In September the fourth annual Rifflandia music festival graced Victoria with its most prominent spectacle yet. Many acts, big and small, were smooched together onto the grand bill; acts such as DJ Shadow, Reggie Watts, and The Flaming Lips.
Given my constrained budget I did what was apparently apparent to a plethora of citizens; I watched some of the event through the venue fencing. Yes, I must admit that I am, in truth, a criminal of the highest order, for I am personally guilty of music festival piracy. But I am not alone.
The Horde of People Outside to “Pirate” the Flaming Lips Show – Rifflandia 2012
Balloons and Lasers Permeating the Atmosphere of the Flaming Lips Show – Rifflandia 2012
The day began as innocuously as any other. I woke up and, after spraying myself down with high-pressure warm water, I placed vestments on my body. Presumably I broke the fast of the previous 5-8 dormant hours and went to work. As a professional, this is generally how I start my day and so most of these details are assumed based on the habits that I have formed–I apologize if these details turn out to be false.
The whole of the work day is a fuzzy blur of sweat and grime and gumption (once again, I am a professional and this is a generalization of every workday). But, the Flaming Lips were playing this night and work was ending right before the show. This, I had decided, would be a golden opportunity to re-witness the spectacular ceremony, which I have seen on multiple occasions prior, but with a new perspective (both experientially and financially). Sitting outside of the fence seemed novel.
When I arrived, assisted by a very tall friend, I came to realize that I was not the only person to decide that crime was the clever option. But how did it come to this? Why have so many people, old and young, turned to this life? It was questions like these that inspired me to approach these ‘pirates’ and berate them with low-context questions in order to better understand why, despite the dangers of imprisonment and the horrendous visual and audio experience created by the layer of abstraction called distance and chain link fencing, anyone would do this. I did this for you internet persons, future generations, and most of all for myself, since I too participated in this heinous activity and am still not sure why.
Below I present to you the un-edited transcriptions of interviews which are the result of my investigation. I submit them to you in this raw format in order for you to form your own opinions. At the end I will attempt to synthesize a commentary, more in order to provide a standpoint against which you can compare your own findings rather than as an objective (or seemingly objective) conclusion. The names of the people interviewed were changed in order to protect their identity.
Interview: I
(from left to right) Laiza, Jamiaquai, and Justice
Me: Why are you here and why aren’t you going in?
Laiza: We didn’t buy tickets, is why were not going in.
Jamiaquai: … because I don’t know the band well enough to enjoy it as much.
Laiza: And it’s probably pretty crowded and stuff in there, I think. And it was really expensive and I don’t have a lot of money.
Me: Are you going to watch from here or are you just going to listen?
Laiza: We’re probably just going to listen. . . there’s a tent in the way.
Me: Yeah that make sense.
Laiza: and it’s green screen like all the way, like there’s screening all the way around.
Me: Okay, why did you choose this spot?
Laiza: They chose it (pointing at the rest of her cohort). They decided.
Me: (moving the microphone close to the rest, although not close enough to make out clearly what they said)
Justice: Ugh, the ground is soft.
Jamiaquai: Yeah
Justice & Jamiaquai: (laughter).
Justice: It isn’t blocked.
Laiza: Which is {unintelligible in recording} and there’s a tree to lean against.
Me: Yeahup. There’s a number of people on the other side in trees, have you gals [sic] considered climbing trees?
Laiza: I climbed a tree, I can’t right now. {unintelligible in recording} (laughter).
Me: Okay, excellent.
Laiza: I climbed a tree earlier but it didn’t seem like I could see any better from the tree so I climbed back down.
Me: Okay.
Me: Ah. . . is there anyone specific, like you actually are interested… you would have been interested in seeing at this place or is there a reason, like, is there a reason you don’t know who anyone is at this festival?
Justice: I don’t listen to the radio very much. I listen to my own music a lot. Now that I’v come here though {unintelligible on recording}.
Laiza: I know the artists that are on right now and the Flaming Lips are playing later. I’m excited about that, even though I’m out here (pointing at the fence in righteous defiance).
Three Boys Defying the Status Quo.
Me: Yeah, fair enough.
Laiza: {unintelligible on recording}.
Me: Okay.
Me: Do you gals [sic] feel bad being criminals, pirating music right now?
Laiza: No because we are getting a way worse experience than the people in there.
Jamiaquai or Justice: Yeah.
Laiza:In some ways, the sound…
{recording ends}
Interview: II
Kalalia Takes a Break from the Mayhem on the Other Side (Jennai Not Shown)
Me: Hi.
Kalalia: Hi.
Me: Why are you gals [sic] pirating music?
Kalalia: I didn’t realize I was pi…
Jennai: (interrupting her friend) Why not?!
Kalalia: Why not.
Me: Fair enough. Good answers.
Me: Why… why. . . have you gals ever herd The Flaming Lips before?
Kalalia & Jennai: Here and there.
Kalalia: I’v herd them but I am not familiar. I’ll admit.
