To be honest with you all, I didn’t see the first two bands due to a miscommunication of times and so forth.  However, my buddies let me know that Sponge did play “Molly” and “Plowed” as the last songs of their set and managed to get the crowd energized.  The esplanade was packed with concert goers, hippies and a group of kids wearing shirts demanding everyone  “Smoke Mad Blunts”.  When did blunts become so angry?  I got no response.

Having never seen OK Go I was excited to see them put on a good set.  My sister, who was in attendance, had seen them a few years earlier at the Paradise Rock Club and claims it as one of her favorite shows.  To be honest, I think a small venue serves these boys better than an outdoor shell and that was evident as they played the song “Return” on a table of hand bells.  This clip is the same song done at the House of Blues earlier in the year.  Of course they played “Invincible“, “A Million Ways”, “Here It Goes Again” and singer/guitarist Damian Kulash wadded through the crowd to play “Last Leaf” solo acoustic.  They had a good set but you can tell these guys like to be close to their fans and I would check them out at a small club.

This is not the first time, or second time, I’ve seen Ed Kowalczyk.  This was my third time and maybe my least favorite.  Pulling heavy from his solo album Alive he also sprinkled in Live tunes like “All Over You”, “Selling the Drama”, “Pain Lies on the Riverside” and the sing along set closer “Lightning Crashes”.  Instead of having his full band we had a three piece with Ed playing acoustic guitar.  It was cool but I was hoping he could have rocked a little more.

Well, I have a barrage of new albums to review and I’m also biding my time until July when one of my long time dreams comes true and I get to see Soundgarden in all their glory.  I’m excited, just a little bit.

Coachella- April 16-18, Indio, California

The 11th COACHELLA VALLEY MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL will feature a mix of artists ranging from Pavement, Thom Yorke????, Vampire Weekend, Them Crooked Vultures, LCD Soundsystem, Phoenix, Tiësto, Faith No More, Deadmau5, David Guetta, MGMT and Public Image Limited.

Norman Music Festival- April 24-25, Norman, Oklahoma

The third annual Norman Music Festival is free and open to the public and will take place east of the railroad tracks on Main Street.  Saturday night entertainment will be predominantly at indoor locations, and Sunday will feature the full-blown festival atmosphere complete with street closures and large outdoor stages.

Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival- April 22-25, Silk Hope, North Carolina

The Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance will feature more than 50 bands and performers on two big outdoor stages, a large dance tent, and an intimate cabaret tent. Located on 72 beautiful farmland acres at 1439 Henderson Tanyard Road in Silk Hope, North Carolina, it’s just down the road from Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Durham, Burlington, and Greensboro. The festival also features local crafts, delicious food, various children’s activities, environmental sustainability workshops, and much more in a family-friendly environment.

Swinging Sixties Festival- April 24-26, Wildwood, New Jersey

This annual weekend festival is sponsored by the Doo Wop Preservation Society and the Wildwoods Historical Society. There will be a big concert with 60s icons Paul Revere & the Raiders and more, sock hops, free-act stages, vendors, all in a town “frozen in the 1950s” with mid-century modern motels, neon-neon-neon, old fashioned soda shops, classic NJ diners and a DooWop Museum.

Regattabar Jazz Festival, now through June 6, Cambridge, Massachusetts

With the most anticipated schedule to date, the 2010 Regattabar Jazz Festival kicked off on March 5th with a sold-out show by Stanley Sagov and Robert Pinsky. The festival continues through June 6th and includes an exciting lineup of Grammy-recognized artists, including David “Honeyboy” Edwards, who was recently awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award, Mike Stern, and the Kenny Werner Tri0.

“Ten years ago I got a call from Roger Daltrey asking me to join him for the first ever concert for the charity. Since then I’ve been honoured to support this amazing charity. I’ve had some of the best nights I’ve ever had on a UK stage,” Gallagher said of the yearly charity concerts.

