Decibel | On the road

By: Dave Arey, Erinn Connor and Matt Levin

Posted: 4/29/08

From the lazy days of June to the sweltering end of August, music fans in every part of the country will be gathering to see their favorite musicians perform - all in one place. Music festivals are a summer trademark, and pilgrimages are made from Seattle to Tennessee. Here is a rundown of this summer's major players:

What: Summerfest

Where/When: Milwaukee, June 26- July 6

Price: $15 on weekends and evenings, $8 during the day and weekdays

(Be warned, if you're seeing a headliner, you have to pay whatever the artist is charging for ticket prices, but it includes admission into the entirety of Summerfest.)

History: Billed as "The World's Largest Music Festival," Summerfest only lives up to that title in sheer land area. Acts have been stuck in the 90s for the past couple years, and the crowd is mainly middle-aged beer lovers.

Lineup: Due to its Midwest location, the festival has always had a bit of a country twang to it - this year's headliners include Rascal Flatts, Tom Petty, Stevie Wonder, John Mayer and Alicia Keys. Bands on supporting stages have not yet been announced, but in the past have included Guster, Panic At The Disco, Ben Folds, Peter Frampton and Buddy Guy.

Survival item: A laid-back attitude. Summerfest is full of people that just want to have fun, and if you get in their way, they're bound to say or do something about it. Having beer vendors every ten feet help.

What: Bonnaroo

Where/When: Manchester, Tenn., June 12-15

Price: $210 for a four-day pass, including camping and parking

History: Bonnaroo takes place outdoor on a 700-acre farm. It's a bit of a trek from the campsites to the venues, and when it rains, it veers quickly into Woodstock '94-esque territory, but its consistently good lineup increases attendance year after year.

Lineup: Bonnaroo's lineup is unparalleled for the rock/indie fan, with bands like Pearl Jam, Kanye West, Robert Plant, Death Cab for Cutie, Vampire Weekend, The Raconteurs, B.B. King, Willie Nelson and a whole lot more expected.

Survival item: Water. It gets hot in the middle of nowhere Tennessee in June, and with thousands of sweaty people rocking out around you, you're going to need some kind of refreshment.

Name: Lollapalooza

When/Where: Grant Park, Chicago, August 1-3

Price: Advance three-day tickets are $190, after that it's $205.

History: This is essentially a concert for the alternative rock fan. Started in 1990 by Jane's Addiction frontman Perry Farrell, it was once one of the biggest touring festivals in the country. Four years ago, Farrell redesigned it as a singular festival with a more indie focus, and it's been massively successful since.

Lineup: Headliners this year include Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine, Kanye West, Nine Inch Nails and The Raconteurs.

Survival item: Sunscreen is a must (in 2005, temperatures reached 104 degrees), but also make sure you don't leave your nostalgia at home.

Name: Pitchfork Music Festival

When/Where: Union Park, Chicago, July 18-20

Price: $65 for three days, $50 for two days, $30 for one

History: This festival began as the premier indie show of the summer, but it has grown into much more. Last year, Sonic Youth played its seminal album 1988's "Daydream Nation," and this year Public Enemy will do the same, playing 1988's "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back." It's still largely an indie festival, but with a more diverse list of artists (last year, Yoko Ono played) means "indie" doesn't mean what it used to.

Lineup: Artists include Public Enemy, Spoon, The Hold Steady, Animal Collective and Vampire Weekend.

Survival item: Ironic T-shirts, tight jeans and a laptop.

Name: Austin City Limits Festival

When/Where: Zilker Park, Austin, Texas, Sept. 26-28

Price: Three-day tickets cost $170

History: Every year, this festival brings together an eclectic set of artists to mark the end of summer. This year's show is no exception. Austin has always been an unusually hip town, especially in the center of largely un-hip Texas, and this burgeoning festival adds to the city's reputation.

Lineup: This year's acts include Beck, Foo Fighters, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, The Mars Volta and Gnarls Barkley.

Survival item: A "Don't Mess With Texas" T-shirt and some rolling papers (in case you run in to Willie Nelson).

