Music Festival Calendar Beyond The West Coast: June 2013
It seems that everybody and their grandma—to be fair, they’re pretty chill grandmas—is headed to at least one major music festival a year.
They’ll post and tweet and Instagram about their festival experience before, during, and after the actual event, and everyone around them will roll their eyes… until it’s their turn to cavort around whatever festival fairground they’re headed off to.
If you’re leaving Los Angeles for another part of America this summer, don’t worry, there are other festivals out there besides Coachella! Seriously. Below are some options to check out this June; check back later for the July and August calendars.
Free Press Summer Fest – June 1-2, Eleanor Tinsley Park, Houston, TX
Headliners: The Postal Service, Bassnectar, Iggy and the Stooges, Passion Pit, TV on the Radio
What’s so special: How many of you have seen their festival commercial play before something you’re watching on YouTube (ex. music video, slow loris eating a rice ball, “The Bling Ring” trailer)? Man, just thinking about it puts the music in my head. Beyond that, the lineup is solid, with appearances from all the major festival players (I see you, Macklemore/Of Monsters and Men/The Postal Service/2Chainz) and some cool smaller acts like The Head and the Heart and A Place To Bury Strangers (also: Paul Banks on his own, and Super Mash Bros?!). Austin’s everybody’s favorite Texas festival town, but Houston's more than capable of putting on their own show.
Governors Ball Music Festival – June 7-9, Randall’s Island, NYC, NY
Headliners: Kings of Leon, Guns N’ Roses, Kanye West
What’s so special: Even as recently as last year, Gov Ball really wasn’t on anybody’s “must see” radar, but this year, Kanye West’s closing out the festival, and guess who’s 1) the musical guest for the “Saturday Night Live” season finale this Saturday and 2) wrapping up all of the details on his sixth studio album? Whatever you think of Mr. West himself (and boy, everybody has opinions), the festival’s going to end with a bang. Also, GN’R’s tour-closing set, as well as a slew of other top-notch performers like Feist, Nas, Thievery Corporation, and Erykah Badu & the Cannabinoids don’t hurt the pedigree of this lineup.
Bonnaroo – June 13-16, Manchester, TN
Headliners: Paul McCartney, Mumford & Sons, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Björk, Wilco
What’s so special: You’re kind of a big deal when your lineup announcement is a 45-minute long show unto itself, hosted by none other than Weird Al Yankovic (whoever came up with that idea deserves a raise and a slap on the head). So yeah, Roo’s kind of a big deal, and it’s also one of the original “must see” music festival destinations. While the lineup ordering is kind of weird (who really thinks Daniel Tosh is on the same level as The National?), this lineup is absolutely stacked with a bewilderingly diverse group of amazing acts—everybody from the Preservation Hall Jazz Band to Bob Saget is going to be there. Also, Paul McCartney.
Reach Music Editor Lilian Min here; follow her on Twitter here and on Google+ here.