Nateva - Oxford, Maine 4th of July weekend

Furthur Festival in California last week was run by Livenation. Read reviews about it here

Pay attention to what Julius, Jamiebear, and Tigerrose were saying. I know and generally respect their take on situations and its almost like I wrote above based on what they are saying about last week's fest. Rev, you're out there. Did you attend?

 

Right now I'm too broke to be hitting shows. Phish is playing a 3 night run right around the corner from me that sold out in like 20 minutes. Ticket sales are slow. They used to sell out in 10.

Peace Out,
Rev J

 

Well lets see, I care about your answer and how much effort you put into all that, but wouldnt they have calculated how many portajohns to use and the vendor issue. Every since music festival I have ever been too has always had a variety of food, big ones, small ones. I've spoken to the owner of Nateva Frank ,and he is a very nice guy. Hes been working on Nateva for a long time. IM pretty sure everything you above mentioned has been thought out. Now with the email they sent us all, isnt that a good thing they sent that to us? They are trying to make people drive together and have less cars there. Now outta all the festivals in the usa, wouldnt all of them rather have more people there and less cars? At least the attemted to refund everyone and did you know that Frank will give a refund to anyone who needs one? If you Facebook him and messages him with a reason, he will have the ability to give people a refund? He is doing all he can to make this festival a second year one. He has realized all the other one two or three year festivals that have failed mistake. Take Rothbury and langerado. They all were great music festivals but they went out of money quickly. By charging a little more than average, he will have covered everything that needs be.

I think Nateva will be great. I guess some things are a little different and phishy, but its a first year festival. If they dont have room to grow for the next year, how will they make the festival better next year? I'm sure ill have a blast and everyone else that is going. How many festival owners do you know where you can speak right to them? Other than the smaller ones?

And also I like all the festivals you have been to and ive seen your light shows, pretty awesome stuff. I will probably meet you at one sometime.

 

From what I can gather, this Frank Chandler guy seems to have his heart in the right place, but with an event this size, its about who you surround yourself with to handle the details that matters. If Frank had gone to Great Northeast for production, then this conversation wouldn't be happening. They (and some others) know what they are doing and I trust their ability to put on an event this size. They have a proven track record of success from The Clifford Ball to Snoe.down. But he didn't. He surrounded himself with Livenation fucks who have a proven track record of cutting corners to the detriment of the ticketholders. They have proven time and again that they are not interested in producing a quality event; to them you are just a revenue stream and things like portojons are just a line item expense. That's the concern. Its not really the unknown of a new festival, its the known of the people who this Frank guy (who made his money as an investment banker, take that for whatever you will) surrounded himself with to make this event happen. As always, YMMV.

As for your last couple of sentences, well, Thank you. That makes all the lugging gear and driving all over everywhere worth it. I'll be at Stonehenge in a few weeks, please stop by and say high. We've got a great group of people that I truly consider family and its always good to expand that circle.

 

I'm going.

 

Anyone interested in getting a ride there from the Boston area?

 

I'll be driving up on Friday morning from the Boston area and returning on Monday. I've got room for one more in the car. PM me.

 

http://www.sunjournal.com/oxford-hills/story/863475

'A muddy mess:' Nateva Fest campsite ruled off limits
By Leslie H. Dixon, Staff Writer
Jun 16, 2010 12:00 am
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NORWAY — A 15-acre hillside at the Oxford Fairgrounds slated for camping during the three-day Nateva Festival in July will not be used because the site has been cleared and excavated to the point of becoming unstable — "a muddy mess," Planning Board Chairman Dennis Gray said Tuesday.

“It's an ecological disaster waiting to happen,” Gray said. The land was being cleared to use as a campground for some of the 14,000 concert-goers expected to descend on the Oxford Hills next month for the Nateva Festival and for future festival and event use.

Gray said he believes the site work has created a safety issue to anyone using the hill and an environmental issue for the area. The main issue is erosion from silt is washing away.

