I have a love/hate relationship with Firefly. And I'm sorry to say, this relationship is not as loving as it used to be. OK, I guess the attraction will always be there. I still anxiously check the lineup every year, and a great Firefly bill gets me plenty excited. But even though it’s great to be back, especially after a long year of Covid-related delays, I find myself pining for the way things used to be...
Let's start with the road trip. If you're coming from the New York City area, for example, it's possible to reach Dover, Delaware in about three and a half hours, and it's a pretty nice cruise for most of the way. But the lodging options near Firefly are not very lavish or wildly convenient. Most years, we've ended up in hotels or motels with a nice view of the highway and/or some fast food parking lot. And even after you've checked in, getting to The Woodlands is a real hassle. The walk through The Dover International Speedway feels like the parking lot that never ends.
The venue itself is pretty rad. I'm a sucker for live music in a woodsy setting, whether it's Firefly, Bonnaroo or Outside Lands. Moving the fest from June to September was a logical gamble that paid off. The weather was incredibly cooperative this year, not nearly as sticky as previous years.
Maybe the fest is still adjusting from Covid-related headaches, but a lot of the usual inconveniences seemed amplified. The lines seemed to get longer, the drinks seemed to get smaller, and the bathrooms seemed to get smellier. I don't want to gripe about crowd size, because of course festival organizers just want to maximize their ticket sales, but I dare say Firefly was never meant to be this big. I had the good fortune to be at the first Firefly back in 2012- and that show was still the best time I've ever had in the state of Delaware. Back in '12, The Killers, The Black Keys and Jack White delivered fantastic headlining sets to a relatively small, comfortable, jubilant crowd. I haven't followed exact attendance records, but I'm guessing the crowd is literally five times bigger now. The Killers played again this year, but the experience is very different when you're trying to see over 50,000 other heads.
That brings me to the music. Firefly still lands great artists. Billie Eilish's set alone was one for the books. I was one of the fortunate few with a great view of the stage, so I was perfectly comfortable, and the acoustics were fantastic. Watching Billie's performance with a cold beer was easily the highlight of the weekend- even if I had to fight the crowd while rocking out.
Machine Gun Kelly's set was shorter than advertised, but he still got the crowd bouncing. Nelly looked energized, for a string of throwback bangers. Tame Impala have one of the most reliable, danceable, crowd-pleasing sets in the business.
But again, I can't help but feel this way: The Firefly experience has become a bit routine. I've been on and off with this fest for ten years now, and next year I might need some time to myself. That being said, let's wait and see who's on the bill... -BRI