Hosting a camping and music festival in a brand new location comes with a lot of excitement…and a lot of added risk. Attendees of Dirtybird Campout East Coast swiftly figured this out, as neighbors of the Forever Florida Campgrounds were unable to handle the constant flow of reverberating bass, and made complaints to county officials. This resulted in the shut down of all musical activity on Friday, February 2nd, inducing a state of panic in the Dirtybird Players and attendees alike.
While this type of pressure would cause many people to crack, one Dirtybird in particular did not allow this situation to stop her. Aundy Crenshaw, the chief operating and marketing coordinator and mother of two sprung into action to ensure the revitalization of the festival. Being a mother of two, Crenshaw is likely used to being faced with high pressure situations in which action must be taken quickly. From the moment the music died, Crenshaw began making call after call to lawyers and officials, and even went to the Osceola County Courthouse to fight for our right to rave.
Back at camp, tensions were heightening, and ravers were quite upset that they were not getting to experience the breathtaking Friday lineup, but this did not discourage them from participating in the abundant activities such as archery, soccer, canoeing, and leapfrog. This one of a kind, mature, and patient crowd kept their wits about them throughout the entire day and night of silence. This resilience through an unfortunate situation truly displayed the fans’ devotion to Dirtybird Records and dance music as a whole.
“At the 11th hour, Dirtybird Campout East reached out to Leslie Jose Zigel who together with his partner Joe Geller of Greenspoon Marder persuaded County officials to agree to a compromise in reducing the hours and decibel level of the music to allow the festival to go on, while being sensitive to the local community noise complaints.” Aundy’s husband Barclay Crenshaw, also known as Claude VonStroke, was sure to mention her dedication and adaptability throughout the entire day, and a round of applause rang out in adoration for this admirable woman. Aundy Crenshaw is certainly the glue that holds Dirtybird Records together, and all of her hard work and commitment did not go unnoticed.
As we can see here, at 11:54 A.M. on Saturday, Aundy received a call stating that the music may be restored. The Dirtybird Campout Facebook page exclaimed “The music is back! After a long, sleepless night, during which no stone was left unturned, the music will be on today! Thanks to the officials of Osceola County for working with us to get this resolved, and to our campers who’ve kept the vibes so high!” Excitement throughout the campgrounds is an understatement, and Saturday went on to blossom into one of the top three electronic music experiences I have ever had. Dirtybird Players truly brought the heat, and with each new drop came a wave of relief and undeniable liveliness throughout Forever Florida grounds. Dirtybird Campout East Coast year one will be etched in our minds forever, as the year the music was brought back to life.
Featured photo by: Tristan Leto
