It's been two days since my return from the Pemberton Festival, and I've been ill with a sinus infection on both days.
Despite the festival having serious first-time kinks, and I'm referring to the traffic and on-site garbage issues, it really was an amazing event. It seems almost surreal to have seen Coldplay in such a lush setting, or to have been blown away by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - a band that could teach newer acts a trick or two about class and longevity.
Post-festival traffic was not good, it took our van three and a half hours to get from Whistler to Vancouver. Ideally, it should take about 90 minutes. We stopped in the town of Squamish to stretch our legs and festival-goers were filing out of fast-food restaurants in droves.
The line for The Crystal Method show on Sunday was unbelievable, definitely a mile long outside the Bacardi B-live tent. I didn't even get to see Matisyahu's set because I was at the front of the main stage watching Death Cab for Cutie. Incidentally, I met a lot of DCFC fans who were also at their PNE concert with Franz Ferdinand three years ago (or was it two?). Members of DCFC were around the media tent early Sunday doing interviews and saying hi.
Among the off-the-wall rumors that drifted my way was that Jay-Z had reportedly canceled, only to be substituted by a collaborative set featuring Eric Clapton and Justin Timberlake. Huh?
I wish that I could've blogged more from Pemberton, but there weren't available computer stations as expected and it's a hassle at times getting a laptop in and out of international customs. So I apologize for the anemic coverage. It'll be planned better in 2009, promise. I do have a "best in show" piece and full review of Coldplay printed in our newspaper on Friday, going online Saturday - so look for that if you're interested.
Interestingly, I'm re-packing and headed back to Vancouver tomorrow for exclusive coverage of Pride. If you've been reading these Pemberton posts, start saving up for next year's festival because it's likely going to surpass this one.
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