The kids are alright
FOMO FESTIVAL, PARRAMATTA, New South Wales; January 2020. The Vogue team is on the ground to catch local rap sensation Chillinit and, really, to people-watch. At the gates, we’re met by sniffer dogs and a dozen police – a norm at any festival these days. A dog approaches and sits in front of a young girl, who starts shaking. She asks the officers not to strip-search her, clearly terrified. “Don’t worry, we won’t do it here,” the officer replies, leading her over to a tent as she confesses she has a joint in her bag. “It’s for my anxiety; I’ll just give it to you,” the girl says as she’s led off. The mood of the festival can be summed up in one word: mild. The look of it, however: wild.
Over the day, we witness just one case of intoxication and note to each other how many of the attendees are neither smoking nor drinking heavily. “We can’t afford it,” a 19-year-old girl from Sutherland tells me. “After we buy our outfits and tickets …” she shrugs. The outfits, however, is where the wild part comes in. Fishnets, booty shorts, chaps, bikinis, sheer tops,
