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Hit the road for musical feasts
| By Regis Behe TRIBUNE-REVIEW Sunday, May 25, 2008 Not too long ago, in order to catch the trendiest tours, all one had to do was wait for the traveling extravaganza to come to town. Starting with Perry Farrell's revolutionary Lollapalooza, the 1990s were an especially fertile time for tours that ranged from Ozzfest, the all-day celebration of metal, to Lilith Fair, a nod to the feminine side of music. As with all trends, however, most of the touring musical carnivals have faded into oblivion. Lilith closed shop after a three-year run, and others, such as H.O.R.D.E. and the Furthur Festival came and went quickly. Even Lollapalooza shut down for a few years. But when Farrell reinvented Lollapalooza in 2005 as a two-day destination event in Chicago -- after the touring version was cancelled in 2004 due to a lack of ticket sales -- he was on the cusp of another trend. It's like the theme of the Kevin Costner movie, "Field of Dreams." But instead of "If you build it, they will come," it's "If you book Radiohead or Metallica or the Dave Matthews Band or Prince, fans will flock." From Coachella's desert setting in Southern California to the hills of Tennessee for Bonnaroo, to the parking lot at Giants Stadium in New Jersey for the Bamboozle Festival, destination concerts are the trend du jour of the 2000s. For fans, it's an opportunity to combine travel with music and to meet other fans from around the country with shared interests."There's a sense of community," says Joey Spehar, 24, of Perry Hill Top, who plans to attend Bonnaroo this summer for the fourth time. "There's about 70,000 people and they're pretty much all on the same page." Spehar also likes the idea of being outside as opposed to be inside at a club. But, he admits the first time he attended Bonnaroo, he wasn't completely prepared. Fortunately, the campers next door, some folks from Austin, Texas, helped out, and Spehar looks forward to the communal experience every year. "I usually intend to camp and go fishing more every year," he says. "But I pretty much save it up for Bonnaroo." The logistics of large festivals are both a blessing and a problem for fans. With multiple stages, there's so much to choose from. Frank Cindrich, 41, of Swissvale, looks for bands "that might not pass through Pittsburgh," In April, Cindrich attended Coachella and heard Kraftwerk and Portishead, bands that have rarely, if ever, played Pittsburgh. "But there is a ton of music to see," he says. "You have to pick which bands you want to see, and decide if you want to see a full set or just part of a set." Kyle Smith, the director of content and programming at WYEP-FM, thinks destination festivals offer fans the opportunity to get more for their musical dollar. Going to Bonnaroo -- WYEP is broadcasting live from the Tennessee festival in June -- gives patrons the opportunity to hear multiple bands over the span of a couple days. "Doesn't it make a lot more sense to enjoy music outdoors, paying one ticket price for a couple of days?" Smith says. "You'd pay a lot more money if you wanted to see those band separately at some place like Star Lake (the Post-Gazette Pavilion)." This year, Pittsburgh will have its own destination event when the New American Music Union festival debuts Aug. 8 and 9 at the SouthSide Works. Bob Dylan, Gnarls Barkley, the Raconteurs, the Black Keys and the Roots are among the bands slated to perform, with singer Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers serving as host. While the event is a marketing opportunity for the sponsor, American Eagle Outfitters (headquartered at the SouthSide Works), the New American Music Festival is offering new bands a chance for exposure. A competition featuring 15 college bands -- including Nothing Unexpected from Robert Morris University -- also will be held. Smith thinks the New American Music Festival will be "great for the live music scene in Pittsburgh," especially because it's happening "in the heart of the city." Another festival in Western Pennsylvania debuts in late June at the Mines and Meadows Resort in Wampum, Lawrence County. The JamBaloosa Music and Arts Festival will be June 27-29, and will feature bands from Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio, including Pittsburgh's Boogie Hustlers. Erick Gross, who has promoted concerts in western New York and across the country, says JamBaloosa is being presented as more than just a concert. "We'd like to center this around a family, fun weekend," Gross says. "This will be three days of camping in an environment that would be similar but not quite on the same level as Woodstock or Bonnaroo." Gross wants to provide a "psychedelic" experience, noting light shows and performances in an underground cave. But psychedelic refers to the style of music; he says that drug use is not at all condoned, and notes the festival's emphasis on family activities as proof. Gross isn't sure what to expect in JamBaloosa's first year, but he only has to look about 125 miles south to the All Good Festival at Marvin's Mountaintop near Masontown, W.Va., as proof that such a gathering