Summer on the fast track of music festivals
By Patrick Flajole
As the sweltering heat subsided, nightfall set the stage for Justice's raw electronica to conclude Coachella, the first big music festival of the summer. Luckily for music fans of all genres, it was also the first of many festivals to come.
This summer presents plenty of opportunities to immerse oneself in the festival atmosphere, which usually consists of crowds surpassing 100,000, overpopulated campgrounds and people who are happy to share in casual company and a love of music.
This summer will surely be a season of musical splendor. There will be events featuring every conceivable genre of music -- and it's good music at that.
Whether it's reveling in the despondent melodies of Thom Yorke in Golden Gate Park or wandering through the world of eclectic music at Burning Man in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, one thing is for sure: This summer will be an exceptional time for the music scene.
Outside Lands Music Festival
August 22 -- 24
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Outside Lands is a great place to expand one's horizons. Featuring various genres of music and a mix of well-known artists and some bands you may not know, this festival is a great opportunity to explore some new tunes. The event will also be offering a bike valet service and a stage run completely on solar power to promote the green movement.
Headliners: Radiohead, Beck, Wilco, Jack Johnson, Ben Harper and Tom Petty
Who Else?: Cold War Kids, Regina Spektor, Andrew Bird, Stars, M. Ward, Donavon Frankenreiter, The Black Keys, Lyrics Born and Lupe Fiasco
More: Rupa and the April Fishes, Rodrigo y Gabriela, The Cool Kids and The Coup
Price: Single-day passes are $85 and three-day passes are $225.50. They also encourage small donations.
Monterey Music Summit
May 30 -- June 1
South Monterey, Calif.
Hosted on the Monterey Peninsula, this festival combines the beauty of the California coast with the beats of Snoop Dogg and more. Spread out over three days, the event will feature 30 different artists.
Also purporting to have an "eco-conscience," the event planners are committed to reducing the festival's overall carbon footprint. Last year, they gave out 180 Nalgene bottles to band members and provided public water dispensers in the hopes of encouraging people to refill their own bottles instead of buying disposable ones.
Headliners: Snoop Dogg, Slightly Stoopid, Paula Cole and Ozomatli
Who Else?: Mates of State, Taking Back Sunday, Coheed and Cambria and Fishbone
More: STS9, The Crystal Method, Raine Maida, Tea Leaf Green and New Monsoon
Price: Single-day passes are $49 for Friday and $69 for Saturday and Sunday. Three-day passes are $169 and include parking.
High Sierra Music Festival
July 3 -- 6
Quincy, Calif.
Known for its lineup of international artists, this event is likely to be musically diverse. In the past, shows have been said to last all through the night. These late-night shows contribute a great deal to the overall experience, as audience members tend to fall asleep to their favorite bands.
Headliners: Built to Spill, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Flowmotion and New Monsoon
Who Else?: Akron/Family, EOTO, Bassnectar and Benevento/Russo Duo
More: Rotary Downs, The Everybodyfields, Langhorne Slim, The Weather Underground, Joe Craven, SambaDa, Chicago Afrobeat Project and The Slip
Price: Two-day passes are $136 and three- and four-day passes are $157.
Monterey Bay Blues Festival
June 27 -- 29
Monterey, Calif.
The MBBF is one of the most well-known and most established blues festivals in the country. This year will feature B.B. King, Bettye LaVette and Keb' Mo' & Band.
Price: Single-day passes go on sale June 27 and three-day passes range from $110-$180.
Joshua Tree Music Festival
May 16 -- 18
Joshua Tree, Calif.
This summer's festival has something for everyone, especially if you prefer country music.
In addition to the usual country music lineup, planners have invited acoustic, electronic and reggae artists to perform. The location is just nine miles from Joshua Tree National Park.
Headliners include: Ghostland Observatory, Ivan Nevilles' Dumpstaphunk, Afromotive, B-Side Players, Rose's Pawn Shop and Sol Jibe.
Price: Two-day passes are $80 and three-day passes are $95.
Burning Man
August 25 -- Sept. 1
Black Rock City, Nev.
Burning Man is close to indescribable. Although the turnout is relatively small in comparison to some of the other festivals, fans tend to be a bit more involved. Event planners boast that there are no rules about how one must behave or express oneself and that music is just one of the many types of art that will be available.
Unfortunately, the more description given, the less accurate it becomes. To really understand Burning Man, you'll have to go for yourself. This year's theme is "American Dream."
Price: Tickets are $295.
Contact Patrick Flajole at (408) 551-1918 or pflajole@scu.edu.