Business is all about growth, and big swallowing the small. What is needed are true lovers of music, throwing small(er) events and building their own following and community. The minds of the masses can't be changed; they go for the popular artists and hence go to the big events. Artists generally also want big, bigger, biggest. But not all! I happen to have a close friend who is known well and very respected in his music genre, booked for the bigger/big events, but he also plays at small to sometimes even tiny events where the pay is low to sometimes even nothing. He does it because he loves the small events, and he likes to give the opportunity to those with smaller pockets as well. I simply wish all artists would do this.
RE: How many music festivals can your wallet handle?