When I win PowerBall, the first thing I’m going to do is buy tickets to Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza. Oh, I’ll put the rest of the cash in the bank, but I would devote that summer to checking out these festivals. Talk about a dream come true.
First we have Coachella, April 17-19 in Indio, California. Three days of music in the California desert. This year headliners are: Paul McCartney, The Killers, and The Cure, along with My Bloody Valentine, Amy Winehouse, Morrissey, Franz Ferdinand and many others. From what I understand this festival is mostly daytime with multiple tents for music.
Next up Bonnaroo, June 11-14 in Manchester, Tennessee. Bruce Springsteen is this year’s headliner, and other big acts include: Phish, Beastie Boys, Wilco, Al Green, Snoop Dogg and Nine Inch Nails. Unlike Coachella, this festival goes on for the entire 72 hours. A friend of mine attended a few years ago and told me the music just kept going.
Finally, we have Lollapalooza, August 7-9 at Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois. No lineup has been announced, but this show is run like Coachella, mostly daytime, and usually has the largest number of acts on its bill.
These festivals are great for finding new bands and experiencing more culture than you can handle. You even can check out: Sasquatch, Vegoose, Austin City Limits, South by Southwest, CMJ, Download Festival or jump the pond for Glastonbury, T in the Park or V Festival. You may end up seeing a few bands more than once, but always remember that no two shows are ever the same.
Do a little research and check out the lineups as they unfold, and maybe plan your own road trip. Like I said, it would be a great summer.
