Livestock music beside the point

The real action at the two-day music festival is in the camping area, where almost anything goes - usually the tops of young women.

[Times photo: Carrie Pratt] A crowd surfer makes her way atop concertgoers' shoulders Saturday.

By TAMARA LUSH

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 1, 2000

ZEPHYRHILLS -- Feminists, take note: The Livestock festival is not for you.

It's somewhat safe in the concert area, where fans mosh to the heavy metal music of bands with names like the Foo Fighters and Freaks Rule. Nearby, shirtless men are peacefully passed out in the dust in the middle of the day, beefy arms shielding their eyes from the bright sun. Others buy T-shirts, beer and corn dogs, and the whole scene looks like any other rock festival.

But at Livestock -- the two-day concert that ended Sunday -- testosterone rages in the camping area, which is where the real party is.

"Lift up your shirt!" is a common chant.

Groups of men armed with squirt guns, aiming at anyone with an X chromosome; men standing alone, nursing a beer and a joint; men sitting on dirty lawn chairs with girlfriends. All urged women to bare their breasts.

That's one of the best parts about Livestock, said James Akers, 43, of Inverness.

"We love everything about Livestock," said Akers.

About 18,000 partiers flocked to the festival, with a large number of them staying in the campground. This year marked the 10th anniversary of Livestock, which is sponsored by WXTB-FM, also known as 98 Rock.

Despite the no-holds-barred atmosphere, there was only one arrest -- for disorderly conduct -- by Sunday, according to Pasco County sheriff's deputies. Fire officials said there were also several minor grass fires throughout Sunday.

"It's been one of the milder Livestocks we've ever had," said Pasco sheriff's Capt. Thomas Brooks.

But not for a lack of trying.

In the bowels of the campground, Cameron Young and a dozen of his friends combined a pig roast with an all-night dance rave on Saturday. As the whole pig roasted on a spit, one of four deejays played techno music under a tent decorated with a disco ball. A grill doubled as a deejay setup, and weary ravers slumped on couches.

Young, who is a 25-year-old Realtor-property investor in Sarasota, doesn't even go to the concert, even though this is his third year camping at Livestock.

Like the majority of the folks at Livestock, Young brought beer. And lots of it.

"How much beer? Oh, God," Young said. "Six cases. . . ."

Chrisdiana Murphy of Crystal River seemed one of the few who didn't imbibe.

Instead, she packed up the family vehicle and brought her two teenage sons to the festival.

"I couldn't just stay in Crystal River and just let them have the fun," said Murphy, who is 37.

She and other women didn't seem to mind the rampant lewdness and catcalls.

Said Teresa Babson, 21, of Pinellas Park: "It's the Mardi Gras of Florida -- and the campground is better than the concert."

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