|
With everyone a year older and wiser, this season's festivals are shaping up to be even bigger and more awesome than ever. Check out last year's. Helping you sort out the mess is our annual running list of all the festival goodness America has to offer: Total festivals with announced dates: 40 Total festivals with announced full lineups: 32
What: Noise Pop
Where: San Francisco, CA
When: February 28-March 2
Who: The Mountain Goats, She & Him, The Walkmen, British Sea Power, Cursive, The Magnetic Fields, The Helio Sequence, Holy Fuck, The Rosebuds, Stellastarr*, MSTRKRFT, and many more
Why: Packed lineup spread out in the heart of San Fran. It's not even that cold there this early in the year.
Web: www.noisepop.com/2008
What: Langerado
Where: Sunrise, FL
When: March 9-11
Who: Beastie Boys, R.E.M., The Roots, tons of jam bands, The National, !!!, The Walkmen, Vampire Weekend, of Montreal, Dan Deacon, The Felice Brothers, and many more
Why: South Florida is the perfect place to hit an early-season festival. It just keeps getting bigger, drawing indie rock and pothead acts from all corners of the country. Read more in our recap from 2007 here
Web: www.langerado.com
What: South by Southwest
Where: Austin, TX
When: March 12-15
Who: A million. Again. Just look here
Why: The annual industry orgy fills Austin's Sixth Street like nothing else for four straight days, and provides countless opportunities to catch all of the newest next-big-things next door to famous acts. Read our day-by-day recap from 2007 here
Web: 2008.sxsw.com
What: MusicNOW
Where: Cincinnati, OH
When: April 2-5
Who: Grizzly Bear, Andrew Bird, The Dirty Projectors, Bang on a Can, and more
Why: Catch some pretty inventive indie rock acts over four days at Memorial Hall.
Web: www.musicnowfestival.org/new
What: Culture Shock
Where: Bloomington, IN
When: April 18
Who: Beach House, Mahjongg, Dead Child, Epochs, and more
Why: Because Chicago can't have all the fun, radio station WIUX throws an all-day free event in Bloomington, Indiana (though the line-up isn't as good as last year's).
Web: www.wiux.org/cultureshock.html
What: Dickson St.
Where: Fayetteville, AR
When: April 25-26
Who: Sonic Youth, Charlie Daniels, .38 Special, Shooter Jennings, Little Feat, Michael Franti and Spearhead
Why: A little bit country, a little bit rock 'n' roll here for two nights in Western Arkansas. Small, short, and sweet, it's one of the more intresting spring lineups.
Web: www.majesticconcerts.com/DSMF.html
What: Coachella
Where: Indio, CA
When: April 25-27
Who: Roger Waters, Portishead, Jack Johnson, Kraftwerk, The Verve, The Raconteurs, Death Cab For Cutie, My Morning Jacket, Aphex Twin, The Breeders, Justice, Fatboy Slim, Spiritualized, The Streets, Sasha & Digweed, Metric, Hot Chip, Cold War Kids, VHS or Beta, Animal Collective, Kate Nash, Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, Architecture in Helsinki, The Field, Spank Rock, Diplo, St. Vincent, Bonde Do Role, Rogue Wave, Jens Lekman, and many more
Why: Maybe the trendiest of all of the American summer festivals, Coachella draws a huge SoCal audience to the luxurious Palm Springs area. You're sure to bump elbows with some stars as three days of indie and mainstream acts rock tents and stages at the polo grounds.