The issue surfaced last month when abutters to the fairgrounds, on Route 26 and Pottle Street in Oxford and Norway, saw a nearby pond filling with silt from site work at the fairgrounds. About 15 acres of the 21-acre site under construction is in Norway. Another 6 acres are in Oxford, according to Norway Building Inspector Jeff Van Decker.

Scott McGee, project manager for the site job, confirmed at the time that the Maine Department of Environmental Protection “suggested” that workers from McGee Contracting of West Gardner stop clearing ground until they received the proper storm-water permitting. The lack of a permit is in violation of DEP regulations and a town ordinance that requires the company to go before the Planning Board for a site-plan review if earth is going to be moved under certain conditions.

McGee told the Sun Journal at the time, "We had a little groundwater get away from us.”

Permits were applied for, but when Planning Board members went on a tour of the site late last week, they found evidence that the site work had gone too far, Gray said.

Van Decker said he believes the landowners had continued to work on the site after being told they needed to get state and local permits, but were doing so to try to stabilize the runoff problem.

Gray said the Planning Board went on the site review as part of a review process required for permitting to do the type of work being done at the fairgrounds. The work had already been started without proper permitting.

“We had no idea,” Gray said of the impact the construction had taken on the hillside.

He said the board would not continue the review for a permit until they see a stabilization plan.

Van Decker said fairgrounds co-owner Rupert Grover has told the Planning Board that the site would be fenced off and not used for this festival.

Grover, who initially claimed not to be involved in the issue when asked by the Sun Journal to comment Tuesday, said, “I'd rather not say anything at the moment.”

Van Decker said the town is not planning to fine the fairgrounds owners for the violations, but the DEP may. DEP official Jeff Kalinich, who is working on the Oxford Fairgrounds issue with Van Decker, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

ldixon@sunjournal.com

 

Sounds like a clusterfuck to me.

Peace Out,
Rev J

 

Thanks for posting that. I think they'll work it out.

 

According to Frank Chandler, they have all the permits and are allowed to use all the land they leased. He's pretty ticked at the reported who wrote the article. What he fails to address is weather or not the land us suitable for camping. If it really is a muddy mess, then all the permits in the world aren't going to make it habitable.

Frank's statement:
http://www.************/topic.php?ui...89&topic=14977


"Frank Chandler:
On behalf of the Nateva Team, I'd like to take a moment or two to discuss the article written by Leslie Dixon of the Lewiston Sun Journal yesterday. Bluntly put, it is our position that it is inaccurate, misleading, poorly researched and simply irresponsible reporting. The Oxford Fairgrounds, which is roughly 85% in the town of Oxford and 15% in the town of Norway, is looking for a permit to put a storm water drainage system on a hill in Norway. The hill is a piece of land that was recently cleared and is being considered for development for sometime in the future. It was determined by the Norway Planning Board that the area may not be suitable for long term development and it was decided to table the application for the storm water permit for the time being, to be revisited later. Nateva is a tenant of the Fairground and we have nothing to do with this application process, nor do we have any real interest in the outcome. If Miss Dixon had spoken with the Norway Town Manager, or the Norway Chief of Police, she would have heard from them what I heard today, when I spoke with both of them individually, which to paraphrase was something along the lines of 'Nateva has the appropriate licenses from the State of Maine and the Town of Norway to hold their event and use all of the land that they have leased'. I hope that Miss Dixon takes the time to have the same conversations with the same people, and steps up to correct this situation as it is causing a great deal of anxiety for our customers, at a really busy time for us. We have worked hard to always do the right thing for our customers. We have also tried hard to do the right thing regarding the towns of Oxford and Norway, the neighbors around the venue, as well as the musicians and bands that are part of the Nateva Community. I hope the Sun Journal does the right thing by doing a little research and getting the facts out there. An apology would be nice too. We are two weeks from the Inaugural Nateva Festival and I'd like to encourage you all to take advantage of the $89 Day Tickets that are now being offered for all 3 days, along with the free camping and shuttle service from the Oxford Speedway, 3 miles down the road from the venue. It's going to be an extraordinary weekend in Maine and all of us at Nateva hope you can join us for all or a part of the celebration. Hope to see you on the Norway hill in 2 weeks. "

 

I'm cross posting, so apologies if anyone is a regular in Vibesland. But its important.

