by morgan henley
What better way to listen to your favorite band then in the scorching summer heat with 90,000 other people in the middle of nowhere? If the big ticket summer arena tours aren’t for you, and the outdoor, all day thing is more of your scene, then it’s your season. Finding the summer music festival that’s right for you can be hard, because every festival is quite different. The energy of the crowd, the chance to see multiple acts, the bargain factor of the ticket, and the gallon of sweat to potentially pour out is just too irresistible for many. Not all festivals are the Woodstock of yesteryear, many of the most popular festivals stray from their classic jam band roots to please more of the mainstream crowd.
Tennessee - June 14-17 · $250
One of the most popular summer music festivals in the country is Bonnaroo. Because it takes place in Manchester, Tennessee, it is also one of the closest. As if Wilco, Tool, the Flaming Lips, the White Stripes, Ben Harper, and the Roots weren’t enough, this year is the festival’s five year anniversary so they are topping off that stellar lineup with a massive headliner: The Police. Bonnaroo has a reputation for letting its guests have too good of a time. The word “Bonnaroo” is actually a Cajun slang term for “a really good time.” Camping is the norm here and you’re almost destined to get filthy. It’s also your best bet for catching a wide variety of performances, including every type of act from the Latino performers of Manu Chao, to singer-songwriter Regina Spektor, to the jam band sensation String Cheese Experiment. Expecting around 80,000 attendees, Bonnaroo is one of the largest festivals in the United States. Although it has left its jam band roots, Bonnaroo still provides the best bet for the festival-starved hippie this summer.
Georgia - June 20-24 · $15
Somewhat of a hybrid festival, as it has free outdoor performances along with cheap indoor acts, this event is dedicated to honoring the musical talents from Athens, Georgia, so you may not see the huge names of the other fests, but with more than a hundred performers from one of the country’s most musically productive towns (Athens is responsible for bands ranging from The B-52s and R.E.M. to Of Montreal and Neutral Milk Hotel) you can expect standout performances from complete unknowns as well as bands such as The Whigs, Drive By Truckers, and Now It’s Overhead. This is a dog-friendly festival, so pack up your pup and head for Georgia. A wristband that grants you unlimited access to everything is only $15.
Louisiana - July 5-7 · $45 - 165, Subscription to Essence magazine is also included
As far from Woodstock as you can imagine, the Essence music festival really shows how every genre is taking advantage of the music fest format. This festival boasts performances by Ciara, Ludacris, Beyonce, Lionel Richie, and the OJays on their main stages. Since 1995, this festival has been held in New Orleans, Louisiana. Tickets can be bought for a single day visit or for all three days. Visitors will have to lodge in the surrounding areas and it is held in an air-conditioned convention center in town. Other performers that put on a good show are Slum Village, Common, Angie Stone, and Chuck D with Public Enemy.
Illinois - July 13-15 · $15 - 50
Brought to you by the indie-rock bible, Pitchfork Media, this is probably one of the most valuable music fests to catch if you’re any kind of indie rock fan. Big acts include Of Montreal, Iron and Wine, Sonic Youth, De La Soul, and Cat Power. Union Park, in Chicago, Illinois, provides a different perspective to the festival concept because it isn’t in the middle of nowhere, as most other fests are. One of the unique factors to the Pitchfork festival is the opening night’s “Don’t Look Back Night,” wherein the artists will play their classic albums in their entirety. Expect a crowd of around 40,000 over the course of the three-day festival, perhaps even more because of the “Don’t Look Back” attraction.
Jacksonville (Green Cove Springs) - July 19 · $28
One of the few touring festivals left in the country, the Warped Tour is moving to Green Cove Springs this summer. The move to Reynolds Park Yacht Club is going to add another thirty to forty minutes to the average local attendee’s drive. The lineup looks familiar, as many of these groups have graced the stages of the Jacksonville Fairgrounds during prior Warped Tours, and some that you should expect include Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Coheed and Cambria, Pepper, Yellowcard, and New Found Glory. Is it just a coincidence that this national tour has two headliners that are actually from Jacksonville? To get a better view of the upcoming Warped Tour, check out the website warpedtour.com. The website is intensely interactive and you can create your own profile in order to message board with other members about the Tour.
Illinois - August 3-5 · $195
Another Chicago fest, this one always has a promising lineup. Pearl Jam, LCD Soundsystem, Modest Mouse, Interpol, Daft Punk, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and the Roots all make this fest worthwhile. Think of Lollapalooza as a medium between Bonnaroo and Pitchfork. Lollapalooza has evolved from the 1990 festival that categorized a generation of music with Jane’s Addiction and the grunge phenomenon to a festival that transcends music and features attractions such as the Alvin Alley dance school and virtual reality simulators. You can’t camp, but being in the middle of Chicago does offer an urban allure that Bonnaroo lacks.
It’s certainly going to be a sizzling season of good sounds, so plan your rockin’ road trip now. Hey, it’s got to be better than another week of family vacation surrounded by crumb-crunchers at Wallyworld.
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