The tiny burg of Springfield, NY might well host a big-ass rock festival writes the New York Times’ Peter Applebome (link courtesy Maura Johnston, Idolator) in the hopes that some 2009/2010 amalgamation of Kayne, Metallica, Color Me Badd and/or the reunited Exploited might result “in badly needed tax revenue and perhaps open the way for more arts-oriented business.”
There™s no shortage of real-world story lines buzzing around this town of 1,300, which recently found out that Madison Square Garden wants to buy 910 acres, now a dairy farm, and spend $15 million to mount what it calls in preliminary documents filed with the town œan annual world-class, three-day music festival.
The goal is for the first show to be held in 2010, with most festivalgoers camping out on the grounds. It would include rock, jazz, pop, blues and folk music, an on-site dance club, theatrical performances, art shows, arcades, an Internet cafe and music on one semipermanent main stage and numerous satellite tents and stages. It™s all modeled on multiday events like Coachella in California, Bonnaroo in Tennessee, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Texas.
œWe™ve been interested in one of these large, three-day festivals; there™s not anything like it in the Northeast, said Don Simpson (no relation), senior vice president for business development at MSG Entertainment. œWe started looking into it last fall, looking for a large piece of land that could accommodate everything, and this one was perfect ” beautiful landscape, rolling hills. We fell in love with the site.
Applebome’s piece is chock-a-block with “Simpsons” gags, but he misses the most obvious punchline of all ; MSG might claim the region is bereft of a multi-day festival (All Points West, anyone?) but the sad truth is, the company will go to ridiculous lengths to find J.D. & The Straight Shot a gig somewhere besides Kenny’s Castaways.