Festival Season is Back
Explore our 2022 highlights: from music to fashion to political statements.
Over two years ago we sat down with Ben Baruch, founder of Live From Out There — a series of virtual festivals designed to bring live music into people’s living rooms and create revenue for musicians during the COVID-19 pandemic. None of us had any idea when live music would be back and even if it would be back in the same capacity we had experienced in the past. At the time, it seemed unimaginable that thousands of people would gather without social distancing to watch their favorite band perform.
In July 2021 Lollapalooza opened its doors again to music lovers from around the world. Thousands of visitors flocked to Chicago to catch a glimpse of their favorite artists and dance to their favorite tunes. The excitement I experienced in Chicago over those three days was unlike anything I had ever experienced in quite some time.
I must admit that for a while, my fascination with festivals was lost. It seemed as if they had become less about music and more about celebrity gatherings and marketing tools for brands to create fashion collections tailored to the Instagram masses eager to post a snap of their festival outfit at a recognizable landmark.
It wasn’t until I stepped on a field last summer and heard the roaring sound of a guitar filling thousands of people with excitement that I realized how much I had missed live music and how festivals impact us all in a personal and cultural way.
I’ve been lucky enough to meet some of my best friends at these places from bonding over our love for psych-rock, to creating connections with people from my own country in cities foreign to us, to experiencing cringe worth moments where judgment is not allowed. Yes, the idea of a festival revolves around music, but there is so much to them, from fashion to political ideologies being expressed without fear of discrimination.
It’s 2022 and festival season is officially back, and better than it’s ever been. Here are three of our latest festival highlights:
Harrychella
The Fyer festival of influencers happened this year at a Revolve party hosted at La Quinta, California during Coachella. Despite influencers being stranded under the sun with no water, Instagram and TikTok feeds were drenched in content involving pink feather boas, and a sequins jumpsuit. The 2022 edition of Coachella, was un-officially renamed Harrychella. The term can even be found on Urban Dictionary and if you type it into shopping platforms you’ll be able to purchase items inspired by Harry Style’s Coachella outfits. Out of the 125,000 guests that attend the festival per day, 100,000 watched the singer's live performance.
Nothing Great About Britain
The Sex Pistols released one of their most popular singles God Save The Queen in May 1977 during the Queen of England’s Silver Jubilee. — A celebration that commemorated her 25 years of service on the throne of England. The song was quickly banned from radio stations because it spoke of a fascist regime in England and was dimmed as “offensive”.
The first weekend of Primavera Sound in Barcelona was hosted this year during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee (75 years in service). British crowds celebrated loudly with British rapper slowthai as he congratulated the Queen by performing one of his most popular singles “Nothing Great About Britain”.
F*ck You Very Much
During her Glastonbury performance, Olivia Rodrigo was joined on stage by Lily Allen. She named the 5 Supreme Court judges who a day before ruled against abortion rights and they both dedicated Lily Allen’s greatest hit Fuck You.