Summer concerts abound

By George Giles
Collegian Staff
April 26, 2006

Summer is right around the corner. For all big music fans, this means it’s time to see the lineups for all those ridiculously huge summer festivals, and start wishing for whichever one they want to go enjoy. This is a quick rundown of the three major festivals for summer 2006.

In the dessert of Indio, Calif., Coachella (www.coachella.com) will be happening yet again. Previous years have proven this to be the strongest festival musically, bringing headliners like a reunited Pixies, Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, Coldplay and New Order. This year seems to be lacking that one big performer that would bring a huge turnout. While there were attempts to reunite ’80s legends The Smiths, former frontman Morrissey had no interest in a reunion, stating, “What’s the point of making music with people who aren’t your friends?” This year’s headliners will instead be Tool and Depeche Mode.

Moving from the dry dessert to the Windy City, Chicago will be the home yet again for the two day Lollapalooza Music Festival (www.lollapalooza.com) in Grant Park. Perry Farrell, former frontman for Jane’s Addiction, has put together a superb collection of artists ranging from mainstream pop and rock to some very obscure treats. Headliners for this year will be the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Flaming Lips, Wilco, Death Cab For Cutie and Kanye West. Some other pleasures this year come in the form of The Shins, Sonic Youth, Ween, Broken Social Scene, Feist, Of Montreal and Cursive. This great mix of different forms of rock music will be sure to provide an amazing two days.

The only downside is no camping at Grant Park. Boo to you, Perry Farrell. Boo to you.

The southeast will be bringing the sixth year of the Bonnaroo Music Festival (www.bonnaroo.com ) on a farm in Manchester, Tenn. This festival, traditionally a folk and jam band fest, has been slowly incorporating some of the best names in modern independent and underground music over the past few years. This year’s three-day event will welcome headliners including Radiohead, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Elvis Costello, Phil Lesh and Oysterhead. Other artists this year will be Death Cab For Cutie, Beck, Stephen Malkmus, Ben Folds, Bright Eyes, Matisyahu, Cat Power, The Disco Biscuits and Damien “Jr. Gong” Marley. Besides the strong musical lineup, the comedy tent this year will be featuring Lewis Black, The Upright Citizens Brigade and Demetri Martin, among others. This camping festival tries to create an environment where all concertgoers can feel comfortable and free to express themselves in any ways they wish. A playground is built for it every year for adults to let loose and be kids for a weekend. It is a really amazing set up.

The entire country is covered with little festivals like this throughout the summer. Music lovers who can’t afford getting to any of these major fests are not completely out of luck.

gilesg1@lasalle.edu