The problem

Anyone who’s been to a music festival has experienced some variation of this:

Establishing a specific meeting place within the crowd is hard because there aren’t landmarks to give context to your location.

A solution

I’m not proposing another app, but rather, an analog reference system to complement verbal communication and existing messaging technology.

Imagine large letters fashioned across the top of the stage, and numbered flags strung over both sides of the crowd. Together, these would form the edges of a grid, giving concert-goers specific context to their location near the stage.

A bird’s-eye view of the grid, showing both the lettered and numbered axes

The lettered axis, as seen from the crowd

If the crowd were expected to fill a space wider than the stage, the lettered axis could be extended beyond the edges of the stage.

If the stage were inside a tent, the lettering could be placed along the top edge. Better yet, the full grid could be printed on the underside of the tent, enabling concert-goers to look straight up and know where they’re standing.

Using the grid system to your advantage

Post Script

Cell towers are typically overwhelmed at these festivals, leaving most people with slow speeds and unreliable service. A strong (free) WiFi network and supplemental towers at each event would go a long way.