Web: www.coachella.com
What: Norman
Where: Norman, OK
When: April 26
Who: The Polyphonic Spree, British Sea Power, The Octopus Project, Evangelicals, Grupo Fantasma, Cheyenne, Chainsaw Kittens, and more
Why: The home of Oklahoma University just put itself on the indie-rock map with a free all-day event, just outside of Oklahoma City, with Texas' Polyphonic Spree & Octopus Project, import British Sea Power, and the best band out of Oklahoma since The Flaming Lips (who are curiously not playing...), Evangelicals. Read & see more in our recap here
Web: www.normanmusicfestival.com
What: Beale Street
Where: Memphis, TN
When: May 2-4
Who: The Roots, The Black Crowes, Matisyahu, Santana, Lou Reed, Aretha Franklin, Sheryl Crow, My Chemical Romance, Fergie, Ben Folds, Cat Power, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Tegan & Sara, The Whigs, Lord T & Eloise, Drive By, and much more
Why: Memphis is about much more than the King of Rock 'n' Roll, as historic Beale Street plays home to a mix of blues, hip-hop, jam-band, emo, mainstream, alternative, and more, all over three days and five stages in Tom Lee Park.
Web: www.thebealestreetmusicfestival.com
What: Summer Camp
Where: Chillicothe, IL
When: May 23-25
Who: moe., The Flaming Lips, The Roots, The New Pornographers, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Girl Talk, Phonograph, and many more
Why: This jam band festival just outside Peoria is expanding this year past the usual suspects, including the event's regular, moe., to indie-rock, funk, and more.
Web: www.summercampfestival.com/2008
What: Jam On The River
Where: Philadelphia, PA
When: May 24-25
Who: The Flaming Lips, The Disco Biscuits, RJD2, Josh Ritter, Avett Brothers, and more
Why: In case you can't make it out of the northeast for Memorial Day Weekend, The City of Brotherly Love has you covered with a two-day jaunt on its historic waterfront - though the first day (Flaming Lips, RJD2, Josh Ritter) beats the second day hands-down.
Web: www.electricfactory.com/jam_on_the_river.htm
What: Sasquatch!
Where: George, WA
When: May 24-26
Who: R.E.M., The Cure, The Flaming Lips U.F.O. Show, Death Cab For Cutie, Cold War Kids, Modest Mouse, Mars Volta, Flight of the Conchords, The Breeders, The Hives, The New Pornographers, The National, Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, The Kooks, Okkervil River, Destroyer, Battles, Say Hi, White Rabbits, and many more
Why: Nothing wrong with a little peace, love, and music out in the middle of Washington State to kick your summer off right.
Web: www.sasquatchfestival.com/2008
What: River-to-River
Where: Downtown Manhattan, NY
When: May 29-August 30
Who: Sonic Youth, St. Vincent, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Atlas Sound, Ulrich Schnauss, The Long Winters, Dirty Projectors, No Age, Wire, A Place to Bury Strangers, Bang on a Can Marathon, White Williams, The Feelies, Die! Die! Die!, Telepathe, Mirah and the Spectratone International, and more to be announced - see dates in the QRO Concert Calender
Why: The most extensive of all the free outdoor summer concert series in New York, downtown Manhattan rocks from the East River to the Hudson. Events include the Friday Seaport Music series at South Street Seaport, Castle Clinton Monument, and alt-icons Sonic Youth playing Battery Park on The Fourth of July! See our venue review of South Street Seaport, and our photos from last year's Seaport Music Festival, here
Web: www.rivertorivernyc.com
What: Central Park Summerstage
Where: Central Park, NY
When: May 30-August 17
Who: Duran Duran, Vampire Weekend, Battles, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Jamie Lidell, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Thievery Corporation, Mark Knopfler, Los Lobos, Dengue Fever, Santogold, Diplo, Kid Sister, Born Ruffians, Black Dice and more - see dates in the QRO Concert Calender
Why: The granddaddy of outdoor New York festivals, the most famous city park in the world hosts an eclectic mix of high-minded acts, from world music to electronic to indie. See our venue review of Central Park Summerstage, and our photos from last year's Summerstage, here
Web: www.summerstage.org
What: Wakarusa
Where: Lawrence, KS
When: June 5-8
Who: The Flaming Lips, CAKE, Ben Folds, Built To Spill, Buckethead, Old 97's, Tilly and the Wall, Dr. Dog, Del the Funky Homosapien, Mates of State, Bang Camaro, Stardeath and the White Dwarfs, and many more
Why: If you can't make it to one of the festivals on the coasts or big cities, you can always head to the middle of America for a solid time. Read more in our preview here
Web: www.wakarusa.com
What: Bonnaroo
Where: Manchester, TN
When: June 12-15
Who: Pearl Jam, Metallica, Kanye West, Chris Rock, Widespread Panic, Robert Plant & Allison Krauss, My Morning Jacket, The Allman Brothers, The Raconteurs, Willie Nelson, Death Cab For Cutie, B.B. King, Sigur Ros, Cat Power, Broken Social Scene, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Iron & Wine, Tegan & Sara, !!!, Rilo Kiley, Battles, The Felice Brothers, Rogue Wave, and many more
Why: It's a southern-style musical all-star festival with huge acts from a wide variety of genres all converging on a farm in Tennessee as a sea of tents and RVs battle the heat for four days of pure bliss.
