2023-09-04 Music festivals 音乐节

虽然音乐节的起源并不起眼，但如今，这种会演形式已经成为一大产业。参加音乐节是与朋友一同欣赏演出、共同放松心情的好机会。本期节目介绍一些举世闻名的音乐节。

词汇：festivals 节庆，会演

It’s summer, so it’s a great time to be outdoors. One way of letting your hair down and enjoying the fresh air is to attend a music festival, where you can enjoy seeing your favourite musicians perform. But it’s not just about the music – there are other activities to enjoy. And of course, it’s a chance to spend time with your friends.

People have always enjoyed communal gatherings – even in prehistoric times, people would come together, have feasts and celebrate – and part of the occasion involved playing or listening to music. So, music festivals are nothing new. But they have evolved, and in recent times, one of the most famous music festivals was Woodstock in the USA in 1969. This al fresco event was one of the largest ever to be staged and promised ‘three days of peace and music’. It attracted a large ‘hippie‘ crowd. And in 1970, the Glastonbury festival began on a farm in the UK and now spreads across 900 acres of land. It has become a highlight in a festival goers‘ music calendar, attracting major headline acts and large crowds who camp out for the weekend. Although they often have to endure rain and mud!

Other festivals that have become huge include the Danube Island Festival in Austria, the Mawazine Festival in Morocco, the Isle of Wight Festival in the UK, and Coachella in the USA – a music and arts festival that features every genre of music. But from the mainstream to the niche, there seems to be a festival for everyone taking place around the world. And festivals have become big business too. According to research by Festicket in 2018, the music festival industry was worth $3bn (£2.28bn) globally, and it has continued to grow. Many events have become commercialised. Ticket prices are high and corporations and social media influencers cash in on festival themes.

Despite all of this, for many hedonistic young people, attending a festival has become a rite of passage and a shared experience that can’t be missed. Writing for BBC Culture, Arwa Haider says “for any generation, they’re unlike any other place on earth: a site liberated from everyday rules, where we might bond with strangers and stumble across new sounds and sensations.”

词汇表

festival （音乐、戏剧等的）会演，节
musician 音乐家
communal 公共的，集体的
feast 宴会，盛宴
Woodstock （美国）伍德斯托克音乐节
al fresco 露天的，在户外的
stage 上演，举办
hippie 嬉皮士
Glastonbury （英国）格拉斯顿伯里音乐节
festival goer 音乐节观众
headline act 主打阵容；主打乐队，主打歌手
Danube Island Festival （奥地利）多瑙河岛音乐节
Mawazine （摩洛哥）世界韵律音乐节
Coachella （美国）科切拉音乐节
genre 类型，风格
mainstream 主流的
niche 小众的，适合特定人群的
big business 大生意，大型产业
commercialised 被商业化了
corporation 公司，企业
influencer 网络明星，网络红人
hedonistic 享乐主义的，追求乐趣的
a rite of passage （人生进入新阶段时）必须体验的事情
sensation 感觉

测验与练习

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. Other than watching live music, what else can you do at a music festival?

2. Which festival promised ‘three days of peace and music’?

3. What might you have to endure if you attend the Glastonbury music festival?

4. What was the estimated value of the global music festival industry in 2018?

5. True or false? At the Coachella festival you can hear many different types of music.

2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. The sale of electric bikes has become _______ recently.

coporation                     sensation                        big business              business big

2. My favourite _______ of music is classical – it helps me to relax.

genre                             niche                              mainstream                hedonistic

3. At 7.30 tonight, our local drama group _______ a performance of Romeo and Juliet.

staging                           on stage                         headline act               stages

4. It’s your birthday party, so _______!

let your hairs down                                               let your hair down  

let my hair down                                                   let’s down your hair

5. I didn’t enjoy the holiday – the resort has become too _______, and it’s not authentic any more.

communal                       sensations                     commercialised          al fresco

答案

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。 

1. Other than watching live music, what else can you do at a music festival?

There are other activities to enjoy, and you can spend time with your friends.

2. Which festival promised ‘three days of peace and music’?

Woodstock, held in the USA in 1969, promised ‘three days of peace and music’.

3. What might you have to endure if you attend the Glastonbury music festival?

Festival goers might have to endure rain and mud.

4. What was the estimated value of the global music festival industry in 2018?

According to research by Festicket in 2018, the music festival industry was worth $3bn (£2.28bn) globally.

5. True or false? At the Coachella festival you can hear many different types of music.

True. The Coachella music and arts festival features every genre of music.

2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. The sale of electric bikes has become big business recently.

2. My favourite genre of music is classical – it helps me to relax.

3. At 7.30 tonight, our local drama group stages a performance of Romeo and Juliet.

4. It’s your birthday party, so let your hair down!

5. I didn’t enjoy the holiday – the resort has become too commercialised, and it’s not authentic any more.