Looking for the best of this summer’s upcoming music events? Look no further
You’ve been in a sweaty crowd for upwards of six hours. Your legs are tired and you’ve never chugged water faster in your life. But you’ve enjoyed every second of it, and you’re hungry for more.
The summer music festival seems to have a cornerstone on the wallets of the 16-24 demographic. Within the state of Minnesota, however, you’ll have trouble finding “full-blown” music festivals, that is, anywhere between 3-4 days in length, most of them are one day affairs adhering to a strict curfew to keep the festival all-ages.
The beauty of the music festival is the ability to see several of your favorite artists for the price of one ticket. It also means more variety, “eclectic” seems to be the word on everyone’s tongue. Even within a festival like Soundset, which celebrates specifically hip-hop and rap artists, you’ll see a diversity in the style of each artist – you can hear 2 Chainz rapping about throwing money at strippers and then Atmosphere rapping about the struggles of the common man, because obviously those two go hand in hand. Keeping that in mind, here are the festivals you should be on the lookout for this summer.
Spring Awakening
Genre: EDM
Dates: June 13, 14, 15
Location: Chicago, IL
Current ticket price: 3-day passes sold out
Headliners: Tiesto, Knife Party, Pretty Lights,
Diplo, Kaskade, Big Gigantic
I can’t find fault with this lineup. I can not speak ill of this lineup. All hail the SAMF ’14 lineup. P.S. I definitely lied about not being able to speak ill of it, every lineup needs more Krewella.
North Coast
Genre: EDM, Hip-hop
Dates: August 29-31
Location: Chicago, IL
Current ticket price: $165.34 after fees
Headliners: Bassnectar, Alesso, Kid Cudi,
Nicky Romero, STS9, Dada Life, Snoop Dogg,
Zeds Dead
Why does Chicago get all the nice things? Why can’t I live in Chicago? Sorry, this festival’s stellar fifth anniversary lineup makes it so easy to complain.
Basilica Block Party
Genre: Indie, alternative
Dates: July 11, July 12
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Current ticket price: TBA
Headliners: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic
Zeroes, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Train,
Serena Ryder
Do you shop at Whole Foods? Do you call yourself a hipster but in reality aren’t one? If your answer to any of the previous questions is yes you’ll probably be at this year’s BBP jamming out to that “One song by that one person they always play on Cities”.
Summer Set
Genre: EDM, indie, hip hop/rap
Dates: August 15, 16, 17
Location: Somerset, WI
Current ticket price: $108.35 after fees,
additional cost for camping
Headliners: Bassnectar, Wu-Tang Clan,
Chromeo, The Disco Biscuits, Big Gigantic
Well not as hippy-filled as say, Summer Camp or Electric Forest, there is nothing hippies love more than camping at music festivals. Well, maybe jam bands… Both are present at Summer Set, but it’s varied lineup ensures that not everyone in attendance will be waving their hands in the air worshiping Mother Gaia. Also Bassnectar. You can’t go wrong with Bassnectar.
Warped Tour
Genre: Metal, alternative, punk
Date: July 20
Location: Shakopee, MN
Current ticket price: $47.39
Headliners: The Maine, Breathe Carolina,
The Summer Set, Yellowcard
If the internet has taught me anything it’s that these events are overrun with pre-teens, to the point that parents get free admission. But hey man, we all go through our “angsty hardcore” phase, I used to listen to My Chemical Romance yo, I know your feels.
Summerfest
Genre: Kitchen sink
Dates: June 25-29 and July 1-6
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Current ticket price: $9-16 for daily grounds
admission, prices vary for Marcus Amphitheater
Shows
Headliners: Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Brad
Paisley, Outkast, Dave Matthews Band, Zac
Brown Band, Motley Crue, Fall Out Boy &
Paramore, Usher
Summerfest is sort of the mecca of all music festivals. It boasts itself as “The world’s largest music festival,” which maybe in terms of population may not be true, but the length of the festival is truly staggering. So now you can finally approach your friends and say “Do you even festival, bro? I once festival’d for 10 days yo.”
Rock The Garden
Genre: Indie, alternative
Dates: June 21, 22
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Current ticket price: $59 for a single day
pass, $100 for a two-day pass
Headliners: De La Soul, Matt and Kim,
Spoon, Guided By Voices, Best Coast, Dessa
Have you ever liked something “ironically” before? Well, the rest of the world may hate you, but don’t feel sad Mr/Mrs. Hipster, the crowd at Rock The Garden is sure to accept you! Just be sure to lie if you only found out about that one band after they got big.
Soundset
Genre: Hip hop/rap
Location: Shakopee, MN
Date: May 25
Current ticket price: As low as $63.30
(varies depending on delivery method)
Headliners: Atmosphere, Wiz Khalifa, Nas,
2 Chainz, Cypress Hill
“ERMAHGERD I LOVE ATMOSPHERE”
– Everyone in Minnesota ever
“ERMAHGERD SO PUMPED FOR SOUNDSET”
– Everyone in Minnesota ever