For some reason, I can't figure out why, the fest is very against taping. I just can't figure it out.
I think it stems from a paradigm that's propagated in the media that taping is inherently bad and also that by taping, you're supposedly automatically violating laws and copyrights. So the organizers therefore take the easy road and publicly post their opposition so that anyone that may feel compelled in the future to 'kick ass take names' won't look to the festival organizers as being their scapegoat for whatever (insert reason).
To correct this I think we need to inform these organizers so they can get their head out of the sand. I think it's mostly an issue of ignorance to the laws and overly conservative decision making.
Maybe a good way to do it is to show them sites like All Good, where their web site specifically states that tapers are welcome. I'm not sure if there are other festivals that encourage tapers, but if there are, then we should trumpet those festivals to other festival organizers as being well-informed and forward looking.
Another way might be to let them know which specific bands have policies that allow taping by showing them links to the specific statements, while also showing them the specific law in California (or wherever the festival is located) that states that if a band gives permission, then there are no copyright violations.
Of course, at the same time, as someone already suggested, there probably also has to be a commitment on the part of the tapers to somehow show good faith to the organizers that the rigs will be taken down when the bands that DON'T allow taping hit the stage. That's not gonna prevent stealthing, but even having a policy prohibiting taping doesn't prevent stealthing, so there's really no difference there.
Steve