Has there ever been any ideas to incorporate the ID checking into the weekend wristband? As in a specific colour Fest band for those over 21 and another for those under? All checks confirmed at registration to save on this multiple times over the three days?

The main reason for lines into venues seems to be the ID checking so it was just a thought that crossed my mind really.

i accept that for smaller venues part of the slowness is driven by a capacity based entry but in my experience over the last two years it has pretty much always been one guy/girl on the door checking ID's that slow things up, they are looking at your Fest band anyway and as long as bar staff knew which colour was over 21 it might makes the entire process more efficient?

I know some pay show to show but that is a pretty small number each day so that could easily be dealt with by the door person.

What am i missing here? happy to be shot down as 100% wrong as i'm just throwing it out there.

At the end of the day, each venue is responsible for making sure they aren't letting underage people in. Since that's the case, I'm sure each venue wants to make sure they are handling the ID-check process themselves. I'd hate to have my livelihood put at risk because I trusted someone else to check IDs, and I don't think Tony and the Fest crew want to be responsible for that, nor do I think venue owners want them to be responsible for that.

Put it another way -- if you used a fake ID at registration and they gave you a 21+ wristband, then you got caught with that fake ID at one of the venues, it's the venue that's in trouble, and you, of course.

I get that the lines are frustrating, but I also think people blow it out of proportion because it's our nature to complain, but I do think everyone can do their part to speed things up a little, and that doesn't even mean anything drastic. Even just having your ID out when you get to the door, rather than having to first fumble through your pocket/purse/backpack/fanny pack helps save a couple of seconds.

Pointing out where on the ID the DOB is too would save some seconds too.

Is that cowboy douchebag still working 8 Seconds?

During the rest of the year, 8 Seconds is a country western/ honky tonk type establishment, so that 'cowboy douchebag' is probably still working there...

He put such a bummer on things checking peoples' ID for aaaaages and making snide comments and stuff.

it took me ages to explain to him that the date format on a UK DL was not the same as a US one. Then he just refused and i had to go get my passport from the hotel, it's the only venue where that is required and a passport is not really the kind of document you wanna be carrying round Fest. hope no bands i like play there.

re the first reply, points taken. the ID thing really is massive in the states.

He was just making sure you weren't one of those "E-Legals" he's been hearin' so much commotion 'bout on the Fox news...

At a similarly fashioned festival here, a bar (no wet/dry) was shut down for the remainder of the festival because one of the performers had their kid there. This not only caused tonnes of lost sales to the bar, but three days of bands who needed a new stage to play on.

There's always a liquor inspector running around these things so bars have to be extra vigilant that someone doesn't slip through on them.

On the topic of IDs, will people from overseas need to bring passports to venues or are foreign drivers licences accepted?

May be a stupid question, but this is my first time travelling.

I remember last year waiting in line at 8 Seconds and hearing they weren't accepting driver's licenses; they'd only take passports.

I understand this is a difficult subject for local bars, but I feel requiring people to carry their passports around on themselves is bullshit. That's WAY too important of a document. If you lose a driver's licence, it sucks but its not that big of a deal. If you lose a passport it's a giant fiasco.

Yep, been to the last two fests and 8 seconds has been the only place wanting a passport and even then it depended on the day. Everywhere else (and i think i went to every venue) was cool with my UK DL.

I couldnt't get in to 8 seconds without my passport.. so I missed the friday shows on that venue. Sucks because like they said, loosing a drivers license doesn't matter... but the passport, plus your moshing and everything.

Hey Folks, Danny from Loosey's here.

Basically, you all need to know this. ID checking is a big deal in Gainesville. ABT (the alcohol licensing folks), GPD (cops) and ASO (more cops) are ALWAYS looking for underage drinkers, no matter what is going on in town. That being said, there are some newish rules that they are going to be cracking down on concerning ID's. One of them is that they will not protect us if we get a fake ID from another country. If the FAKE comes from insides the United States, we have some protection, if it doesn't, we don't. Florida (not just Gainesville) takes drink slingers to jail for serving minors . . . they don't play around. So, you might want to bring your passport if you can manage to keep track of it cause some of the places may not except an out of country ID this year. Just FYI.

Unfortunately, I understand this can be an issue. My best advice, cargo shorts with buttons on the side pockets. Also, some ID's just simply aren't valid in the states. For instance, I have seen New Dehli ID's/Licenses that were literally a piece of laminated paper with hand writing on it and a stamp and everything was in a language that I could not read. No one will ever take that at a bar in Gainesville. So, if your ID/License is not in English, bring something else.

In other news, leave your fake ID at HOME. A liquor license in Alachua county is EXPENSIVE and serving a minor can get it taken away and you have to apply for a new one.

Hope that helps.

Can't wait to see you guys!
Danny