Lost Lands 2018 was a wild ride- there were some really amazing points, and some really not so amazing points. After speaking with a lot of the fans last year during and after the event, there were some major areas of concern that needed to be addressed. I’m happy to say that it seems like the team really took some of those concerns to heart for Lost Lands 2019. For those of you who caught my photographer, @taylor_thehuman, you can find all the pictures she took over on my ‘Faces of Lost Lands‘ album on Facebook! Tag your friends!
The New Route? Yay or Nay?
Last year getting into the venue was a total disaster- from Thursday to Friday there were constant issues and the lines honestly took FORever. However, for 2019 the team at LL decided to switch things up. Not only did they create a whole new route, but they also added another day for campers to enter and set up their sites. Although the lines were a little long (tbh how can they not be when you have tens of thousands of people converging on the same site) but they were much more manageable this year.
Security & Car Checks
Another big complaint from 2018 was the security team and the process of car checks last year. There were many people who told me about security being completely out-right unfriendly in 2018. Taking prescription medications, tearing entire cars apart for no reason and then expecting attendees to repack their car, and many people experiencing security harassing and scaring them into admitting they have prohibited goods in their car, even after clearly stating they have nothing.
I’m very happy to announce that I didn’t hear about this for 2019. It seems like the team really took the time to not only find a solid security group that was comfortable with festival checks, which honestly makes all the difference! After speaking with a lot of attendees, the change in security mentality really went a long way toward them feeling safer on the grounds.
Getting Into the Campgrounds/ Organization
This year it looks like the team filled in the campgrounds differently than they did last year, and in turn, avoiding the unfortunate issue they ran into last year when they flat out ran out of camping space. On Friday last year they tried to tell me there wasn’t any more space for us so we needed to leave the grounds and stay somewhere else- needless to say after paying for a camping spot I was furious and REFUSED to leave until they accommodated us in the grounds. However, I’m happy to say that there were no reports of us running out of room this year! #win
There was plenty of space this year for campers and their gear, which is important. Not to mention, they also took high precaution for camper safety by ensuring fire lanes and exit routes were accessible. The fire marshalls came onsite to make anyone move their gear or cars to ensure those lanes were clera and safe. This was a huge concern in 2018 as campers simply threw tents and gear up anywhere, creating extreme safety issues as people started leaving the venue on Sunday, and resulted in a camper getting runover during exit last year.
Activities, Shopping, Food
Something that I found surprising in 2018 was the lack of things to do in the actual campgrounds. Unlike at other festivals, LL didn’t provide any activities on the grounds outside of their ‘Main Street’ which is where you found vendors and food during the day. This year they upped their game and created “The Village” which was the location for more vendors, as well as more diverse food options! Outside of The Village, there were also opportunities for attendees to go and hang out in The Grove. Although they weren’t able to add more spaces for hammocks, they did provide Yoga classes which yanno- who DOESN’T like a solid yoga class? You know I’m here for it. The Grove was also where the Producers Den was held.
Producers Den
This is something that I know a lot of people really loved. This was an additional cost on top of tickets, but from what I’ve gathered 100% worth it. The producer den gave attendees insight on how to create, brand and market their music from top name artists like Herobust, Dion Timmer, Hesh, and Subtronics. Talk about getting the ultimate industry insight, right?
Inside the Venue
Just like in previous years, there were two main stages inside the venue. This year the main stage boasted not only several more prehistoric animals but also several more screens! Not to mention there was also a mini-stage off to the side of the mainstage for sound camps. One big new feature inside this year was the AstroDome. A huge, 360-degree dome that provided high-end visual art that some would say would take you on a beautiful trip. Not to mention the line was hella-long all weekend long so it was obviously popular.
Something that I heard frequently throughout the event was how amazing it was to meet and see so many artists wandering around. Of course, just because they’re performing doesn’t mean they don’t want to jam and vibe in the crowds too. There were several artists walking around openly, but also several wandering around ‘incognito’.
Sound Camps Made Safer
This was likely the biggest change made to LL this year. In 2018, Soun Camps were an utter shit-show. There was no security so people were in free-for-all mode. I knew it was going to be wild when I saw people carrying in cases of beer and air mattresses. For 2019, Sound Camps moved into the venue, providing a little more security and safety for attendees. However, unlike last year, the stages were relatively spread out throughout the entire venue. The mainstage Sound Camp was like a free-for all for DJ’s, with so many as 30 at a time of the Headliners from the event playing b2b2b2b. The only complaint was that the sound system didn’t seem like it was quite as loud as last year though. But, maybe for the best. RIP to my eardrums, iykyk.
Health & Safety- MAJOR Upgrades
Something that’s a big talking point about festivals is health and safety. Ensuring that attendees are able to stay safe while still enjoying themselves is the highest importance at a festival. For LL 2019, the team extended the opportunity to share safety with attendees by creating the Headbanger Helpers program. These were teams of people walking around the venue passing out waters as well as getting help for anyone in need of some peer to peer assistance.
Another HUGE topic around festivals is the number of deaths at those events. Albeit, it’s a grim thought, but people seem to be obsessed with the topic. I’m proud to share that there were no deaths at LL in 2019. Yes, there were two unfortunate souls that were struck by lightning on the second night while holding down their canopy. BUT I am proud to share, they survived, and even came back to the event after discharge to continue raging. Good on-ya guys!
Conclusion
Overall, it seems like Lost Lands 2019 really brought together some amazing people and music. The fans were beyond stoked not only to have some more things to do inside the venue, but the lineup also boasted sets that no other lineup can claim. Although the resounding thoughts and feelings from headbangers were that they enjoyed the event, there was also a resounding complaint that they felt ticket prices skyrocketed this year. Of course, we understand that in order to make a festival better we must implement change and those changes aren’t always free. However, the majority of attendees that I spoke with told me they highly hope prices will go back down for the 2020 event as prices this year, were teetering on being way too high.
