3 Rivers Music Festival is GONE!

[goodbye]

3 Rivers leaders consider resigning The State - May 13, 2006

Has anyone heard an update to this story? I hope this isn't true! I heard a rumor that it is possibly not coming back next year since it has not made a profit in three years. What are your thoughts and concerns? If this festival is gone, what would you like to see replace it? If it is back next year, what changes should be made or added?

[goodbye]

Yikes! The answer is in today's edition of The State. It is very disappointing that more people couldn't/wouldn't get out to enjoy the festival.

Since it is officially over, what would you like to see in its place as the signature arts/music festival in Columbia?

[CorgiMatt]

Yikes! The answer is in today's edition of The State. It is very disappointing that more people couldn't/wouldn't get out to enjoy the festival.

Since it is officially over, what would you like to see in its place as the signature arts/music festival in Columbia?

Riverfest is coming up soon. They have had it every year for quite some time. I can't understand why they didn't just make it a bigger festival and bring in music and art, lots of it. How many cities have something called Riverfest?

[803metlife]

They never have anyone people want to see. !!!! "There were no acts this year for the young crowd. I think the planners of 3rivers wanted to loose money. Columbia needs to hire a real concert promoter to promote something such as the 3rivers festival. The May fest was a bigger crowd bringer than the 3rivers festival

[emerging.me]

It failed primarily because of clueless programming. Seriously. Me and my buddies could have put together a better festival.

I love Nickel Creek, but there's no way I would have paid full price just so I could see Styx and Aretha Franklin. The programming was shockingly poor this year -- especially with the classy move to the river. I realize they wanted to have "something for everbody," but there are ways to accomplish this that would have been far more legitmate than the almost random approach they chose.

[waccamatt]

It failed primarily because of clueless programming. Seriously. Me and my buddies could have put together a better festival.

I love Nickel Creek, but there's no way I would have paid full price just so I could see Styx and Aretha Franklin. The programming was shockingly poor this year -- especially with the classy move to the river. I realize they wanted to have "something for everbody," but there are ways to accomplish this that would have been far more legitmate than the almost random approach they chose.

There's your answer. EM, what is your festival going to be called?

Honestly, the problem was that they have to have bands that attract younger people. Columbia is a very young city and if you don't appeal to the 21-44 age bracket you will never have a successful festival. I love Virginia Bedford to death, but someone young and hip needs to pick out the bands.

[sonofaque86]

They need to get big acts instead of things people don't want to see...I liked they had Nelly last year...If they had more acts from the Hip-Hop/R&B genre I think it would've done better.

[krazeeboi]

^But then you have to be careful; we don't want 3 Rivers to turn into "For Sisters Only" in Charlotte. If you've ever been, you know what I mean.

[sonofaque86]

I know what you saying, but atlest bigger acts for younger people...Nobody I know but my parents and older family members see Aretha Franklin and Parliament and whoever else..It'll appeal to younger people if u have better acts that suit us. i dunno. lol

[CorgiMatt]

^But then you have to be careful; we don't want 3 Rivers to turn into "For Sisters Only" in Charlotte. If you've ever been, you know what I mean.

Didn't I read the other day that Charlotte and Atlanta's versions of 3 Rivers bit the dust also?

Didn't I read the other day that Charlotte and Atlanta's versions of 3 Rivers bit the dust also?

Come to think of it, if they did, that might be reason enough to have gone one more year with 3 Rivers to see how many people we could out of Atlanta and Charlotte next year, with new organizers. It could be argued that they waited too long to put it on the river and that now that they did they are pulling the plug too early.

[krazeeboi]

^I was thinking the same thing. Great location + bigger and better acts = a great success. I'm sure it won't be too long until something takes the place of this signature event in Columbia.

[Ellen]

OK, I guess I'm clueless. Or maybe it's because I'm one of the older folks... But I really liked the lineup this year. In fact, this was the first time I bought a ticket, primarily to see Little River Band, Nickel Creek, and Styx.

Whatever, the venue change was too long in coming. Having it on the river was superb.

However, I was disappointed in the vendors on the bridge - way too few and far between.

