The future of music festivals and what it means for humanity.

FESTIVALINTERRUPTUS

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Image: gpointstudio/Shutterstock.com

“You text. You don’t call, you don’t write notes. You don’t pop up at your friend’s house. You Skype. We’re not touching each other. Technology has separated us so much, it’s natural for us to have this desire to come together, and festivals really cater to that communal nature.”Murs, Rapper and Founder of Paid Dues Festival

Image: Roman Seliutin/Shutterstock.com

Source: laweekly.com

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Today we are seeing a rapid growth in

music festivals, both in size and number.

In 2014 alone there were 874 festivals

in North America, with festival capacity

growing from 475,000 attendees in 2010,

to 1.8 million in 2014. What’s apparent is

that Millennials seek a more complete

music experience, and Gen Z, we

anticipate, even more so.

To develop a point of view on the festival

of the future, sparks & honey partnered

with PepsiCo’s Creator team to identify the

defining characteristics and present our

vision of the music festival of the future.

Image: Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com

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Yesterday’s music listener came of age

during the era of the album, the home

stereo, and listening to music with friends

and family in their living rooms. Millennials

have come of age in a time of the MP3

single, listened to via headphones, on the

go. A large part of the social aspect of

yesterday’s music consumption experience

has been lost. But the need for social music

consumption and connection through

music has not gone away. If anything, it

has increased.

Image: Peter Bernik/Shutterstock.com

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For the artist, music festivals are a welcome

source of revenue in the face of declining

recorded music sales. More importantly

for artists, in an era of MP3 singles and

streaming, it is an opportunity to more

deeply connect with core fans and win

new ones, telling their stories via a more

complete music presentation experience.

The promoters are (often unconsciously)

tapping into these needs: the need for a

social music consumption experience, for

connection, belonging, ritual, and if they

get it all right, transformation and higher

order fulfillment. Aided by advances in

technology, the music festival of the future

will meet these needs in an affordable and

accessible way.

Image: OSORIOartist/Shutterstock.com

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Image: Franz Pfluegl/Shutterstock.com

SO, WHAT IS A MUSIC FESTIVAL ANYWAY?

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IN SHORT, A “MUSIC FESTIVAL” IS:

• Two or more acts

• Over one or more days

• Recurring at regular intervals

• Organized by a third party

• Brand of the festival supersedes that of

its artists

WHAT IS A MUSIC FESTIVAL TODAY?

Image: glazok90/Shutterstock.com

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THE EVOLUTION OF THE MUSIC FESTIVAL IS ALREADY UNDERWAY

Music festivals are migrating to where the

audience is vs. people traveling to where

the festival is, both in the physical and

digital realms.

EXPANDED NOTION OF SPACE AND PRESENCE

Image: Marco Verch/Flickr Creative Commons

Kartkraft

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MUSIC FESTIVALS TODAY ARE ABOUT BELONGING(and boy do we need reasons and occasions to belong)

Image: Franz Pfluegl/Shutterstock.com

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IMMERSION

Opportunity for deeper

immersion in a music category

MUSIC-DRIVEN BELONGING

DISCOVERY

Offers exploration into areas

that are unfamiliar, but could

be of interest to the audience

SOCIAL CONNECTIVITY

Meet, connect and develop

bonds with like-minded folks

INTERACTION

Real-time interaction with

people and art

THE WAYSMUSIC FESTIVALS FOSTER BELONGING

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Music festivals in the future will be shaped

by increasing human needs for connection

and affiliation, and the technology

enablers that are deployed to meet

those needs.

TOMORROW, BELONGING WILL STILL BE IN THE DRAW

Image: Joe Van/Flickr Creative Commons

Voodoo Festival, 2009

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SO, WHAT’S CHANGING IN SOCIETY?

Images Clockwise: Sensay, frescomovie, Rawpixel.com, Georgejmclittle/Shutterstock.com

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PEOPLE WILL INCREASINGLY SEEK THEIR TRIBES

Two-way communication vehicles

increasingly enable us to self-invent and

shape and control our identities, ultimately

enabling the formation of communities

around our interests, passions, and the

most relevant parts of our identity.

