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A few thoughts on TIH2011 by Joe Hardcore
This Is Hardcore has become more then a fest to me over the past 6 years. When I was at my lowest and in need of something to focus on that wasn’t going to land me in jail or give me a headache, I had TIH to focus upon. Over the past 6 years, I’ve learned a lot about myself and about what makes TIH good, what would make it better and what I’ll have to do to keep it fun for everyone.
The biggest change that I made was adding the seperate building. It was a hard decision to make but one that truly opened another world of opportunity up for TIH in the future. I understand that people come to see a lot of bands, but also to hang out and chill and its something that has become more evident over the years. I also started to feel like we were overpacking the starlight. With the available extra space we were able to bring in outside food vendors, a vegan alternative and give shelter and space to so many who needed to catch some air after an exciting set or few hours of music.
I don’t feel as if it took away from the atmosphere at all, if anything it gave us some breathing room and the ability to get some fresh air and not sit on the hot dirty concrete all day between bands.
The Thursday show was a great success, seeing so many kids in that basement and seeing the reaction that many up and coming bands got as well as the reactions that Mindset,Foundation and Underdog had solidifying the Thursday show into future TIH. I refuse to consider it a preshow, it was a great packed show with hundreds of kids going crazy. There was nothing amatuer or “prefest” about it.
Throughout the weekend I saw many happy faces enjoying the changes we had made with the additional building and portopotties. The vegan food option brought to us by Blackbird Pizza was long overdue and I know that I had far too many fresh squeezed lemonades. I got a lot of feedback into what could be done to improve TIH even further and already have begun implementing a strategy to bring it to fruition.
I will continue to do TIH for as long as it seems relevant to do so. There is a huge number of bands that have played TIH and there are still bands that haven’t. There are bands like Cold World, Wisdom In Chains who could play every year and bands like Bane, Ringworm, Terror and Killing Time that I’d like to see every year. Its all a possibility as long as there is support from the kids. I will do what I can to get more information on where everyone stayed, what airlines they travelled on and what town they came from. Though trivial to you, these vital pieces of information can easily lead to more benefits and travel packages for TIH attendees. Anything that I can do to reduce the price of travel and lodging, I will do , but it will require hard data and information from fest attendees.
Its 2011 and I’ve completed my 6th festival. I’ve seen a lot of things change, I’ve watched my share of bands come and go as well as new faces become jaded and old faces return to see what they’ve been missing. Hardcore is doing great and its because of the people that come and support endeavors like TIH. It may seem like a one man operation but I’ve got more help then I could imagine this year and more positive support then ever before. I took my 48 hours off and I’ve already started back on the work we have to do in 2012.
Be sure to look at www.thisishardcorefest.com for many updates from sunny’s videos, to the TIH webstore launch and pictures uploaded.
In the meantime, I want you all to think of what first got you into hardcore and what brought you to TIH this year. For me, I was a kid with too much energy, a passion for music and nowhere else to go. I’ve found a home in the philadelphia hardcore scene and a family in those who would keep me from harms way over the past 2 decades. I hope that each of you felt safe at TIH and that each of you enjoyed yourselves to the fullest. If there is something you think I should do to improve TIH or make changes to I’d love to hear it. 4 years ago I was told colleges were starting the monday before TIH so we moved our fest up one week. That was the beginning of the sellout years. Later I was told the bathrooms in the venue suck, I’ve done my best to pay more money to keep the club cleaning the bathrooms and this year I’ve even rented portopotties for more access to the bathrooms.
I have it easy at TIH, so I can’t see it from your perspective, but if there is something that you think I’d ought to know or could change please email me at [email protected]
I’ll have information up on TIH dot com throughout the coming year. We have no plans to move the fest from the 2nd week of August. As of now it will be back at the Starlight Ballroom. I am launching a webstore to pick up posters, shirts, stickers, laminates (I have thousands from all 6 years) limited edition screen printed posters and other crazy shit that has piled up in the TIH office.
I will be looking for help with working the fest and will be giving discounted /free admission for certain people next year. I can say now that I need more help at the end of the fest with cleanup, breakdown and packing. I will have more details later down the road.
Sunny of Hate5six is busy putting all his trekkie knowledge to use to get the videos up, give him some time. IF you want to be a nice guy, send him some paypal love. Its a one man operation that takes a lot of physical time.
Overall I’ll be hard at work making TIH2012 better then 2011 and any before. If I have it my way, you’ll all be in for something special again. In the meantime, thanks for the support, the kind words and the amazing respect you have for TIH.
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