Conspicuous co-optation: Exploring the subculture and pop culture connection at Gainesville’s Fest

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to understand the subcultural and commercial overlap that exists in the physical signifiers conspicuously co-opted by attendees and artists at Fest, a punk rock festival held in Gainesville, Florida. Contemporary punk rock does not exist in an insular space, shielded from the influences of popular culture, current events and mass media. Rather, this intersection of subculture and popular culture offers valuable perspective on how punk fans’ relationship to commercial culture remains a significant influence in this space today. This participant observation study investigates the co-opted and reinvented signifiers evident in this subcultural space at the 2022 festival, looking at a range of festival elements such as band merchandise and performances as evidence of this phenomenon.