Spring is in the air, music is sounding good and beers with limes finally make sense again. So it only seems right that we get to thinking about all the summer (or late spring) music festivals just around the corner that many of you will not be attending. But instead of sitting around being bitter at the world that your job doesn’t understand that time off requests for awesome concerts are “valid”, we thought we'd give you some insight into the best of the best this festival season. And who knows, perhaps some of you readers might have the good fortune of actually attending one or all of these festivals. Jerks.
Oh, it turns out there are also rock festivals in Europe but people often die at these things (remember the Pearl Jam incident?) and they're pretty much the same as our festivals except they invite Panic at the Disco! and Fall Out Boy and half of the original Smashing Pumpkins. So we'll shun these and stick to the shows in our own backyard (Yes, we consider the whole United States to be our backyard and while we're thinking about it, Get Off The Lawn!)…. Also some festivals like Lollapalooza and Virgin Fest don't have their full ineups announced, so we'll have to add them later. Here we go! And if do attend any of these make sure to send us pics of all the awesomeness you saw!
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival - LG RATING: A
Where: Indio, California
When: Friday, April 27th – Sunday April 29th
How Much: $85 1 Day, $249 3 Day (All Sold Out)
The Good: Catch new material from The Arcade Fire, Interpol, Kings of Leon, Klaxons and The New Pornographers, not to mention sets from The Decemberists, The Rapture, LCD Soundsystem, The Good, the Bad, and The Queen, Justice, Pop Levi, Jarvis Cocker and Simian Mobile Disco. Plus reunions from The Jesus and Mary Chain, Happy Mondays, Travis, and The Lemonheads.
The Bad: Besides the lack of an awesome headliner (don’t give me that Rage Against the Machine and/or Bjork crap!) and a few smaller duds like Damien Rice, Julieta Venegas, and Fountains of Wayne, I think Peeping Tom and Kaiser Chiefs are the only really crappy bands on the agenda...Tell England to stop sending us their crap, we know your holding out on something better!
WTF?: Willie Nelson? Love him but can’t imagine him squashed between sets of The Roots and Paul Van Dyke. And when will they stop inviting Ozomatli to these things?
Small Stage bands not to miss: Gogol Bordello might be on a small stage night one but they will be worth the trek, as is the case with Andrew Bird and Pop Levi on night two and Grizzly Bear anf the Klaxons on the final evening.
Great Moments From Past Coachella Festivals: Daft Punk, Art Brut, The Arcade Fire, Bloc Party, T.V. on the Radio, The Go! Team, Eagles of Death Metal
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sasquatch Music Festival - LG RATING: B-
Where: George, Washington
When: May 26th-27th
How Much: $55-$75 per day
The Good: They got The Arcade Fire too (these guys are everywhere these days). Plus The Hold Steady, Interpol, Spoon, Neko Case and Clinic.
The Bad: Not too into Manu Chao, but that may have to do with the fact that you can’t go into a “hip” restaurant without hearing them as the soundtrack to your dinner. Also kind of crap – Ozomatli, Michael Franti and Spearhead, The Polyphonic Spree and Ghostalnd Observatory.
WTF?: Bad Brains on the Sasquatch main stage while The Dandy Warhols play the Wookie stage. (There is a Yeti stage as well) Also weird? Sarah Silverman is hosting both nights.
Small Stage Bands Not TO Miss: Check out The Blow, The Slip, M.I.A. and Two Gallants.
Great Moments From The Past: Beck, Hail, The Shins, More Hail, Decemberists, Death Cab for Cutie, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival - LG RATING: B
Where: Manchester, Tennessee
When: June 14th – 17th
How Much: Starting at $184.50
The Good: Well we have Wilco, The National, Hot Chip, The White Stripes, Franz Ferdinand, Kings of Leon, The Decemberists, The Hold Steady and Spoon.
The Bad: Unfortunately with Bonnaroo, the bad is extremely jammy. Watch out for Ben Harper, Gov’t Mule, and Bob Weir and Ratdog. Not to mention, PTI's personal enemies The String Cheese Incident and Nixon's arch rivals the Flaming Lips.
WTF?: The Wild Magnolia Mardi Gras Indians are playing…and so are some band named The Police.
Small Stage Bands Not To Miss: DJ set from Girl Talk, the very entertaining Dr. Dog, the beautiful Feist, and old folkie Richard Thompson.
Great Moments From The Past: Andrew Bird (this is really good), Radiohead, Sonic Youth, Cat Power, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, My Morning Jacket.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchfork Music Festival - LG RATING: A- (for the price alone!)