Name: Bumbershoot

When/Where: Seattle Center, Wash., Aug. 30-Sept. 1

Price: Three-day tickets are $80, one-day tickets are $35

History: Calling itself "North America's Largest Urban Arts Festival," Bumbershoot has gone on for 37 years as a haven for fans of the arts. In addition to music, spectators will find comedy, film, dance and some of the biggest names in literature.

Lineup: Acts include Beck, Stone Temple Pilots, Lucinda Williams, Neko Case and Ingrid Michaelson.

Survival item: An umbrella (fun fact: the word "bumbershoot" actually means umbrella).

Name: Sasquatch! Music Festival

When/Where: Gorge Amphitheater, George, Wash., May 24-26

Price: Right now, it's $66.50 per day, but that will increase as it gets closer to the concert.

History: In the musical world, the Sasquatch! Music Festival is not as big in stature as its namesake. In fact, it's more of a small gathering for music enthusiasts, huddled together at the picturesque Gorge Amphitheater, located directly on the Columbia River in Washington.

Lineup: This year, the lineup includes R.E.M., The Flaming Lips, The Cure, Modest Mouse, Death Cab for Cutie and Flight of the Conchords.

Survival item: Your sense of humor (there's a stage specifically for comedians) and a camera (in case you see the famed beast).

Name: Essence Music Festival

When/Where: New Orleans, July 4-6

Price: Tickets range from $45-$110

History: The Essence Music Festival, sponsored by Essence Magazine, is the biggest concert celebrating black culture in the country. Last year, more than 200,000 people came to New Orleans to see the show.

Lineup: This year's stacked lineup includes Kanye West, Rihanna, Chris Brown, LL Cool J, Chris Rock and others.

Survival item: Your thinking cap. In addition to the music, there are seminars about race, religion and other topics - guests include Bill Cosby and Tyler Perry.

Name: Virgin Mobile Festival

When/Where: Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Aug. 9-10

Price: $175 for both days, $97.50 for one.

History: The American version of Britain's V Festival comes with the ugliest name in the history of festivals. It was created as a marketing tool for Virgin Mobile, but those who put up with crass commercialism will be rewarded with big name headliners both young and old.

Lineup: The list of acts includes Foo Fighters, Kanye West, Bob Dylan, Jack Johnson and Chuck Berry.

Survival item: A bib. Patrons at the Virgin Mobile festival scarf down Baltimore delicacies like crab cakes, shrimp and oysters: Far from your usual concert face of hot dogs and warm beer.

What: Rocklahoma

Where/When: Pryor, Okla., July 10-13

Price: $66.29 and up

History: Organizers hope the second annual Rocklahoma will be nothing but a good time for hair metal fans. The event faces lofty expectations after last year's debut exceeded expectations - garnering 30,000 fans trying to relive the 80s. The concert even outsold Oklahoma's annual country music festival.

Lineup: Bang your head to a hair metal lineup that includes Sebastian Bach, Dokken, Extreme, a reunited Warrant, Night Ranger and Living Colour.

Survival item: Spandex/leather/makeup. To truly enjoy that Bible Belt sun and the festival itself, your skin needs to be sticking to your oh-so-tight glam rock outfit. And sweaty globs of black paint need to be dripping from that eye black you're wearing. Also, ladies - Bret Michaels will be there - so bring pepper spray.

dwarey@syr.edu, eaconnor@syr.edu, mrlevin@syr.edu,

Notable Overseas Festivals

If you plan on being abroad, here are some shows you won't want to miss:

The Glastonbury Festival

Glastonbury, UK, June 27-29

This year, the UK's premier show features Jay-Z, The Verve and Kings of Leon.

Roskilde Festival

Roskilde, Denmark, June 29-July 6

This Scandinavian festival goes back to the 70s. Acts include Radiohead, Jay-Z, The Chemical Brothers and Slayer.

Sziget Festival

Budapest, Hungary, Aug. 12-18

Last year, almost 400,000 fans came to Hungary to see this festival. This year's headliners include Iron Maiden, R.E.M. and the Sex Pistols.