LIV music and art festival
Posted on 17. Jun, 2010 by Sarah Nieman in op-ed, play
words > SARAH NIEMAN
LIV Fest (pronounced as an acronym, “el-eye-vee”) may seem like just another musical festival; Wichita has many music festivals, it’s true. But while other music festivals come and go, this brand new, locally grown music and art festival will offer you a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with your some of your favorite local, regional, and national musicians.
“LIV is the Roman Numeral for 54, in reference to Highway 54 (Kellogg) that runs over the south end of the Commerce Arts District, where the festival will be held. LIV is also used as an acronym for ‘Live In the Vortex,’ in reference to the Allen Ginsberg poem ‘Wichita Vortex Sutra.’”
Adam Hartke is the brain behind this operation, or, more accurately, the heart. One of the biggest differences between LIV Fest and other music festivals around town are his priorities. This festival isn’t about selling out some venue, or about making the corporate sponsors a boatload of money while the musicians divvy up the scraps—this festival is about showcasing talent, of both the musical and visual variety. And while some music festivals cater to fans of a specific genre, LIV Fest boasts a genre lineup of indie, hip-hop, rock, electric, bluegrass, and more! Finally! Wichita gets a music festival that celebrates fantastic bands from all over while also dedicating a stage specifically to Wichita talent.
If you hadn’t heard about LIV Fest before this article, you may be out of the loop, but you certainly aren’t out of luck! Tickets are available online (livfest.com) and downtown at Rock Island Live/Emmerson Biggins, The Anchor, or Wichita Downtown Development Corp. And in case you miss out on pre-ordering, you will be able to pay at the gate on the day of the festival. Be sure to check out the different types of tickets before you decide which ones to order, as each will provide different and unique experiences.
Now of course, no music festival can exist without sponsors, and LIV Fest might have collapsed before take off if it weren’t for local businesses that believe in art, like Kirby’s and Fidelity Bank, and the donations of some generous individuals, and with the help of the outstanding support of local patrons who believed in LIV Fest enough to pre-purchase their tickets.
Adam believes in the music and art scenes here in Wichita, and he believes that music can bring an entire community together: “Music helps everything. Music festivals are pretty common, and Wichita has some great ones, but I really want to help progress the music scene in Wichita; I wanted to do it differently, like including an art market during the festival for artists to sell and create. We really wanted to build the art aspect. “
So head out to Commerce Street Saturday, June 19th, to the first ever LIV Music and Arts Festival. It’s an all day event, jam-packed with awesome bands on multiple stages, an opportunity to watch some local artists create their art, and some bitchin’ after parties. Because after all, the main reason why Adam decided to create a brand new kind of music festival? “Mostly… cause it’ll be really fun.”
