Top 5 Summer Festivals

By LANDON JAMES

What the hell are you going to be doing this summer? If you don’t know by now, you’re way behind and this article is for you.

Festivals are going to be as hot this summer as the global warming melting our polar ice caps. You better bring a little ozone layer with you, wherever you go, to keep the skin cancer off your back.

1) Bonnaroo

Bonnaroo is by far the biggest festival that will be happening this year. Pearl Jam, Metallica, Jack Johnson, Kanye West, The Allman Brothers, O.A.R., B.B. King and many more will be making an appearance on the stage in Manchester, Tenn. this summer. The show is from June 12-15 and tickets are hot right now so pick up yours at www.bonnaroo.com, but be ready to fork over an arm and a leg for the $244.50 tickets.

2)  All Good

Located at Marvin’s Mountain Masontown, W. Va, will be all good and a bag of natural, environment-friendly bag of chips this summer. Phil Lesh and Friends, Widespread Panic, Derek Trucks, Gov’t Mule, and Keller Williams and the WMD’s will all be headlining with a supporting group of bands that will make the West Virginia mountains cry folk and bluegrass tears. Best of all, All Good is affordable and tickets will be going on sale Feb. 26, starting at $109.

3) Floydfest

Floydfest, located in the little sneeze of a town Floyd, Va., will be making quite a boom this July 24-27 as it does every summer. Floydfest is the premier music festival in Virginia and has gained critical acclaim since its first festival in 2002. The 2008 lineup includes Railroad Earth, Tea Leaf Green, Crooked Still and much more. Haven’t heard of them? Well, neither had I until in searched YouTube and found that they’re all incredible. Ticket prices for individual days range from $25 to $45, while the three-day pass is $110 and the four-day pass in $120.

Floydfest also has a theme each year—this one is Family Affair, so bring the whole family out to Floydfest and make some memories; otherwise, you just might forget the town of Floyd even exists.

4) Coachella

Coachella is in the cleanup spot for a reason; it’s a heavy hitter. Located in Indio, Calif. Coachella is host to some of the largest names in music. Coachella is happening from April 25 – 27, and Roger Waters will be headlining with his performance of “The Dark Side of the Moon.” Jack Johnson, Kraftwerk and Portishead will also make appearances. Other notable artists are Death Cab for Cutie, John Butler Trio, Slightly Stoopid and The Raconteurs.  The single day passes are already sold out, but the three-day passes are still up for grabs at a reasonable $269.00.

Be warned: Coachella is NOT a camping festival and even forbids festival-goers from bringing blankets, camel packs, chains/ chain wallets, instruments and much more.  Coachella will not provide the camping atmosphere and experience that Bonnaroo, All Good and Floydfest will provide, which is why Coachella is numero cuatro on our list.

5) SXSW

South by Southwest (SXSW) is another festival worth considering this summer. SXSW is a music, art and interactive festival and is one of the largest and longest-running festivals in the United States. Located in Austin, Texas, the festival will run from March 7-18; however, if you thought Bonnaroo’s prices were steep, you will have to hire a pack mule and a midget guide to strap to your back to climb the mountain that is SXSW. The tickets come in Platinum Badge (access to all music, film, and interactive events) for $950, Music Badge for $600, the Gold Badge (access to all film and interactive) events for $600, Film Badge for $350, Interactive Badge for $400, and the Student Badge (film only) for $300.

There you have it, five good reasons to get off your ass this summer and quench your ever-dying thirst for music.