I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO SWAY from side to side. Everyone around me was doing it to match the singer’s movements up on stage. With an arm up in the air, I moved to the beat of the music. There is something about being in the middle of a crowd of people who all came together for one purpose—to enjoy their favorite musical artists. At a time where there is so much divisiveness in the world, it is such an uplifting feeling to be amongst people who all share something in common with their love of music. I firmly believe music has healing power because it goes beyond political, ethnic and religious lines; there is no hidden agenda, just a melody of notes and a beat. Isn’t there a saying about music soothes the savage beast? The thing I enjoy about musical festivals is the assortment of performing artists. If an attendee is lucky, they might hear someone who is new to them. Then there are the artists who have not had a current hit in years, but a large established following who will come see them time and time again. Because I am a coupon clipper, I feel music festivals are simply discounted concerts. I ask you, where can you pay one price to see so many different artists?      NOW THE ONLY TYPE OF MUSIC festivals I have attended have been city run ones. The city closes off several blocks of a street to put up multiple stages and porta potties. There is a huge music fest held every year in my city, but I have never gone to it because it is held in a field. The idea that if it were to rain, I would be forced to walk and stand in mud is not appealing, at all. I like having restaurants and bathrooms close by to me and if it were to rain, I could stand under a store’s awning. The average price I have paid to attend a festival has been between $15-30.00. To see around a dozen different acts for that price is a major bargain to me. I will say, I am always amazed at those who try to sneak in for free. The less money collected means the less opportunity to book decent acts to the festival. I have been to some fests where the musical performers are either so old, they cannot carry their tune that was poplar decades earlier; or, they have little experience and cannot figure out how to project their voice over the crowd. My complaints seem minor though, compared to the festival goers in this documentary.      PROMOTERS THOUGHT THEY HAD A WINNING proposal to create a massive musical festival to honor what was achieved musically decades earlier. However, they did not understand people’s musical tastes and the times can change. Directed by Garret Price (The Daily Habit-TV; Love, Antosha), this film seemed to have suffered a bit from a split personality. I was hoping to see some great sets from the musical artists of the time, and I did to some degree. The issue I had was there was this one side being shown of the promoter’s point of view and another view was about those who attended. The two sides formed a weird juxtaposition in my opinion. Despite many of the musical acts not part of my playlist, I would have enjoyed getting more back story to what they were thinking about the whole festival. There were a few interviews; but not enough that provided me with a stronger connection to the story. On the other hand, there was certainly an element of shock that I was not expecting while watching this movie. Before I even got to the end of this picture, I already knew I was meant to only experience live music on a city block.

2 ¾ stars