Super VIP

I'm all about VIPing but DAYUMN! That is out there.

Holographs, man. Holographs.

Discuss...

[Moderator Edit: Thread from "Main Stage" subforum merged with this one]

$600 VIP + $1200 sVIP upgrade = $1800 x 2 = $3600 + $600 RV camp site
$4200 for 4 days...None of this is like buttah. I'm verklempt.

sVIP will include multiple, private sets featuring willy.

Chill out folks. If you think the price is too high for the services, which I do, then just don't pay it. Simple. There are folks that it makes sense to and they have the coin. Good for them. I hope they have a ball. But I'm not paying that price and I'm not going to go on a rant about how expensive it is or how other fests do it. If you don't think it is worth it you are not obligated to pay it. And that goes for the camping fees and the size and the walk and everything else. There isn't a god given unalienable right to attend this festival. It IS a business. One that none of us have any idea of how the finances work. Again, if you think it is a money grab and a rip off do not buy the tickets.

Sorry if this offends anyone but again. Don't like it don't pay.

I came on here to delete most of that. I really don't want to offend and I know it looks like it is directed directly at a single post. It isn't and I am sorry if it reads that way. And it isn't even just the posts on this forum. It is a reaction to stuff on 3 different forums.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

Yeah, who appointed you guys the Positivity Police anyway? The very same right that you have to criticize the complainants is the right that they have to complain in the first place, SO... let me turn that around on you: how about if you don't like what you're reading here, you go find some friendlier forum to hang out on? This fest is crazy expensive no matter how you slice it, these are hard times, and our money is hard-won. We have every right to complain when our expectations are not being met for that kind of coin. I really don't like the idea that anything unpopular that I, or anyone else, may have to say is gonna be jumped on by the PP patrol, either. I'm surprised that one member of this board even comes around anymore, after the ad hominem attacks some people lobbed at him for merely having a dissenting opinion. Some folks like this kind of music despite not having sunny, cheerful dispositions. Deal with it.

Personally, I don't think there should be such a thing as VIP, much less SVIP. Bad enough so many people live in gated communities cut off from their neighbors, because they fear...uh, black people? I'm not sure. Crime rates have been plummeting for the last 25 years, so that can't be it...

VIP/SVIP is a chilling microcosm of income inequality in the U.S. and frankly, I'm little surprised to see folks like Phil and Bobby participating in it. The kind of roots music that the Dead's music emerges from was about inclusiveness (it's more important that you play, than that you play well), not exclusiveness or virtuosity. That's why Jerry refused to be leader of the band, that's why everyone in the band got the exact same pay, that's why they gave Bobby time to get better in the early days instead of firing him. Oh well, I guess doing a couple of spots for a policy advocacy group and a fundraising show for a presidential campaign doesn't mean the participants actually think about issues.

But, whatever. If people wanna spend the equivalent of a kid's first beater car so they can stand a little closer to Bobby, brag to their friends that they saw a set no one else was allowed to see (for that short period before it ends up on YouTube and Archive.org), and get a slight discount on the beer that allows the ABC to come in and surreptitiously tape us, I sure won't stop 'em. More VIP/SVIP means less or no daywalkers after all, and anyways I'll be too busy pointing and laughing from the back row.


</rant> 

OK I've been reading all the rant/opinions now I'll put in my 2 cents. First I love everybody's opinions, that's what the forum is for. Everybody's right, nobody's wrong. I don't care how much money you make $1200.00 is a sticker shock. What I do after every festival is start saving for next year. I only have time for 1 a year. So after Electric Forest in 2011 I put back in whats left & start for next year. Well my body took a shit on me & 2012 was out. The only thing that got me thru treatments, weeks in the hospital & more treatments was #1 I would live & #2 I would be able to go back to festivals. 2013 came around & they announced this new Lockn' Festival. It was like someone got in to my head & came up with this dream festival. I was ready to go. Then my hip said fuck you, your not going anywhere until you replace me. You can't imagine my disappointment. But again Lockn' was not going to be a one time thing so there is next year. So with 2 extra years of saving I figured I would go all out. So I will go SVIP & check it out. Most years I would not be able to afford this. But since I have the extra money & not having to worry about food & other extras will be nice.
The reason I did VIP to start with I'm the same as Dudist, can only do so much walking. Yes I do have a handicap card but I guess I'm a little weird about using it since I can get around. If they only had GA I would def use it.
As far as Phil & Bobby I don't think they deal much with the politics of where they play. They just want to play & it is their living.
In the end I'm just really looking forward to Lockn' & meeting all of you & having a great time!

i agree that all opinions here are valid. i dont think that anyone was trying to censor anyone else, and i certainly wouldnt allow that on this board. i just felt like it was silly to complain about something that is totally optional. complain your hearts away, but also recognize other people's right to criticize your opinions. i agree that the prices are for svip are insane. hell, the price for reg vip sounds insane to me. so i won't be forking over the cash for it. if you want to, and have the means for it, by all means enjoy yourself. but i'm also going to look you square in the eye and say, "dude, do you have any idea what i could do with $1200?!"

So I am attending my Lockn this year. I bought a GA ticket and still deciding on camping. The VIP and SVIP are just too much and I have done VIP in the past at Peach, Mountain Jam and Roo and it was nice to be close but not worth the price. What concerns me is the comments about stuff being stolen at sites. I have been to 15+ festivals and never dealt with my stuff being stolen. Hearing this concerns me and frankly it pisses me off. So should I suck it up and either get the preferred camping or forest camping? They seem to be much closer and I would think my stuff would be safe there. Otherwise. I may have to reconsider VIP so that I do not have to deal with that bullshit. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated