Tuesday 18 August 2009

B-b-b-boomtown Bollox?

It is rather shameful to have to start a new Blog page with a long droning rant about journalism. However, the direction of this rant may put certain concerns into perspective for you as you wonder to yourself why you are reading this ghastly article.
It all started a little over a week ago, when I was invited by my Uncle (DJ Wired) to attend the Boomtown fair with him. I accepted his kind offer and borrowed all of the necessary camping equipment from my sister.
Upon arriving we were guided by security into the production campsite and issued our 'all access' wrist bands, we set up camp and went off to explore.
The weather was very non-british, being sunny and warm for the entirety of the weekend. There were many fine local ciders to sample, a huge variety of food vendors catering to everyone's needs, and of course fantastic music all of the time. Between all of this of course was the children's area (being it was a family event) as well as the additional performers who conducted various talented shows in random locations over the period of the weekend.
Amongst the throng of artists, the ones I managed to catch consisted of: Kilnaboy, 3 Daft Monkeys, Chaz 'n' Dave, Sicknote, DJ Wired, Ska 'n' Ska, as well as many others whom I didn't catch the name of. Suffice to say that both myself and the dense crowd of dancing maniacs thoroughly enjoyed the show.
Monday morning arrived and, accompanied by our recently aquired headaches we packed our things into the car and drove home.
I utilised the rest of Monday afternoon well, by telling as many people as I could just how amazing the experience was.
I went away Monday evening with my partner for her birthday and did not return until Wednesday when... what is this? The Forest of Dean and Wye Bother Review. Their front page article consisted of less words used in Christmas Cracker jokes... but what really sickened me was the headline 'Boomtown Blitzkreig'. Surely not, I thought to myself. Obviously the newspaper was talking about ANOTHER Boomtown that had taken place on the same weekend somewhere else... Right? WRONG!

Feast your eyes upon their article, then feel free to browse the comments left by a generous few participants.. including my own (which happens to be a letter I sent to the editor)
http://www.forest-and-wye-today.co.uk/tn/

Now an obvious thought that may come into your heads is that my view on the weekend may have been bias, but thinking about it, it really wasn't. My first person perspective of the event informed that security seemed sufficient, there was policing that did not seem dogmatic and oppressive but did make you feel comfortable. No fights took place, no children cried at the side of anyone being pummled to death by armies of armoured patrolmen.... it was a completely pleasent weekend.
To summarise my first but far from final blog, I have become irritated by this article, this 'journalism' that will surely set an impression into people's minds that festivals like this are bad and should not happen again. Despite the paper agreeing to publish my letter, despite the fact that they may admit fault, the point is is that this story written by them has already had an effect on people.. and next year when proposals for another family festival go forward, I can assure you... in some little village hall somewhere around 20-30 angry residents will show up to voice their disapproval, taking with them last years local paper as proof...
...Sad, sad times.

2 comments:

  1. go on mate, i will push this blog post everywhere, and with the power of social networking im sure we can get your response into more places than The Forest of Dean and Wye Bother Review!


    keep it up!! this is the age of truth. they cant trick us any more! X

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nice one Proffessor Jowell..:)

    ReplyDelete