Web: www.bonnaroo.com
What: Celebrate Brooklyn
Where: Brooklyn, NY
When: June 12-August 9
Who: Feist, Spoon, Cold War Kids, Isaac Hayes, Ghostland Observatory, Beth Orton, Deerhoof, Elvis Perkins In Dearland, Brazilian Girls, Sam Champion, Extra Golden, and more - see dates in the QRO Concert Calender
Why: Everyone's favorite borough to give a shout-out to celebrates the 30th summer of events at the one and only Prospect Park Bandshell. See our venue review of Prospect Park Bandshell, and our photos from last year's Celebrate Brooklyn, here
Web: www.briconline.org/celebrate
What: Virgin Calgary
Where: Calgary, AB, Canada
When: June 21-22
Who: Stone Temple Pilots, The Flaming Lips, The New Pornographers, Stars, The Tragically Hip, Constantines, City and Colour, and more
Why: Virgin stakes its claim as the 'coolest company/brand in the world' with two music festivals in Canada (and a third in the old U.S.A.). After expanding to to the west coast last year at Vancouver, Virgin now goes to the Great White North's Conservative, oil, cattle, and guns heartland, Calgary, Alberta. While Yankees like Stone Temple Pilots and the ubiquitous festers Flaming Lips headline, the heart of festival is Maple Leaf acts.
Web: www.virginfestival.ca/calgary
What: Sled Island
Where: Calgary, AB, Canada
When: June 25-28
Who: Broken Social Scene, Tegan & Sara, Yo La Tengo, Mogwai, Okkervil River, Of Montreal, Apostle of Hustle, Grizzly Bear, Jose Gonzalez, Drive-By Truckers, Deerhunter, Portastatic, Langhorne Slim, Blitzen Trapper, The Gutter Twins, Jonathan Richman, Broken West, No Age, Headlights, The Mohawk Lodge, Jane Vain & the Dark Matter, and more
Why: Summers don't last that long up in Alberta, but Calgary's still managed to fit in two in about a week! Now in its second year, Sled Island delivers a mix of emerging and established acts, nicely divided between both sides of the border.
Web: www.sledisland.com
What: Citysol
Where: East River, NY
When: June 26-29
Who: TBA
Why: The sunshine-powered SolarOne was green before it was cool, and looks set to follow up last year's eco-friendly, carbon-free fest down along the East River in lower Manhattan. See our photos from Stuyvesant Cover Park last year here
Web: citysol.org
What: McCarren Park Pool Parties
Where: McCarren Park Pool, NY
When: June 29-August 3
Who: The Breeders, The Hold Steady, Matt & Kim, Black Lips, Liars, MGMT, Aesop Rock, Black Lips, Deerhunter, Fuck Buttons, Team Robespierre, Ting Tings, Panther, White Denim, Black Moth Super Rainbow - more to be announced
Why: In what seems likely to be its last year (of course, they said that last year about Siren Music Festival...), Brooklyn's Pool Parties come back at the one and only McCarren Park Pool. Look for Jelly NYC to close out the WPA-era community pool-turned abandoned, run-down pool-turned run-down pool refurbished enough to be a concert venue right, before The Powers That Be get their way and turn it into - shudder - an actual community pool again, starting with the borough's own Hold Steady. See our venue review of McCarren Park Pool, and our photos from last year's Pool Parties and more, here
Web: www.thepoolparties.com
What: Rothbury
Where: Rothbury, MI
When: July 3-6
Who: Snoop Dogg, Dave Matthews Band, Primus, Modest Mouse, The Black Keys, John Mayer, of Montreal, Sage Francis, The Secret Machines, and many more
Why: It's on a themed ranch, so not only will the wide array of hip-hop, jamming, and indie rock mess with your head, so will people running around dressed like Tombstone extras.
