I picked a good year to have a kid.

good lord, it's really not *that* bad. It will all be OK. I'm sure 30 years ago, there were people bemoaning the fact that V3 and Kevin & the Kasualties were on the bill. It's just a big ol' crazy cycle that disappoints some each year and makes others poop their pants with happiness.

Can't blame them for keeping it new and not rescheduling the usual suspects. Seems to be kind of one of the goals every year. I don't see my comment as a bad thing, either. Never had a bad time at Comfest and don't expect that I ever will.

There are a grand total of two bands playing that I'd even remotely care to see, and I've heard quite a few. I've only been back in this town for barely a couple years now, but it doesn't take much to turn me off to Comfest apparently. I know it's what people do, because it's one of the only of a handful of event-type things to do in this town (and sadly one of the better options).
I'm all about supporting the bands I care about, but even in this case, I'll have to skip this. I'll go see the bands I love every other time they're playing. I can't see how anyone would go through the parking mess for this.
Unless the Columbus population is this desperate for entertainment, I can't see Comfest existing 5 years from now. After it being promised as something worth doing, I was terribly let down last year, and this looks to be much worse. I'm basing that purely on the dozen or so bands that I've seen, and the dozen or so I know who aren't playing.
Here's what they don't need... MORE hippie folky acoustic acts (if you can tell where one ends and the other begins, trust me, you're in the minority), soft "indie" bands (Thanks Sufjan and Arcade Fire, now every V-neck wearing douchebag without talent is picking up an oddball instrument in hopes of making his already shitty music even slightly more interesting... I'd actually prefer the beard growing who wants you to know what he thinks about cars and beer), and jazz. Jazz doesn't suffer the same afflictions as the others (at least not in the same ways) but it comes close. Plus, there are already jazz/rib fests and such.
So, how about this, Comfest... next year try to be interesting.

I'll take a Bumbershoot over a Comfest any day.

Edit:

I should clarify... it wasn't that I didn't have fun last year... but I can have fun with my friends ANYWHERE. It's that most of the bands were terrible, the location is awful, and I personally don't care much for hippies. Well, to be fair... I don't like hippies who have large number of statistics to support their opinion of whatever cause, but don't actually do anything (and smell bad). So, I did not enjoy what comfest had to offer.
But since I can have fun with friends anywhere, this year it will be anywhere but comfest.

Thanks for the uplifting report. Haha.

Um, yeah, I guess I could be wrong. I'm looking at it from a musicians standpoint and not someone who couldn't give less of a shit. Comfest will always be popular among people who don't give a shit about music. What Columbus needs IS a Bumbershoot. They have legit national acts, but there's a ton of local talent as well. Hopefully, that's what DI Fest is trying to accomplish. I'm optimistic.
As someone who is a little younger, and hasn't been living in Columbus (and attending comfest) for the last 40 years, you'll have to forgive me. My point of view is coming from someone who likes music festivals with interesting acts. You're right, comfest is certainly not that.

EDIT: I think I get pissed that Columbus has so many great bands, and nationally... we're ghost town. No one is doing, or cares to do apparently, anything about that. If the people that put on these events REALLY want to support local music, they'd do a bit more to get them the hell out of here. They'd do something that's gonna catch someone's eye OUTSIDE of Columbus. No one has any desire to do that really (again, hopefully except DI Fest), and this year's comfest is proof that we're heading even further in the wrong direction... if that direction is for the growth and recognition of our local music scene. I understand Comfest is more about patting ourselves on the back once a year for all the recycling we've done, and feeling guilty about not doing more... while still feeling liberated in the sense that we can walk around in our underwear if we want to. That's great. Bands should really just stop applying. I applied this year though. Didn't make it, but didn't really expect to. Maybe I'd be singing a different tune if I'd been picked, but this IS the way I feel about comfest. It's a shame really. If I'd been picked, I wouldn't be on here bitching, but I'd tell you the same thing if you asked me.

i care immensely about music and some of the most amazing performances i've ever seen have been at comfest (brainbow with lara yazvac last year comes to mind).

am i dissapointed that some of my faves aren't playing? sure. but it's not erin-fest.
will i still go there and lay in the grass and eat corndogs and drink beer and people watch. sure.

this city is CHOCK full of amazing festivals...if you don't like one, don't go...there will be another amazing one coming up!

Maybe I'll just start a topic about a music festival in Columbus that's about music. It's fine that every other niche has been picked up, but just something simply about music would be nice. Like an MPMF, SXSW, etc...
Something that will pull a legit national act, so local bands have an audience to play for that's not their friends or a handful of s (god bless them).
I suppose comfest has my permission to continue existing.... FOR NOW!!!!

Your assumption that bands are "settling" for a Comfest is interesting.
I think what you're looking for is an event that will make your band famous.

agora
go west
comfest
asian fest
columbus arts fest
parking lot blowout
pbr rendezvous
hot times fest
indepedents' day
park street fest
red white & boom
urban scrawl
scion music fest
jazz & rib fest
black box benefit

that's just off the top of my head...