Summer music festivals are practically a rite of passage for the young and unburdened. You know the drill – drive South with a carload of friends, spend two or three uncomfortable days pretending you’re a hippie, and then have a spiritual epiphany–while listening to Radiohead, of course–which you later realize was the combined result of dehydration and the fact that you were tripping balls.
You may protest that in this time of swine flu and economic hardship, a week of youthful dissipation is hardly appropriate. Think about it this way: gas prices are back down, and Lord knows you probably haven’t found a job. So why not kick it while you can? Besides, who’s going to stimulate the economy if not you?
So we picked out the cream of the festival crop based on the cream of their line-ups (note: if you’ve ever regretted missing Animal Collective, Chairlift or the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, you can literally see them 87967576 times this summer – yes, literally). So gear up, my mobile friends – festival season is upon us, and this time, it ain’t just Bonnaroo.
SASQUATCH MUSIC FESTIVAL
When: May 23-25
Where: George, Washington
Who: Kings of Leon, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Decemberists, Animal Collective, Bon Iver, Devotchka, M. Ward, Doves, Sun Kil Moon, The Gaslight Anthem, King Khan & the Shrines, Ra Ra Riot, Shearwater, Passion Pit, Mos Def, Jane’s Addiction, NIN, TV On The Radio, Of Montreal, Calexico, The Walkmen, The Wrens, St. Vincent, John Vanderslice, HYPERLINK “http://www.sasquatchfestival.com/band/253” Zach Galifianakis, Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head, Japandroids, Erykah Badu, Fleet Foxes, Santogold, Grizzly Bear, Explosions in the Sky, Girl Talk, School of Seven Bells, Horse Feathers, The Whitest Kids U’ Know, Demetri Martin, Heartless Bastards.
Tix: $66.50-76.50/day; camping passes $95-160
Info: Sasquatchfestival.com
WAKARUSA MUSIC AND CAMPING FESTIVAL
When: June 4-7
Where: Ozark, Arkansas
Who: The Black Crowes, Gov’t Mule, STS9, G. Love and Special Sauce, Yonder Mountain String Band, Les Claypool, Matisyahu, Gomez, Buckethead, Railroad Earth, Perpetual Groove, Langhorne Slim, Dusty Rhodes and the River Band, Underground Orchestra, Old School Freight Train, Mishka, Johnathan Tyler & the Northern Lights, The Corduroy, LFDC Funk, David Hasselhoff on Acid (we hope the actual one).
Tix: $59-2750
Info: wakarusa.com
BONNAROO MUSIC FESTIVAL
When: June 11-14
Where: Manchester, Tennessee
Who: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Phish, Beastie Boys, NIN, David Byrne, Wilco, Al Green, Snoop Dog, Elvis Costello, The Mars Volta, TV on the Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, MGMT, Public Enemy, The Decemberists, Ani Difranco, Girl Talk, Bon Iver, HYPERLINK “http://www.bonnaroo.com/artists/bela-fleck-toumani-diabate.aspx” Béla Fleck & Toumani Diabate, HYPERLINK “http://www.bonnaroo.com/artists/michael-ian-black-michael-showalter.aspx” Michael Ian Black & Michael Showalter, Of Montreal, Lucinda Williams, Animal Collective, Neko Case, Santogold, Grizzly Bear, Passion Pit, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Chairlift. And the biggest name of all: TRIUMPH THE INSULT COMIC DOG!
Tix: $224.50-249.50
Info: bonnaroo.com
PITCHFORK FESTIVAL
When: July 17-19
Where: Union Park, Chicago, IL
Who: Built to Spill, the Jesus Lizard, Yo La Tengo, Tortoise, the National, Yeasayer, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Fucked Up, Plants and Animals, Matt & Kim, Wavves, Charles Hamilton, The Duchess and The Duke, Disappears, The Flaming Lips, Grizzly Bear, M83, The Walkmen, Pharoahe Monch, Blitzen Trapper, The Black Lips, The Very Best, Mew, Vivian Girls, Japandroids, Women.
