Need some fun to spice up your summer? Check out one of these summer festivals-the perfect excuse to road trip, get wasted and listen to music with thousands of your closest friends. From nearby New Jersey to the fields of Tennessee, there's a little something for everyone.
Bonnaroo
June 12-15
Manchester, Tennessee
www.bonnaroo.com
For four days each June, 80,000 people gather on a giant farm in Manchester, Tennessee to see just how much they can take. After emerging from their oven-like tents each morning, they subject their weary bodies to intense heat, dirt and an alphabet of drugs, trying to hear as many of the 120+ bands as they possibly can. The whole compound has a distinctly hippie vibe, from prevalent tie-dye and nomadic henna vendors to the infamous giant mushroom fountain. Though often associated with jam bands, the festival includes big names like Jack Johnson and Kanye West and alt and indie artists like M.I.A., Vampire Weekend and Broken Social Scene, as well as jazz and comedy tents. Though tickets are expensive - already up to $244.50 plus a service fee - most customers leave just as satisfied as they are caked in dirt.
-Frances Wright
Pitchfork Festival
July 18-20
Union Park, Chicago
www.pitchforkmusicfestival.com
For the third year in a row, the indie tastemakers of PitchforkMedia.com have put together a three-day festival in the middle of downtown Chicago. Kicking off with a night of classic albums (co-curated with All Tomorrow's Parties) featuring performances of Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back and Mission of Burma's Vs. in their entirety, the festival moves into more contemporary territory on Saturday and Sunday, featuring current buzz bands Vampire Weekend and Fuck Buttons, as well artists ranging from Animal Collective to Dizzee Rascal. With 30 bands already announced and more to come, this festival definitely gives you the most bang for your buck - three-day passes are only $65.
-Grace Ambrose
LollaPALOOZA
August 1-3
Grant Park, Chicago
www.lollapalooza.com
With headliners like Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, Rage Against the Machine, Kanye West and Gnarls Barkley, Lollapalooza 2008 is destined to be one of the best music festivals of the summer. From August 1st through the 3rd, 120 bands will rock seven stages in Grant Park, Chicago. Boasting mainstream and underground artists from genres as disparate as hip-hop and electronica, Lollapalooza has it all. Unlike many summer festivals, there are no campgrounds, but that doesn't stop the hordes of fans from coming each year. Given the urban location of the festival, there are tons of hotels in the area, allowing fans to check out the Windy City while enjoying some of the best acts of the summer. Although the early bird tickets are already sold out, you can still buy a three-day advance pass for $190. And even better, if you're still slightly prepubescent, vertically challenged and could pass for an 11-year-old, you can get in free.
-Ashley Bradley
All Points West
August 8-10
Liberty State Park, New Jersey
www.apwfestival.com
Making its debut this August, the All Points West festival has been billed as a Coachella for the East Coast. The biggest draw - outside of a weekend enjoying the nice August weather and a beautiful view of New York City - is the double headlining performance from Radiohead, closing out the festival on both Friday and Saturday. But clearly the festival organizers know that their brand of bleak rock just won't be "chill" enough for some, so Jack Johnson (Hawaii's most mellow) will headline on Sunday.
Other bands in the lineup include CSS, the Go! Team and the New Pornographers, as well as indie darlings Grizzly Bear and dance sensation Girl Talk. Even though Radiohead is headlining, ticket prices are unfortunately not at the discrepancy of the customer. One-day passes are available online for $89 and three-day passes will set you back $258. But for three days of music that's just a ferry ride away from Manhattan and a short train from our beloved Philly, that might be well worth it.
-Ben Rosen