Web: www.rothburyfestival.com
What: Sub Pop 20th Anniversary
Where: Redmond, WA
When: July 12-13
Who: Wolf Parade, The Vaselines, Mudhoney, Iron and Wine, Low, The Helio Sequence, Foals, Flight of the Conchords, Fleet Foxes, The Ruby Suns, No Age, Grand Archives, and more
Why: The little indie label that could, turns the big 2-0 this summer, and they're throwing a party! The birthplace of grunge has grown up a lot since it's flannel-wearing early days, and they're showing it off with a line-up of their top acts from today, from Canadian alt-all-stars Wolf Parade to kiwi HBO stars Flight of the Conchords - and Mudhoney will be there to represent the ol' days, along with Nirvana's favorite band, The Vaselines, in their first-ever US performance.
Web: www.subpop.com
What: Pitchfork
Where: Chicago, IL
When: July 18-20
Who: Public Enemy, Spoon, Animal Collective, Mission of Burma, Dinosaur Jr., Spiritualized, Jarvis Cocker, The Hold Steady, Sebadoh, !!!, M. Ward, Vampire Weekend, Les Savy Fav, The Apples in Stereo, Dirty Projectors, No Age, Fleet Foxes, Atlas Sound, Bon Iver, The Ruby Suns, Fuck Buttons, and many more
Why: Pitchfork Magazine expands outside its indie-rock homebase with a festival that reaches from experimental electronica all the way to hip-hop pioneers Public Enemy performing their ground-breaking It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (with Mission of Burma performing Vs. and Sebadoh playing Bubble and Scrape). You know what time it is!
Web: www.pitchforkmusicfestival.com
What: Siren
Where: Coney Island, NY
When: July 19
Who: Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, Broken Social Scene, The Helio Sequence, Beach House, Times New Viking, Jaguar Love, The Dodos, Annuals, Film School, Parts & Labor, Dragons of Zynth, These Are Powers, and more to be announced - see date in the QRO Concert Calender
Why: Not even developers and gentrification can kill it! Pronounced dead a year ago, along with the 'old' Coney Island, Village Voice's annual music fest is coming back for another 'possibly final' year. Following up a strong 2007, this year has got possibly its strongest line-up yet, mixing Brooklyn locals with Canadian all-stars and a strong Matador contingent. Read more in our recap from 2007 here
Web: www.villagevoice.com/siren
What: Dfest
Where: Tulsa, OK
When: July 25-26
Who: The All-American Rejects, The Roots, The Disco Biscuits, Paramore, Ghostland Observatory, Helmet, Phantom Planet, The Apples In Stereo, The Forms, Gravity Propulsion Systems, Greg Summerlin, Cat-a-tac, Colourmusic, Ryan Lindsey, Ghost of Monkhood and more
Why: Oklahoma's biggest music festival returns for its seventh year with a mix of festival regulars and more mainstream acts.
Web: www.dfest.com
What: Capitol Hill Block Party
Where: Seattle, WA
When: July 25-26
Who: DeVotchka, Les Savy Fav, Vampire Weekend, The Hold Steady, Girl Talk, Grand Ole Party, Chromeo, Kimya Dawson, Jay Reatard, The Dodos, and several more
Why: Small, short, and sweet - Seattle's got a summer weekend of fun planned for its indie folks. Sort of a hidden gem of summer festivals, it should be nothing short of excellent.
