Sao Paulo: Skol Beats 2008 Election Time

The most delicate challenge that all music festivals organizers have to overcome is putting together a lineup that pleases a large enough number of John and Jane Musicfans, but also convinces them the ticket is worth the price. It’s a make-it or break-it deal and determines whether the festival will be staged again in the future. But let’s say you got to play curator and put together your own show befitting your tastes "” seems like a shoe-in success, right? That’s precisely the approach the promoters of Sao Paulo’s annual Skol Beats electronic music fest is taking for this year’s event, set to take place at the end of September. It could set a regular concept into motion for other music fests. Skol Beats just opened a special forum on their site this week to let the public discuss potential headliners and other supporting acts (even options for VJs and possible formats like indoor/outdoor, hours and venue). Fans are already excited about the idea of Justice, Erlend Oye and Air adding their names to the roster for an event that, in the past, has included acts like The Prodigy and Sao Paulo’s own DJ Marky. Skol Beats will present a shortlist of artists culled from the discussion for a final vote later, with results to be shared August 22. See, this is the kind of election that we can really get behind.