We be Having Fun today

23:12 hrs
12 July 14

    

     Well, it was really freaking hot out today. I know that for most of Canada 30C is not all that hot. But here in the Valley it is damn hot and with weekend pass bracelets wrapped around our wrists we were off to the fair grounds.

     

     To get there we had the option of driving down towards the fair grounds in the hope of finding a parking spot nearby OR (OPTION 2) take shuttle bus, at the outrageous sum of $2, from QF on Guthrie to the venue direct. It was quite obvious that we had chosen wisely when we got to the top of the Vanier hill where we saw the starting line of parked cars. We were still more than a kilometer from the venue. I have no idea who owned those vehicles or where they lived, it may not have been in Comox but Music Fest was operating another park and ride shuttle from the Driftwood Mall. Acres of FREE parking on relatively flat ground and a chauffeured ride right to the front gate and back again at the end of the night. All for two bucks each way. Anyone not smart enough to recognize a deal when they saw it ended up parking at Vanier High school, a klick away, for $5, or along Headquarters road where, again, the line of parked cars along side of the road stretched for over a kilometer at the end of the night. MORONS!

 

     Music Fest has a number of stages and venues throughout the grounds with acts performing simultaneously. Some are large, like the main stage and some are small like this one tucked back in the woods. This guy's name was Beppe. An Italian folk singer and quite the comedian too. When people had had enough and were going to head off to another venue he started saying "Hey, don't go. If you give me another chance I can play better!"

 

 

     The BETTER HALF and I then wandered from this nice cool place in amongst the trees, in the shade, to another location that was more open and not so shady. The performers here were a loose knit group of R&B artists all jamming together and yet playing their own stuff. Really cool tunes.

 

 

     We stayed at this location just long enough for the cooling shade to start creeping across the lawn to where we were sitting and then IT WAS TIME TO MOVE. It was onto the main CONCERT BOWL stage with the crush of people and no shade for the next 2 plus hours. We did find a half decent spot to sit just along the BOOGIE SECTION on the left hand side of the stage. There were two of these BOOGIE SECTIONS. They are located on the left and the right hand side of the stage and allow people to get up and dance to the music with out blocking the view of the stage. To indicate where these sections are the Music Fest coordinators spray painted orange lines on the ground for everyone to see. Of course there are some who wanted to dance right in front of the artists while blocking the view of those seated on the ground. That's where security comes into play. In the following series of photos you will see a security guard keeping people from stepping out and blocking the sight lines. You will then see woman acting like an Intoxicated Stage Slut trying her best to antagonize the Security Officer (SO) by bumping and grinding against him. At one point she accidently smacked his glasses partially off his head. And when that didn't work to rile him up she started taking it off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Through it all the SO acted as a professional. Yes, he could have had extra security come and escort the Misplaced Tavern Lizard out of the venue. Instead he kept his cool and kept moving her back behind the line by literally using his back. Never grabbing her with his hands which would have ended up being a bad situation. As a fellow SO I was very impressed with this tactic.

 

   Our passes are still good for Sunday and we may go to see some artists before the high heat hits us again. Maybe something at some of the cooler venues. If we do go we will be taking the shuttle of course. No sense getting caught up in all the hoopla.