pretty young things: April 2009

This week's "fab 5": summer music festivals! Live music is probably one of my favorite things on earth. I love seeing musicians getting really into their music while the crowd sings and dances along. And because there are usually several acts at a festival, you have the chance to experience some music you might not have heard before.

1. Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
Dates: June 11–14
Location: Manchester, Tenn. (66 miles southeast of Nashville)
Cost: $224–$249 for a four-day pass that includes camping and parking
Headliners: Bruce Springsteen, Al Green, Snoop Dogg, MGMT
Crowd vibe: Artsy types, jam-band fans, partygoers, alt-country wannabes, college kids
My Opinion: Bonnaroo ranks as my top festival pick for several reasons: Musical acts- The are so many musicians in this year’s line-up I’m dying to see, including Bon Iver, Passion Pit, Andrew Bird, and Lucinda Williams, I can barely contain my excitement! Location- Manchester is only a few hours from me which is perfect since I haaate long car rides. All the extras- along with musical acts, Bonnaroo hosts comedians like The Daily Show’s John Oliver and Rob Riggle, a batting cage sponsored by the MLB, and Garnier Fructis will even be there with the “Bonnaroo Salon,” pretty sweet right?!

2. Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Dates: April 17–19
Location: Indio, Calif. (146 miles east of Los Angeles)
Cost: $269 for a three-day pass, $55 for onsite camping, $99 for a single-day pass
Headliners: Paul McCartney, the Killers, the Cure, Morrissey, Paul Weller, Leonard Cohen
Crowd vibe: Music critics, 30-something hipsters and their cool, younger siblings, college kids, some young families
My opinion: If you’re into celeb lurking, Coachella is the place to be. Less than 200 miles from Hollywood, Indio becomes overrun with movie stars and models during this April weekend. Last year, Sean Penn, Elijah Wood, and Agyness Deyn were seen wandering around backstage at the event. Another huge selling point for me, at least: when else in your lifetime will you have the chance to sing along to Beatle's songs with Paul McCartney?! Totes jeal of all West-Coasters.

3. Summerfest
Dates: June 25–July 5Location: Milwaukee, WI
Cost: $8–$15 festival admission daily; concerts on small stages are included with admission; concerts on main stage at Marcus Amphitheater require additional admission
Headliners: Bon Jovi, Conor Oberst, No Doubt, George Strait, Asher Roth, the Fray, Judas Priest
Crowd vibe: Teens, weekenders, big-haired Bon Jovi fans, a few cowboy hats and Gavin, Kingston and Zuma Rossdale, perhaps?
My Opinion: Summerfest is known as the world’s largest music festival, which I guess could be considered a good and a bad thing. Most of the acts will be very mainstream, stuff you’ve heard on the radio over and over again. That’s not really my style since one on the draws to music festivals for me is discovering new musicians I’ve never heard before. On the other hand, Summerfest is said to be very family-friendly so no need to worry about a babysitter, bring the kids along! Big selling point for me, as a broke college student: tickets are as cheap as $8 a day, which means I’ll have enough cash left over to splurge on the perf outdoor concert outfit.

4. Rothbury Music and Arts Festival
Dates: July 2–5Location: Rothbury, Mich. (200 miles west of Detroit)
Cost: $249.50 for a four-day pass that includes camping and parking
Headliners: Bob Dylan and His Band, the Dead, Willie Nelson, Black Crowes, Ani DiFranco
Crowd vibe: The tagline says it all: "A sustainable camping festival revolution celebrating music, art and action."(read: peace, love and fighting The Man)
My Opinion: Umm, Bob Dylan...do I need to say anything else? If you’re not a Beat junkie like me, I’ll elaborate. Rothbury is an environmentally-conscious festival, which is usually hard to achieve considering the hoards of people with all of their trash. The event features a work-exchange program called Green Team- you pay for a pass on your credit card, sign up and then show up to work three shifts as a festival volunteer, and your credit card will be refunded at the end of the festival. Free show for a little good work? Sounds like a pretty awesome deal to me!

5. Sasquatch Music Festival at the Gorge
Dates: May 23–25
Location: George, Wash. (150 miles southeast of Seattle)
Cost: $66.50 per day if you purchase before May 18, otherwise $76.50 per day; $95 weekend camping pass
Headliners: Kings of Leon, Jane's Addiction, TV on the Radio, Nine Inch Nails, Ben Harper
Crowd vibe: Indie insiders, ex-punks, bearded boys, college kids
My Opinion: One thing comes to mind when I think of George, Washington (besides our 1st President, obvi): RAIN. Be prepared with a rain jacket and boots is all I’m sayin’.

Five festivals just isn’t enough? Don’t see anything in your area? Check out New Orleans's Essence Music Festival, All Points West Music and Arts Festival on New York Harbor, Lollapalooza in Chicago, San Fran’s Outside Lands, and another Southern favorite of mine-Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis.

{some info via newsweek, bonnaroo photo via jaunted}