Where: Chicago, Illinois
When: July 13th-15th
How Much: $50 for all three days!
The Good: Sonic Youth performing Daydream Frickin’ Nation, not to mention Grizzly Bear, Cat Power, Of Montreal, Iron and Wine and everyone’s favorite cocaine rapper Clipse.
The Bad: Jamie Lidell…uh…That’s it. And he's not even really bad.
WTF?: The price…awesome, the bands…solid.
Absolutely Do Not Miss: Anything. Seriously, if you live near Chicago, there should be no reason that you're not at this thing…Well, maybe if you have no ears. But even so, we bet there will be hot girls there and hot chicks love, errr, deformaties.
Great Moments From The Past: Mountain Goats, Spoon, Liars, Devandra Banhart, The Walkmen, The Walkmen and Man Man (awesome), Destroyer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally here are a slew, yes slew, of MP3s from bands performing at summer festivals this year. There's a lot of great music out there kids, so go support the artists and check them out live!
Klaxons - Gravity's Rainbow (Van She Remix).mp3
The Good, The Bad and The Queen - History Song.mp3
The National - Fake Empire.mp3
Happy Mondays - Step On.mp3
Of Montreal - Du Og Meg.mp3
The Rapture - Get Myself Into It.mp3
Jarvis Cocker - Don't Let Him Waste Your Time.mp3
The New Pornographers - Sing Me Spanish Techno.mp3
The Jesus & Mary Chain - Blues From A Gun.mp3
Gogol Bordello - Sally.mp3
Clinic - If You Could Read Your Mind.mp3
Iron and Wine - Such Great Heights.mp3
Justice - Let There Be Light.mp3
Dr. Dog - My Old Ways.mp3
Two Gallants - Las Cruces Jail.mp3
Pitchfork Music Festival - LG RATING: A- (for the price alone!)
Where: Chicago, Illinois
When: July 13th-15th
How Much: $50 for all three days!
The Good: Sonic Youth performing Daydream Frickin’ Nation, not to mention Grizzly Bear, Cat Power, Of Montreal, Iron and Wine and everyone’s favorite cocaine rapper Clipse.
The Bad: Jamie Lidell…uh…That’s it. And he's not even really bad.
WTF?: The price…awesome, the bands…solid.
Absolutely Do Not Miss: Anything. Seriously, if you live near Chicago, there should be no reason that you're not at this thing…Well, maybe if you have no ears. But even so, we bet there will be hot girls there and hot chicks love, errr, deformaties.
Great Moments From The Past: Mountain Goats, Spoon, Liars, Devandra Banhart, The Walkmen, The Walkmen and Man Man (awesome), Destroyer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally here are a slew, yes slew, of MP3s from bands performing at summer festivals this year. There's a lot of great music out there kids, so go support the artists and check them out live!
Klaxons - Gravity's Rainbow (Van She Remix).mp3
The Good, The Bad and The Queen - History Song.mp3
The National - Fake Empire.mp3
Happy Mondays - Step On.mp3
Of Montreal - Du Og Meg.mp3
The Rapture - Get Myself Into It.mp3
Jarvis Cocker - Don't Let Him Waste Your Time.mp3
The New Pornographers - Sing Me Spanish Techno.mp3
The Jesus & Mary Chain - Blues From A Gun.mp3
Gogol Bordello - Sally.mp3
Clinic - If You Could Read Your Mind.mp3
Iron and Wine - Such Great Heights.mp3
Justice - Let There Be Light.mp3
Dr. Dog - My Old Ways.mp3
Two Gallants - Las Cruces Jail.mp3
Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival - LG RATING: B
Where: Manchester, Tennessee
When: June 14th – 17th
How Much: Starting at $184.50
The Good: Well we have Wilco, The National, Hot Chip, The White Stripes, Franz Ferdinand, Kings of Leon, The Decemberists, The Hold Steady and Spoon.
The Bad: Unfortunately with Bonnaroo, the bad is extremely jammy. Watch out for Ben Harper, Gov’t Mule, and Bob Weir and Ratdog. Not to mention, PTI's personal enemies The String Cheese Incident and Nixon's arch rivals the Flaming Lips.
WTF?: The Wild Magnolia Mardi Gras Indians are playing…and so are some band named The Police.
Small Stage Bands Not To Miss: DJ set from Girl Talk, the very entertaining Dr. Dog, the beautiful Feist, and old folkie Richard Thompson.
Great Moments From The Past: Andrew Bird (this is really good), Radiohead, Sonic Youth, Cat Power, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, My Morning Jacket.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchfork Music Festival - LG RATING: A- (for the price alone!)
