Rain and snow: we curse your existence.

Every year, I go to music festivals and every year I leave with a little more wisdom (and a little less sanity). Since I covered the basics with last year’s post, I had to dig a little deeper for this one although who am I kidding, I still made some of the same mistakes (one or two worth repeating). Here are the lessons I learned, circa last week.

1) Bring an extra pair of socks.
This is usually something I would never think of but my friend Jessica was smart enough to bring this up at the beginning of the week. For some unknown reason that can only be explained by Mother Nature’s hatred for this festival, it always rains during Canadian Music Week. And not everyone owns a pair of waterproof shoes so the best solution (which doesn’t require you to drop $200 on a pair of Hunter boots) is to just bring a fresh pair of socks. It’s no fun (for you or the people around you) to stand inside a venue for hours with wet, smelly feet. At the end of the day, your feet will thank you.

2) Facebook and Twitter updates are useful but not everyone has a smartphone and not everyone checks it as often as you do.
Some people still live in the age of the “dumb-phone” as our photo editor Aviva calls them and believe it or not some people still don’t own phones (crazy talk, I know). It’s always helpful to post a status update, a Tweet or a Facebook note prior to shows to scout out show dates and compare schedules but clearly, from the amount of people I ran into unexpectedly last week, not everyone is as keen as you are with the internets. So if you don’t get any messages back from your slew of “help I’m going to this show alone!” tweets, don’t worry – you might actually run into someone you know regardless! (Note: this may not always be the case…you still might end up alone. But who cares, you have the band and a bartender who is willing to talk to you…about how many drinks you need to get you through the night.)

2a) Always have a phone charger with you.
I mentioned this last year and I will mention this again – phones die. A cab driver asked me why there aren’t everlasting phones that don’t need charging and I thought “GOOD QUESTION.” But until that becomes a real thing, bring your charger. (Said cab driver also suggested a solar-powered phone but that definitely has its drawbacks…and wouldn’t be everlasting) Whether it’s in a corner inside a venue or in a cafe across the street, you’ll need to make sure your phone’s good to go at all times. A special thank you goes out to the guy at the pizza place on Saturday night for letting me use the outlet behind the counter!

2b) Make sure you have people’s phone numbers.
Otherwise finding people at a show can be a pain. This just goes for all situations in life though, not just shows and festivals.

3) Drive a car (if you have one).
Navigating through a festival in the middle of March is a lot different from navigating through a festival in the middle of June. For one, there’s still snow. This makes it harder for people to bike around town (though some still do) or walk from venue to venue because let’s face it, no one wants to be outside in this weather. So if you’re lucky enough to own a car, drive. This tip doesn’t apply to many – it doesn’t even apply for me – but somewhere out there, indie showgoers. Also, your car becomes your personal coat-check room and you save yourself a few dollars!

Alternatively, invest in a weekly pass. It saves you on cab fare and by purchasing one you feel oblige to get the most out of it.

4) Do CMW for free.
This year, folks got creative. Free shows are not just for record stores anymore (although kudos to both Criminal Records and Sonic Boom for putting on kickass instores). Bowling alleys, skate shops, living rooms – there may not be free outdoor shows like the wonderful series during NXNE, but these were definitely innovative ways to put on a show. And the best part was that these shows were FREE. And we know free is everyone’s favourite word followed by food.

5) Speaking of free and food…
Apparently if you showed up early at the Indies on Saturday night, there was free food and/or drinks. I arrived late therefore I am a loser but alas, I know better and next year I will show up, utensils and napkins in hand.

6) Leave an umbrella, take an umbrella (but really, just don’t forget your umbrella)
Umbrellas during Canadian Music Week are a staple but the problem is that we all inevitably forget them at shows. Or better yet, in my case, you place it down only to drop it behind the speakers and forget to fetch it out afterwards. Now I’m not saying that you should steal one but for every person who leaves an umbrella at a show, another leaves protected from the wrath of Mother Nature (if there’s one lying around, unclaimed, TAKE IT*).

7) Naps – take them.
If you have time to run home and take a quick nap between shows, do it. If not, take a nap at the show. No one will judge, I promise (not that you should care) and if you need any pointers, just ask our photo editor. She’s a pro and if she wrote an instructional guide to napping at shows, it would become your bible.

8) Know where the 24-hour restaurants are in Toronto.
You never know when you’ll be wandering around town at 6am looking for a snack. Our recommendation: The Lakeview on Dundas and Ossington.

9) Venues are a lot closer than you think so don’t panic.
That doesn’t mean you should underestimate the frequency of streetcars though. TTC gods might not always be on your side.

10) The two most important F-words of CMW – food and friends.
Food is too important to forget, even if you are running around town from show to show. And food is just much better when you eat with friends. So designate a chunk of your time every night to meet up with some fellow show-going pals and grab a bite before heading out to your respective shows. Timing might not always work out so whether it be a 6pm early dinner or a 3am snack, text some friends, have a meal and share your festival experiences. Some of my favourite memories from last week came from these very important breaks from dark bars and crowded clubs. Friends keep you from going completely insane so if/when you get out of these things alive, thank them and maybe give them a hug or a high-five for surviving!

Hope you took some notes, I expect everyone to be even more prepared next year! Hope you had a great Canadian Music Week!

xoxo,
Lamb