Camp Bisco

"No one would let us headline their festival, so we made our own," says Jon Gutwillig of the Disco Biscuits, reports Seth Schiesel in the New York Times (7/22/10). That was more than ten years ago, when Jon and his bandmates grew tired of getting only the afternoon slots at music festivals when they wanted to close the show. Nine hundred fans showed up for Camp Bisco, their first "jamtronica" festival in 1999. This year, they drew "as many as 15,000" fans as well as corporate sponsors including Coca-Cola and Sony Electronics.

Peter Shapiro of Relix magazine says Camp Bisco is an idea whose time has come: "The big record deal doesn’t really exist anymore," he explains. "All bands make their living by touring now, and what’s the epitome of touring? Your own festival. Instead of you going to your fans, they come to you. You can invite your base and also invite other bands that are aligned with your audience and build that way." Fans paid $150 each to attend the weekend-long Camp Bisco, which reportedly took in "at least a few million dollars."

Coke was also there with a Coke Zero trailer offering "an elevated view of the stage, and a Sony PlayStation compound included dozens of game kiosks." Sony’s Ginger Kraus comments: "Festivals like Camp Bisco provide us with the unique opportunity to interact with a diverse range of consumers who are passionate about music and entertainment, as well as our brand." Aron Magner of the Disco Biscuits explains: "We’re not giving away shampoo to everyone or allowing in-your-face corporate marketing like that, but if sponsors are willing to deliver something that enhances the overall experience for the fans, that’s something we can appreciate."