Hey guys! Summer is almost here, and for many of us, it's one of the best times of the year. Yes, of course it means many trips to the beach, but it also means, music, music, and more music. Each Summer there seems to be tons of exciting music festivals that feature some amazing bands and this year is no exception. If you are looking to take a trip to the best Summer Music Festivals this year, I'd like to fill you in on some that I think you should not miss.
The Wrecking Ball (Atlanta , GA) - August 12-14
This has to be one of the best festival lineups I have seen in some time. It has a punk vibe but is aimed at a different crowd than the Van's Warped Tour. Warped is more geared to a younger audience and newer punk rock acts, while the Wrecking Ball is a bit of nostalgia fest with many bands most of us haven't seen in years. American Football, Bayside, Dinosaur Jr., Gorilla Biscuits, Hey Mercedes, Piebald,The Promise Ring, and Motion City Soundtrack, to name a few, will all be rockin out this summer at the Wrecking Ball. Many of these bands have been the pioneers of today's punk music scene and it's going to be great to see them all together at the same festival. Definitely one to check out. For the full lineup and other info, check out http://wreckingballatl.com/#home-section
Taste of Chaos Festival (San Bernadino, CA) - July 16
The Taste of Chaos is actually a full national tour, but the July 16 date in California specifically is one for the ages. If you were into pop punk in the early 2000's or missed the Warped Tour in some year between 2000-2004 and want to see what you missed, this is it. It's not as big as many of the other Summer festivals, so it's just a 1 day event but wow is it loaded. You can expect to see Dashboard Confessional, Taking Back Sunday, Quicksand, The Get Up Kids, The Starting Line, Saosin, Senses Fail, The Early November, The Anniversary, Hot Rod Circuit, Reggie and the Full Effect, and more. Fantastic lineup and sure to be an epic day. Check out http://festival.tasteofchaos.com/
Outside Lands (San Francisco, CA) - August 5-7
This is a very eclectic and very awesome music festival. This one will appeal to pretty much anyone who likes any genre of music. Some of the big names include Radiohead, Lionel Richie, Third Eye Blind, Zedd, Duran Duran, and the Muppets, yes those Muppets. You may have seen The Muppets' Dr. Teeth And The Electric Mayhem in your favorite Muppet movie, but they are taking their act to SF for this amazing festival. There's dozens of more great artists of almost all genres so make sure to check out the site for the full lineup http://www.sfoutsidelands.com/
The Van's Warped Tour (All Across the USA) June 22- August 13
The annual summer tour is back at it again this year and features a strong lineup. Mostly punk rock as expected, with a good dose of newer acts mixed in with some older ones who made the tour what it is today. This year's lineup features New Found Glory, Sum 41 (most dates), Good Charlotte (some dates), Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, Mayday Parade, State Champs, Chunk No Captain Chunk, Ice Nine Kills, The Maine, Yellowcard, and many more. Also, appearing this year are Pepper and Ballyhoo! which are not to be missed if you want to take in that beach reggae vibe. For a tour that hits most places in the US, this is certainly a rockin lineup and don't forget that we will be at the Long Island, NY and Los Angeles, CA Warped dates this year, so come say hi and rock out with us! http://vanswarpedtour.com/
These are just a few of the amazing music festivals lined up for this summer. Almost every city has their own rock extravaganza so be sure to check out what is coming to your area and enjoy your summer!
Jeff C.
Author