Over the past year and a half, the music festivals scene has witnessed some major highs and pretty depressing lows. Often drug related deaths, racially offensive clothing and public brawls, have driven promoters to go ahead and ban certain elements from their festivals. Listed below are some of the items banned, and some perspective on whether their bans are justified.
1. Selfie Sticks
The recent trend of carrying a selfie stick to music festival has unfortunately, for some people has come to a close. Big festivals like Coachella and Glastonbury have deemed the devices a nuisance, therefore making sure they aren’t allowed onto festival premises. Yes it is true that the telescopic rods provide a bird’s eye view of your selfie, and are a great way to capture your favourite moments from a slightly better, elevated position. Nonetheless, things are getting a bit out of hand, and the fine line between ‘use’ and ‘abuse’ is being dangerously treaded upon. Even UK’s top indoor music festival venues are fed up with the prop as they obstruct the view of of bystanders who are actually there to experience a performance live, instead of wanting to relive it on a mobile screen later.
2. Kandi Gear
This is a classic case of guilt-by-association.
We all are aware of the hoards of Kandi wearing PLUR fanatics of this generation. Some would say the influx of this new trend is a culture that advocates the use of recreational party drugs like the ever famous ‘Molly’ or MDMA and blame Kandi kids for the flurry of drug related deaths that place and major electronic music fests. Recently, trap producer Diplo banned Kandi from all Mad Decent Festivals and events, which lead to a bunch of other festival promoters to doing the same.
So wearing a bunch of beads makes you a notorious drug advocate? Let’s take a moment to mourn the death of logic, in this case.
3. Native American headgear
4. Empty water bottles and Camel Baks
The banning of empty water bottles and camel baks by Electric Zoo, turned out to be a smarter move in restricting drug use in comparison to the ban of Kandi gear.
In trying to take every precaution necessary to prevent any problems after the festival’s final day (in the previous year) was cancelled because of two MDMA-related deaths, festival attendees were forced to leave their Camelbaks and empty water bottles at home. The reasoning to which was quite logical, “bottles and Camel Baks can easily be used to store illicit materials.” Can’t argue with that.
5. A whole festival
After some drug-related deaths taking place at Future Music Festival Asia (Malaysia), the festival was relocated to Singapore. This did not bode well with the stringent Singapore authorities, and hence banned the festival from taking place altogether. A clear depiction of South East Asia’s militant intolerance of anything associated with drugs.
6. Madonna
Just kidding. We wish.