Sean Carlson's FYF Fest is the Ultimate 12-Hour Mix Tape, Brought to You Live
Crowd shot at 2009 FYF Fest. Photo by Melissa Esterby for LAist
Tomorrow FYF Fest returns for the 7th year bringing music and fun to Los Angeles Historic Park in Chinatown. Self-penned as “12 hours of awesome,” the all-ages festival is even bigger this year offering over 30 bands, a comedy tent, record swap meet, vendors, art installations, pre- and post-parties and much more.
It's a lineup showcasing an eclectic array of music from headliner The Rapture to indie favorites like Panda Bear and Delorean, to older, influential bands like Unbroken and 7Seconds. Carlson’s programming criteria are simple: “It’s a real mix tape of the bands that I love, so it’s all over the place. For the bands, it’s a chance to play with other amazing bands that would never play with one another.”
Last year’s event christened the Los Angeles Historic State Park as a prime location for an outdoor music festival, bringing revelers to a series of stages spread amongst grassy areas and small hills within easy access to public transportation (see video below for highlights). “The location, I couldn’t ask for a better one,” says Carlson. “I was tired of doing it in a club setting. That was great, but you can only grow so much when you have a limited capacity. I don’t like going to stuffy venues. It’s a different vibe. Being outside you can sit and watch a band with thousands of people with the LA skyline behind you. The expenses for us to put it on are through the roof outside, but it’s so worth it.”
The transition outdoors in 2009 was a fantastic concept, but logistical issues like extremely long entrance lines, food shortages and little shelter from the sun hindered the experience for many attendees. Carlson and his team learned a lot from this first foray outdoors and have spent the past year preparing for Saturday’s event. “I had a laundry list of things such as proper shading, proper eating areas, more food, more ticket takers, more security to check people in -- that’s what we’ve been focusing on all year - making this show more comfortable,” he says.
As a music lover and concertgoer himself, one may wonder what makes a memorable show for Carlson - a promoter who has been doing this since his teens. “Slayer at the Long Beach Marina this past Monday was phenomenal,” he replies without missing a beat. “It made me feel like I was at a show 10 years ago. Everyone there, was there to watch the band. They weren’t there to be cool or to be seen and they were losing their minds. When they played ‘Angel of Death,’ people went fucking ape shit! The whole place was screaming the lyrics, playing air guitar, air drums - whatever they could move into at that time. It was amazing! Everyone was head banging, the whole place jam-packed. It was that feeling for those people -- they wanted to be there and that was their favorite show. “
It’s this special “feeling” Carlson mentions - that unforgettable sense of celebration and camaraderie among music fans -- which energizes him and his team while they coordinate the essential prep work for staging the festival. These are not-so-glamorous details that involve working with the city, sanitation, police, health and fire departments to host the thousands of people who will descend upon the Chinatown park for one day. When asked what excites him about organizing the gargantuan undertaking of FYF Fest each year, he lets out a big sigh before responding. “It’s putting on what I hope is someone’s favorite show,” he says. “That they can look back on and say that was the best day of summer. That’s the only goal of doing the festival. This isn’t a lucrative business. I’m a music fan as well and I’m doing it out of a labor of love. It’s definitely putting on the favorite show for someone.”
Will this year’s FYF Fest host one of your favorite live performances? Check back here after Saturday and let us know in the comments.