Me: And why…
Jennai: {Interrupting me} It’s a spectacle.
Me: It is a spectacle. Why don’t you gals [sic] have tickets?
Kalalia: Because I live a block away. Can’t really rationalize paying this much money for that many drunk people (pointing at the man audibly howling like a monkey on the other side of the fence).
Me: Uhm.
Kalalia: Uhm.
Me: You (pointing at Jennai).
Jennai: I just spent a bunch of money on a vacation and just wanted to hang out.
Me:Yeah, that’s fair.
Jennai: {giggling}.
Me: Uh, do you feel this (pointing at the fence) is okay, this is adequate? To hang outside of the. . . the fence?
Jennai: Ehhhh. . . not really, no.
Kalalia: I’d rather be in there.
Jennai: I’d rather be in there now, yeah.
Me: And being Victoria citizens as you are, having paid taxes and having helped pay for this venue, do you feel a little ripped off that you don’t just get to go in. You don’t, ugh…
Jennai: {Interrupting me once again} I realize that these artists need to make a living and a lot of them are making a good living as, such as this band (pointing at The Flaming Lips), right? But I feel like Rifflandia is supporting, umm, our local venders and our local businesses quite a bit…
Me: Yup.
Jennai: by putting this on so I don’t really feel like I’m being ripped off, no.
Me: Okay.
Jennai:Yeah.
{recording ends}
Interview: III
The Laughter of Barrold Resonates with a Staunch Ferocity.
Me: So, um. why do you insist on piraci… pirating music, as you are right now?
Barrold: Um-a because I don’t have… er… much funding. I, uh, I don’t work so I don’t have a source of income. So, I, uh, have to do what I have to do but when money comes in… I… I promise to support those artists as they deserve.
Me: Uhm… who would you have like to have scene?
Barrold: At Rifflandia?
Me: Yeah.
Barrold: Um… I’v seen everyone I wanted to see except for Macklemore. I was hoping to see him this evening and I tried as hard as I could–I couldn’t make it on time.
Me: Why didn’t you volunteer to get in if you don’t have money?
Barrold:: Uh… because I hadn’t thought of that. Too slow.
Me: Fair enough.
Me: Who… who… are you going to attempt to see any other shows for free while you’re in town?
Barrold:: Um… I have a Rifflandia pass.
{recording ends}
Interview: IIII
Carlina Smiles as Carlinhos is Accosted About the Couple’s Moral Underpinnings
Me: So why are you gals [sic] pirating music?
Carlina: Ah… well… we were actually sitting in our apartment and then we herd music playing from outside on our balcony and we thought we would follow it here.
Me: So what you’re saying is that this music is a menace to your lives?
Carlina: No, it’s awesome.
Carlinhos: (Shaking his head in obvious displeasure).
Me: And you say yeah?
Carlinhos: Horrible.
Me: Thats fair.
Me: Uh… and so you gals [sic] don’t have tickets to this festival?
Carlina: No, unfortunately not.
Me: And why not?
Carlina: Ah, well we just moved here and we’re kind of broke and…
Me: Yup.
Carlina: Yeah.
Me: Cool.
Carlinhos: (Shaking his head in obvious agreement).
Me: Yeah?
Carlinhos: Same here.
Me: Where you gals [sic] from?
Carlinhos: Nelson.
Me: Oh, Nelson. Cool. Right, so you just moved here and so this is your first Rifflandia experience?
Carlina: Yeah.
Me: It’s just standing outside of a fence watching The Flaming Lips?
Carina: Yeah.
Me: Have you… do you gals [sic] know who they are?
Carlina: I know one song.
Me: What song?
{recording ends}
Interview: V
Jezabelle Holds the Fence in an Attempt to Get Closer to ‘The Experience’
Me: What are you doing here?
Jezabelle: {laughter} Well I’m here watching the Flaming Lips, in Victoria, through a barbed wire fence.
Me:Barbed wire?
Jezabelle: {laughter} Wire. WIRE. WIRE fence!
Me: Chainlink?
Jezabelle: CHAINLINK! Sorry…
Me: That’s okay.
Jezabelle: Chainlink, not barbed wire.
Me: It’s, you know, it’s… I don’t want to give people the wrong impress…
Jezabelle: A fence nonetheless, a fence nonetheless.
Me: Are you Offended?
Jezabelle: {laughter} Well… no.
Me: (shouting at some action through the fence) YEAH, get’em! KILL HIM!
Me: Do you think that… um… do you think that what you are doing, piracy as it is, should be… do you think it should be illegal? To be standing at a fence watching music.
Jezabelle: Ah, totally not.
{recording ends}
Interview: VI
Liz Stands, Back to the Magnificent Lasers, in an Attempt to Focus on the Interview
Me:Why are you standing outside?
Lizzy: I’m standing outside because I didn’t want to pay money.
Me:Why not?
Lizzy: Well… because I just couldn’t justify it in my budget at the moment.
Me:That’s fair.
Lizzy: Also because it’s in my neighbourhood and you get a pretty good show sitting outside the fence and you will still get lasers in your eyes.