Web: www.thestranger.com/blockparty
What: Pemberton
Where: Pemberton, BC, Canada
When: July 25-27
Who: Coldplay, Tom Pety and The Heartbreakers, The Flaming Lips, Nine Inch Nails, Jay-Z, Interpol, Death Cab For Cutie, My Morning Jacket, Metric, Vampire Weekend, The Tragically Hip, Black Mountain, Minus The Bear, Wintersleep, MGMT, Fiery Furnaces, Mates of State, Chromeo, and many more
Why: In its inaugural year, Pemberton throws down a diverse line-up, from mainstream to indie, neo-hippie to hip-hop, as British Columbia tries to bring the British Britain-style festival across the pond.
Web: pembertonfestival.com
What: Lollapalooza
Where: Chicago, IL
When: August 1-3
Who: Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine, Nine Inch Nails, Kanye West, Wilco, The Raconteurs, Gnarls Barkley, Bloc Party, The Black Keys, Broken Social Scene, Cat Power, The National, Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, Iron & Wine, Girl Talk, Jamie Lidell, Spank Rock, Rogue Wave, DeVotchKa, Nicole Atkins & the Sea, Saul Williams, Manchester Orchestra, Wild Sweet Orange, The Postelles, and many more
Why: Over the years, it's become the center stage of all of the American summer festivals, and 2008 is no different. The biggest acts, from alternative to hip-hop to mainstream, starting with the headliners and going on down.
Web: www.lollapalooza.com
What: Osheaga
Where: Montréal, QUE, Canada
When: August 3-4
Who: Killers, Jack Johnson, Broken Social Scene, Iggy & The Stooges, Cat Power, Duffy, Gogol Bordello, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, CSS, Spiritualized, DeVotchka, Chromeo, The Go! Team, The Black Keys, Plants & Animals, Louis XIV, MGMT, Matt Costa, The Weakerthans, Jamie Lidell, Rock Plaza Central, and many more
Why: Because Canada can't let the Yankees have all the fun, the sexiest city in North America throws its own two-day music festival (Sunday to Monday, just to be different), from artsy to rock, 21st century to 18th. While the bottom half of the line-up card is replete with Francophile acts, the top half is pretty States-centric - and the biggest Maple Leaf-waver is from Toronto...
Web: www.osheaga.com
What: Virgin
Where: Baltimore, MD
When: August 9-10
Who: Bob Dylan, Iggy and The Stooges, Foo Fighters, Jack Johnson, Kanye West, Nine Inch Nails, Stone Temple Pilots, Wilco, Bloc Party, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Black Keys, KT Tunstall, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Cat Power, Underworld, She & Him, Lupe Fiasco, Shudder To Think, The Go! Team, Andrew Bird, and more
Why: Now in its third year, everyone's favorite 'rebel' billionaire follows up last year's superb line-up by going mainstream, especially when compared to the two he's throwing up in Canada.
Web: www.virginmobilefestival.com
What: All Points West
Where: Jersey City, NJ
When: August 8-10
Who: Radiohead, Jack Johnson, Underworld, Kings of Leon, Cat Power, The Roots, Metric, The New Pornographers, Animal Collective, Andrew Bird, Girl Talk, The Go! Team, The Felice Brothers, and many more - see dates in the QRO Concert Calender
Why: Brought to you by Goldenvoice, the masterminds of Coachella, APW begins to fill the East Coast void that's plagued the festival season in recent years... by having Radiohead headline the first two nights.
Web: www.apwfestival.com
What: Outside Lands
Where: San Francisco, CA
When: August 22-24
Who: Radiohead, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Jack Johnson, Beck, Wilco, Broken Social Scene, Cold War Kids, Andrew Bird, M. Ward, Bon Iver, The Felice Brothers, and more
Why: Star-studded late summer festival in San Fran. Doesn't get much easier than that.
