There will be many coming in from out of town who will experience unexpected delays, and it could create a lot of ill feelings for those who are locked out after paying nearly $200 for a "all-access" pass.

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FriendlySwiss August 11, 2010

I look forward to learning from experience!

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LL August 11, 2010

We’d do well to take note of how Austin, TX runs their city-wide ACL and SXSW fests. City buses run special routes for festival goers and there are always bike corrals to accommodate the enormous number of bikes and special discounts for bike riders to encourage folks to leave cars at home. I hope we can make this festival work for us!

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