Hey Cityscapers, we need to talk.

It’s festival season and the city is chocka with funky beats, fabulous events, awesome performers and clever cats. So here’s my challenge to you – get out there and make the most of it!

For the longest time, the Garden City has been the 'guarded city', but you and I know that’s old hat. Sure, we might play it a bit cool but that’s because we’re shy, right?

Even so, that’s no excuse for the great swathes of real estate staked out with picnic blankets and chairs in North Hagley Park at the weekend. When Toto, Dragon and Starship performed, bums that had been parked on seats for hours stayed firmly rooted.

Poor old Mark Williams couldn’t even get half the crowd to sing back at him until the very last song and Starship poured their hearts out on stage to a crowd of close-mouthed, unmoving, seated stunned mullets. Toto managed to get more of the audience on their feet, but the vast majority of the VIP area and the general audience stayed seated for most of the performance, propped up on their little deck chairs like garden ornaments. 

Here’s the thing: live music and performance is all about getting involved.

Whether it’s rock ’n’ roll legends or one of the many incredible buskers here for Bread and Circus, they’re desperate for you to take a small step out of your comfort zone and show them some love. Laugh, wave, or give a good old fashioned ‘whoop whoop’ – they need to know you love what they do, because they love that you love it.

So dance like no-one is watching, shake what your mama gave ya like you own it, ham it up with the buskers or belt out the hits with your favourite band this summer. Choose your poison and let yourself go.

IMAGE CREDIT: Malia Rose, Bread & Circus - World Buskers Festival