At the time, it was about 76 degrees and humid, which is not all that strange for Houston in mid-December. Mike referenced his stature – he is not a small man – and wiped his brow, adding that it was a pleasure to be in Houston even if it was a little swampy for his taste.
But that was then.
Halfway through the rap duo’s very next song, a cool breeze began to blow through the parking lot of the former Barbara Jordan Post Office. By the end of the track, the temperature had dropped into the 50s. The winds grew heavier and rain followed, prompting a number of festivalgoers to abandon the show and seek shelter.
“Fuckin’ pussies!” yelled a young man in a Christmas sweater, clearly feeling the holiday cheer or perhaps having imbibed just a little too much
Perhaps. But when you live next door to a music festival, it just makes sense to go home, open your window and enjoy the performance from the comfort of your own couch when the weather takes a turn for the worse. You mad, bro?
I’m a fan of Day For Night. It exceeded my expectations last year, and I was thrilled to hear that Round 2 was going to be held just a stone’s throw from my apartment. A few of my neighbors and I gloated to each other at the prospect of walking downstairs to hear the likes of Aphex Twin, ODESZA, Travis Scott and John Carpenter.
That feeling of excitement was reinforced when we were told the festival was offering free tickets to residents of my building. It made sense, given the proximity of one of the stages to our complex, but the offer was still greatly appreciated.
My windows rattled constantly throughout the day, and my dog was none too pleased about his new neighbors. But that’s only because he doesn’t appreciate any music that came out after the 1970s. And it was only temporary, so I made him as comfortable as I could in the back of the apartment, and he seemed to manage just fine.
Most of the people in the complex took advantage of the free tickets and joined in on the fun. And though no one capitalized on the proposal, Day For Night even offered to rent hotel rooms for residents who just didn’t want to deal with all the noise.
Quite the olive branch.
My experience living next to a music festival was ideal. It took a bit of planning — I had to stock up on groceries and carefully schedule my exits from our parking garage — but Day For Night seemed as good of a neighbor as one could hope for. They contacted us, informed us of their intention to throw a party, invited us and even offered additional accommodations for anyone who wasn’t interested.
I can only hope that my neighbors will be that thoughtful when I eventually own a home.
As a music lover, it seemed surreal to be so close to a music festival. And as a resident, I truly appreciated the administration’s efforts to placate its part-time neighbors before any complaints even arose. Here’s hoping it signifies a trend within the Houston music scene.