Should music festivals ban bare chests?

[Nude_not_rude]

http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/should-festivals-ban-shirtlessness/story-e6frfn10-1225829587313

Should music festivals ban bare chests?

    * By Entertainment Reporter, Alison Stephenson
    * From: news.com.au
    * February 12, 2010 10:15AM
    * 228 comments

    * Good Vibes won't follow ban
    * Other festivals refuse to implement policy
    * More: Killers cancel Good Vibrations slot
    * Gallery: Some of our favourite shirtless shots

GOOD Vibrations festival has no plans to implement a no shirts off policy despite an overwhelming show of support after a national festival took a stance against shirtless revellers in November.

Stereosonic, touted as Australia's fastest growing music festival enforced a strict “tops on” policy, which drew much praise from fans online, but other festivals are yet to follow suit.

While Good Vibrations organisers will allow revellers to roam shirt-free, John Wall, director of Fuzzy - who organises major festivals Parklife and Field Day - admits he can see where the initiative came from, despite not enforcing it at their events.

"We agree with the policy in principle as long as it’s handled in a nice way and isn’t heavy handed," said Mr Wall.

"A lot of people, especially girls, don’t like seeing guys with no shirts at parties - it was like that back in the 90's and nothing’s changed. We have a similar policy."

A spokesperson for Future Entertainment, who didn't want to be identified said the shirts off policy, while popular, was simply a stunt.

"I'm told this policy wasn't actually enforced at Stereosonic - good publicity stunt though!" the spokesperson said.

While the music festival's website warned “Anyone inside the event not wearing a top (singlet, t-shirt etc…) will have their wristband removed and will be ejected from the event”, the policy wasn't strictly enforced.

"Most people respected our standing, some didn’t but that’s really up to them. We weren’t going to kick people out it was something we hoped people respected and 99 per cent of our patrons did,' said John Curtin, Brand Manager of OneLove events, which manages Stereosonic.

"We are only trying to make it an amazing and comfortable setting to enjoy. One of the major things we had people say was that they felt threatened by guys walking around with their tops off and also people accidentally getting bumped by sweaty guys."

The policy at the five-city event, which drew 30,000 fans in Sydney alone, garned much coverage across the web.

Thousands of fans lobbied for all major music festivals to enforce such a policy through Facebook, Twitter and music websites.

Elise Tunney, 20, will be attending Good Vibrations in Sydney tomorrow had hoped organisers would follow Stereosonic's example.

"It's an awesome idea and about time every festival did it," Tunney said.

"There's nothing worse than dancing about and having the topless guy in front of you step back, pressing his sweaty back firmly against your face. It's the worst thing about festivals, it's disgusting."

23-year-old Alex Summers agrees: "Festivals are soon becoming attention-seekers conventions and this is a step in the right direction, it keeps people sun smart as well."

But 21-year-old Jacob Mooney, who attended at least five festivals this summer, including Stereosonic, felt it was a violation of rights.

"It just stereotypes guys in general, just because someone is in good shape and decides not to wear a shirt it doesn't mean they're an idiot, or will go looking to 'punch on,'" he said.

"Ninety per cent of my friends go shirtless, not to be show ponies, but its 33 degrees in the sun, and its a friggen' festival, who cares what you wear. I don't think a singlet is going to make much difference to someone in the middle of a moshpit with 10,000 other people."

Curtin insists the policy is no different to a club enforcing a dress code, and by entering the event you agree to abide by their terms and conditions.

"We are also a licenced event and like RSL clubs, bars and clubs we want to make the licensed areas as comfortable as possible. You wear a shirt at a club, so you should at a festival as well."

Big Day Out and Good Vibrations organisers declined to comment.

What do you think? Should all music lovers be forced to wear a shirt?

228 comments on this story

I think wear it, don't wear it, it's up to you. Brushing up against other punters is unavoidable in the mosh pit. If you don't like it, don't go there.

[Sik]

What a shame, this is ridiculous. 

