by Jasmine O’Neil

Summertime means many things, no school, trips to the beach, family vacations, major blockbuster action films, and of course music festivals! How exactly does a festival differ from a regular concert or tour you ask? Well festivals consist of multiple stages, include a large number of acts, a number of side musical attractions and activities, and usually take place in one location over the span of several days. Every summer music fans from across the country come out in droves for the opportunity to take part in the festival experience and see their favorite artists perform. This summer’s offerings are certain not to disappoint.

The New Kid on the Block: Rothbury

When & Where: July 3rd-6th in Rothbury, Michigan

Who & What: Music with a cause. This year over Fourth of July weekend thousands of music fans and environmentally conscious individuals from around the country will take over the small town of Rothbury for the first ever Rothbury Music Festival. The 70+ musical acts will include Dave Matthews Band, 311, Widespread Panic, Snoop Dogg, and Modest Mouse. Rothbury’s goal is to be as close to a zero-waste event as possible. That means using as multiple energy saving techniques, serving food on plates made from sugarcane and drinks in cups made from corn, and setting up recycling bins and composting stations across the grounds.

There will also be presentations and workshops on the environment and energy conservation. Other activities and attractions include Open Mic opportunities, interactive art installations, theater arts performances, the burying of a time capsule, and an attempt at a Guinness record for largest canned food structure. See some great bands and help out the environment. Sounds like a pretty cool idea to me.

The Queen Bee: Essence Music Festival

When & Where: July 4th-6th, New Orleans, LA

Who & What: The largest Black music festival in the country in one of America’s most entertaining and unique cities. The event spans three days and is the only Black music festival of its size and reputation, making Essence Fest THE defining festival for Black arts and culture and the top of its kind, hands-down. There are over 30 artists performing this year, with the main stage acts including Chris Brown, Kanye West, Patti Labelle, Rihanna, and Mary J. Blige and the side stage “Superlounge” acts being highlighted by Raheem Devaughn, Mint Condition, and Chrisette Michelle. While music is the main draw the event also offers empowerment seminars, speeches, and panel discussions on issues concerning the community. Other supplemental activities include celebrity meet and greets, book signings, food booths, and a marketplace where attendees can purchase clothing, jewelry, and artwork. If you’re a fan of R&B, soul, funk, and hip-hop, new or old, or if you’re just looking for another reason to head down to the Big Easy, Essence Fest is definitely an event you’ll want to mark on your calendar.

The Big Man on Campus: (Vans) Warped Tour

When & Where: Multiple dates from June 20th- August 17th, over 40 cities from coast to coast

Who & What: The Warped Tour, which is sponsored by shoe manufacturer Vans, mixes the fun of a festival with the accessibility of a tour. Vans features a huge lineup of bands from a variety of rock forms, with a lot of recent emphasis on punk, pop punk, and emo acts. This year’s lineup includes All Time Low, The All-American Rejects, Gym Class Heroes, MayDay Parade, Reel Big Fish, Cobra Starship and many others. With over 100 acts on multiple stages, a half-pipe for skaters, and each band having their own merchandise tent the Warped Tour is sure to provide a fun-filled day for any music lover at a relatively low price (ticket prices vary at each location but average about $30). Bands play sets that last 30 minutes max, with the exception of one lucky act per show, so it isn’t uncommon to see them walking around the grounds or see them hanging out at their merchandise tents before or after they perform. Warped Tour has become a rite of passage for both artists and fans alike. Think of your favorite current bands and at least half of them have played Vans at some point in their career, many acts that once performed on the small stages have later shown up as major acts performing on the main stages, so make sure you do some exploring while you’re there and give some of the newer acts a listen.

The Comeback Kid: Lollapolooza

When & Where: August 1-3rd, Chicago Illinois

Who & What: Once a touring festival and the most well-known yearly festival of the 90s, Lollapolooza lasted 7 years before the show went into a 5 year hiatus. After a weak attempt to return in 03, the festival changed its format, becoming a traditional destination festival, and re-launched in 05 with Chicago’s Grant Park as its location. This year it is headlined by Rage Against the Machine, 9 Inch Nails, Radiohead, and hometown rapper Kanye West. Music fans and future Lollapoolaza attendees can get in on the action early by voting in Rounds 1 and 3 of the Last Band Standing competition, the winner of which gets to perform a set at the concert. The new Lollapolooza has not yet become a “must go to” concert with the masses the way the old Lollapoolooza was but it is slowly returning to prominence and reworking its way into the hearts of music lovers.

The Life of the Party: Bonnaroo Music Festival

When & Where: June 12th- June 15th in Manchester, TN

Who & What: Combine a huge farm in the middle of nowhere with all kinds of music, spread it out over the span of four days and what do you get? Only one of the biggest and best music festivals of the summer, no make that of the entire year, otherwise known as Bonnaroo.

This year’s 75 artists, such as Death Cab for Cutie, Lupe Fiasco, Talib Kweli, Metallica, Pearl Jam, and Ben Folds, will perform on two stages, known as Which and What or in one of four music tents, known as This, That, The Other, and Somethin’ Else (which is dedicated solely to Jazz). The festival atmosphere is very laidback, with camping out on the grounds being the norm (though some do elect to commute daily from hotels); the event is truly about just having a good time. How much of a good time you ask? Well let’s see outside of the music, there’s also an arcade tent, a comedy tent, a cinema tent (showing comedies, cartoons, shorts, and the NBA finals), a karaoke bar, a media & wi-fi lounge, batting cages, Broo’ers Village (a bar-like tent featuring various microbreweries), art exhibits, yoga classes, and Bonnaroo Market, with many of these attractions being open 24 hours a day. This is the kind of party that you thought only existed in movies, so go ahead and call up your friends, gas up the car, and make the trip to Manchester. You know you want to!

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed