110 replies to this topic

[Lover Fighter]

I'm just wondering what will happen with FolkFest next year. The prices for those who don't want to see the headlining bands is terribly steep, while those who want to see the bands the price is still incredibly cheap. I'm still hoping that it splits into two seperate festivals next year. One that would be how FolkFest started; grassroots, local, and free. The other would be a multi-day music festival with international acts. People (like me) would pay good money for that. But obviously we would just need a venue for it.

[Mike K.]

Victorian's want a kick-ass festival and they want it for free. Not gonna happen.

Folkfest costs a lot of money. Big name acts cost a lot of money. I say if Victorian's want to support local events such as Folkfest then they should pony up. 20-odd bucks for a weeklong festival is very affordable.

[Jada]

How did folkfest get so expensive? I remember it used to be $5-$10 dollars for a button that would get you into the entire event. Did this change?

[G-Man]

Yup. But they have way better acts. I still think it should be cheaper to get in during the day and more at night but that is just me.

[Lover Fighter]

It's worth it if you're there for the acts... but if you're not then it's pretty stupid.

I got to see Five Alarm Funk, Neko Case, Sam Roberts with Jets Overhead, and Ozamtli for 20$. That is a great deal, but if you just want to experience the festival than you're screwed.

[Jarrod]

I'm not too into Folkfest, but $20?! That's not bad at all!

[Carewser]

I agree, the price is still very reasonable. What pisses me off is the name "Folkfest", since it has virtually nothing to do with folk culture or folk music. It's a complete misnomer. It should be called "Worldfest" or "Culturefest" or something like that, not folkfest.

[Mike K.]

Worldfest...I kinda like that.

[Gregory Hartnell]

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A Victoria TV station says tonight that Folkfest is cancelled for 2007. Seems they are more than $200,000 in debt, and attendance was down last summer (2006) with high ticket prices and imported so-called 'name' acts.

What with Luminara, Folkfest, Open Air in the Square, July 1st fireworks, etc., the Intercultural Association (ICA), which puts on these events, mostly at public expense, has over-extended itself.

The original mandate of ICA was to help new immigrants with language courses, etc., to integrate into the community. Clearly, they have lost sight of that benign mandate, and have become too big for their britches.

Getting back to a more modest festival highlighting local talent in the immigrant community is probably more realistic, and would cost taxpayers less.

The Mayor and Council should investigate how a group such as the Hells Angels-affiliated Swollen Members can get City of Victoria funding (not to mention Heritage Canada and other regional and provincial subsidies) to play in the Open Air in the Square. They got the money, but never played there, as the show was supposedly 'postponed' due to a threat of rain.

It was a beautiful Indian Summer's night at Centennial Square 2004...

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[Caramia]

the Hells Angels-affiliated Swollen Members

That is quite a strong accusation to be making about this band. Got anything to back it up? One of their members grew up here, attended school with my little sister, and remains a friend of hers. I think if he knew that someone was posting that kind of thing about his band he'd be a bit miffed.

This is the second time in a short while I have seen something slanderous go up on this forum. Visionary's post about how he is "affiliated" with the HBC and they love to gobble up little stores being the other. I think we need to be careful what we say and make sure we are not spreading heresy or misrepresenting anyone when we post. After all this is a public forum, and we can (and should) be held accountable for what we post here about other people.

[VicHockeyFan]

^ they did a video with the HA. Whatever.

[Caramia]

I had to look up the word "Affiliated" to see if I had an argument here. I was thinking of it defined as ""Affiliate" or "affiliated" means a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with another person."

I really think that is a stretch. A band member has a friend who is also a member of the Hell's Angels. Who doesn't on this island? Some bikers who were members of the Hell's Angels were in one of their videos. So? It doesn't suggest control or formal ties.

But an alternate definition is "connected to or associated with and individual, organization, etc." Ok, if you want to use that very loose definition, then I conceed the point. They have a connection or association with some individuals within that organisation.

I think of the word affiliated in the sense that Visionary used it when he said

I'm affiliated with the HBC corporate group. Do any of you know what HBC is? It's "Here Before Christ"! It's the 4th largest retailer in Canada, possibly all of North America.

We used to gobble up smaller firms before Wal-Mart took over most of the pie. Between HBC, London Drugs, Canadian Tire, Loblaw Group (Real CDN Superstore/Wholesale Club), Sears Canada, Future Shop/Best Buy, Rona, Home Hardware, Winners, and others, we can counter balance the might of Wal-Mart.

