Historicist: Life in Wartime
Elsewhere in the Ist-a-Verse
Just about one year after the last major Toronto (areaish) concert, Richard Branson announced that the Toronto Islands will host the Virgin Festival over a weekend in early September. This is the first time the Virgin Festival crosses the pond outside the UK. Note that this is the first time that Centre Island will be closed to the public.
Just like Live8, this concert is being put on to raise awareness... for "Make Rogers History." And just like Live8, this concert will be raising cash... for the Virgin Brand. What was Live8 raising awareness for again... Music? hmmm um.... no... Text messaging on cell phones... no, that's not it. It was something to do with history and Africa... Make Africa History perhaps? Oh right, poverty.. Poverty in Africa.
Regardless, this concert looks pretty good. The Hidden Cameras (read our Awoo! review), The Dears, The Flaming Lips, Gnarls Barkley, Sam Roberts, Massive Attack, The Raconteurs, Wolfmother... and about 40 more.
Tickets are on sale now at Future Shop. After July 8th, tickets will also be sold through Ticketmaster, likely with a nice service fee. A One-day pass costs $57.50, while a two-day ticket is $104.50, taxes and ferry included! Check out From England With Love, and don't forget to bring your Virgin Mobile, and only one (1) ONE!!! bottle of water.
[photo:V-Festival Logo]
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While I'd gladly support a Make Rogers History movement (I'd even volunteer time if it promised to restore the SkyDome's name), I'd rather throw my time and money behind a Canadian company.
But Virgin employs Canadians. Don't you want to support them?
I think what we should really wish for is diversity in the marketplace rather than the death of one corp at the hands of another. Without significant competition, it doesn't really matter who comes out on top-- it'll mean the same inflexible, expensive service for us consuming schlubs, and the employment downsizing implied by Michael's comment. Not to mention, the fewer communications providers there are, the easier it is for them to decide to invade privacy on behalf of the government, etc, etc...
Not to mention that the Flaming Lips are en-croy-ab!
A corporation the size of Virgin, won't most of the revenue be going up the food chain (and out of the country) rather than down to the (non-union?) employees?
A superb event is being thrown in Toronto, and you hippies are whinning about a global corporation marketing it's name? You should be thankful that Branson chose Toronto as V-Fests first expansion project out of London.
Ugh, I rather have Virgin Corp trounce Rogers in the marketplace, than have to suffer with rediculous licensing fee's and poor service coverage. Europe and Asia are light years ahead in the cell phone market, yet Rogers deems it fair to charge us a hell of a lot more for poor service here. Go Virgin!
Rek, I think that would happen with a corporation of any size, union or non. So it may come down to whether you'd rather see a Canadian dude get richer or a British dude get richer. Whoever you choose, it's unlikely he'll share his cash with you.
According to Orange France, France is precisely 4 years behind Asia and Canada is exactly 4 years behind France as far as mobile everything is concerned. Therefore, according to Orange France, we have our roadmap drawn out for us and twice tested already.
Or-- and I think this is the more entertaining possibility-- we could unknowingly become trapped in a Hollywood Situation where Rogers is competing with Asian communications providers and they're just perfect for each other, except that they're living 8 years apart. And it could star Keanu Reeves. And the Flaming Lips would appear on the soundtrack. I see Richard Branson in the role of the villain who turns out not to be the villain. And then the real villain could buy up every other corporation around him to ultimately secure world mobile domination, but what's really important in the end is Love. Love and network access fees.