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It is estimated that upwards of 25,000 people attended the 2009 Norman Music Festival, not only shattering last year's mark of about 13,000 but wildly exceeding organizer expectations.
This year's event, for me, was more fun than last year's only because I can see what this is turning into, potentially. This festival is about to become a big deal on a national level. Think the start of something like Bonnaroo or Coachella.
We spent most of the afternoon perched underneath shade, from which I didn't really emerge. I would have liked to have taken more photos, but I'm not really cool with just taking photos of random people. To me, it's very invasive. My photographic philosophy is any shot needs to show some action, and I was frankly super inactive for about half the day.
On the other hand, I also had a massive sinus headache brought on by allergens and afternoon sunshine.
I am a creature of the night and would have been a-ok if we didn't even go down there until after sundown. However, I would have missed acts like Travis Linville and Billy Joe Shaver, who opened his set with the famed "I Been To Georgia On A Fast Train."
Headliners Of Montreal were awesomely odd but not nearly as musical as locals Starlight Mints. I had never seen them before, but they had terrific energy and were interesting to listen to. I would absolutely make it a point to go watch Starlight Mints again.
Best band of the night, by a mile, for me was a group called Tea Leaf Green. Out of San Francisco, this quartet had a 1970s rock sound with a modern pop vibe.
Of course, people watching is the best part of any Norman festival, and among the notables were:
- Chubby dude with Richard Simmons hair
- Woman wearing a curtain with no underwear
- Neo-hippie guy covered in mud even though there was no mud to be seen anywhere
- Blonde chick passed out on sidewalk (there may have been multiples here)
- Random kids under 12 roaming the festival after 11 p.m. (parents?)
- Guy in sweater twitching and talking to himself
- Various dweebs in 1930s suits
- College girls in summer dresses
- A guy who looked JUST like the Crab Man
My only suggestion for next year would be more street musicians. It was like there was two giant stages and then you had to go inside somewhere to hear anything else.
I say: More bands, more soloists, all outside. Heck, allow anybody with an instrument to come on down.
However, that's nitpicky. It was really an awesome event.
Additional links and coverage:
OU Daily: Best Of Norman Music Festival
Texas Approves Of Norman Festival
Cool Photos from NMF
Review of Mama Sweet
Quick review of Starlight Mints
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