Essence Music Festival
When: July 4-6, 2008
Where: Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
Why: Watch Chris Rock act like a fool and Kanye on his best behavior in fear of an LL Cool J beatdown.
Who: J Holiday, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Kanye West, Musiq, LL Cool J, Jill Scott, Patti Labelle, Morris Day, Keyshia Cole, Chris Rock, Mary J. Blige, Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly, Peabo Bryson, Grandmaster Flash, Mint Condition, Lyfe Jennings, Ledisi, Solange Knowles, Raheem Devaughn, Chrisette Michele, Gil Scott-Heron, and more.
How: General admission prices range from $56 to $72, and floor seats range from $83 to $110.
Montreux Jazz Festival
When: July 4-19, 2008
Where: Montreux, Switzerland
Why: Although it's called a "jazz festival," it's ironically one of the most non-genre specific festivals in the world. The two-week event features the biggest names of all styles, including rock, hip-hop, electronica, and, of course, jazz.
Who: Herbie Hancock, Leonard Cohen, Gnarls Barkley, N.E.R.D., Quincy Jones, Santogold, Interpol, Hercules and Love Affair, David Sanborn, Gilberto Gil, Return to Forever, and many more.
How: Ticket costs vary per show. See the event's Web site for details.
Sub Pop 20th Anniversary Festival
When: July 12-13, 2008
Where: Marymoor Park, Redmond, Washington
Why: Ever since the release of Nirvana's debut album Bleach (1989), Sub Pop has become one of the biggest indie labels of all time. This festival/party marks its 20th anniversary--so we assume it'll be a rager.
Who: Mudhoney, Iron and Wine, Flight of the Conchords, David Cross, The Helio Sequence, Fleet Foxes, Low, The Ruby Suns, Foals, Patton Oswalt, No Age, Wolf Parade, and more.
How: Single-day tickets are $35; two-day passes are $60. See the event's Web site for details.
Siren Music Festival
When: July 19, 2008
Where: Coney Island, NY, New York
Why: Because it's free and all ages.
Who: Islands, Ra Ra Riot, Broken Social Scene, The Helio Sequence, Beach House, The Dodos, Annuals, Film School, These Are Powers, and more.
How: Free all-day event. Arrive early to ensure entry. See the event's Web site for details.
Oya Festival
When: August 5-9, 2008
Where: Middelalderparken (the Medieval Park), Oslo, Norway
Why: The Oya Festival is a festival put together by music lovers, for music lovers, and with a focus on presenting a cutting-edge bill with a big, Scandinavian heart.
Who: The Knife, Beck, Cut Copy, Yoko Ono, N.E.R.D., My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth, Sigur Ros, Yeasayer, No Age, Lightspeed Champion, Jose Gonzalez, and more.
How: Festival passes (four-day pass) for NOK 1.695, -/+ tax; day passes for NOK 565, -/+ tax. See the event's Web site for details.
Bumbershoot
When: August 30-September 1, 2008
Where: Seattle Center, Seattle, Washington
Why: Gives you a great excuse to visit the Space Needle.
Who: Beck, Stone Temple Pilots, T.I., The Black Keys, Band of Horses, Battles, Jakob Dylan, Lucinda Williams, !!!, Neko Case, Adele, Final Fantasy, Blitzen Trapper, Nada Surf, M. Ward, Del Tha Funky Homosapien, Keyshia Cole, The Walkmen, The Offspring, Lee "Scratch" Perry, and more.
How: Ticket prices vary. See the event's Web site for details.
Treasure Island
When: September 20-21, 2008
Where: Treasure Island, San Francisco, California
Why: The best mix of electronica and indie rock, plus panoramic views of the San Francisco skyline, the Bay Bridge, and the entire Bay Area.
Who: Justice, The Raconteurs, Goldfrapp, Tegan & Sara, Vampire Weekend, TV On the Radio, Spiritualized, Hot Chip, CSS, Antibalas, Foals, Aesop Rock, Okkervil River, Tokyo Police Club, and more.
How: Single-day tickets are $65; two-day passes are $115. VIP single-day tickets for $445. See the event's Web site for details.
Austin City Limits
When: September 26-28, 2008
Where: Zilker Park, Austin, Texas
Why: It ties with SXSW as the best weekend to be in Austin--the city with the best music scene and BBQ.
Who: Foo Fighters, Beck, Mars Volta, David Byrne, Band of Horses, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, John Fogerty, Manu Chao, The Raconteurs, Neko Case, The Black Keys, Okkervil River, Hot Chip, Vampire Weekend, Blues Traveler, Spiritualized, Jose Gonzalez, Iron & Wine, Erykah Badu, Conor Oberst, N.E.R.D., and more.
How: Single-day tickets are $80; three-day passes are $170. VIP three-day tickets are $850. See the event's Web site for details.