Where: Chicago, Illinois
When: July 13th-15th
How Much: $50 for all three days!
The Good: Sonic Youth performing Daydream Frickin’ Nation, not to mention Grizzly Bear, Cat Power, Of Montreal, Iron and Wine and everyone’s favorite cocaine rapper Clipse.
The Bad: Jamie Lidell…uh…That’s it. And he's not even really bad.
WTF?: The price…awesome, the bands…solid.
Absolutely Do Not Miss: Anything. Seriously, if you live near Chicago, there should be no reason that you're not at this thing…Well, maybe if you have no ears. But even so, we bet there will be hot girls there and hot chicks love, errr, deformaties.
Great Moments From The Past: Mountain Goats, Spoon, Liars, Devandra Banhart, The Walkmen, The Walkmen and Man Man (awesome), Destroyer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally here are a slew, yes slew, of MP3s from bands performing at summer festivals this year. There's a lot of great music out there kids, so go support the artists and check them out live!
Klaxons - Gravity's Rainbow (Van She Remix).mp3
The Good, The Bad and The Queen - History Song.mp3
The National - Fake Empire.mp3
Happy Mondays - Step On.mp3
Of Montreal - Du Og Meg.mp3
The Rapture - Get Myself Into It.mp3
Jarvis Cocker - Don't Let Him Waste Your Time.mp3
The New Pornographers - Sing Me Spanish Techno.mp3
The Jesus & Mary Chain - Blues From A Gun.mp3
Gogol Bordello - Sally.mp3
Clinic - If You Could Read Your Mind.mp3
Iron and Wine - Such Great Heights.mp3
Justice - Let There Be Light.mp3
Dr. Dog - My Old Ways.mp3
Two Gallants - Las Cruces Jail.mp3
Pitchfork Music Festival - LG RATING: A- (for the price alone!)
Where: Chicago, Illinois
When: July 13th-15th
How Much: $50 for all three days!
The Good: Sonic Youth performing Daydream Frickin’ Nation, not to mention Grizzly Bear, Cat Power, Of Montreal, Iron and Wine and everyone’s favorite cocaine rapper Clipse.
The Bad: Jamie Lidell…uh…That’s it. And he's not even really bad.
WTF?: The price…awesome, the bands…solid.
Absolutely Do Not Miss: Anything. Seriously, if you live near Chicago, there should be no reason that you're not at this thing…Well, maybe if you have no ears. But even so, we bet there will be hot girls there and hot chicks love, errr, deformaties.
Great Moments From The Past: Mountain Goats, Spoon, Liars, Devandra Banhart, The Walkmen, The Walkmen and Man Man (awesome), Destroyer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally here are a slew, yes slew, of MP3s from bands performing at summer festivals this year. There's a lot of great music out there kids, so go support the artists and check them out live!
Klaxons - Gravity's Rainbow (Van She Remix).mp3
The Good, The Bad and The Queen - History Song.mp3
The National - Fake Empire.mp3
Happy Mondays - Step On.mp3
Of Montreal - Du Og Meg.mp3
The Rapture - Get Myself Into It.mp3
Jarvis Cocker - Don't Let Him Waste Your Time.mp3
The New Pornographers - Sing Me Spanish Techno.mp3
The Jesus & Mary Chain - Blues From A Gun.mp3
Gogol Bordello - Sally.mp3
Clinic - If You Could Read Your Mind.mp3
Iron and Wine - Such Great Heights.mp3
Justice - Let There Be Light.mp3
Dr. Dog - My Old Ways.mp3
Two Gallants - Las Cruces Jail.mp3
Sasquatch Music Festival - LG RATING: B-
Where: George, Washington
When: May 26th-27th
How Much: $55-$75 per day
The Good: They got The Arcade Fire too (these guys are everywhere these days). Plus The Hold Steady, Interpol, Spoon, Neko Case and Clinic.
The Bad: Not too into Manu Chao, but that may have to do with the fact that you can’t go into a “hip” restaurant without hearing them as the soundtrack to your dinner. Also kind of crap – Ozomatli, Michael Franti and Spearhead, The Polyphonic Spree and Ghostalnd Observatory.
WTF?: Bad Brains on the Sasquatch main stage while The Dandy Warhols play the Wookie stage. (There is a Yeti stage as well) Also weird? Sarah Silverman is hosting both nights.
Small Stage Bands Not TO Miss: Check out The Blow, The Slip, M.I.A. and Two Gallants.
