Forget Fyre: 5 Festival Founders

With the Fyre Festival fiasco still unfolding, a larger dialogue surrounding festival season and the role of influencers in responsible endorsements is brought into focus. Music festivals are steeped in the idea of memory making, sharing, and FOMO, which brings up the question of what defines an authentic experience. With practically a festival every week, it’s now possible to pick and choose the exact type of scene you want to partake in—from the deluge of posh partying in the deserts of Indio, to wading through mud at Bonnaroo, and now more urban revelry at Panorama and Lollapalooza.

How do social media savvy festival goers select their ideal event, especially if it is new to the scene? Hype? Reputation? Or the influence of “so-called influencers?” Moreover, what responsibility do “Fyre Starters” like Kendall Jenner have to those who ended up stranded in the Bahamas? With great follower count comes great responsibility…

In the aftermath of the Fyre debacle, we look at the players who actually make festival season a success. From seasoned professionals running high traffic destinations, to new comers on the boutique scene, we’d hire them for The Gramlist Festival anytime.

#fyrefestival #festivalseason #music #musicfestival #coachella #bonnaroo #outsidelands #govball #fullmoonfest #themeadows #panorama #electricdaisycarnival

@bretthendersonkincaid

Brett Kincaid is Co-founder and Creative Director at Matte Studios, behind the up and coming Full Moon Fest in NYC.

Location: NYC

Followers: 4,580

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@rjamesfar

Rick Farman, Co-Founder of Superfly, handles business development for Bonnaroo and Outside Lands to name a few. Speaking of business development, in partnership with the creators of Coachella, rumor has it a possible Super Festival is in the works in Denver, CO.

Location: San Francisco, CA

Followers: 1,234

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@axjoffe

While not a bonafide “founder,” Alex Joffe, Partnerships Director at Founders Entertainment is involved in the “vibey, seamless integration” between brand and festival at events like Gov Ball and The Meadows.

Location: NYC

Followers: 684

@pasqualerotella

Pasquale Rotella, founded Insomniac events back in 1993 and hasn’t slept since, running Marquee events like Electric Daisy Carnival in Vegas.

Location: Las Vegas, NV

Followers:  403k

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photo credit: @davidwvillar

Paul Tollett, is the mastermind behind Coachella at Goldenvoice. He may not have his own Instagram account, but he pops up (Where is Waldo style) in fan grams all the time.

Location: Indian Wells, CA

Followers: 731


THE GET

For those who choose to camp willingly, or are stranded due to unforeseen circumstances, BioLite’s CampStove 2 burns sticks and twigs in order to cook meals, purify water and charge phones. Perfect for everywhere from the Poconos to the playa.