Freezing Man festival

Hallsy's Toupee · #1 Posted **Dec 5, 2010, 5:10 PM**

This sounds sooo cool (no pun intended)

Link to story:

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/trave...874/story.html

Warm up to hot bands at Freezing Man
Edmonton's answer to Burning Man pulls together indie music, outdoor carnival to generate a much-needed mid-winter blaze of fun

Quote:

Imagine riding a ferris wheel at Edmonton's Capital Ex, watching an extreme sports competition, taking in a fashion show, then heading to the beer gardens for a pint before enjoying top bands like Chromeo, Broken Social Scene and Stars.

Now imagine doing all that outside when it's -30 C.

OK, it might not be that cold come Saturday, Jan. 29, but you'll still want to bundle up before you head to Northlands Expo Centre for the first Freezing Man Festival, a one-day celebration of all things fun, frozen and musical. A twist on Burning Man, the quirky alt-culture gathering that unfolds under the scorching sun of the Nevada desert every year, Freezing Man is the brainchild of a man who also hails from far warmer climes than Edmonton.

Quote:

The idea for a winter festival seemed the natural choice, says Gaiman, given Edmonton's reputation as a festival city. Created around the explosive popularity of electro and indie music, and with a huge carnival component, Freezing Man was born.

The carnival events -- the rides are "green" and powered by biodiesel fuels -- will take place outside from noon to 6 p.m., when crowds will move indoors to hear the bands. Other performers include Dragonette and Shout Out Out Out Out, DJ Kaskade, Toronto MC K-OS, and Major Lazer, starring producers/ DJs Diplo and Switch, who also worked on M.I.A.'s most recent album, Maya.

Initially, it will be local interest that drives the success of Freezing Man, says Gaiman, but not for long. Footage from the festival will be streamed around the world afterwards.

"People around the world will see not just the music, but they'll see the city, too, and what happens outdoors in a winter city," he says.

"It may take a year or two, but as we move on I can easily see people from San Francisco, Chicago, New York and L.A. coming here, too."

CMD UW · #2 Posted **Dec 5, 2010, 6:03 PM**

Yes it does...this is exactly how we need to 'embrace' our climate. The line-up of acts is top notch too.

mcc16 · #3 Posted **Dec 5, 2010, 6:18 PM**

bought my tickets a couple weeks ago.

Main show will be indoors though i think/hope...just the day time activities will be outdoors.

unbjames · #4 Posted **Dec 6, 2010, 7:48 AM**

clever concept ... will be interested in seeing the stream, the juxtaposition should be interesting, considering I'm in Thailand/SE Asia this winter!

S_B_Russell · #5 Posted **Dec 6, 2010, 9:03 AM**

Good idea. Hopefully it's well supported.

Coldrsx · #6 Posted **Dec 6, 2010, 3:52 PM**

Not a fan of the location for events like this are about the 'environment' as much as the 'experience'.

Louise Mckinney, Kinsmen, Hawrelak...

Great idea though and stellar lineup

Hallsy's Toupee · #7 Posted **Dec 6, 2010, 5:45 PM**

^ Or Churchill Square

Airboy · #8 Posted **Dec 6, 2010, 6:05 PM**

Churchill square would be an ideal site. That and setting up some of the rides in Louise McKinney would add a festive air to the valley.

Xelebes · #9 Posted **Dec 6, 2010, 7:36 PM**

Well, isn't Burning Man in the middle of a desert?

240glt · #10 Posted **Dec 6, 2010, 7:51 PM**

I assume that it's at Northlands 'cause that's where they do their other big shows, the infrastructure is all there, the access is good plus Borden park is right there so additional venues could be added

Perish the thought that the downtown dwellers have to travel outside their 4 block comfort zones to see a show... and to the North-east no less!

Coldrsx · #11 Posted **Dec 6, 2010, 10:31 PM**

^dude, get off that for everything.

Really cool concerts have venue atmosphere, even if -25... while this is a logical venue, it does not instill an atmosphere outside of the event itself.

Imagine the folkfest there.

get it

240glt · #12 Posted **Dec 7, 2010, 4:25 PM**

I see nothing wrong with Northlands as a Venue for this event, given the time of year, crowds and type of event.

You need to be more openminded and accepting of other areas of this city. This 'downtown or be damned" attitude is counterproductive and selfish. My area is exactly like yours in terms of how it is perceived by most Edmontonians, if you'd ever spent any time here asside for getting in & out from hockey games as fast as you can you'd know that.

Coldrsx · #13 Posted **Dec 7, 2010, 4:49 PM**

^dude, again, I am all for accepting other areas of our city and quite enjoy exploring/patroning many central neighbourhoods.

I dont disagree it is a great venue, but IF this wants to become a true annual festival that draws people coming for an experience, it HAS chosen the wrong location IMO.

This is a festival venue with an experience attached

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FkAI_ee_eB...or_center1.jpg)

so is this (base of whistler/black)

(http://blogs.away.com/.a/6a00e5502bb...828b970c-800wi)

and this...

(http://www.davidfrancey.com/images/fest05mp99.jpg)

but this?

mcc16 · #14 Posted **Dec 7, 2010, 6:25 PM**

You guys do realize this is an indoor/ outdoor festival right? That is why they chose northlands. So northlands is in fact the best available venue. It is easy to control access to the site and once you are on site you can easily move back and forth between indoor/outdoor activities. The only other site that would be similar would be the shaw and louisse mckinney park. I'm sure the organizers have their reasons for picking northlands. I'm personally not concerned with the venue. As long as the programming/activities/dj's/art...is good, then i'm sure it will be a great day.

SHOFEAR · #15 Posted **Dec 7, 2010, 7:42 PM**

By placing it at Northlands, instead of a festival it becomes just another concert. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it does nothing to help convince Edmontonians to get out and enjoy winter.

Coldrsx · #16 Posted **Dec 7, 2010, 8:04 PM**

^It does create another event to get them out and man what a lineup, but it fails to take advantage of some very unique potential venues that would truly separate this, as you say, from 'a festival it just becomes another concert'.

240glt · #17 Posted **Dec 7, 2010, 8:50 PM**

And why can't northlands be developed to host such events ? We just spent $350+ million on the place building porbably one of the nicest cenvention and exhibition spaces in western Canada, This event is going to have a midway -type component and there is a huge and beautful park right next to it. I don't see any reason why this can't thrive at Northlands.

Then again just the word "Northlands" brings the hate with this crowd for some reason... it's an incredible facility. Lets use it more, not less.

Coldrsx · #18 Posted **Dec 7, 2010, 9:05 PM**

^Again, don't disagree... wonderful new facility, but to me (and many i would believe) festivals are as much about the experience and location as it is about the music.

alas, I will leave it alone now, but they have a killer idea, great lineup, and a parking lot.

canucklehead2 · #19 Posted **Mar 2, 2011, 12:01 AM**

I went this year and it was definitely a mixed success... Besides the line up, which was pretty decent, especially Chromeo and Dragonette, having a self-contained indoor event was good since you could check your coat and just relax and not worry about crap like that but yes it did miss that seasonal festive atmosphere an outdoor winter concert would have... Than again the weather on the day was -25, so it was probably a good thing...

If they did again, this time outdoors I'd suggest a late winter outdoor date or at least a hell of a lot of warming huts/activities or outdoor heaters...