Aren't music festivals supposed to be all about optionally clothed happy hippies? :P

[Danee]

I don't know...
I mean, I can certainly see what the female responders are saying, and it IS a mix of different people too.  I don't have any issue with fit guys w/out their shirts on at a music festival for sure or nudity, as many allow in certain areas of course, but I do see their point too and it is something that has been asked for by thousands, as it says. So, sorry bois, if you are fit, sure, take of those tees but strangers in the pit (not that I go in there now), all sweaty and such.....not sure! 

[brandon]

Maybe it's not a big problem in the UK, but here in Texas, it can get pretty hot, and no one wants to be stuck wearing a sweat-drenched T.

At an outdoor concert I went to, at the end of the concert, the girl next to me, who had been dancing through the whole show, gave me a big good-bye hug. Her shirt was drenched in sweat, and I was like, "ewww".

Shirtless is much better, at least the sweat might evaporate if the humidity is less than 90%. And it should be equal opportunity shirtless.

Well, there should be one rule:  If you want to go shirtless, you need to have shaved your chest hair, if any. :P

[Alex]

No, no they shouldn't.

[Nude_not_rude]

Well, there should be one rule:  If you want to go shirtless, you need to have shaved your chest hair, if any. :P

Why? I can understand with females  , but males??

[Fitz1980]

What a bunch of stuffy sounding organizers, and for a rock festival no less.  They shouldn't be talking about banning male shirtlessness.  They should be talking about encouraging shirtlessness for everyone; male and female.

[Danee]

I guess Im the lone supporter of it here, thus far.

[Sik]

What a bunch of stuffy sounding organizers, and for a rock festival no less.  They shouldn't be talking about banning male shirtlessness.  They should be talking about encouraging shirtlessness for everyone; male and female.

 

[jeep]

I dont agree with the anti shirtless policy. But can see where the girls are coming from re the sight of a beer bellied sweety Ozzy reveler. But then i am an advocate for both genders being able to go topless (And bottomless as well if i had my way) and we shouldn't really say only the good looking ones can have the freedoms and the ugly ones have to have special rules. Other wise we would soon be saying only good looking nudists need apply at the clubs. But i will conceed that the hot ones are more appealing to the eye as well LOL

[Ash196]

I have seen a couple of pictures in a magazine of people going topless or nude at Glastonbury - although admittedly that was a number of years ago (1996/7?) and I don't know if rules have been tightened up since then. I don't know if that's a common thing, as I don't go to music festivals, but I doubt that some people (i.e. those who really want to) would refrain from going shirtless just because it's cold!

And regarding the policy (if I were a festival attender), I wouldn't mind at all which option was chosen (shirts on or shirts off) as long as the policy applies equally to everyone. I would respect the decision of the organisers. Of course, I would personally prefer shirtless for all (trying to pull off a soaked top is horrible), but I would tolerate anything that keeps the majority of people feeling comfortable and able to enjoy themselves. Music festivals should be places of high energy and enjoyment, and if the majority of people are uncomfortable, it could turn out to be a bit of a disaster!

I do agree with Brandon on the chest hair, though I'd even go as far as to say that both chest and stomach hair should go. I'm thankful that I'm almost hairless there, as I never really liked the look or feel of torso hair. It always reminds me of the feeling of moss under my feet when I go into the water at a stony beach, for some reason. I think that the sensation is kinda strange, but I don't quite know how my brain came to associate those two things!

I'm weird.

[simonalexander2005]

I have to agree that I don't think it should be dictated either way - unless there's a genuine hygine reason, etc - but if the organisers do decide to impose a rule, it should be the same for everyone and properly enforced.

[Dario Western]

I think the girls are being too prissy.  I've only ever gone topless at one music festival back in 1999, and it was no big deal.  If you're so frightened of being pressed against or hit on by guys at music festivals then don't go to them if you don't know how to deal with it. 

I've also heard that Barefest is on the verge of being cancelled due to poor ticket sales as I write this. 

[Dario Western]

See this thread too: http://www.scenemagazine.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1607&start=0

[Dario Western]

I can handle the naked, but not drunk and sweaty - grossss!!