Lockn' 2016: A Newbie's Report

The most disgusting Nitrous scene I've personally witnessed was at GD50. Balloons all over the park.

I've been to 2 Dead & Co shows, and the nitrous scene was just as ubiquitous as any Phish show, if not more so, especially before the show in broad daylight.

In Philly we unfortunately get this rep as the nitrous capital of the scene however by far the worst I've ever seen nitrous was at Fenway for Dead and Company this summer. You couldn't walk down the sidewalk without seeing it, people were getting into fights around tanks, and by the end cops started militaristically and forcefully breaking it up. As for Lockn, this was the first year I saw it but I don't doubt it was there every year. Those people make a killing and they are a hell of a lot smarter than anyone trying to stop them.

Totally didn't offend and I am sorry if that came across as directed at you. It wasn't. I know I said "your preconceived notions" but I really didn't mean "your" as in you or anyone else in particular on this board. More just the general perception of Phish fans. I apologize if you took it to be directed at you.

My traveling companions were crapping on what they expected the Phans to be like before we got to Lockn'. They were proven wrong. On Thursday night my drunken colleague commented that half these people probably don't have jobs. I laughed and pointed out how nice the cars, clothes, and camping gear were in poverty tent only. If he had said I bet half these cars are leased I might have agreed.

  That is not much of a question, because death and taxes will require they find a younger crowd. The question is what type of younger crowd?  There is a lot of new music that has elements of the Grateful Dead, but are not considered jam bands. In fact I am always baffled as to how phish became so strongly associated with the dead. When Phish began there was a dearth of bands playing improvisational styles and I think the deadheads attached to that at a time when GD was waning.  Other than that connection though, their music is not particularly similar.  I have always seen GD as having a traditional rock 'n' roll backbone with connections to really old times tunes that Jerry loved.  Phish has a ska/funk backbone and all the bands that followed also have that backbone (STI, leftover salmon, umphreys). So, to  my ears, phish is largely responsible for the current "jam" scene more than GD.  I hear more GD in Ryan Adams (who would be roundly mocked at lockn I suspect), than in SCI. Not saying that lockn should be a GD only festival, but if that is their idea, then  there are a lot of new bands who could do that and who's Fanbase use less nitrous (and likely have more disposable income), but aren't as dedicated. We haven't heard hardly any of the new artists off the recent GD tribute album that I thought was quite good.  Certainly not trying to bait, just making observations that are likely in the minority.

I did notice one thing this year that I had never seen before. Many many (hundreds?) empty spaces in VIP car camping. I know that this space was larger this year but is was not anywhere close to selling out. 

We had VIP ticket, excuse me, wristband holders camp with us this year. They wanted the VIP amenities during the day but wanted to actually be at the fest for the camping.

Tent-only also had a good many unused spaces. I wondered if that meant they really didn't sell out or were those no-shows?

Right?!

wow, lots of ups and downs. sorry to hear about your first night, but very glad that you decided to stick to it and make the remaining days. hope to see you again next year!