HUMAN NEEDS ARE EVOLVING

Voodoo Festival, 2009

Image: Joe Van/Flickr Creative Commons

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1. Experience curators: Find the right experience

2. Digital matchmakers: Connect with like-minded peers

3. “Phygital” connectors: Create digital sensory connections with others

3 technologies will be key in bringing people together at festivals in the future

TECHNOLOGY IS ENABLING BELONGING

Image: luckyraccoon/Shutterstock.com

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NOW

Gauging what’s hot and where to be at a

music festival can be overwhelming,

often resulting in memorable moments

being missed

Real-time fingers on the pulse of what’s

hot and relevant for you

NEXT

Apps will let us know if a particular

event is worth watching, based on

user-provided information

FUTURE

Bots and algorithms will analyze personal

and contextual data to guide us to what’s

hot, exciting, and relevant

ThuzzIt lets a sports fan know if a game is

worth watchingEXPERIENCE CURATORS

FUTURE FESTIVAL TECH:

Image: Georgejmclittle/Shutterstock.com

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NOW

A large part of the festival experience is

discovering and connecting with like-

minded folks. Today, these connections

happen serendipitously

Guided introductions based on your

current context, wants, needs, passions

and group affiliations

NEXT

Algorithms analyze our personalities and

biology to make recommendations on

food, drink, and experiences

FUTURE

Matchmaking algorithms evolve to become

true digital matchmakers, trusted to

proactively introduce us to individuals that

will enhance our lives at the festival

and beyond

The Social ShotAn algorithm developed

at the University of Cambridge allows the

computation of an individual personality

analysis through the user’s Facebook likes.

Image: McIek/Shutterstock.com

DIGITAL MATCHMAKERS

FUTURE FESTIVAL TECH:

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NOW

To connect with artists and other fans,

attendees have to withdraw from the

festival to engage digitally, often missing

memorable moments

Experiencing what fellow fans and artists

are feeling through physical/digital

connections

NEXT

Connected VR technology and haptic feedback

will draw us closer to friends and family to

physically and digitally share experiences

VR systems are ready to take over the entertainment industry

FUTURE

• Platforms for rapid and easy “phygital”

connecting come online

• Phygital sharing of experiences becomes

the norm

• Fans and artists freely share experiences

with one another

Image: Marco Verch/Flickr Creative Commons

“PHYGITAL”CONNECTORS

FUTURE FESTIVAL TECH:

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Image: Franz Pfluegl/Shutterstock.com

GIVEN THESE CHANGES, WHAT WILL DISTINGUISH THE MUSIC FESTIVAL OF THE FUTURE?

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1. Local and Tribal

2. Frictionless

3. Customized

4. Non-temporal

5. Ritualistic

6. Transformational

6 defining characteristics of the Music Festival of the Future:

THE FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVALMore aligned with the needs of its audience

L Festival, Orange County, CA

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WHERE LIKE MINDS CONNECT...As festivals proliferate, new festival goers

will opt for local festivals with a smaller

cash outlay as a stepping stone to the

fuller festival experience. Promoters, and

the music industry, will respond to this

downward price pressure by promoting

festivals that go deep in a specific genre

vs. broad, as larger destination festivals

do today.

Lightning in a Bottle, 2013

Image: Dianne Yee/Flickr Creative Commons

LOCAL AND TRIBAL

THE FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL:

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THE SCARCE RESOURCE IS NOT SPACE, IT’S TALENT

While there has been tremendous growth in

the number and size of festivals, there

hasn’t been a growth in the number of

headlining acts. These acts now command

fees that are increasingly difficult for

festival promoters to cover, creating a

ceiling on the number of large festivals that

can profitably operate.

The larger festivals that will inhabit

tomorrow’s landscape will be the

“Superbowls” of festivals, while the smaller

ones will be the regular season games.

These “Superbowl” festivals will offer the

best talent and a rich, immersive experience

for a well-heeled millennial cohort.

