City Beat: Riverbend Festival changes were needed

Downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee at night
Downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee at night

A week after Riverbend 2018 turned out the last light and unplugged the last amp, I wrote that changes were likely on the way. It didn't take a genius to make such a prediction. The 21st Century Waterfront, where the event takes place, is shrinking thanks to development, and the musical landscape has changed drastically since the event started in 1982.

Festivals have become big business with literally hundreds of them popping up around the country. That has meant organizers are competing in big ways for ticket buyers and performers. The really good festivals, for example, have created artist areas, where acts hang out all day and even for multiple days to watch other acts perform. They've become a happening.

photo Barry Courter

Organizers also have given great thought to what people can do while waiting for their favorite act to start, which creates a sense of community or culture that is unique to that festival. Riverbend has long had the look and feel of a fair, which is fine. I like a good fair, and it has presented some truly great acts, but the city has been calling for something different.

And Riverbend has a major flaw in its main stage. The barge was a novelty for many years, but it is now a really bad venue for both fans and artists. It will continue to define the festival as long as it remains.

Festivalgoers today expect an immersive experience that goes beyond just sitting or standing in a field or road and watching an act. But, even when they do, they want to feel as attached to the artist as they can and vice versa. Successful festivals today create a vibe or a unique experience that starts with the lineup announcement and includes everything from the package your tickets arrive in to the look and feel of the site itself.

Kudos to Riverbend for recognizing change was needed. The changes officials have announced bring part of what they do in line with nearly every other festival. It needed to cut from nine days to four, and RFID wristbands are the industry standard for many reasons. Nearly doubling the cost of badges theoretically (I use that term only because it is so subjective) means better acts.

And notice we haven't even talked about the lineup. It's part of the equation, but not all of it. Not anymore, if it ever was.

» Former McCallie School teacher Darren Moorman will be on WGOW Friday morning with guest host Garry Mac to discuss "Run the Race," the new movie that Moorman produced and Tim Tebow executive produced.

Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.

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