ABSTRACT
The most profound transition in the recent history of British pop, rock and dance festivals is the increase in their number. Clearly, the range of outdoor music festivals staged in Britain today ascertains that they cannot be attributed to finite periods of youthful hedonism, for they have diversified to appeal to an impressive range of ages and tastes. The sector has developed into a big business which, in terms of public expenditure, has overtaken other music industries: as the number of festivals grew in the 2000s, consumer spends on tickets to outdoor festivals met spending on tickets to stadium gigs. A micro-economy of infrastructure, food and technical suppliers, as well as creative practitioners, developed around the festival circuit as small businesses exploited the commercial opportunities the sector had to offer. Many music festivals today emulate the mixed programming of Glastonbury, an approach that has become a solid requirement for events positioned within the boutique sector.
