Jesus Lizard at Pitchfork. Photo by matthewnorth
Alex Nolette highlights ten of America’s best summer music festivals, some well known and some not.
All Good (West Virginia)
The All Good Festival bills itself as four days of music, camping, and loving. The site is a big field at Marvin’s mountaintop in Masontown, WV. Tents, tie-died shirts, and brotherly love recommended. Further, Widespread Panic, and Umphrey’s Mcgee headline. July 8-11
Camp Bisco (Mariaville, NY)
Although the Disco Biscuits are the curators of Camp Bisco, this is not the jamband line-up one would expect. ”Wu Massacre” (Method Man, Raekwon, and Ghost Face), LCD Soundsystem, Girl Talk, Ween, and the Disco Biscuits headline three days of music that will not leave you bored.
The often muddy field at the Indian Lookout Country Club in Mariaville, NY is usually inhabited by gypsies, pot lovers, and fun loving hippies. July 15-17
Siren. abbynormy
Pitchfork (Chicago)
Pitchfork is a three day festival of tight jeans, flannel, and Ray bans. This is the Mecca for independent music. Hosted by Pitchfork Media in Union Park of West Side Chicago, the festival promises to have enough breathing room and necessities to accommodate the large crowd that will be piling-in due to low ticket prices and bands like Modest Mouse, LCD Soundsystem, Pavement, Big Boi, Beach House, and Wolf Parade. July 16 – 18
SirenFest (New York)
For the past ten years, indie rock enthusiasts have headed to Coney Island, Brooklyn to attend SirenFest. Siren is a one day free festival that is guaranteed to be a lot of fun and not lack any of the Coney Island freak show. Matt and Kim and Cymbals Eat Guitars will be playing, just to name a few. July 17
Hullabalou (Louisville)
Some of the biggest names in music are getting together to play this this three day event at Churchill Downs. The beautiful home of the Kentucky Derby will set up with five stages and an artist list that will blow your mind. Just check out the band line-up to understand how big this festival will be.
Bon Jovi, Huey Lewis and the News, Dave Matthews Band, Kenny Chesney, and Ben Folds are some of the big names you can expect. July 23-25
Lolla. Photo by mjanicki
Maha (Omaha)
Omaha’s downtown waterfront on the Missouri river makes for a beautiful backdrop for Maha. Bands like Spoon, The Faint, Superchunk, The Old 97’s, and Ben Kweller will be your soundtrack to the day. July 24
Lollapalooza (Chicago)
Prepare yourself! Originally a touring festival catering to the “Alternative Nation”, Lollapalooza is a festival that appeals to all musical elitists. It is also one of the many music festivals making a push towards going green.
Now a three day festival stationed in Grant Park, Chicago, the 2010 line-up is just as varied as it always has been. With names like Green Day, Lady Gaga, Soundgarden, Phoenix, Minus the Bear, Blues Traveler and B.O.B, the crowd will be as diverse as the bands. August 6-8
Outside Lands (San Francisco)
After only two years on the block, Outside Lands is quickly becoming the summer Coachella. Bands are jumping at the chance to play in beautiful Golden Gate Park, and the crowds are enormous.
If the weather turns out just right, OL is the perfect place to capture memorable performances from Further, Kings of Leon, The Strokes, My Morning Jacket, Phoenix, or any other band on this stellar bill. August 14-15
Bumpershoot. Photo by bandfan
ATP (Monticello, New York)
Kutsher’s Country Club in Monticello, NY is host to ATP NY’s three day indoor concert series. Performances by Sonic Youth, Explosions in the Sky, and Iggy and the Stooges playing the entire Raw Power record should leave even the most ravenous music listeners satisfied. September 3-5
Bumbershoot (Seattle)
The grandfather of the great summer festivals, Bumbershoot was started in 1971 at the Seattle Center. An all arts festival, music isn’t the only thing that bumbershoot offers. Comedy, theatre, dance, literary arts, and visual arts pack your three days with plenty to do.
With acts like Bob Dylan, Mary J. Blige, Weezer, Hole, and Drake headlining, good luck trying to pry your eyes from the stage. September 4-6
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15 Comments... join the discussion!
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I’m not really sure how I missed that one! It must have been buried in the depths of the search engine. Yeah, I would probably much rather go to forecastle. Thanks though.
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Yay, Louisville!
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You missed a fabulous one – The National Folk Festival – this year held in Butte, MT.
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I had to hold my breath to see if Bumbershoot would make it! It’s a summer staple. Two years ago we also went to a really great one in Denver: The Mile High Music Festival.
We got Dave Matthews one night and Tom Petty the next!! Not sure how it went the second year around because I was off traveling!
Perfect list to get summer rolling!
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Great list! I don’t often come south of the border for festivals (Canada has our own share) but these ones are tempting.
If you’re getting your gear together, we did a recent blog on “5 Unusual Items to Pack for a Summer Festival” that has some tips!:
http://www.wildernesssupply.ca/display.php?nID=183↵ -
You left off Summerfest in Milwaukee, which just closed its 2010 run. It’s the world’s largest music festival with 700 bands over 11 days on 11 stages.
Admission runs from $8.00 to $15.00, except for the “big acts” playing in the Marcus Amphitheater. One can argue that the most relevant music was being performed outside the amphitheater…
Here was what the 2010 lineup looked like:
Marcus Amphitheater Shows (Concert Ticket includes Summerfest Admission)
American Idols Live
Carrie Underwood & Sons of Sylvia
Eric Clapton & Roger Daltrey
Justin Bieber & Sean Kingston
Lynyrd Skynyrd & .38 Special
Rush
Santana & Steve Winwood
Tim McGraw w/ Lady Antebellum & Love and Theft
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers & ZZ Top
Usher & Lyfe JenningsSummerfest Headliners (Included in General Admission pricing)
311
August Burns Red
Average White Band
B.B. King
Blue Oyster Cult
Cage the Elephant
Cameo
Cavo
Chevelle
Colbie Caillat
Counting Crows
Cowboy Mouth
Cypress Hill
Danny Gokey
Dark Star Orchestra
Del McCoury
Devo
Dierks Bentley
Fever Marlene
Flyleaf
Gavin DeGraw
Gavin Rossdale
Guster
Halestorm
Hawthorne Heights
Jeff Beck
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
John Hiatt
Kellie Pickler
Kool and the Gang
Less Than Jake
Levon Helm Band
Lovehammers
Mint Condition
Modest Mouse
N.E.R.D.
Neon Trees
Night Ranger
Nonpoint
O.A.R.
Papa Roach
Passion Pit
Pat McCurdy
Peter Frampton
Phil Vassar
Pitbull
Public Enemy
Puddle of Mudd
Robert Randolph & the Family Band
Saliva
Savoy Brown
Scorpions
Sheryl Crow
Sick Puppies
Silversun Pickups
Skillet
Slightly Stoopid
Steel Pulse
STS9
Terrance Simien
The B-52s
The Bravery
The Constellations
The Devil Wears Prada
The Dirty Heads
The Gracious Few
The Gufs
The Heavy
The Hold Steady
The Moody Blues
The Offspring
The Roots
The Wailers
Thievery Corporation
Tito Nieves
Tokyo Police Club
Umphrey’s McGee
Uriah Heep
Wang Chung
War
Weird Al Yankovic
YesConsidering
a) that there has to be at least one band that would be considered interesting by most people,
b) It is pretty difficult to see any one of these bands for the $8-15 admission price and
c) Many times it is difficult to choose between acts playing on different stages at the same time,Summerfest remains not only the largest, but one of the most varied and affordable music festivals around. around.
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80/35 MUSIC FESTIVAL BEATS OUT ALL THESE MOPEY HIPSTER SHOW!
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While it doesn’t say it anywhere, I made this a 2010 list. So it only included the festivals that hadn’t taken place yet. I had summerfest of the list originally though. Hopefully next year, I’ll be able to hit this article a little earlier and I should have about 20 festivals.
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Really looking forward to Pitchfork. So much respect for them keeping the tickets affordable (http://www.museyon.com/blog/2010/07/06/museyons-guide-to-pitchfork-festival/). Also ATP is just so wacky, really love that festival.
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Having attended tons of summer music festivals, Outside Lands really is a great one. Can’t beat the locale and it’s pretty mellow, compared to a lot of the festivals I’ve been to. Great round-up!
Would kill to go to pitchfork!
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Alex,
Thank you very much for the mention of Maha! As a nonprofit, volunteer lead festival, we need all the PR we can get. Now, if you can get to Omaha from NC, we’ve got your festival tix and drinks covered. Thanks again!
Tre Brashear
Maha President↵ -
How could you forget about Austin City Limits?
3 DAYS, 8 STAGES, & 180 BANDS!
It does take place in the “Live Music Capital of the World.”
Here’s the link…http://www.aclfestival.com/
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Austin City limits is a great festival, but it’s in October, so doesn’t quite make the “Summer Music Festivals” qualifications.
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Alex…you missed Mountain Jam. This year was our sixth year and it was our best ever. Check mountainjam.com.
We also operate a great internet radio channel called Radio Woodstock LIVE that features great live recordings from top festivals, concerts and in-studio performances.
You can check it out at: radiowoodstock.com
Thanks…
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