Why Do They Load the 1st Weekend?

[festivalgirl]

Not that we don't get great music on the 2nd Weekend, but it seems like they're loading the 1st Weekend with the biggest acts. I'm sure they were afraid no one would come last year so the biggest names went first. I think it was proven that Jazz Fest lives ........ I guess top loaded.

[NeenAtlanta]

For most years, attendance for 2nd weekend is always higher than first weekend, probably because folks got an extra day to fest on 2nd Thursday, so that made folks decide to go 2nd weekend.

That may be one reason why they've been loading up on 1st weekend the last couple of years. Before, it always seemed that 2nd weekend was more loaded.

But it's really debatable whether 1st or 2nd weekend is more "loaded up". There are always big names for both, and it may just be a matter of one's personal preferences that determines if you feel one weekend is more loaded than another.

[swag]

It seems to me that most of the complaints here over the years were that 2nd weekend was the loaded one. Also, for a couple of years around '04 or so, it seemed that the 1st weekend has the classic rock headliners, and the 2nd weekend had the jam bands. So if you preferred one of those, that could skew your opinion.

As to this year, it's WAAAAY too early to make any judgements based on the trickle of rumors that have come out so far. Each weekend will have 200-300 acts, a couple of dozen of which probably count as headliners. Almost all of those are still unknown.

[Corona]

very well said Swag.....WAY too soon to make judgement. But to alleviate any FOMS for me, doing both weekends helps big time :)

[BigDag]

I doubt that there has ever been any conscious effort to "load" one weekend or the other.

[AFew2Many]

Last year the first weekend was loaded with national acts (Bruce Springsteen , Dave Matthews, Bob Dylan, etc.). There is a simple reason. The first weekend was when the most press coverage was going to occur. The organizers wanted big names to promote New Orleans on the national level.

[NOLA]

very well said Swag.....WAY too soon to make judgement. But to alleviate any FOMS for me, doing both weekends helps big time :)

YYR...Both weekends are great...haven't missed a day in years...of course living here helps ;)

[dumbtourist]

Last year the first weekend was loaded with national acts (Bruce Springsteen , Dave Matthews, Bob Dylan, etc.). There is a simple reason. The first weekend was when the most press coverage was going to occur. The organizers wanted big names to promote New Orleans on the national level.

Damn, Jimmy Buffet, Paul Simon, Keith Urban, Fat's Domino (even though he didn't actually play) will be really disappointed to find out they are not considered national acts.....

Personally, I chose 2nd weekend due to those above, not Springsteen, Matthews, Dylan. But to each his own....that's why they can have 6 days of fest and still fill the place up!

[ohio]

Just from the standpoint of trying to book rooms the past several years, it is apparent that 1st weekend is more popular- the room rates always seem higher for it. Until the last coupla years I always went second weekend because of the extra Thursday.

[funkkjunkie]

Sometimes the grass just looks greener on the other side.

[mightyradgumbo]

Sometimes the grass just looks greener on the other side.

YYR, funkjunkie. Last year was the first year I did both weekends and each year previous to that I was always contemplating which was the better weekend to go so I sometimes got a case of WIPTOW (wish I picked the other weekend) :D

[PaulC]

Sometimes the grass just looks greener on the other side.

Actually,... on the first weekend,.. the grass is greener.... that's one reason why we switched from the second to the first many years back... a far more important thing is if you plan on the first weekend and something interupts those plans,.. you can always put together a back up plan to make it for the part deux....

Back to grass.... those clumps of grass-like things sure didn't impede that sand blasting that took place on the first Sat. last year.... but,.. even with that nasty wind it was still a great day... The fest is like that....

[Amy Winette]

Hahaha, Paul, you've got a point there, the fairgrounds grass is more trampled into mud by the second weekend :)

I've always thought 2nd weekend was more loaded with BNAs (and we've always gone 2nd weekend, last year was the first year we squeezed in a day of 1st weekend).

[AFew2Many]

Damn, Jimmy Buffet, Paul Simon, Keith Urban, Fat's Domino (even though he didn't actually play) will be really disappointed to find out they are not considered national acts.....

dumbtourist, national might not have been the right word, maybe, "most popular". Let me qualify further as currently most popular. The exception being Keith Urban not because of his music but because he is dating Nicole Kidman. Personally, I would have no idea who Keith Urban was unless my wife hadn't told me he was dating her. But you have a good point, to each his own. For me, I looked at the lineup for the Acura Stage, I never do, but I could have camped there first weekend last year, plenty of local and national/popular acts I would like to have seen. I go the second weekend every year. I spent very little time at the Acura Stage last year. Still had a great time. Some people go and never get to the main stages, some people never leave them, I like a little of all the stages.

[Amy Winette]

While not the cup of tea of most on here, Keith Urban is very popular, he's crossed over to pop from country in the way Shania Twain and Faith Hill have. This was all before Nicole Kidman. He's also very good looking and popular with the younger ladies. There was a big crowd for Keith last year.

[Blitzzzzz]

Seems we've had this discussion before.
It is front-loaded, it's not front-loaded, it's the BNAs, it's not!
I can't ever go first weekend due to working in an academic setting which is still in session first weekend, so I used to never even look at the first weekend schedule. Last year was a different story. Applying the WOW factor to the list that is the first schedule published, you count how many acts or lines you go before you stop saying WOW! BNAs (if you like them) or locals (if you know them,)no doubt about it last year the first weekend had a much higher WOW factor than second, Keith & Fats or no Keith, oops, no Fats!
Swag is absolutely right, it's too early to tell this year, let's hope it doesn't happen again.:cool:

[breambob]

While not the cup of tea of most on here, Keith Urban is very popular, he's crossed over to pop from country in the way Shania Twain and Faith Hill have. This was all before Nicole Kidman. He's also very good looking and popular with the younger ladies. There was a big crowd for Keith last year.

LOL, Amy. After Little Feat last year Bro Mark and I decided to stay on for Urban, we were comfortable in our spot. And curious. And there were a bunch of cuties moving in around us too, Oink.
But anyway, KU was great. Mark turned to me after a few songs and said "Damn, he's good, but he's not country". BNA or not I love the suprises and espcially the acts I've never seen before, regardless of the "genre". That's part of the magic on the fairgrounds.

[Stella Blue]

I did think the first weekend was a bit loaded last year --- but that is really the only time when I thought you could make that argument more objectively than it years past. That said, I go to NOLA to see acts I simply don't get a chance to see in the Northeast much, if at all. For example, last year's highlights? Probably catching the Jazz Vipers at Donna's and being first row at Tower Records to watch Ellis Marsalis play and getting to talk with him afterward.
As for Jazz Fest, I can stay all day in the Economy Tent, the Jazz Tent and/or outside dancing to Zydeco and never make it to any of the main stages, and that is fine by me. In fact, when I think of Jazz Fest, I think first of the niche stages -- it is what separates Jazz Fest from just about any other music festival.

[Papins]

It doesn't matter who get's booked when...they'll alway's be somone to complain.

[NYMAMA]

Im' with you StellaBlue. I'm not much of a main stage gal myself. I bet we met at Donnas last year seeing the Jazz Vipers there was one of the best times.