Great Moments From The Past: Beck, Hail, The Shins, More Hail, Decemberists, Death Cab for Cutie, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival - LG RATING: B
Where: Manchester, Tennessee
When: June 14th – 17th
How Much: Starting at $184.50
The Good: Well we have Wilco, The National, Hot Chip, The White Stripes, Franz Ferdinand, Kings of Leon, The Decemberists, The Hold Steady and Spoon.
The Bad: Unfortunately with Bonnaroo, the bad is extremely jammy. Watch out for Ben Harper, Gov’t Mule, and Bob Weir and Ratdog. Not to mention, PTI's personal enemies The String Cheese Incident and Nixon's arch rivals the Flaming Lips.
WTF?: The Wild Magnolia Mardi Gras Indians are playing…and so are some band named The Police.
Small Stage Bands Not To Miss: DJ set from Girl Talk, the very entertaining Dr. Dog, the beautiful Feist, and old folkie Richard Thompson.
Great Moments From The Past: Andrew Bird (this is really good), Radiohead, Sonic Youth, Cat Power, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, My Morning Jacket.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchfork Music Festival - LG RATING: A- (for the price alone!)
Where: Chicago, Illinois
When: July 13th-15th
How Much: $50 for all three days!
The Good: Sonic Youth performing Daydream Frickin’ Nation, not to mention Grizzly Bear, Cat Power, Of Montreal, Iron and Wine and everyone’s favorite cocaine rapper Clipse.
The Bad: Jamie Lidell…uh…That’s it. And he's not even really bad.
WTF?: The price…awesome, the bands…solid.
Absolutely Do Not Miss: Anything. Seriously, if you live near Chicago, there should be no reason that you're not at this thing…Well, maybe if you have no ears. But even so, we bet there will be hot girls there and hot chicks love, errr, deformaties.
Great Moments From The Past: Mountain Goats, Spoon, Liars, Devandra Banhart, The Walkmen, The Walkmen and Man Man (awesome), Destroyer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally here are a slew, yes slew, of MP3s from bands performing at summer festivals this year. There's a lot of great music out there kids, so go support the artists and check them out live!
Klaxons - Gravity's Rainbow (Van She Remix).mp3
The Good, The Bad and The Queen - History Song.mp3
The National - Fake Empire.mp3
Happy Mondays - Step On.mp3
Of Montreal - Du Og Meg.mp3
The Rapture - Get Myself Into It.mp3
Jarvis Cocker - Don't Let Him Waste Your Time.mp3
The New Pornographers - Sing Me Spanish Techno.mp3
The Jesus & Mary Chain - Blues From A Gun.mp3
Gogol Bordello - Sally.mp3
Clinic - If You Could Read Your Mind.mp3
Iron and Wine - Such Great Heights.mp3
Justice - Let There Be Light.mp3
Dr. Dog - My Old Ways.mp3
Two Gallants - Las Cruces Jail.mp3
Pitchfork Music Festival - LG RATING: A- (for the price alone!)
Where: Chicago, Illinois
When: July 13th-15th
How Much: $50 for all three days!
The Good: Sonic Youth performing Daydream Frickin’ Nation, not to mention Grizzly Bear, Cat Power, Of Montreal, Iron and Wine and everyone’s favorite cocaine rapper Clipse.
The Bad: Jamie Lidell…uh…That’s it. And he's not even really bad.
WTF?: The price…awesome, the bands…solid.
Absolutely Do Not Miss: Anything. Seriously, if you live near Chicago, there should be no reason that you're not at this thing…Well, maybe if you have no ears. But even so, we bet there will be hot girls there and hot chicks love, errr, deformaties.
Great Moments From The Past: Mountain Goats, Spoon, Liars, Devandra Banhart, The Walkmen, The Walkmen and Man Man (awesome), Destroyer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally here are a slew, yes slew, of MP3s from bands performing at summer festivals this year. There's a lot of great music out there kids, so go support the artists and check them out live!
Klaxons - Gravity's Rainbow (Van She Remix).mp3
The Good, The Bad and The Queen - History Song.mp3
The National - Fake Empire.mp3
Happy Mondays - Step On.mp3
Of Montreal - Du Og Meg.mp3
The Rapture - Get Myself Into It.mp3
Jarvis Cocker - Don't Let Him Waste Your Time.mp3
The New Pornographers - Sing Me Spanish Techno.mp3
The Jesus & Mary Chain - Blues From A Gun.mp3
Gogol Bordello - Sally.mp3
Clinic - If You Could Read Your Mind.mp3
Iron and Wine - Such Great Heights.mp3
Justice - Let There Be Light.mp3
Dr. Dog - My Old Ways.mp3
Two Gallants - Las Cruces Jail.mp3
Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival - LG RATING: B
Where: Manchester, Tennessee
When: June 14th – 17th
How Much: Starting at $184.50
The Good: Well we have Wilco, The National, Hot Chip, The White Stripes, Franz Ferdinand, Kings of Leon, The Decemberists, The Hold Steady and Spoon.
