Summer music festival guide

Posted by admin on Mar 25, 2009 in Arts & Culture | 0 comments

Coachella:
Indio, California
April 17-19, $269 (US) for 3-day pass
Headliners: Paul McCartney, Franz Ferdinand, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Killers, TV on the Radio, Fleet Foxes, The Cure, Lupe Fiasco, Band of Horses
First kicking off in 1999, Coachella has become one of the largest music festivals, drawing huge names every spring. Indio is about a two-hour drive inland from L.A. and it gets crazy hot in this desert region. The festival has also been the place of numerous musical reunions, including Portishead in 2008, Rage Against the Machine in 2007, and, after a nine-year hiatus, Daft Punk in 2006.

Sasquatch:
George, Washington
May 23-25, $199.50 (US) for 3-day pass
Headliners: Kings of Leon, Ben Harper, Nine Inch Nails, Mos Def, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV on the Radio, Animal Collective, Jane’s Addiction, Santigold
Sasquatch takes place in the natural and gorgeous amphitheatre in George, Wash., about a four-hour drive from Langley. Drawing lots of big-name indie talent, as well as a nice mix of established bands, this year’s line up is one of the best they’ve put together. Expect to not get much sleep and to be around a fair amount of drug use.

Pemberton:
Pemberton, B.C.
Cancelled this year, planned to return in 2010

North By Northeast:
Toronto, Ontario
June 17-21, $250 for Superpass
Headliners: Line up remains unannounced. 2008 featured We Are Wolves, Sloan, moneen, The Stills, Great Lake Swimmers and Bedouin Soundclash
Showcasing some of the best Canadian talent, NXNW takes place in several clubs and venues around Toronto over five days.

Warped Tour:
Across North America, including Toronto, Calgary, Seattle and Vancouver
June 26-Aug. 23, tickets not yet on sale
Headliners: Underoath, Alexisonfire, Bad Religion, Lights, NOFX, Flogging Molly
Originally founded in 1995 as a punk rock tour, Warped Tour is still close to its roots, but now features a mixture of other genres. The worst thing about WT is all the tweens that show up to push other tweens, but if moshing with 16-year-olds is your thing this is the place to do it. Ironically, Vans, a company that employs foreign labour, is the title sponsor, which has sparked criticism from some punk bands. Despite this, WT has managed to stay relevant in the midst of the decline of punk and ska’s popularity.

Pitchfork Music Festival:
Chicago, Illinois
July 17-19, $35/day
Headliners: Yo La Tengo, Built to Spill, The National, Pharoahe Monch, Grizzly Bear, The Walkmen. Full line up not yet announced.
You know you have a successful blog when you have your own festival. Though it’s only been going for a few years, PMF keeps it affordable and has showcased good line-ups. Chicago in the summer is tough to beat, and, thrown in with some great music, one is left with a winning combination.

Lollapalooza:
Chicago, Illinois
August 7-9, tickets not yet on sale
Headliners: Depeche Mode, Beastie Boys, Jane’s Addiction, Kings of Leon. Full line up not yet announced.
Originally founded as a hardcore and grunge tour, Lollapalooza shut down in 1998 after both genres became less popular and the tour was no longer profitable. It was reborn in 2003, and has made Chicago its home since.