I hope someone will take up the reins and bring a bigger and better music festival back to the riverbanks.

[krazeeboi]

Here's a pretty good editorial in this week's edition of The Free Times that discusses possible reasons why the festival hasn't been as successful. Besides getting acts that would appeal to a younger demographic, as we've said here, another point brought up that I didn't consider was the length of the festival; perhaps three days is a bit too much.

[Pillsbury]

That sucks. I saw my first Widespread Panic concert at 3 Rivers. I think Jump Little Children was there too. What happened to bringing in bands like that? That place was slammed with people.

[Spartan]

That does suck for Columbia. I think the problem was that it was too expensive for what they were offering.

[colaguy1982]

Here's a pretty good editorial in this week's edition of The Free Times that discusses possible reasons why the festival hasn't been as successful. Besides getting acts that would appeal to a younger demographic, as we've said here, another point brought up that I didn't consider was the length of the festival; perhaps three days is a bit too much.

There's a real alt weekly in Cola that are the one's responsible for taking them down.

here' was one of their last reports on it weeks ago:

Link deleted by moderator

[colaguy1982]

Here's a pretty good editorial in this week's edition of The Free Times that discusses possible reasons why the festival hasn't been as successful. Besides getting acts that would appeal to a younger demographic, as we've said here, another point brought up that I didn't consider was the length of the festival; perhaps three days is a bit too much.

OMG, this is why I love Columbia City Paper, here's the blog:

Deleted

[waccamatt]

That's all propoganda; Virginia Bedford gave her heart and soul to the festival and all the CCP can do is criticize and complain. For them to claim they "brought down" the festival is a load of hogwash. People who do absolutely nothing are the first to complain about those who work tirelessly to improve the city. CCP will be gone soon enough and will never be heard from again. If I have anything to do with it, noone will advertise in their dirty piece of trash.

[colaguy1982]

That's all propoganda; Virginia Bedford gave her heart and soul to the festival and all the CCP can do is criticize and complain. For them to claim they "brought down" the festival is a load of hogwash. People who do absolutely nothing are the first to complain about those who work tirelessly to improve the city. CCP will be gone soon enough and will never be heard from again. If I have anything to do with it, noone will advertise in their dirty piece of trash.

Wow!

You guys seem frightened that there's another newspaper in town.

Chill out. Documented evidence I read about in City Paper is the opposite of propaganda. Regurgitated water cooler talk of how Styx sucks months later, now that's just a sad attempt at reporting after the fact. I couldn't help but notice the straight news story on the bus system last week, more in depth and before Free Times again.

I mean, I like Free Times and all but lighten up. I think this defensive reaction shows who has ties to what. Perhaps you are the reporters at Free Times, that apparently don't pick up the phone or leave the office. that would explain the report on a message board and your hostile posts. Run on over to the music reviewers cubical and tell him to keep up the good work. It's the only reason I still pick y'all up. Maybe try doing a better job on news, less sucking up, and less attacking people like me and you won't lose readers like us to other newspapers in town.

[Spartan]

What is this blog? I need to see a link. It looks to be something that was published, which we can't allow being posted here.

[larryfortnoy]

What is this blog? I need to see a link. It looks to be something that was published, which we can't allow being posted here.

It's a blog post off the paper's web site. Link deleted by moderator.

I read the paper every week, don't think it was published.

Although it would probably be a better cover story than Free Times cover this week on thier advertiser, Columbia Museum of Art.

LOL, just trying to cause trouble. Free Times is still great for seeing what is going on.

[larryfortnoy]

Wow!

You guys seem frightened that there's another newspaper in town.

Chill out. Documented evidence I read about in City Paper is the opposite of propaganda. Regurgitated water cooler talk of how Styx sucks months later, now that's just a sad attempt at reporting after the fact. I couldn't help but notice the straight news story on the bus system last week, more in depth and before Free Times again.

I mean, I like Free Times and all but lighten up. I think this defensive reaction shows who has ties to what. Perhaps you are the reporters at Free Times, that apparently don't pick up the phone or leave the office. that would explain the report on a message board and your hostile posts. Run on over to the music reviewers cubical and tell him to keep up the good work. It's the only reason I still pick y'all up. Maybe try doing a better job on news, less sucking up, and less attacking people like me and you won't lose readers like us to other newspapers in town.

