Last weekend was a big one in D.C. The first ever Trillectro (Trill + Electro) Fest went down at the Half Street Fairgrounds in Southeast and although it had its share of problems, it was a lot of fun. The artists booked to play Trillectro was a very interesting experiment, a festival inside DC city limits consisting of a combination hip-hop and electronic dance music (EDM). And it worked beautifully line-up wise. Other issues arose, however.
Before I get to those, let me say that pulling this festival off was no small feat and I have nothing but respect to the organizers. I look forward to next year. That said, here are a few improvements I would suggest:
- Have separate press badges for writers and photographers. There were way too many non-photographers in the photo pit clogging everything up. If you only have an iPhone, you do not belong in the photo pit. It seemed like every blog from NC to NYC was credentialed, so the photo pit was a total mess all day. No one was checking credentials and no one was in charge.
- Next year, get actual barricades. The flimsy metal fencing they used this year was totally useless. Non-credentialed crowd members regularly made their way into the pit and totally overran the photo pit during Schoolboy Q’s set. Again, no one was there to do anything.
- Food! There were three food trucks for the 2,500 -5,000 people (depending on whose crowd estimates you believe). If you’re not going to let people leave and come back in, you have to provide them with food. The lines for what little food there was were incredibly long because there were no other options. This was a big fail.
- Get more bathrooms next year. Obvs.
- Stagger the sets better. Flosstradamus, the headliner, went on after the noise curfew so they basically had to play at half volume. There were plenty of breaks during the day where despite there being two stages, no music was being played. Tighten up the schedule and end the event by 10. That’s what after parties are for.
Despite those issues, the event was a lot of fun. It rained but no one cared. Both stages had great artists, and plenty of talent was representing D.C. The crowd was AMAZING, everyone was just there to hangand have fun. Drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, were cheap and plentiful. There was a great view from the V.I.P. section. It was a great vibe and a great day. I was beat at the end of the day but it was definitely worth it.
My favorite acts were Tabi Bonney (he OWNS the 25 minute mid-day set at this point), Tittsworth and David Heartbreak. Oh, and Doug E. Fresh!
Full photo set below. Click on any image to purchase prints.
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2012 Trillectro Festival – Images by Kyle Gustafson
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