Me: Fair.
Lizzy: {laughter}.
Me: Uh… are the Flaming Lips the only band you’ve seen today.
Lizzy: Um… they’re the only band i’v seen. I can hear… the park from my kitchen window. It’s kind of cool when your neighbourhood suddenly has a soundtrack.
Me: Oh, so it’s good?
Liz: Well yeah, you know, as long as the music is good.
Me: And the music is good?
Lizzy: Seems to be pretty good so far.
Me: Uh… have you seen the Flaming Lips before?
Lizzy: No, I have never seen the Flaming Lips before.
Me: Do you know who they are?
Lizzy: Yes. {laughter}.
Me: Did you know about their antics?
Lizzy: I didn’t know about their lasers antics.
Me: Yeah, lots of lasers. Giant ball…
Lizzy: (interrupting my sentence) Giant hamster ball… antics.
Me: Yup.
Lizzy: Yes?
Me: Ah, what…
Lizzy: (once again interrupting my sentence) I mean they’re pretty…
{recording ends}
Interview: VII
Kwis and Yune, Two Young Lovers, Hold Hands Outside of the Prohibitive Fence.
Me: Yeah, alright, maybe… hopefully they publish this. My friend Tom is the editor so he usually (seeing a dog fight in the distance) DOG FIGHT! That’s pretty cool.
Kwis: You should capture that.
Yune: Yeah.
Me: I can’t, it’s an audio recorder.
Kwis: Oh yeah, I guess so.
Me: And it sucks.
Me: Anyway. Why are you gals [sic] pirating music?
Kwis: What’s that?
Me: Why are you gals [sic] pirating music?
Yune: Right now?
Me: Yeah.
Kwis: Well…
Me: You wouldn’t download a coffee.
Kwis: I woul…
Me: (Cutting the insolent youth off mid-sentence) Why are you… YOU WOULDN”T DRINK COFFEE THROUGH A FENCE!
Kwis: Let me just say that I’v paid money to see the Flaming Lips before.
Me: Excellent. For what… a… where?
Kwis: Uh… Vancouver at the Malkin bowl.
Me: Wasn’t that a great show?
Kwis: It was the best thing ever… I (a single tear coming to his eyes) wish I was down there… uh… so bad.
Me: Yup.
Kwis: But money’s tight. Rifflandia was… the lineup for me, just taste wise, this and maybe Sloan were the only two bands I really wanted to see. It just wasn’t worth the money.
{recording ends}
Conculusion: The Why of Music Piracy
I remember four years ago that the market apparently crashed. Since then, it seems that many people simply do not have the funds available to participate in a music festival. at lease in the traditional sense. Can this justify a life of crime? What do we say about people who steal bread to feed their families? Yes, this is an outrageous comparison, possibly even insensitive BUT my point is this: entertainment is a basic human need. It can certainly be said that there are other forms of entertainment which can suffice, such as cards (deck can be easily purchased for a very low price or one can DIY it by jumping in a river which is free BUT with the added disadvantage of danger–I personally enjoy having a touch of this element with every entertainment module I ingest, this is why I put large weights in my shoes). Perhaps it is the privileged lifestyle which I myself am privileged with that leads to this sort of beggars can be choosers mentality.
Then again, the experience, for most–myself excluded–is substantially worse than the paid version. This is common with many forms of piracy, such as drive-in movie piracy in which the audio of the film is not available to those on the outside of the fence (so to speak). Given that the free experience is so much less fantastic, is it reasonable to argue that music festival piracy is not a crime? Perhaps. But what if everyone pirated the festival instead of buying tickets? The bands would not be paid and the festival would break down completely. Are these pirates, myself included, not simply piggybacking of the hard work of the ‘actual’ concert goers?
This leads to another issue: art as the artist intended. Those who are not paying are experiencing the event in a way which does not, I assume, line up with the experience intended by the artists presenting. For many artists, this idea is likely to be aggravating. But, counter to this point, many of the people I interview were still happy with the experience (the lasers were uninhibited by the fence).
Despite all my conjecture, the ‘truth’ is relatively straight forward. Many people did buy tickets and support the festival directly. Those who did not and proceeded to receive benefits from the show did not damage the festival in any noticeable way. Furthermore, many of the very local people were able to hear the music from their residences and so it is only logical for them to observe the event directly (this part of the festival, after all, did take place in the middle of Victoria on the grounds of a city-owned sports field). The ideal situation for the festival co-ordinators is that these acts of piracy result in an increased interest for next year’s festival and that pirates will turn from their swashbuckling ways in favour of purchasing tickets. And, even if none of the pirates do turn coat (so to speak), I suspect that many of those who witnessed the spectacle of the Flaming Lips (and other bands) will undoubtably pursue more contact with their recorded works (both legitimate and illegitimate). Yes, bands have to eat but perhaps more important is the need of their music to be listened to.
Make your own conclusions. I, myself, am not yet ready to cast these pirates from our society (once again, myself included).
