Pages: 1 2 3 4 5

Patron Cody Burris enjoys the festival life.

Most people -- young and old -- who attend these festivals are basically freethinkers who don't blink at booze, dope, or sex. Contention comes from wanting to maintain a certain vibe, a down-home celebration versus a balls-out throwdown. Nobody is sure how deep the age division will become or where it will lead, but few predict a complete separation. To some degree, the older crowd thrives on the youngsters' energy.

As a woman in her 50s said, "Who wants to come if it's just a bunch of old people? It wouldn't be as much fun without the kids. The older people were just like those kids once, and some of us never grew up. That's what Texas Music is all about."

The explosion of Texas Music festivals occurring statewide has been spurred by changes in the music industry, population demographics, and world affairs. Certainly, festivals are nothing new. Some, such as the Festival on Nolan Creek, date back 150 years. But the late 1990s and early 2000s will one day be looked back upon as the Golden Age of these gatherings. "We have over 600 annual events that are centered around music, and, of those events, 394 include live country music," said Casey Monahan, director of Austin-based Texas Music Office. The total budget for those events is $56 million, and they draw about 25 million fans.

"It's an emerging thing for everyone to have a festival now," Alverson said.

Industry observers said a backlash against city living and urban angst has sent people scrambling for rural fun, and spending several days at an outdoor music venue is an escape to nature that doesn't involve strenuous exercise. Added to that are a rash of new artists aided by the advent of independent radio stations and recording labels, and the ease of marketing and promotion through the use of web sites. Walker's self-made and self-released Gypsy Songman cassette in 1985 and his subsequent outdoor birthday concerts are credited with starting the trend in Texas.

"It's been great the past seven years the way artists have taken control of their own careers, and that's what these festivals are an outgrowth from," Monahan said. "It was Jerry Jeff's success that inspired artists such as Robert Earl Keen, Pat Green, and Larry Joe to create their own events. It's all part of artists taking more responsibility and risk for the growth of their careers and not leaving it in the hands of major record labels and promoters."

Fans help not only by attending concerts and buying c.d.'s and t-shirts, but by starting their own web sites to keep track of all the festivals, shows, and new c.d. releases, as many have done.

Terrorism is another factor that prompted travelers to look for entertainment options closer to home. Tres Rios operator Mitchell George, a state tourism development director from 1996 to 1999, said 9/11 might have changed vacation getaways forever. Tres Rios currently hosts bluegrass festivals and motorcycle rallies in addition to Alverson's bash. "We've seen a big increase in attendance," he said. "We're looking to double our attendance this year. And 9/11 was a very key thing that spurred the idea of staying close to home for true grassroots entertainment."

Festivals are becoming the favorite getaway for many, he said. "It's a true escape from the real world. It lets them let down their hair -- those who have hair. It gives them an escape that's very different from clubs in the city. Out here, everyone is kind of a brother or sister. The drawback is getting too big. By managing growth, you manage service. We're probably a couple of years away from seeing the peak."

Despite the influx of festivals and increased competition, the demand remains strong, said John Muzyka, productions/promotions director for the Family Gathering. He produced the inaugural Brazos River Music Fest in April, just 10 days before Taylor's big bash, and still saw a large turnout. "I usually tell people it will take three years to break even in a festival, but we did it during the first," he said. "The popularity of the music has grown tremendously in even the last five years. There is more demand, more awareness, more radio stations that play the music, and more publications that feature it. People who got turned off from mainstream country now have access to Texas Music, and they want to go see it."

Increased competition doesn't threaten the trend so much as the growing risk that one will turn ugly. A mass riot with deaths could lead to lawsuits, increased insurance liability costs, and a more proactive police presence. Currently, police pretty much limit themselves to arresting drunks who are driving to or from the festivals. But a police officer strolling the site of almost any current Texas Music festival could write tickets until his hand cramped and fill a large jail in no time with drunks, pot smokers, and minors in possession. If that ever starts occurring, people will stop going. Another killer would be if people escaping the city arrive at festivals and find too many people bringing their city attitudes with them.

None of the problems has yet reached that point, but American society seems to make those scenarios all too possible. How promoters respond then will probably determine the future of these festivals.

Alverson's festival provided numerous moments that illustrated a successful merging of young and old artists and fans into a single melting pot of music, revelry, and goodwill. On the first night, Outlaw pioneer Steven Fromholz came onstage to sing a solo set, one of his first public performances since he suffered a stroke in April. He hasn't completely recovered yet and appeared to be pushing his limits. At times, his vocals were double-speed and his guitar playing was half-speed, creating off-kilter renditions of familiar songs. The crowd included young fans waiting for Cooder Graw, and some had never heard of Fromholz. But they watched with respect and commented on how courageous he was.

"A lot of people my age like the older-generation music," Burris said. "That's what our parents listened to, and it kind of sticks with you." NEXT »

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5