Langerado 2009, a victim of the recession

Perhaps not surprising given the increasingly fragile state of the economy and the mass layoffs happening day in and day out, 2009 has seen its first major music festival cancellation. The festival scene has grown exponentially in the past few years, with seemingly one (or ten) for every genre of music and loads of the behemoth, something-for-everyone festivals like Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza. Festivals rely on discretionary income that is becoming harder and harder to come by and so the 2009 Langerado Music Festival has been canceled. The event was due to go down March 6-8 in downtown Miami’s Bicentennial Park and was to have a diverse roster of notables including Death Cab for Cutie, Public Enemy, Modest Mouse, Ryan Adams, and Thievery Corporation. All tickets will be refunded. Perhaps in these tough times the only festivals will be those that are more tightly focused, economical and in major markets to draw local audiences. Meanwhile, across the pond in the UK, Glastonbury has sold out five months in advance without even an official line-up having been announced. Glastonbury was taking deposits in October for reservations and this partial payment approach may have helped boost its sales along with a hugely successful 2008 festival