We'd rather eat you small retailers up oursleves than let Wal-Mart have you. If you are going to be snack food anyways, who would you rather have "take you out", a Canadian company with history or some predatory American commercial entity?

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EDIT: Sorry for the derail. I probably should have started a new thread in General Discussion. Feel free to mod my comments.

Otherwise.. Yeah so no Folkfest, no Elephant Ears... bummer.

[Holden West]

Oh, it'll be back. Set up the food carts in Centennial Square and set up a stage with folk dancers like they did 20 years ago and they'll even start paying down that debt.

Back to basics.

If the economic model had remained sound, I'd have recommended this be done anyway, with the big acts spun off into a separate festival.

[Gregory Hartnell]

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Shane Bunting, one of the rapper wannabes in the SM band, co-owns a number of buildings in Kelowna on Clement Street with self-admitted Hells Angel Damiano Di Popolo, a full patch member of the East End Chapter of the HA. A recent police raid on one of the Kelowna houses found guns, crystal meth, $15,000 cash and other stolen property.

According to an article in the Kelowna Courier, Di Popolo denies knowing that his tenants were dealing hard drugs on the premises. He challenged the media to pay more attention to his business partner Bunting, but suggests that they don't ask Bunting any questions because 'he is not a member [of the HA].'

The Victoria Police are aware of the connection between the band and the outlaw motorcylce club. One officer was quoted on Victoria tv recently as calling it an 'historical connection,' which indicates to me that they are aware of the videos made by the band which glorify their connections with the Hells Angels, and that it is likely just a matter of time before we read that Mr. Bunting or Mr. Di Popolo are arrested for something or other.

Dipopolo's real estate holdings in Burnaby include a number of houses clustered together in what the police 'Dipopoloville.' One of these houses is a huge mansion behind a gate and fancy brick wall, a black and white photo of which is found at the RCMP website. He also owns Digstown Clothing, supposedly a hip hop fashion shop, but known to be a drug peddling front operation. To find out more about Dipopolo, Google 'RCMP Gazette.'

The City of Victoria should not do business, nor should it be seen to be doing business with known business associates of the outlaw Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. That would mean that the City should not allow the group to play in any City-owned venue such as the Centennial Square where they were scheduled to play in the Open Air in the Square programme, put on by the Intercultural Association and TNT Productions. These are the same people who produce Folkfest. Nor should they have been allowed to play recently at the City-owned Save on Foods Memorial Centre.

Writing to the mayor and council on behalf of the Concerned Citizens a number of times over the years on this issue, I have never received so much as a 'thank you' letter from them. Frustrated with their lack of professional response, I have brought this information to the attention of the media, who apparently love to run the incriminating video glorifying the gangsters. One of the tv stations did a little research at the Land Titles office to confirm that in fact, the two do co-own property together. These documents, which are public information, were shown on tv.

When the Concerned Citizens first brought these matters to the media's attention in 2004, the mayor was quoted as saying on tv that these are mere unsubstantiated allegations, which is patently false. He did not respond at all to our recent concerns about the group playing at the tax-payer funded SOFMC.

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[Caramia]

I agree with the Mayor. And I think the idea of a Nanny City deciding who we can listen to and who we can't is repulsive. Rap music makes my ears bleed, but I'd defend their right to play in their hometown, and the citizens of this city the right to go see them, despite what "Concerned Citizen" lobby groups want to censor.

[Mike K.]

I suggest we worry about drug peddlers on our taxpayer-funded streets selling to our kids (with the police walking past these individuals as though nothing was happening) before we worry about a musician who co-owns property with a Hells Angel in another city.

[Baro]

When I was a kid, folk fest was a very popular thing where people would go to the square and eat them selves sick on all sorts of interesting food while waiting in line at the most popular booth, the hungarian booth. Durring the wait in line to get those deep-fried wonders, you could listen to some folk music and such. Everyone had a great time. Go back to the basics. If I want to see a concert, I'll see a concert. If I want to see some folk music and eat some great food, I'll go to folk fest.

[Caramia]

Hear Hear Baro!!

[Jada]

Well, I'll definetly miss the Beer Barge.

Maybe Vibrant Victoria can set something up next summer, and perhaps rent a personal barge and cruise the harbour for our mid-summer party??

[Walter Moar]

Well, I'll definetly miss the Beer Barge.

By the way, if anyone enjoyed the Phillips' Blue Truck at FolkFest, he's started making it full time (it was supposed to be a one-off, but it was far too popular). It's available at Smiths Pub, probably other places.