2008 Music Festivals

[chronoaug]

Well, bonnaroo, lollapalooza, and coachella all have their lineups out and bumbershoot should be out in the next month. Anyone going to one this summer?

I actually haven't been before but this last summer before grad school and teaching is going to be my last good chance. I think i might be going to bonnaroo with a bunch of people. I have mixed feelings about the events in general. It sounds like a great time with a lot of friends, music, drinks, drugs, booths, etc... but 2-4 days of dirty, uncomfortable, sweating, dehydrating, loud living might be a bit rough. I figure i have to do it once though.

edit: If you know of other interesting music festivals this summer post info here.

[Servo2000]

Three reasons I've gone to Coachella every year for the past four years:

1. Perfectly passable lineups

2. I can usually get at least one free ticket

3. Friend has a home 5 minutes away

4. People less into music than I am can usually be convinced into attending by headliners / somewhat more popular bands

I'll be there this year. Looks like a lot of dance / electro and trendy bands which always makes for good night shows but can be pretty tough during the blistering day. We'll see how that plays out.

[jswanson3]

Bonnaroo is top notch. Traveled there last year from Seattle, and it was very much worth it. You will find copious amounts of ALL these things there:

...a great time with a lot of friends, music, drinks, drugs, booths, etc... but 2-4 days of dirty, uncomfortable, sweating, dehydrating, loud living...

Not a big fan of Bumbershoot...in my opinion Sasquatch>Bumbershoot for Seattle area festivals. However, you do avoid most of the rough living aspects with festivals like Bumbershoot or Lolla because you wont be camping. Personally, I feel a music festival is lacking without on site camping. I will probably catch Sasquatch this year depending on the lineup, and try and make it down to Bonnaroo again although I have other plans that may make it difficult to get the time off. Where did you find the lineup for Lolla?

[pantheist]

i'm over the festival thing. i'd rather just see a band play in some of the decent/good venues here in DC/Baltimore.

[chronoaug]

My mistake, lollapalooza lineup isn't out, just the other 2.

Servo, i'd probably prefer coachella but living in florida makes things a bit more difficult and pricy for me. Bonnaroo is the closest to me. Would only be about a 12 hour road trip.

I'm normally more a fan of going to see an artist or two i really like at a nice venue, but a festival just seems like one of those things i have to experience.

[pwnzj00]

Went to Bonnaroo 2006 right after high school graduation, and had a blast. Saw all the bands I wanted to see, sat at our camp site and drank beer all day - it was awesome. I really enjoyed the experience, but I think more than 4 days would have been unbearable. Last summer I went to Virgin Fest in Baltimore primarily to see Girl Talk and Wu Tang. The festival was pretty fun, but the lack of a communal atmosphere like it is at Bonnaroo just sort of made the experience not as great. Everyone should go to Bonnaroo some point in their life, if they're into music and into having a good time.

[Fookums]

Curious about how that All Points West festival is gonna turn out.

[weirdnjfan1]

I was really planning on going to The Vinelands Music Festival this year, but that scrapped and pushed back to next year. But I changed my mind why I heard about Thunderbolt Raceway.

[yea!]

people should come down for the Winter Music Conference (Ultra excluded)... it's going to be wicked.

march 25th-29th

boys noize, surkin, para one, justice, calvin harris, bunch more..

http://www.wintermusicconference.com/thelist/list.php

[NESK]

ill probly go to another bonnaroo if theres ever a lineup that floors me again.

[yea!]

Looks like a lot of dance / electro and trendy bands which always makes for good night shows but can be pretty tough during the blistering day.

i've always wondered about this - just looks like an extremely awkward time dancing to an electro group in the middle of the day. the darkness of the clubs hides a lot.

[notesee]

My father went to Woodstock, I don't think any music festival I go to can live up to his experience.

[Lloyd]

Well, bonnaroo, lollapalooza, and coachella all have their lineups out and bumbershoot should be out in the next month. Anyone going to one this summer?

Good idea for a thread!

As a european I'm completely clueless about these festies. I take it they are North American? Any chance of a quick summary of each of them for those that don't know? I'm very interested in what america has to offer in this department.

For the past couple of years my friends and I have been going to the Exit Festival in Serbia (small Balkan state made famous during the ethnic violence between bits of the old Yugoslavia in the late 90's). It takes place in Novi Sad, Serbia's third largest city, specifically in the famous Petrovaradin Fortress in the city's old quarter.

The music is a combination of a few well established quality acts (eg Wu Tang clan, Morrisey, Beastie Boys) playing in the early evening, plus loads of dance (ie D&B and techno) djs (LTJ bukem, andy C etc) taking you through to dawn. This gives it more of a rave-y flavour, except the rave lasts 4 days.

The majority of the festivalgoers tend to stay in the city as raving all night means somewhere quiet to sleep is vital. In recent years Exit has become popular with british students who tend to opt for the cheaper option of camping + rough Serbian speed. Novi Sad has a significant student population some of whom make a bit on the side dealing to festivalgoers. Don't be too blatent about use or purchace of drugs as police will prosicute if they see any funny business.

Last time I went I had an amazing time. Stayed in a soviet era appartment block so managed to catch up on my zzzzs in the daytime, whist raving through to dawn every night. The Dance arena was particularly amazing, always rammed with techno loving europeans. People were also very friendly and got to know a number of locals. I'd recommend it.

http://www.exitfest.org/

[5-4=Unity]

Going to Coachella this year,

must start tanning soon.

[chronoaug]

Lloyd:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_festivals_in_the_United_States#Music_festivals

Gives a little blurb about most of the festivals i can think of and tons more i've never heard of.

The serbian festival sounds pretty fun.