The Osheaga Music and Arts Festival : Prise Deux

Ok so here's the scoop : The Osheaga Music And Arts Festival will be back for its second year September 8 & 9 2007 at Parc Jean-Drapeau...and I have to say that I'm a bit concerned. I'm well aware that they've only released a few of the acts playing this year, the biggest announcement being of course the long-awaited return of The Smashing Pumpkins (yes!) after a 7-year hiatus, but asking 150$ for weekend passes up front? With not even a fourth of the bands announced?? I kinda have a feeling that the guys in the front office jumped the gun on this one.

In comparison, last year's June pre-sale weekend passes were 80$ with Ben Harper, The Flaming Lips, Sonic Youth, Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, Wolf Parade, Dinosaur Jr. and 20 other bands already on the bill. This year, with artists like The Pumpkins, Placebo, Amy Winehouse and local/semi-local bands Stars, Sam Roberts and Xavier Caféine, comparing 2006 to 2007 right now is like comparing apples...to slightly inferior apples.

As much as I hate the idea of comparing Osheaga to the Bonnaroo Festival, the facts speak for themselves : 4-day festival for 184.50 USD, with a lineup so good it would bring Chuck Norris to tears. Other music festivals who are getting it right (or almost right) : The Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, IL and the Sasquatch Music Festival in George, WA.

So I just find it kinda hard to fork over my "hard-earned" student loan money for Osheaga at this point, but I have faith that the organisers will come through, like they did last year, and blow us all into next Tuesday.

Come rain, sleet or snow on September 8 & 9th 2007 (if we can get snow in April, I'm willing to believe anything!), let us rock like nobody's business.

And hope we have something good to rock to.