The Future is Here

The atmosphere is one of unrestrained feverishness. Although all in attendance are would-be strangers, for the next several hours they will move, drink and dance as if they had known each other for years. This is the Future Music Festival, where clubbers come out from hiding in dank, murky nightclubs and into the day, overrunning the park and transforming it into a musical playground.

As the crowd moves into the park it disperses into splinter groups, each breaking off to see various acts only to reconvene at the main stage. The crowd moves as one, no longer individuals but a sole entity surging to the dizzying beats of the music.

The majority of the revelers are 18-30 and follow the philosophy of Generation Y; live in the now. Social rules are fluid, only restricted by the edict of the festival organisers. It’s do as you please, not as you should. The dress code is sporatic; some wear the stock standard singlet, shorts and thongs and some are clad in eccentric, idiosyncratic garb. The only constant is hyper colour and wayfarer sunglasses.

The stronger-willed take on a drill sergeant approach, herding their group with shrill commands. The like-minded follow along whilst the inebriated fall behind. Communication is soon reduced to short, sharp sentences and frantic hand signals, with an ominous hum of incoming text messages filling the air.

The music evokes tidal waves of emotion. People turn to hug their friends declaring that they’ll “never forget this!” only to erase the memory with copious amounts of hard liquor. The songs bring the crowd into a cult-like state, chanting the lyrics as if they were anthems unto their own sovereignty.

As the sun set on the last set of the day, the enthusiastic trek to the next part of the festival, the after party which ironically, takes them back to where they began; the nightclubs. The streets become a moving rave with songs from earlier that day are slurred and stumbled through rather than sang and there is frantic dancing at every red light.

The line for admittance is probably the first break anyone has had all day and it appears to be difficult to stop completely. People push against the walls to hear the pulsating beats from inside and others attempt to create a dance floor on the pavement. Once again the crowd are all for one and one for all. People share around anything from water, to chewing gum to cigarettes.

Inside, the atmosphere is a more intimate imitation of the festival. Music from the same artists blast from the speakers but instead of the playground earlier, the party is now confined within walls. It is apparent that their world without rules is slipping, as the bouncers and bar staff slowly bring the crowd back to reality with threats of eviction and refusal of entry, not to mention the dreaded notion of the sun rising, ending the event undoubtedly.

The crowd, disheveled and exhausted file out back into the streets but now, they simply move into taxis or remove their shoes for the walk home. Future is over and it’s back to the real world.

- Paige Richards

18 Mar 2011, 11:14am Blog Street by admin
1 comment

One Response to “The Future is Here”

1. Melbourne Made ROCKERZ says:

   June 9, 2011 at 3:47 am

   Here it comes again, you just got me pumped ready to go out