Who would have guessed the infield of old, decaying Pimlico Race Course would be the perfect spot for a summer music festival? The mere mention of the place has me flashing back to Preakness days (daze) draining kegs with a wild bunch led by a guy named Bucky, who went on to wrestle alligators in Florida. And Bucky wasn't the craziest of the group—that honor went to a fellow who now works for NASA.

I thought about those guys while attending the Virgin Festival last weekend, because it was, thankfully, a totally different scene. Instead of the crowd making a debauched spectacle of itself, the crowd enjoyed a steady stream of engaging acts over the course of two days, with nary a lull in the proceedings. With so many acts scheduled for the two stages and dance tent, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you spent too much time in the beer line, you'd miss something great. The sideshow attractions (circus, roller derby, artworks, etc) only added to the feeling that something cool was about to happen. And it often did. Just check out the previous blog posts and photos for evidence of that.

Because the festival was so well organized, it was easy for festival goers to access those peak moments. The schedule ensured that people were circulating around the infield throughout the day, and lines for food and drink were never outrageously long. Security was present, but not oppressive. I spoke to a number of people who compared Virgin Fest favorably to the likes of Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza.

Still, there was something missing.... A major buzz. Amy, my fellow blogger, noted that this year's festival lacked the one-two punch of 2006's The Who and Red Hot Chili Peppers lineup, or the ohmygod-they're-back-together vibe of 2007's Police reunion, and it's true. What this festival needed was Radiohead or Coldplay at the top of the bill—not the surfer dude or Nirvana's drummer, although Kanye was a good and timely choice. Nine Inch Nails was a perfect headliner, 10 years ago.

Another suggestion—pay more careful attention to those late afternoon slots. A Beatles tribute band and a somnolent Citizen Cope might work early in the day—or better yet, on a side stage—but they aren't going to build your brand as a relevant and exciting festival.

That said, I had a great time, and I'll be back next year.