So you missed Coachella and Sasquatch, and for the last week you’ve had to put up with reading all these reports about how amazing Primavera was. Trust us, we sympathize. But now, with summer upon us, there’s plenty of options available if you’re thinking that you’d like to hit up a music festival over the next few months but don’t want to spend a fortune or fly to Barcelona. Over the next few pages, we’ve compiled a brief guide to our pick of the best summer festivals that aren’t Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, etc. Read on if you’re keen for a piece of such action, or you just want to amuse yourself by counting just how many festivals Cut Copy are playing this summer.
Solid Sound
Where: North Adams, MA
When: June 24-26
Who: Wilco, Thurston Moore, Jamie Lidell, The Handsome Family, The Levon Helm Band, Here We Go Magic
Why: This annual Wilco-curated festival takes place at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, which sits on a 13-acre site in rural Massachusetts and looks like one fine old place to have a festival. Plus, apparently Moore and Wilco’s Nels Cline will be performing their 1997 Pillow Wand collaboration on stage, which makes the experimental guitar geeks at Flavorpill (i.e. this writer) very excited indeed.
How much: $124.50 for three days, single day tickets $65 (for Friday or Sunday) or $78 (for Saturday).
Comments (21)
Missed one- Electric Forest, the fest formerly known as Rothbury on Michigan’s west coast.
Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago is JULY 15-17, not June 15-17.
Urrrrrggghhhh thanks Jeff. Stupid June and July. Why are their names so similar??
Afropunk Festival at Commadore Berry in Brooklyn feat. Ceelo Green, Janelle Monae, Straight Line Stitch, Santigold, Res, Toro y Moi, Fishbone, all your booklyn favorites, and MANY more. price: FREE! Aug. 27 & 28.
EAT IT PITCHFORK
NEON MARSHMALLOW MUSIC FESTIVAL (Chicago) June 10, 11, 12: Morton Subotnick, OneOhTrix Point Never, Pelt, Lucky Dragons, Bill Orcutt, Sam Prekop, Rene Hell + 20 others
Northside Festival is happening in two weeks here in Brooklyn NY!
http://www.thelmagazine.com/blogs/NorthsideFestivalNews/
The Brooklyn Folk Festival is happening this weekend! June 10-12th in Red Hook! 3rd annual, 35+ bands and workshops.
I can’t believe you didn’t include Treasure Island Festival in the San Francisco Bay. Sure, the lineup isn’t out yet and it’s not really during Summer, but the format rules and they always have good performances.
Hey you missed VIA in Pittsburgh PA in October!
i’ll second the afropunk fest. this year’s lineup is out of control.
Re: Lee G and Jimmy Q, I can believe they were left out! You know why? They are not Summer festivals! Can you both read heading of the article before making a comment.
Hey, what gives?? Did not mention ‘Wakarusa’- why? Just came back from it and it was amazing. Situated in the Ozark Mountains with beautiful camping, a waterfall and so many wonderful bands!!!!! Some list…we had My Morning Jacket, Mumford & Sons, Ben Harper, Grace Potter, Bassnectar, Thievery Corp., Buckethead, JJ Grey, Ghostland Observatory, etc. etc. over 100 bands I think.
Well, see, tracey, here’s the thing. This piece was published today. And you just came back from Wakarusa. Which would have made mentioning it kind of pointless, no?
no athfest?
Strange Creek and Wormtown Festival in Greenfield, Mass. Solid Sound is overpriced!!
No Fuck Yeah Fest?
Nice list but some of these don’t seem that small. How about Sunset Junction in Los Angeles. Only $15 for a day pass.
Should have added ‘For the US’ to the title. Disappointing.
Soundtown in Somerset, Wisconsin (30 miles from the Twin Cities) , Aug 19-20. The Flaming Lips, The New Pornographers, Devotchka, Ghostland Observatory, Delta Spirit, Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, Solid Gold, Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons, Heiruspecs, Roma di Luna, Pink Mink, White Iron Band, White Light Riot, Apollo Cobra, The Arms Akimbo, Phantom Tails, Jack Klatt and the Cat Swingers, Zoo Animal, Joey Ryan & The Inks, The Goondas, Farewell Milwaukee.
http://www.ticketfly.com/event/38975/
Good list to be sure, but how do you leave off High Sierra? http://highsierramusic.com
Tom, no I don’t think it would be pointless to mention Wakarusa – even though it is already over. The title was “Best Small Summer Music Festivals” not “Best to come…” Any word is good word and maybe a heads up for next year to people who may not have known about it. But thanks, for the snark…always a pleasure to hear from people like you.
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