The Bad: Unfortunately with Bonnaroo, the bad is extremely jammy. Watch out for Ben Harper, Gov’t Mule, and Bob Weir and Ratdog. Not to mention, PTI's personal enemies The String Cheese Incident and Nixon's arch rivals the Flaming Lips.
WTF?: The Wild Magnolia Mardi Gras Indians are playing…and so are some band named The Police.
Small Stage Bands Not To Miss: DJ set from Girl Talk, the very entertaining Dr. Dog, the beautiful Feist, and old folkie Richard Thompson.
Great Moments From The Past: Andrew Bird (this is really good), Radiohead, Sonic Youth, Cat Power, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, My Morning Jacket.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchfork Music Festival - LG RATING: A- (for the price alone!)
Where: Chicago, Illinois
When: July 13th-15th
How Much: $50 for all three days!
The Good: Sonic Youth performing Daydream Frickin’ Nation, not to mention Grizzly Bear, Cat Power, Of Montreal, Iron and Wine and everyone’s favorite cocaine rapper Clipse.
The Bad: Jamie Lidell…uh…That’s it. And he's not even really bad.
WTF?: The price…awesome, the bands…solid.
Absolutely Do Not Miss: Anything. Seriously, if you live near Chicago, there should be no reason that you're not at this thing…Well, maybe if you have no ears. But even so, we bet there will be hot girls there and hot chicks love, errr, deformaties.
Great Moments From The Past: Mountain Goats, Spoon, Liars, Devandra Banhart, The Walkmen, The Walkmen and Man Man (awesome), Destroyer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally here are a slew, yes slew, of MP3s from bands performing at summer festivals this year. There's a lot of great music out there kids, so go support the artists and check them out live!
Klaxons - Gravity's Rainbow (Van She Remix).mp3
The Good, The Bad and The Queen - History Song.mp3
The National - Fake Empire.mp3
Happy Mondays - Step On.mp3
Of Montreal - Du Og Meg.mp3
The Rapture - Get Myself Into It.mp3
Jarvis Cocker - Don't Let Him Waste Your Time.mp3
The New Pornographers - Sing Me Spanish Techno.mp3
The Jesus & Mary Chain - Blues From A Gun.mp3
Gogol Bordello - Sally.mp3
Clinic - If You Could Read Your Mind.mp3
Iron and Wine - Such Great Heights.mp3
Justice - Let There Be Light.mp3
Dr. Dog - My Old Ways.mp3
Two Gallants - Las Cruces Jail.mp3
Pitchfork Music Festival - LG RATING: A- (for the price alone!)
Where: Chicago, Illinois
When: July 13th-15th
How Much: $50 for all three days!
The Good: Sonic Youth performing Daydream Frickin’ Nation, not to mention Grizzly Bear, Cat Power, Of Montreal, Iron and Wine and everyone’s favorite cocaine rapper Clipse.
The Bad: Jamie Lidell…uh…That’s it. And he's not even really bad.
WTF?: The price…awesome, the bands…solid.
Absolutely Do Not Miss: Anything. Seriously, if you live near Chicago, there should be no reason that you're not at this thing…Well, maybe if you have no ears. But even so, we bet there will be hot girls there and hot chicks love, errr, deformaties.
Great Moments From The Past: Mountain Goats, Spoon, Liars, Devandra Banhart, The Walkmen, The Walkmen and Man Man (awesome), Destroyer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally here are a slew, yes slew, of MP3s from bands performing at summer festivals this year. There's a lot of great music out there kids, so go support the artists and check them out live!
Klaxons - Gravity's Rainbow (Van She Remix).mp3
The Good, The Bad and The Queen - History Song.mp3
The National - Fake Empire.mp3
Happy Mondays - Step On.mp3
Of Montreal - Du Og Meg.mp3
The Rapture - Get Myself Into It.mp3
Jarvis Cocker - Don't Let Him Waste Your Time.mp3
The New Pornographers - Sing Me Spanish Techno.mp3
The Jesus & Mary Chain - Blues From A Gun.mp3
Gogol Bordello - Sally.mp3
Clinic - If You Could Read Your Mind.mp3
Iron and Wine - Such Great Heights.mp3
Justice - Let There Be Light.mp3
Dr. Dog - My Old Ways.mp3
Two Gallants - Las Cruces Jail.mp3