As summer approaches, most music fans know that there’s one great thing that comes with it: festival season. No matter where you’re planning on spending your time this summer, there is most likely a festival near you. Here are some festivals to highlight.
My favorite of the bunch this year (though I am attending, so I may be biased) is Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival. Headlined by none other than Sir Paul McCartney himself, this year’s lineup also features the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nine Inch Nails, Hall & Oates, the Tallest Man on Earth, Matt and Kim, Milo Greene and more. The festival, which began in 2008, will run from Aug. 9-11 at the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco and will also feature wine and beer tasting, as well as art exhibits.
Getting a little bit closer to home is the FYF Fest, which will be held on Aug. 24 and 25 at the LA State Historic Park. The festival is headlined on the first day by indie-rockers the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and on the second day by classic reunited shoegazers My Bloody Valentine. TV on the Radio, STRFKR, MGMT and Yo La Tengo are other highlights of the weekend, which also promises comedians.
If you’re willing to travel a bit farther, one of the largest selections available is in Manchester, Tenn. at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. Also headlined by the seemingly immortal McCartney, the festival also offers performances by Mumford and Sons, Tom Petty, Wu-Tang Clan, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Walk the Moon and Bob Saget, along with a huge host of other comedians and musical performers. It will be held June 13-16 at Great Stage Park on a 700-acre farm.
In its ninth year since moving to Grant Park in Chicago, Lollapalooza comes in strong from Aug. 2-4. Classic alternative rockers the Cure will headline the lineup, also rounded out by the Killers, the Postal Service, New Order, Foals, Imagine Dragons, Queen of the Stone Age and Two Door Cinema Club.
Even if it’s not a festival, many bands go on summer tours, and the time off from school is the perfect opportunity to see your favorite band or artist. Oftentimes, even going to smaller shows with unknown bands can turn out to be a blast. Places like the Glass House, Back to the Grind, the Wire and the Chain Reaction are great to just go hang out and possibly find some awesome and unheard music.
Whether it’s a small venue or festival, the general admission standing room at most of these shows usually makes for a great communal vibe and exciting performance. So get out there, and I’ll see you at the show.
