Give thanks Firemon. I have a whole package of earplugs. You are very right that as close as media stands, it can be painful and damaging, another side effect of being a photographer. I have to give up hearing the sound well with protection.

I am very excited (can you tell) to experience the most organized professional reggae festival in the world. It's not even the artists I am most excited about. It is the excellent networking that happens. It is because o these festivals I have met some of the most influential and progressive business people in the industry such as the editor of Riddim Magazine. Europe is light years ahead of the US and even Jamaica in it's nurturing and marketing of reggae music. They hold a similar festival for Latin American music which is on the rise.

Anyway, hopefully I come back as happy as I am going into it. I will definitely get a bunch of photography exercise while I am there. I still have so much to learn.