Web: www.sfoutsidelands.com
What: Bumbershoot
Where: Seattle, WA
When: August 30-September 1
Who: Beck, Stone Temple Pilots, Lucinda Williams, Neko Case, Band of Horses, Del Tha Funky Homosapien, Jakob Dylan, Black Keys, !!!, Saul Williams, M. Ward, The Walkmen, Dan Deacon, Blitzen Trapper, John Vanderslice, Final Fantasy, Arthur & Yu, and many more
Why: Because Washington State is too big for just one festival, Seattle hosts one all its own over Labor Day Weekend, that's heavy on not just the northwest acts, but also the innovative hip-hop (but where's Sir Mix-A-Lot?...).
Web: www.bumbershoot.org
What: Virgin Toronto
Where: Toronto, ON, Canada
When: September 6-7
Who: Oasis, Foo Fighters, Bloc Party, Paul Weller, Stereophonics, Spiritualized, The Weakerthans, Wintersleep, Constantines, MGMT, and more
Why: The third of four festival Virgin is throwing in North American this summer, this two-day fest in Toronto Island Park isn't as Canada-heavy as the one earlier in Calgary, leaning towards the Anglophile.
Web: www.virginfestival.ca/toronto
What: Monolith
Where: Red Rocks, CO
When: September 13-14
Who: Justice, DeVotchka, TV On the Radio, Silversun Pickups, Band of Horses, Vampire Weekend, Neko Case, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, Cut Copy, CSS, Tokyo Police Club, The Kills, Holy Fuck, White Denim, A Place To Bury Strangers, The Heavy, Tilly & The Wall, Blitzen Trapper, The Presets, The Hood Internet, Pop Levi, and more
Why: The famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre looks set to follow-up last year's inaugural festival with a wide mix of acts - guess ticket sales last year were good enough...
Web: www.monolithfestival.com
What: Treasure Island
Where: San Francisco, CA
When: September 20-21
Who: TBA
Why: Another festival in its sophomore year, it takes place on an island smack in the middle of San Fransisco Bay, which had previously been an international exposition center in the thirties, a naval base until the sixties, and where Patch Adams was filmed, before being turned in a green, 'no-car' city in 2005. But what was really interesting was last year's line-up, electronica one day, art-rock the next.
Web: www.treasureislandfestival.com
What: ATP New York
Where: Monticello, NY
When: September 19-21
Who: My Bloody Valentine, Dinosaur Jr., Yo La Tengo, Built To Spill, Tortoise, Thurston Moore, Low, Fuck Buttons, Meat Puppets, Mercury Rev, Mogwai, Autolux, Wooden Shjips, Thee Silver Mountain Zion Orchestra, Polvo, Lilys, and more
Why: Famed U.K. fest All Tomorrow's Parties makes it across the Atlantic to Kutshers Country Club in the historic Catskills resort. Curated by ATP & shoe-gaze all-stars My Bloody Valentine, it will include MBV's first US performance in sixteen years, plus full-length album performances by Built To Spill (Perfect From Now On), Meat Puppets (Meat Puppets II), Thurston Moore (Psychic Hearts), and Tortoise (Millions Now Living Will Never Die), all in some of the most beautiful parts of upstate New York.
Web: www.atpfestival.com/events/atp-ny/
What: Austin City Limits
Where: Austin, TX
When: September 26-28
Who: Foo Fighters, Beck, Plant & Krauss, John Fogerty, David Byrne, The Raconteurs, Gnarls Barkley, Hot Chip, Band of Horses, Conor Oberst, Spiritualized, and many, many more.
Why: It's your chance to see one of the best mixes of indie-dom plus several old guys and old bands getting together again. Not too long ago, this was nowhere near as venerable as the PBS live music show, but by now this event is a regular festival 'veteran'. And when it's on, the 'Live Music Capital of the World' is really that, as alternative-meets-jam-meets-country. See who's on Austin City Limits this week here
Web: www.aclfestival.com
What: CMJ
Where: New York, NY
When: October 21-25
Who: TBA
Why: A massive amount of bands, press, and industry come to the Big Apple to meet and greet, see and be seen. While the lion's share of the action is in The Bowery in downtown Manhattan, acts will be playing anywhere they can find a stage. Read our day-by-day recap from 2007 here
Web: www.cmj.com/marathon
|