The Teenage Cancer Trust’s annual charity concerts will be Gallagher’s only shows this year, so it will be very special for him and for his fans. The patron of the charity, Roger Daltrey, the founder and lead singer of English rock band The Who said that he is very thrilled about having Gallagher in the March concerts. “It’s a blinder. I’m over the moon. It will be Noel’s only shows this year, so those nights will be special,” he said. Gallagher will be joining Arctic Monkeys, The Specials, The Who, Them Crooked Vultures, Suede and boy band JLS for the series of concerts. Depeche Mode will be opening the event on February 17th.

Will there be an album after this? Is there something in the works now? That remains to be seen, but it seems that it is unlikely that there will be an album from him this year.

Indie Thursdays

October 1 at The Renaissance Hollywood Hotel & Spa in Hollywood, California.  This showcase has 5-6 independent artists or bands who compete to earn a spot as the Artist of the Month for the remaining Indie Thursdays throughout the month.

International Bluegrass Festival

October 1-3 in Guthrie, Oklahoma.  Started in 1996, this is a festival where international and national players can perform.

3 Sisters Music Festival

Octboer 2-3 at Ross’s Landing in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  This free one-of-a-kind event will feature some of the top names in contemporary and traditional bluegrass.

Austin City Limits

October 2-4 in Austin, Texas.

Caramoor Fall Festival

October 2-4 in Katonah, New York.  Caramoor is a Garden of Great Music where audiences are invited to come early, explore the beautiful grounds, take a tour of the Rosen House, visit the gift shop, enjoy a pre-concert picnic, and discover beautiful music in the relaxed settings of the Venetian Theater, Spanish Courtyard, Music Room of the Rosen House, and the magnificent gardens.

Bluegrass Fan Fest

October 2-4 in Nashville, Tennessee.  This festival will feature more than 60 performances by the industry’s top acts.

Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival

October 2-4, 9-11, & 16-18 in Catalina Island, California.  The 23rd Annual Catalina Island Jazz Trax Festival, one of the west coast’s foremost fall music events and premier smooth jazz festival, returns to Catalina Island this October.

Pandit Jasraj

October 3 in Hayward, California. World-renowned classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj is coming to San Francisco’s Bay Area for a rare US concert appearance.

Harmonicas & Hot Dogs

October 3 in Visalia, California.  Visalia’s first annual harmonica mini-festival open and free to all styles, ages, and skill levels, no contest or judges, no admission or fees.

Atlantic Antic

October 4 in Brooklyn, New York.  The Antic is not your typical street festival, instead it is a Brooklyn institution that celebrates the diversity of this great borough.  At this year’s festival there will be 9 live music stages spread up an down the mile long event.

New Noise Santa Barbara

October 8-10 in Santa Barbara, California.  New Noise will showcase emerging and established bands, host educational panels on the music industry’s hottest topics, present esteemed experts from all walks of the business and serve as a place for players big and small to connect and plot the future of sound.

Stocktoberfest

October 10 in Stockton, California.  Stocktoberfest features collectable glass beer steins, authentic German food, and live entertainment ranging from polka to local rock.

A Taste of Dance

October 10 in Los Angeles, California.  Celebrating the diverse heritage and cultures of Los Angeles, Active Arts at the Music Center invites guests to celebrate a great day of dance on the Plaza and sample a variety of dance styles for a dollar a lesson.

Train Song Festival

October 10 in San Diego, California. The award-winning annual festival features sounds of train songs and whistles in addition to traditional live music inspired by the history and culture surrounding railroads.

Rock the Fall Festival

October 10-11 in Palmerton, Pennsylvania.  In addition to the two days of music, the festival will offer a wide variety of artisan crafts, food, beverage, and ski equipment and apparel vendors.

9th annual Berklee BeanTown Jazz Fest

September 18 – 26 on Columbus Avenue and various venues in Boston, MA

“Petty Theft” and Stefanie Keys

September 27 at Timber Cove Inn in Jenner, CA

Music by the Lake Piano Blues

September 27 at Pokonobe Lodge in Lake Mary, CA

Thunderfest

September 27 at BlueClaws Stadium in Lakewood, NJ

Flat Rock Music Festival

September 25-27 at Camp Ton-A-Wandah in Flat Rock, North Carolina

Enjoy the final weekend of September with some excellent music.  And don’t forget to return to Tunes News to find out where you can find more festivals in October!