With Coachella going down in Indio right now, music festival season has officially begun in America. Many may be wondering if there is a festival a little closer to home that can cater to their tastes, or perhaps they just don’t want to miss out on all the other fun music events happening this summer after Coachella. Whatever the case, if you have no idea where to start, or you’re just curious about what’s going on in the summer of 2012, pick up some SPF 150 and check out this list of fests to look forward to, happening in all corners of the country.
Sasquatch!
May 25th-28th, The Gorge, George, WA
Top of the Bill: Jack White, Beck, Bon Iver, Pretty Lights, Tenacious D, The Shins, Beirut, Girl Talk, The Roots, Feist, Silversun Pickups, The Roots, Explosions In The Sky,
Main Features: Another camping opportunity, this one is the biggest summer festival in the Pacific Northwest with a massive cult following. The focus of Sasquatch! originally was on eclecticism (in contrast to the highly commercial headliners of the biggest festivals) but the bill winds up looking pretty similar to the others now that musical tastes are so varied across the board. There’s a variety of food and snacks available, as well as beer and wine. Oh and it’s the only one on the list that officially comes with an exclamation point.
Cost: Sold out! However, where there’s a will… there are also limited VIP Supertickets available for an undisclosed price.
Bonnaroo
June 7th-10th in Manchester, TN
Top of the Bill: Radiohead, The Beach Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Phish, The Shins, Bon Iver, Foster The People, Skrillex, Aziz Ansari, Dispatch, The Roots
Main Features: Bonnaroo is arguably the summer’s biggest camping fest (or just the biggest fest, period), taking place over four days on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, and combining the best of nearly every genre of music and its own comedy bill. It’s may be 1000 degrees down there in June, but with the quality of the bands on this year’s bill, you probably won’t care. If you missed Radiohead (one of the season’s biggest draws) at Coachella, here’s your chance to catch them again. Also featuring a marquee reunion of The Beach Boys.
Cost: Only the VIP Pass for two ($1399.50) and the four-day pass for $259/person remain. All the others are sold out. RV passes are also available for those who don’t want to camp.
Governors Ball
June 23rd-24th, Randall’s Island, New York, NY
Top of the Bill: Passion Pit, Beck, Duck Sauce, Modest Mouse, Chromeo, Explosions In The Sky, Atmosphere, Fiona Apple, Cults, Phantogram
Main Features: New York’s summer festival scene is always in flux (RIP All Points West), but many forget this yearly bash on Randall’s Island has a consistently fun lineup and unbeatable NYC food staples like outposts from Luke’s Lobster, Wafels and Dinges, Asia Dog, The Taco Truck, and more. It’s New York City, so expect plenty of crowds to go with your world-class food, drink, and entertainment.
Cost: Prices vary, with a variety of travel packages available. GA 2-Day Advance runs about $175 with fees (or $105 for a one day pass for Saturday or Sunday), plus another $45 for the ferry or $30 for a shuttle from Brooklyn or $130 for a shuttle all the way from Philly. VIP passes are also available.
Pitchfork Music Festival
July 13th-15th, Union Park, Chicago, IL
Top of the Bill: Vampire Weekend, Wild Flag, Cults, Beach House, Feist, Hot Chip, Cloud Nothings, A$AP Rocky, Grimes
Main Features: Probably the hippest festival around (or so it thinks), Pitchfork caters to a smaller crowd and thus sells less tickets than its giant peers (to keep things a little more personal). The lineup is both chic and slim, catering to a more alternative set of tastes. Bragging rights include ironic hand gestures and frequent sighs at friends who didn’t accompany you.
Cost: 3-day passes are sold out, but you can still snag a single day pass for $45.
Read More From Joe Puglisi