Tix: $35-75
Info: Pitchforkmusicfestival.com
SIREN MUSIC FESTIVAL
When: Saturday, July 18
Where: Coney Island, NY
Who: Built to Spill, The Raveonettes, Frightened Rabit, Grand Duchy, Monotonix, Micachu & The Shapes, more TBA
Tix: FREE
Info: HYPERLINK “http://siren.villagevoice.com/siren/” http://siren.villagevoice.com/siren/
XX MERGE FESTIVAL
When: July 22-26
Where: Carrboro/Chapel Hill, NC
Who: Lou Barlow, The Magnetic Fields, Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band, Spoon, Superchunk, M. Ward, She & Him, and a whole bunch of smaller-name bands.
Tix: $32/night (5-day passes sold out)
Info: mergerecords.com/xxmerge
ALL POINTS WEST MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL
When: July 31-August 2
Where: Liberty State Park, Jersey City, Dirty Jerz
Who: Beastie Boys, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Vampire Weekend, the National, Fleet Foxes, MSTRKRFT, Q-Tip, The Pharcyde, Organized Konfusion, the Knux, Ra Ra Riot, Seasick Steve, Telepathe, Shearwater, Heartless Bastards, Tool, My Bloody Valentine, Gogol Bordello, Arctic Monkeys, Neko Case, the Ting Tings, Yelle, Crystal Castles, St. Vincent, Tokyo Police Club, the Cool Kids, Kool Keith, Cage the Elephant, Chairlift, White Rabbits, Electric Touch, the Postelles, Black Gold, College Humor Live, Tim & Eric, Judah Friedlander, Jim Jeffries, Coldplay, Echo & the Bunnymen, MGMT, the Black Keys, Mogwai, We Are Scientists, Ghostland Observatory, the Gaslight Anthem, Akron/Family, Steel Train, Kitty, Daisy & Lewis, College Humor Live, Janeane Garofalo, Michael Showalter, Todd Barry
Tix: $89/day or $199/three-day pass
Info: apwfestival.com
LOLLAPALOOZA
When: August 7-9
Where: Grant Park, Chicago, IL
Who: Depeche Mode, Tool, The Killers, Jane’s Addiction, The Beastie Boys, Kings of Leon, Lou Reed, Ben Harper and Relentless 7, Snoop Dogg, Rise Against, Andrew Bird, TV On The Radio, Vampire Weekend, The Decemberists, Neko Case, Animal Collective, Band of Horses, Of Montreal, Arctic Monkeys, Coheed and Cambria, Ben Folds, Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, Santogold, Atmosphere, Peter Bjorn and John, Heartless Bastards, Gomez, Dan Deacon, Passion Pit, The Raveonettes, The Gaslight Anthem, Ra Ra Riot, Chairlift, Amazing Baby, Langhorne Slim
Tix: $190 and up for 3-day pass
Info: lollapalozza.com
BUMBERSHOOT MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL
When: Sept. 5-7
Where: Seattle, WA
Who: Sheryl Crow, Modest Mouse, Katy Perry, Michael Franti & Spearhead, De La Soul, Raphael Saadiq / Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan, The Long Winters, Sly & Robbie & MSTRKRFT, Matt & Kim, Dead Confederate, The Cave Singers, Swollen Members, Vieux Farka Touré, Lenka, Gang Gang Dance, Todd Snider, Holy F**k, DJ Spooky, Iglu & Hartly, Low vs Diamond, Sera Cahoone, Eleni Mandell, Carrie Rodriguez, The Honey Brothers, Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head, Cordero, Forgive Durden.
Tix: $80-420/three-day pass
Info: bumbershoot.org
ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL
When: July3-5
Where: New Orleans, LA
Who: Beyonce, John Legend, Ne-Yo, Salt N Pepa, DJ Soul Sister, Maxwell, Anita Baker, Robin Thicke, Charlie Wilson, Jazmine Sullivan, DJ Soul Sister, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Lionel Richie, Al Green, Teena Marie, En Vogue, DJ Soul Sister
Tix: Price varies by night and seating.
Info: Essencemusicfestival.com
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