In January this year, a slew of news went around the globe about the apparent evil-ness of Coachella’s organisers. Today, the terms with which South By South West allows international artists to play on their lineup emerged. Two of the world’s biggest festivals apparently have some diabolical dealings going on behind the scenes, but this isn’t new.
Like the terms and conditions on your iTunes account, these festivals have always run under the same rules, under the same people. But in an age where activism is standard and more people are speaking out against their governments and other infrastructure systems than ever, are we on the precipice of an age where action actually becomes change?
Shady dealings upon shady dealings: are we on the precipice of a new age of transparency in which corporate evil is actually called out?
Here’s one video condemning Coachella organisers for their reported funding of anti-LGBT and hate groups:
The more recent news comes from SXSW artist Todd Slant, who made public the contract they was sent by the festival in the leadup to their performance:
After looking through this contract sent to me by sxsw I have decided to cancel Told Slant’s performance at the festival pic.twitter.com/rI2Xv0duJl
— Told Slant (@Felixixix666) March 2, 2017
Coachella has long been managed by the same team, and as Stereogum points out, the clause Todd Slant mentions is not a new one, although it bears highlighting due to Donald Trump’s recent travel ban.
Trump is basically the human incarnation of a terms and conditions contract, a series of hardass statements which are completely transparent. The only difference is that you’re forced to read these ones.
What has previously been hidden in America behind closed doors is finally in the media, and given Trump’s place on the world stage, the world is adapting.
Are we approaching a time where protest isn’t buried under the massive companies being assaulted by these allegations? If we didn’t already know it, the next few years will be tumultuous indeed.