Why I can’t wait for our Apple Crisp Music Festival

By Owen Fernley (of The Gertrudes, TimKnightUs)

EDITOR’S NOTE: Apple Crisp is planning a new music festival to take place March 2009

We dropped off our application at a crafts fair. The location was in a church basement somewhere north-east of Mount Royal in Montreal. The application was hidden in a bright red paper pinnate. It glowed red-hot in the backseat of our car as we drove up the night before. It was filled with candy and an answer to the festival’s question of why community is so important in these times of rampant individualism and an iPod-obsessed culture.

Although our answer was already sealed inside, the organizers at POP Montreal had their own vision clearly on display as we stood in the middle of a Saturday Afternoon craft sale well underway. Rows and rows of stalls greeted us. Hand pressed t-shirts and concert poster designs, jewelry and knit-wear too. People here were all too happy to skip the mall and enjoy the talents and hard work of their own community. We spent over an hour wandering around the basement that winter afternoon. Ian bought a T-shirt of a lamppost lit up. Chris picked a poster for his apartment, and I came back with a hand-made book that I have read several times since. Here, individuals came together to share their talent and personality. And we were excited. The craft fair, like a great performance by a good band, represented the best of a vibrant community.

Whether it was the candy or the words enclosed, the organizers decided we should play their festival this past October. Like a happy dinner party, you invite your friends, make them feel comfortable in your home, and enjoy a great meal. It was a lesson in hosting. The organizers set up in a large house, maybe an old embassy, and filled it with art from the community. Bike rentals for the city, drink tickets for the lounge, with a DJ and ping-pong too. After reading their ‘zines and enjoying their art, we went off to our bar and introduced ourselves. We were taken care of. People came out. We played and watched other bands play too and it was great.

This is a celebration of a healthy community hosting healthy communities. You can tell if a band comes from a good community. You can tell if you are a part of a good community. There are many examples within our grey and familiar limestone city. Colourful individuals add character and momentum to initiatives larger than themselves. And once things are moving, nothing is more fun and deserving than a festival. See you all soon.