LiveDaily Contributor Monica Cady reports from Baltimore:

The free, flimsy, cardboard-on-a-stick fans may have been the lifesaving force on the first day of this year's Virgin Festival (8/4-8/5), a two-day, more-than-music event at Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course, whose biggest obstacle seemed to be the raging 98-degree heat. Aside from paper fans, Saturday's 42,000 attendees found solace at the shade and mist tents that got jam-packed by 2 p.m. At any given time, there were around 250 people in a queue at the free tap-water stations, while vendors selling bottled versions for $3 twiddled their thumbs, realizing that clients preferred waiting to get something for free. The event's livelihood depended upon some form of relief from the August sun--no small task. On Sunday, however, a sympathetic Mother Nature provided the shade and mist--a mostly cloudy day with light drops of rain--starting around Yeah Yeah Yeahs' set (5:15 p.m.), and continuing through headliner The Smashing Pumpkins' performance (8:30 p.m.).

Considering the many man-made heat-defying options, it was clear that event planners had their heads in the right place. Even though this is only the second year of Virgin Fest, logistically, it ran like a fine-tuned machine. With a bill that read like a Who's Who of hot indie-flavored rock (Interpol, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Modest Mouse, TV on the Radio), electronic dance sensations (M.I.A., The Crystal Method, Miguel Migs) and old school veterans (Beastie Boys, Smashing Pumpkins, The Police, 311, Cheap Trick), the music offered something for everyone--minus jam-band hippies. In fact, the closest this event came to anything hippie was a small cluster of artists dressed like gnomes that randomly pounced through the crowd, speaking their own language and painting glitter on the fingernails of females. Instead of tie-dyed tees and Birkenstocks, this lineup lended itself to a more polished, A-list-minded sort of crowd (think Louis Vuitton handbags and Chanel sunglasses meet Urban Outfitters and J.Crew).

Even if you didn't pay VIP ticket prices ($450 for a two-day pass, versus $175 general admission), the festival had special treatment for everyone in attendance. The event's overall concept was geared toward providing a variety of activities, ensuring smooth crowd control and keeping the venue grounds clean. Compared to other major festivals, the accommodations here felt like five-star pampering. At the Kyocera mist tent, "I am an Angel" attendants provided free beach towels to anyone willing to get wet under the showers (and almost everyone was) at the Asian-inspired, spa-like retreat. Inside the tent, a mermaid lounged and intrigued guests, who could also relax on one of the bamboo benches, wooden platforms or cabana chairs.

In addition to cool hangouts, eco-friendly practices were a standout part of this experience. Sir Richard Branson, founder and chairman of Virgin Group, took this matter to heart--even making an appearance at the event's Green Spot on Sunday, with actress Daryl Hannah, to present the various ways the festival's greening partner, the Spitfire Agency, was working toward near-zero wastes. This included things like compostable utensils and cups, and bio-diesel generators. Event-goers were greeted at every disposal site by a recycle-expert, who made sure items were properly placed in the "Recycle," "Landfill" or "Compost" bins.

Yes, things were clean and chill, and, apart from the free water fill-up zones, vendor lines were short and attendants were helpful, even cheerful. Rather than fans feeling trapped in a village where prices were sky high and facilities were sub-par, Virgin gave the impression that attendees' well-being came first.

The festival guide rightfully touts "there's a lot more to this festival than just the music." There was certainly no lack of things to see and do: roller derby races by the Charm City Roller Girls, paint-on tattoos, the Hon Salon--a kitschy-retro beauty shop giving free Amy Winehouse-style beehives, graffiti artists in action, skateboard demonstrations by Skatepark of Baltimore, a place to make a pin-on button using images from the latest Spin Magazine, Guitar Hero competitions, batting cages, Incredibly Strange Wrestling matches (some involving tortilla shells) and a Hula Hoop Corral. Attendees could also take in some of the art installations around the venue--most notably Brenda Sylvia's "Pegasus Rising," a horse sculpture made of sticks, recyclables and wire, and Jerico Woggon's "Summer Suns," a vibrant, sunburst-like, neon display made of wooden sticks that decorated the parameters of the north stage.  

If it sounds like a lot to absorb, well, it was. But, thanks to the close proximity of everything happening, music lovers could enjoy all the activities without ever feeling removed from the live bands performing. For example, Peter Bjorn and John's set basically provided the soundtrack to the skateboard demonstration on Saturday afternoon. Later still, fans could dine on fresh crabmeat at the concessions area, with The Police playing at clear, audible levels in the background.   

Even with all the activities, the music is really wherein the beauty of Virgin Fest lays--a quality mix, rather than overwhelming amounts of filler. Two main stages and one dance-music tent gave the event an intimate, manageable vibe. Fans could almost certainly see everyone on their agenda without much hassle. Making things even more fan-friendly, the event's pocket-sized schedule wasn't even necessary; large kiosks in the center of the field provided performance times. There was a definite sense of careful consideration in all the details that went into this two-day party.

Overall, the distractions from the live music weren't such a bad thing, really. That is, of course, except when the backstage distractions occurred onstage during the shows. Perhaps one of the biggest areas for improvement could be eliminating the transparency of the backstage hustle during sets. The stages didn't have any backdrops or curtains to mask the impending setup or breakdown--making every stagehand a part of the act. Regina Spektor's intense piano ballads were slightly cheapened by the busy crew that tinkered along only a few feet from her. Paolo Nutini's performance also lost some of its luster as equipment for The Fratellis' set was rolled into place while the 20-year-old Scot was only into song two of his set. The nonstop movement onstage from crewmembers was a reminder that artists were here for a limited time and something else was always on its way. But, despite the piles of equipment moving to and fro, and some sound issues here and there, things appeared to flow seamlessly.

With around 75,000 attendees this year, one can only hope that Branson will see the brilliance in producing something on this scale--keeping things a little more quaint, relaxed and, above else, fun. And, hey, note to all major music events: apart from the killer lineup, all it really took was clever uses of water and some recycled paper stick-fans to make this festival something special.


Editor's Note: LiveDaily Contributor Monica Cady was the winner of the "So You Wanna Be a Rock Journalist" competition, sponsored by LiveDaily, The Documentary Channel, the Virgin Festival and bigstring.com.