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"in brief" These e-mails followed a long conversation I had with Jeff Campbell, one of the head honchos at "Spirit Fest". I hope it serves to reassure people that there are some genuine music fans involved in the project. I don't mean for this to negate my original post, or to vindicate Mr. Bredwell regarding his pathetic response to my initial inquiry, but I do believe that Jeff is a very sincere local music supporter, an honest and earnest person, and I think his e-mails successfully explain the complexity of trying to keep Spirit Fest under control while understaffed and underpaid.
Dear Scott,
Thank you for taking the time to speak with me on the phone today. Hopefully I can put to rest any of the concerns about SpiritFest that you or anyone else may have. Please forgive me if this email is a little lengthy but I feel it necessary to give you a little of my background and the history of the Rock Stage.
This year Spiritfest will celebrate its 15th year(or as we like to say 105 in festival years!). Spiritfest brings over 230 bands and over 1500 musicians to 11 different stages over a three day labor day weekend. Tickets may be purchased for as little as $7.50 in advance and several thousand are given away through radio stations and other promotions. Nowhere else that I know of either here or anywhere else nationwide can so much be had for so little. None of this would be possible without the nearly 1500 volunteers and the INCREDIBLE talent that exists locally and regionally. As you are aware the vast majority of bands in the event donate their performances. Spiritfest is HONORED that so much of the talent in this area wishes to play the event and quite honestly without the tremendous support we receive from the artists such as Kill Creek their would very likely not be a Spiritfest. The support we receive is at the same time the most fun and the most difficult part of producing the event. It is the most fun because we are often blessed with performances from the best talent that has ever come out of this area ( I won't mention any because we all know who they are and I couldn't possibly mention them all). It is the most difficult because we often are forced to turn down many bands that are more than qualified to play the event. We have approx. 25 slots available on the Lazer Stage and usually receive over 100 requests to play. I have long been a supporter of local music, I used to be a store manager for Blockbuster Music and helped create the local artist concept that Blockbuster Music uses today. My theory has always been that every artist you find in a music store started out as a local artist somewhere. This is why it is a difficult thing to tell any artist that they didn't make it on the stage. I have even had bands cuss me out on the phone and do everything from try to go over my head to the Executive Director of the event to threaten to boycott the Lazer if they didn't get to play, because it was obvious to them that there must be some kind of conspiracy against them because all their friends say they are great. Fortunately this type is a very small majority. It is my firm desire that all bands that wish to play be able to. But for obvious reasons that isn't possible.
The Rock Stage as it is today was pioneered by a man named Tom Mardikes. He was on the Board of Directors and was largely responsible for the success the event enjoys today. It was he that brought the Lazer to the event and through their support a lot of the names we know and love today were born. Tom also brought with him several students that booked the stage for him and managed the stage. In 1996 I was asked by Tom to take over the production and booking of the stage because he like me was a volunteer and his personal obligations were preventing him from staying involved. So I dived into the event and basically took stock of how things were done. The same stage and sound folks were still there from before the only thing different I was on hand during the entire event where Tom usually was not. And what I noticed during that weekend quite honestly upset me a lot. What I saw was the very same artists whose music I loved and respected and where donating their time to play were being treated with something that fell far short of what I would consider respect. The things that you say in your posting on the zone about everything from the security guards to the stagehand helping bands on and off stage were true. And that is why this particular person is no longer associated with the event. The next year (97') we started clean with an entirely new staff at the stage and made a sincere attempt to solve the problems that existed in previous years. The person that you mentioned cut your set short last year was actually nothing more than a soundman drastically overstepping his bounds and for that I apologize. We are again this year trying to take the Lazer Stage to the next level. We at some point hope to be able to make Spiritfest not only a great local and regional event but a great national and international event as well.
Hopefully I was able to answer a lot of the concerns that you and anyone else may of had. This year I have taken a staff position at Spiritfest and have not been as actively involved as I have been in previous years. Jay Bredwell who was my assistant last year and was a big part of last years success will be taking over most of the duties I performed.
Thanks for your time.
Jeff Campbell
Scott,
I neglected to mention in my last email that in the event I have indeed not addressed concerns that needed to be addressed feel free to give out my email address jeff@spiritfest.org. I will be happy to answer any questions that I can. Also one last comment I would like to make after reading again some of the postings on the Zone. I don't think most people realize that Spiritfest is a Non-Profit event. Indeed, the charities we support such as the Rotary Youth Camp, often make out better than we do. Since our inception SpiritFest has raised over $750,000 for local charities. I point this our only because I want people to understand that Spiritfest is not a "Money grubbing promoter" like someone at the Pitch once wrote or some corporate entity reciting some bottom line. SpiritFest is just a bunch of folks that truly love music and love being involved with the event. They are people who, like most bands, have full-time day jobs. SpiritFest to me even before my involvement has always been a kind of music oasis. It is a place that even the normally shark infested world of radio calls a truce to promote a community event. It is a place that people who don't normally go to shows or may only see a specific genre of music can be exposed to the incredible melting pot of diverse talent the region has to offer.
Although I realize that Kill Creek has not had what it considered a good experience at SpiritFest and since two of the three years 96' and 97' were years that the stage was under my supervision. I feel that there is nobody to blame but me for your experience. It is certainly NEVER my or anyone involved with SpiritFest intent to make it an unpleasant gig. Hopefully people don't really think SpiritFest "screwed" over any bands such as one post put it. I have dedicated a lot of time over the last several years both through SpiritFest and in my time managing retail music stores supporting local music. It would be both a great concern and disappointment to me if there were any real thoughts out there that SpiritFest "screwed" over anybody.
Unfortunately when a lot of volunteers come together (both bands and
stage) to pull of an event the size of SpiritFest, misunderstandings happen. It is
my sincere belief that in the email in question, no offense was intended. Hopefully
we can all move forward and work together to support what I believe is everyone's goal.
Supporting local music!!!
Again, thank you for your time.
P.S.
Please let me know when your new cd is out, I definitely want to check it out.
Jeff Campbell