r/FOVfestival

Hi, FOV people! I wanted to pop in and say something about last weekend. My husband and I got the opportunity to bartend one of the main bars last weekend and all I can say is “WOW!” and “THANK YOU!”. I have been bartending for over 14 years at different festivals/events and FOV was truly one of the best experiences of my life, because of you. Our bar was pretty slammed most of the weekend and we didn’t encounter a single rude or impatient customer. The energy and positivity amongst everyone there was palpable and contagious. I cannot thank this community enough for showing such a level of human decency, kindness, fun, and love. This was my first year and I look forward to FOV for the next 80 years! Thank you, FOV fam.

So, I have never had any yearly traditions really, other than hanging with my siblings and mum in December for christmas.

I don't watch the Grand final or Bathurst, I don't even really do much for my birthdays usually.

But the couch tour for FoV has really given me something.

If they intend to keep broadcasting FoV live every year, I intend to write off a weekend to watch every year. I had a fucking phenomenal time in front of my speakers all weekend!

Much love!

I just wanted to make a shoutout to the lovely man with a fan in the center section who a) busted a fucking move!!! and b) cooled down every person he physically could around him. Every time I started feeling a little hot, I felt the glorious gusts of a cool breeze like he had a fifth sense for that shit. He also let me use it myself so I could share the air behind me! Before the set I was falling asleep eyes heavy, but once I found you and that little section, I felt alive and danced the hardest I did for the whole weekend. It was the one set I went to by myself and everyone around me was an absolute blast, iykyk that center section was POPPING

The entire weekend in Buena Vista I had so many different coincidences, happenstances, and just a feelings of weird (good) energy like the universe and reality were compressing at that very spot. One of the best weekends of my life but wanted to see if anyone else felt some strange cosmic forces at play haha!?

Is it me or did it feel like Ambrose got much less center stage time this year? Rapid Alpha Decay and Smoke and Mirrors on Friday were incredible, but I feel like Saturday/Sunday he didn't have many solo/stand out moments. Last year, Grim Reaper and Straws in the Wind were ELECTRIC, some of my favorite live Gizz moments that I've witnessed to date. Anyone else feel this way?

Anyone know where to find DJ Jello Biafra’s setlist from Phantom Island Sunday? If not, can we collectively piece it together? There was so much gold, I should have been keeping notes! A few to get started…

Body Count - Cop Killer
Dragula - Rob Zombie
Two Headed Dog - Roky Erickson
Gary Numan ??

I was in the mosh pit during Dragon on Night 3. I work in the climate field and love this album for its hardcore climate warning, and Colorado has been no exception this year. Terrible drought and hot as hell.

Finally during Dragon, around the 2-minute chant of "Petro Dragonic Apocalypse" I was spun around to see lightning striking a few miles behind the venue. I felt all the heat release and had the most blissful moment of the entire weekend. The climate is fucked but we'll make it.

Kind of a rant but I just want to voice my opinion here.

From what I saw and what I've heard, the police presence at FOV was absurdly out of hand. I fully support everyone who documented what they experienced and intends to take it through the correct channels to get the cops in question reprimanded for their behavior.

I personally witnessed one of them react to someone yelling "cops!" by shouting something to the tune of "Oh, fuck you" before revving the engine of their UTV and driving recklessly through the area it happened in.

All that said, I want to explain why BV is in fire restrictions and why Meadow Creek holds some of the blame here.

I'm sure that 99.9% of you are responsible smokers who wouldn't throw a lit dart/joint into an area of dry grass or pass out with one in your hand, but all it takes is that 0.1% of people who are too inebriated or uneducated to cause a really big problem.

Conditions aren't as bad as they were a month or two ago, but the rehab work on the two major fires that were spitting distance from BV is still very much ongoing. That rehab work is being done by firefighters who would otherwise be available at the station to take care of stuff as it pops up. That's why they're in stage 2- not because there's currently a high risk for a wildfire, but because there aren't the resources to deal with one on the off chance it did start. That line has to be drawn somewhere.

I am genuinely livid with the way that Chaffee County & Meadow Creek handled this. I can't speak on the decision for increased police presence because it sounds like that happened well before this fire season, but I can speak on the fire restriction compliance side.

The biggest problem, by a longshot, was the lack of designated smoking areas until after the show on night 2.

Chaffee county says that during stage 2, smoking is not allowed "except within an enclosed vehicle or building or in an area at least twelve feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material."

I wouldn't call the grass in the camping areas or venue flammable, but if I was in Meadow Creek's shoes I wouldn't be banking on that. I have seen tents go up in flames and I would absolutely call them flammable. I didn't have a tape measure but I feel like the lanes between campsites might've been just too short to be more than 12 feet from a tent at any given time.

People are going to smoke. If Meadow Creek were aware of the increased police presence, and I have a feeling they were, they had a duty to give people an opportunity to not break the law.

It's a beautiful venue and I obviously don't blame the individuals that worked there on the ground because this was definitely a call that was made way above their head. It's possible they were lied to about enforcement by BVPD or the Chaffee County Sheriff, but Meadow Creek is actively deleting comments on their instagram talking about police presence.

The cops here obviously still hold most of the blame. Still, it feels like Meadow Creek could have done more to help.

Destrends seems to be forgotten in the discussion of FOV. I thought they were great! I described them to my campmates as a cross between the Damned and the Cure, but they also had a lot of Killing Joke in them.

I thought they were fantastic and hope they make an East Coast swing sometime soon.

I was struggling, one lap in the pit and I was winded. Walking up that hill was a nightmare 😂

How the hell did they play so hard and so good?!

I haven't found one on YouTube yet and I've scrubbed all the live steams and normal places. I'm really hoping someone recorded it because it was even better than their main stage set.

If any of you have even a cell phone recording please let me know. Cheers!