L Festival, Orange County CA

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CULTURAL SHIFT• Music festival organizers are

aggregating acts that reflect digital

patterns of music consumption

• Music festivals are growing in

number, competing for headline acts

and attendees

• Festival organizers seek niches that

enable differentiation in a crowded

space

• Fans and artists freely share

experiences with one another

IMPLICATIONNew music festival attendees will

need to be brought into the fold

to support the rapid growth in the

number of festivals. These “late

festival adopters” will demand an

experience that is more economically

and geographically accessible before

graduating to larger festivals

FUTURESmaller local music festivals

proliferate, serving as the stepping

stone for a few large, unique festival

experiences. The source of new talent

for these festivals will increasingly be

the pool of digital-only artists

Source: WonderingSound.com, team analysis

LOCAL AND TRIBALTHE FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL:

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WALLET AND PHONE OPTIONAL

In the future, wristbands, bracelets,

watches, and other wearables will not only

provide frictionless transactions, but also

grant access to games, let friends know

where you are, post photos, share contact

info with new friends, monitor hydration,

blood alcohol and other vitals, and ensure

you stay connected to your crew.

Wearable technology is already making it

possible to leave your phone and wallet in

your pocket. As computer chips continue

to get smaller, faster, and more energy

efficient, the smartphone form factor will

atomize into separate, specialized devices,

ultimately eliminating the need for a wallet

or a phone.

Apple Pay

L Festival, Orange County, CA

Bottom Image: Shinya Suzuki/Flickr Creative Commons

FRICTIONLESSTHE FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL:

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CULTURAL SHIFT• Mobile payment platforms are

revamping functionality to support

smaller festivals and local brands:

PAYPAL

• Assault-averting wristbands will

monitor your vitals and keep you

connected to your friends:

ASSAULT-AVERTING WRISTBANDS

• Beacon technology will allow festival

attendees to opt-in to sharing their

location, ultimately enhancing social

interactions and connections.

IMPLICATIONFestival goers of tomorrow will

expect technology to eliminate the

need to carry a wallet, and make

carrying a phone optional

FUTURETechnology will not only enable

frictionless transactions, but will

also support frictionless social

networking, social safety, and social

content sharing and consumption

FRICTIONLESSTHE FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL:

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MY FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE IS UNIQUE TO ME

Having come of age during a time of

unprecedented consumer choice and

control, tomorrow’s festival attendee will

expect to be able to curate their festival

experience to explore, discover, immerse,

connect, withdraw, and detox on their

terms, at their pace, on premise and off.

“One trend emerging is the way people are

using technology to curate their own festival. So,

within the big playlist, making their own playlist

of what they are going to see and how they’re

going to see it.”Jack Antonoff, Musician

SXSW Interactive 2011 Austin, TX

Image: kris krüg/Flickr Creative Commons

Source: PepsiCo Proprietary Festival Research

CUSTOMIZEDTHE FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL:

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CULTURAL SHIFT• Allow fans to design and distribute

concert apparel via marketplace

apps: TEEPUBLIC

• Edit and share festival photos,

creating a personal and shareable

audiovisual experience on festival

grounds: GENERATE

• Find the right amount of personal

space and interactions at festivals:

AVOID HUMANS

IMPLICATIONMusic-festival attendees will expect an

increasingly customized experience

FUTUREMusic-festival attendees will curate,

share, and monetize their festival

experience. It will be a form of digital

scrapbooking. Music festivals will also

offer truly value-added opportunities

for artist/fan co-creation and

collaboration

CUSTOMIZEDTHE FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL:

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THE EPHEMERAL ASPECT OF MUSIC FESTIVALS WILLGO AWAY

Music festivals will lose the notion of

defined space and time. Augmented and

virtual reality, holograms, livestreaming, and

the next wave of social media platforms will

not only enhance the on-premise

experience, but will enable the festival to be

consumed and re-lived on demand by

tomorrow’s consumer.

