A new day, a new slew of festival news. Let’s round up all the important info in today’s edition of CoS’ Festivals in Brief:
Rites of Spring:
The Flaming Lips, Okkervil River, N.E.R.D, Santigold, and…T.I.? Yes, America’s favorite college music festival, Vanderbilt’s Rites of Spring, has added the infamous rapper to its 2009 lineup, marking one of his final performance before he hits the slink for one year and one day. Other recent additions include Pico vs Island Trees, Q-Tip, Run with Bulls, and Blueskyreality. Tickets are still available via Ticketmaster.
Clearwater Festival:
The Clearwater Festival is another one those music events that is ridiculously solid on paper, but for some reason, fails to draw much attention in festival circles. Let’s change that today. Richie Havens, Susan Tedeschi, Arlo Guthrie, and 90-year-old Pete Seeger head the Hudson, New York event, scheduled to take place from June 20-21, while AC Newman, Dr. Dog, and Elvis Perkins In Deerland provide a bit of new age feel. Tickets can currently be had via the festival’s website.
Summerfest:
And the lineup for this year’s Summerfest has grown even more diverse – though that was to be expected. Joining the previously announced Bon Jovi, No Doubt, Keith Urban, Barenaked Ladies, and The Roots will be Rancid, Dropkick Murphys, The Offspring, Matisyahu, Judas Priest, and Whitesnake. In total, Summerfest has unveiled 33 acts slated to be on this year’s bill, meaning we still have a long ways to go.
Lollapalooza:
While those uber cheap $60 three-day passes for this year’s Lollapalooza may be gone, there are some decently priced ones to be had. Beginning today, a limited allotment of three-day passes will be available at the lowest Early Bird price of $175 each (inclusive of service fees) via frontgatetickets.com. If that price is worthy of the names being mentioned, then go, go, go!
Voodoo Music Experience:
The situation went from pretty bleak to really good for the Voodoo Music Experience. The New Orleans music festival has not online resolved schedule conflicts with Rehage Entertainment and City Park, meaning the festival will indeed take place from October 30-November 1, but has also locked up its first headliner: KISS will play Halloween night. Not a bad start…
Jam on the River:
While nothing has been officially confirmed, it looks as if Jam on the River will join fellow Philadelphia music festival Popped! as the latest casualty of this year’s festival scene. Not only has no mention of a 2009 edition been made, but the Disco Biscuits, a staple of the festival, currently have other plans for Philadelphia this spring.