I could be a reporter! I just googled waccamat and came up with his web site which he describes as: "Waccamatt's page has various photos of events and buildings in Columbia, SC including Three Rivers Music Festival and the South Carolina Gay and Lesbian ..."

At first I just thought he was a homophobe that hated the fact City Paper has a gay columnist, Dan Savage; but I guess waccamatt is just a big Three Rivers Music Festival supporter. NOT THAT THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

We should support events in Columbia but it sure looks like Bedford was clueless and a big mis spender of our taxpayer money.

[krazeeboi]

How do you get disdain for the City Paper from the fact it has a gay columnist??????? That's crazy. Simply put, the content of the paper is awful.

[larryfortnoy]

How do you get disdain for the City Paper from the fact it has a gay columnist??????? That's crazy. Simply put, the content of the paper is awful.

So, The new york times crossword is aweful?

David Axe, a Columbia native, a reporter in Iraq is aweful? I guess that means the Village Voice is aweful and the Washinton Times is also aweful since they also print his stuff.

Tedd Rall, a finalist for the pulitzer prize; is he aweful too? Any of your hateful message board posts that no one cares about.. they ever come up for a pulitzer?

I guess exposing an sexual harrassment case and secret settlement with public funds is also aweful?

I guess the fact that they left the office and covered Katrina first hand is also aweful?

I guess award winning writer Chris Mccarter's expose on child day care centers was also aweful?

I guess the expose on guiliani getting $80,000 to speak at a Tsunami benefit in Columbia was aweful?

I guess the most recent reports on S.C. being#1 for women killed by abusive partners or the recent story on Drilling on SC's coast was also aweful?

Face it. You are pissed because City Paper actually has content. Name one thing Free Times did in the past year. And I like Free Times for what it is, not wishing the fashion mag out of business.

So the other poster admittedly loved "Virgina Bedford to death"; which I wish he would do. She also sounds like a hateful person. What's your excuse for being so hateful to a community newspaper? You work for Free Times? Or you just sticking up for your fellow message board poster that also has no life? Either way, I suggest you take a cold hard look at your contributions to society because your posts certainly aren't leaving a mark.

I will thank you for making me curious to your unfounded hatred, I am really enjoying the issues I missed at Deleted

Feel free to reply, but I'm not getting sucked into the loserville that is messageboards. I think the City Paper and my comments stand for themselves. Peace! If they are that of a spammer then that is not a good sign. I have not read this paper you speak of, but I don't appreciate you spamming our forum with posts for it. monsoon

[waccamatt]

I could be a reporter! I just googled waccamat and came up with his web site which he describes as: "Waccamatt's page has various photos of events and buildings in Columbia, SC including Three Rivers Music Festival and the South Carolina Gay and Lesbian ..."

At first I just thought he was a homophobe that hated the fact City Paper has a gay columnist, Dan Savage; but I guess waccamatt is just a big Three Rivers Music Festival supporter. NOT THAT THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

We should support events in Columbia but it sure looks like Bedford was clueless and a big mis spender of our taxpayer money.

Well, Larry, just because TCP has a gay columnist doesn't mean I'm automatically going to like the paper. I don't think I said the paper was homophobic, I said it was negative. Not every article or section, but enough that it doesn't appeal to me. I defended Bedford because I know she put ALOT of work into making Three Rivers possible. Maybe she didn't get the best bands, but it wasn't because of lack of heart and determination. Instead of complaining, those who would prefer to see other bands perform or other changes to the festival should have volunteered. I've met Virginia Bedford a couple of times, but I don't know her well enough to be defending her due to a personal relationship. My complaint with TCP is that I deem it to be a very negative publication and I prefer Free Times. By the way, I have no association with Free Times, but Colaguy and Larrfortnoy certainly appear to be affiliated with The City Paper, since they just joined UP and their only comments thus far have been about that publication or attacking Three Rivers or Free Times.