Coachella

Image: Malcolm Murdoch/Flickr Creative Commons

NON-TEMPORALTHE FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL:

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CULTURAL SHIFT• Service takes 360° photos and videos

and provides them online to capture,

enhance and preserve the festival

experience: YOUVISIT.COM

• FOMO app scours the internet to find

relevant photos, video and other

content and aggregates all of it into a

timeline for a festival, or other major

events: SEENAPP

• Physical presence is no longer a

requirement for the music festival

experience: OCULUS RIFT VR CINEMA

IMPLICATIONOn-demand consumption habits are

increasing, and technology is only

raising the bar on expectations for

quality and quantity of content

FUTUREHologram, augmented, and virtual

reality technology evolve to deliver a

festival that music fans won’t watch

so much as they will experience. This

experience will elicit the emotional

reactions a fan would have at the

physical festival, which is the key to

non-temporality

NON-TEMPORALTHE FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL:

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MUSIC FESTIVALS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE EVOLUTION OF AMERICAN CULTURAL RITUALS, CUSTOMS, AND TRADITIONS

As societies mature, they tend to develop

well-established and shared rituals, customs,

and traditions. America, being a relatively

young society, is still developing its rituals.

There is a ritual gap…

New rituals are emerging, slowly. Perhaps,

the seeds of our new rituals will emerge

from our music festivals.

Image: Paul Stevenson/Flickr Creative Commons

RITUALISTICTHE FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL: Marsden Imbolc Fire Festival

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“Festivals are ritual with a musical accompaniment.”Renat Kuenzi, Journalist

Images Clockwise: Filipe Frazao, Ru Bai Le, Adam Filipowicz, Luboslav Tiles/Shutterstock.com

Source: Swissinfo.ch

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CULTURAL SHIFT• Create traditions that establish a

cadence and sense of community

amongst attendees: BURNING MAN

• Maintain a sacred bonfire for

storytelling, singing, and dancing:

THE EVOLVE FESTIVAL

• Festival grounds are blessed at the

start of the festival by a Mekah elder:

PHOTOSYNTHESIS FESTIVAL

• Festivals will make food choice

offerings that align with the lifestyles

they support (e.g., vegetarianism):

THE EVOLVE FESTIVAL

IMPLICATIONTo create meaning and unique branding for

their festivals, promoters will crowdsource

rituals and traditions that are evolving

beyond basic festival guidelines

FUTURETomorrow’s music festivals will

offer more defined rituals that add

purpose to the party

RITUALISTICTHE FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL:

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LEAVING WITH A SENSE OF CONNECTEDNESS, GREATER POSSIBILITY, AND FULFILLMENT BEYOND MUSIC

The music festival of the future will more

explicitly deliver against the human needs

for authentic connection and

transformation that they may not be

getting from other aspects of their lives.

The music festival attendee of tomorrow

will leave with a memorable experience

that renders them changed in some

meaningful way.

Northside Festival, Brooklyn, NY

TRANSFORMATIONALTHE FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL:

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CULTURAL SHIFT• The Lucent Temple of Consciousness

provides a space for personal

healing through yoga, temple music,

and mental engagement with

different speakers and workshops:

LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE

• When taking a break from the music,

attend festival-branded classes on

financial freedom, world peace,

selfexpression, and Burning Man

culture: LUCIDITY FESTIVAL

• Construct themed areas for different

moods and energy levels:

THE BOUNCE FESTIVAL

IMPLICATIONThe gap left by our increasing

secularity, elimination of civics

education, and social isolation creates

a need for higher order fulfillment,

connection, and transformation

FUTURETomorrow’s music festival will be

equal parts concert, university, and

higher-order fulfillment center, with

a dash of political activism thrown in

for good measure

TRANSFORMATIONALTHE FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL:

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TOMORROW, MUSIC FESTIVALSWILL DELIVER BELONGINGTHAT STRIKES AT THE HEARTOF OUR IDENTITY

IMMERSION

RITUAL AND TRADITION

CULTURAL IDENTITY-DRIVEN BELONGING

DISCOVERY

CULTURAL EDUCATION

SOCIAL CONNECTIVITY

TRANSFORMATION

INTERACTION

VALUES ALIGNMENT

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WHAT NOW?

It’s not about technology... it’s about technology that enables the

fulfillment of real human needs for belonging, connection, ritual,

and transformation.

In the future, festivals will play a much larger role in reinforcing

our identities.

Image: sickmoo/Shutterstock.com

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