by Sonia Karas
photo by Sonia Karas
The Bamboozle gates open and the fans rush in like a tsunami, full of underdressed and overexcited teens, some even opting to run to stages to secure the prized front row. I’m walking around casually before all this happens, taking note of the peaceful (for now) moment on the blacktop, sure to be one of the few I experience this weekend. As I look around at the vast display around me and it’s void finally being filled, it’s quite profound how grand this whole thing really is. Bamboozle is New Jersey, and all of these thousands of people are here to be a part of it.
New Jersey has always had a special music scene, home to bands like My Chemical Romance, The Gaslight Anthem and Thursday, it’s no secret that we breed musical prowess; “we’ve always had a good scene of bands, venues, [and] festivals” says Justin. As I make my way across the ground to peruse all the stages and tents, I stumble upon the Break Stage, which houses hand picked local unknowns who are sure to make a splash. Greg Diamond, behind the kit for New Jersey’s The Air I Breathe reminisced about his desire to break his way into the scene, just like the kids manning the Break Stage, “I remember 2007 or 2008…every awesome band at that time was playing. On the two smaller stages was A Day To Remember, Blessthefall, The Devil Wears Prada and stuff like that who are now huge. They were playing the smaller stages and I remember being front row, getting crazy crowd surfers, just loving it. Like I just hoped one day to be on that stage and today I got to do that”. The attention that the festival is able to bring to rising bands is exceptional, for you’ll be surprised at the kind of talent you’ll stumble upon.
That’s just part of the beauty of Bamboozle, and Kellin Quinn of Sleeping With Sirens tells me, “ sometimes you’ll get the people who are just passing by who are like “I can vibe to that”, and that’s sweet so you get to open up your sound a lot more, and there’s people that wouldn’t normally get to hear you, I think that’s important”. This was the first time I’d seen The Air I Breathe live, and without any doubt, they blew me away. No strangers to heavy riffs and chugging breakdowns, The Air I Breathe tore the crowd to pieces with their song “The Awakening”, which featured guitar solos so technical and lightning fast that my neck could hardly stand the beating it took banging to the rhythm. Kellin was spot on, for as I was shooting, I found more and more people shoving to the barricade to meet the sound which caught their attention.
The newcomers weren’t the only ones in the spotlight, because one thing’s for sure, Bamboozle knows how to do it big. Chris Cerulli, frontman of Motionless In White summed it up, “ They get like the craziest bands, like Lil’ Wayne and A Day To Remember on the same stage, it’s crazy. It’s awesome, It’s just a way to bring so many people in one spot and have them be exposed to all different kinds of music. That’s to me what music is about, discovery”. Bamboozle seems to be the only place you can go to be charmed by Bruno Mars, and then annihilated by Knuckle Up! in the same day. There’s beauty in the power that music has, for it truly brings people together; at exactly 9:15 p.m. on Sunday, every single being at the Meadowlands crowded together for one final act- the illustrious Lil’ Wayne. The energy swarming the air was an experience in itself, the pure volume of life around me was incredible.
The festival offers such a unique atmosphere; just by walking between different stages you can see a smaller band and get a close and intimate performance, or you can hit the main stage and become part of the party amongst the massive crowd. The dynamic benefits all the artists, because with diversity draws bigger and newer crowds for bands, as Justin Collier of Man Overboard describes, “I mean it’s always cool to play in front of a really big crowd that we don’t normally get to play in front of”. Having all the big names meshing with the lesser known items grants bands exposure unlike anywhere else, a treasure in today’s scene, flooded with millions of “bands” comprised of some dudes with Garageband. Motionless In White put to shame those wanna-be rockstars, fueled by a mission of not only getting heavy, but to actually have a deeper impact on their fans, “I always wanted to do something that music did for me, like reach someone or cause a reaction, get them [the fans] to get some sort of feeling out of what they’re listening to, or what was being said to them… so I believe that whenever there’s a microphone in my hand I should say something that fucking means something”, says Chris. I firmly believe that it’s crucial to the survival of music to embrace bands like Motionless In White, who strive to be more than just music- regardless of what bands grace your ipod, Cerulli’s mission is noble and honest, something which we all should appreciate.
These are the sort of treasures one is bound to stumble upon on the average day at Bamboozle, for at every moment there is something new to be seen. Between the free amusements rides, dozens of merch tents, and 8 stages of music, there is no such thing as a dull moment. Justin Collier, a first year Bamboozle-goer broke down his view of the festival for me; “To me, Bamboozle is like a really long day where you don’t get to eat, you never know what’s going on, your schedule is all over the place and it’s like crazy and hectic, but it’s also really cool to be a part of. It’s kind of life a whirlwind”. This surely isn’t a festival for the faint of heart, it takes some serious weekend warriors to make it through all three days, which honestly adds to the fun. There’s just nothing like it; a three day marathon of some of today’s biggest music, sweeping you from day to night with show after show after show. “There’s just so many more people, it’s just all together a different monster. Festival shows are so busy and hectic, I mean, there’s just so much going on. It’s a lot different than just showing up to the same tour every day and playing a club, ya know?” says Chris, attesting to the fact that this is most certainly no ordinary concert.
Bamboozle’s unique traits make it a staple in New Jersey culture, an event that attracts those far beyond our borders, “the crows here are pretty eclectic, like there’s kids from all over, the guy who put out our record in Japan is here, our label that’s based in the west coast Rise is here, there’s kids from the UK. So it’s like crazy, there’s kids from all over so it’s kinda cool”, says Justin. The power to draw together so many different people with one universal similarity- the love of music, creates a community atmosphere; it’s as if we become one giant family for the weekend. Greg adds, “[there’s] people from Massachusetts, Ohio, we know people who came from Florida to see us. It’s really just like everyone comes together for this”, and he’s right, people do come together for this. As I walk through the crowd I frequently spot kids with “free hugs” written on their bodies, willing to embrace any stranger who needs a little bit of lovin’. To Kellin, it’s about “Just coming out and having a lot of fun for three days”. There are no judgements here, we’re all here because we love music, and regardless of what clothes you’re wearing or how your hair looks, I’ll rock out to my favorite song right next to you. It’s all about getting together with old friends, celebrating music and making a few new buds along the way.
One thing no one can deny is that the diversity that Bamboozle offers is unrivaled, even by a similar concert series, The Vans Warped Tour. “Bamboozle is different, you can ask any band. It’s like Warped Tour on crack, it’s just…it’s awesome”, perfectly put by Greg. Despite the fact that my feet are sore, my back aches and I’m sunburnt to the point that I might be mistaken for a lobster, I’m saddened that the weekend seems to have passed so quickly. In perspective, the long days were actually quite sweet; I watched Anthony Green sing down the sun, A Day To Remember light up the night sky and Forever The Sickest Kids wish me a good morning. I sang, I danced, I screamed, I moshed (well, I tried atleast), I explored, and most importantly, I lived. The deafening beat of the bass drum made it’s way through by bones, thumping from the towers of speakers, which sent my heart into an ecstasy. There is something about getting lost in a song, letting go of the world around you and submitting to the sounds that’s profound beyond explanation. These moments when I’m lost for words, I cherish, and it’s without a doubt that every single person at Bamboozle shares that same feeling.
Sonia Karas
photo by Sonia Karas