I'm starting to feel bad for this guy because his heart is in the right place. But he tried to bring an "A" level festival up to speed in 1 year. A slightly less ambitious first year with plans for year 2-5 would allow his organization to grow more organically. Its a lot easier to get portojons for 2000 than it is for 15000. Its weird, you'd think as the number of attendees grows, the job just scales up bigger. But it doesn't. The increase in headaches and snafus grow exponentially as you go up to 5000, 10000, and up to 15000 and beyond. I can't even grasp the logistics of a bonaroo. Its just an enormous task. The first vibes was only a couple thousand, so was moe.down 1. Even the Phish festivals grew from Amy Skelton's farm way back, growing each year and letting the production teams grow as well until you had Great White North packing in 70k at limestone like it was old hat.
I also think he took the obvious route in picking his music biz partners and its starting to bite him in the ass. Livenation has proven time and again that they can book and hold on to talent, but they have no fucking clue how to deliver a quality concert experience for the attendees. The company is run by the sharkiest of the sharks, and everything is done in the name of sheer profit. It shows through time and again. *Sigh* when will we learn?

 

That's cool, my best friend lives right in that area & he's so close to it too & I'm up there all the time.
Bummed I can't make Nateva. Will be in FLA.
At least GOTV in July will make up for it.

 

The weather is looking very good. I'm getting excited. I hope to meet up with some of you at Nateva.

 

I still have room in my car for one more. Leaving from the Boston area on Friday morning; hope to get to Oxford around 1 or 2 pm. PM me.

 

Good luck to you all. Bring back great stories and pictures.

 

I survived! Nateva was very good. OMG, the Flaming Lips gave an incredible performance!

 

My favorite festival I've been to in the last two years! Bt, most of the light shows were amazing! Everything turned out to be perfect! The only thing I would change is making sure there is toilet paper in the potties. Everyonewas so nice, secuirty was also very nice ESP the volunteers. Def going next year! Top notch festie ESP for a first year!

 

yeah, nateva was a clusterfuck! holy shit. people with camping passes were sent to the offsite camping because onsite was flooded on thursday. seriously. it was awful where they made some people park. i got there thursday night so we did get prime parking spot cuz while i was waiting to get in, my friends started hauling in the ez up and stuff to claim a spot. weather was super hot all weekend. no relief. i mean, a few spigots here and there to bath in, but it mostly got muddy and gross. for the price of the ticket... i was expecting MORE than just clean portapotties like everyone was boasting about. i didnt notice more a difference than any other fest. there was no shelter really. just hanging out by the hot cars while people ran them to get some ac. i've been to many many festivals... and this one seemed really lame. i guess most of us were just waiting for furthur all weekend long. herkermir is NOT an hour away... like 5 or more. tho we should have just done furthur tour instead of that festival. plus, i was shut down selling some handmade jewelry. i didnt even have much inventory, just trying to make a few dollars to get some food. i saw some many kids get their backpacks raided for no reason, money taken, etc. i mean, im all for security and definitely keeping nitrous out of fests.... but you could see that soo much money went to that instead of other fun stuff. yeah, there was a ferris wheel, but it was 4 bucks a pop. paid for itself. i wouldve hoped that being a first year fest, they wouldve let things go. but busting a hippie chick with a small case in camping trying to make some lunch money was so not cool.
music was decent, but definitely not what i was hoping for.
im just hoping for rothbury next year cuz i am not heading to that fest again.