As the lineups began in Pemberton, B.C. Thursday, ahead of the weekend music festival, some residents are already feeling nervous about prospect of sharing their quiet community with 40,000 music fans.
Among them is Randy West.
He moved to Pemberton to get away from it all, but decided to lease 15 acres of land to festival organizer Live Nation, permitting B.C.'s biggest concert event of the summer to go ahead.
In exchange, Live Nation agreed to build a wooden platform that will allow him to watch acts like Tom Petty and Coldplay, and the Tragically Hip in his back yard.
Now West is finding that he is everybody's best friend.
"My friends are phoning from all over the place,'' he said.
West isn't the only one that's feeling a little edgy as the festival gets underway.
"Main concern is security and traffic," said Pemberton mayor Jordan Sturdy.
Sturday says residents are excited about being part of such a huge music event, but a little apprehensive
As for Randy West, he's looking forward to the Tragically Hip concert
"I'm too old to go to concerts, now they come to me," he said.
With reports from CTV British Columbia's Lisa Rossington, Sarah Galashan and St. John Alexander.