is viable. According to All Good organizer Tim Walther, the festival attracted 950 people in its first year. Last year, in its 11th incarnation, approximately 18,000 fans heard Bob Weir and Ratdog, the Drive-By Truckers and moe. The key, Walther thinks, is booking musicians who present a positive, upbeat experience. "That seems to have worked," Walther says, noting that the festival has had few problems with violence and has reached out to surrounding communities, offering free or discounted tickets to residents and businesses. But, Walther admits running a festival is a risky proposition. "It's kind of like a promoter is a professional gambler," he says. "I won't spend five dollars at a craps table, but I'll risk a lot here. It is a little less risky now. We are a bit more secure, but it's still a risk every year." It helps that All Good has a good reputation among fans and the musicians who perform there. This year, Phil Lesh and Friends and Widespread Panic are appearing at the festival, which runs July 11-13; Walther says they are the biggest acts he's hosted, and expects another huge crowd. But what is it like for the musicians themselves? First, it's a good way of reaching audiences who might not normally see them perform. Second, it's a chance to be a fan. "You get to see bands that you don't have a chance to see at music festivals," says Luther Dickinson, singer and guitar for the North Mississippi Allstars, who performed at Bonnaroo last year. "You're hanging out with friends, and I just like music outside as well." Performing, however, can be a bit daunting for musicians who aren't used to large crowds. Ingrid Michaelson, a singer and songwriter from New York, is playing festivals in Denver, Seattle and Austin this year (in addition to opening some shows for the Dave Matthews Band). Used to playing clubs and small theaters, she's cognizant that there will be a distance between her and the crowd. "I'm just going to do what I always do, and hope that people are engaged enough," she says. 'What else can I do? I'm not going to have laser lights, or do cartwheels in a sequined jumpsuit because there are more people. I'll just have to feel it out when I get there. I'm not going to plan to do anything different."
Music festivals Looking to get away this summer? Here are some of the many music festivals running now through the end of summer. A few festivals have already taken place -- Coachella in late April in Indio, Calif., and Bamboozle earlier this month at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey. Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival When: June 5-8 Where: Clinton Lake Park, Lawrence, Kansas Headliners: Emmylou Harris, The Flaming Lips, Mickey Hart Band Must see acts: Old 97s, Betty LaVette, Built to Spill Scheduled number of performers: 120 + Other activities: Disc golf, drum circle, swimming Details: http://www.wakarusa.com/ Bonnaroo When: June 12-15 Where: Private farmland, Manchester, Tenn. Headliners: Pearl Jam, Metallica, Chris Rock, Kanye West, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss Must see acts: My Morning Jacket, Willie Nelson, Levon Helm, Cat Power Scheduled number of performers: 130 + Other activities: Yoga classes, hair salon, karaoke, pitching and batting cages Note: Music fans who can't trek to Tennessee for the Bonnaroo Music & Arts festival still have a chance to see the action: Fuse TV is televising parts of the three-day extravaganza, its first national TV exposure. Fuse plans to televise six hours of programming from the festival, ranging from performances to interviews with the artists. The network also will broadcast live from the event. Details: http://www.bonnaroo.com/ Jambaloosa When: June 27-29 Where: Mines & Meadows Resort, Wampum, Beaver County Headliners: Boogie Hustlers, Jazzam, The Big Dirty Must see acts: Anything on Bugsy's Cavern Stage, an underground, 6,000-foot square venue where music will be featured until 4:30 a.m. Scheduled number of performers: 50+ Other activities: ATV trails, underground lake and trails, movies, drum circle Details: http://www.jambaloosa.com/ Rothbury Festival When: July 3-6 Where: Double JJ Ranch, Rothbury, Mich. Headliners: Dave Matthews Band, Snoop Dogg, John Mayer, Phil Lesh & Friends Must see acts: Modest Mouse, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Taj Mahal Scheduled number of performers: 80+ Other activities: Energy fair, water park Details: http://www.rothburyfestival.com/ Rocklahoma When: July 10-13 Where: Fairgrounds, Pryor, Okla. Headliners: Bret Michaels, Queensryche, Triumph Must see acts: LA Guns, Living Colour, UFO Scheduled number of performers: 30 + Other activities: Picture Alley, allows fan close proximity for photos Details: http://www.rockfeverfest.com/ All Good Festival When: July 11-13 Where: Marvin's Mountaintop, Masontown, W.Va. Headliners: Phil Lesh & Friends, Widespread Panic, Gov't Mule Must see acts: Medeski, Scofield, Martin & Wood, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Michael Franti & Spearhead Scheduled number of performers: 30 + Other activities: Children's activity area. Details: http://www.allgoodfestival.com/ Pemberton Festival When: July 25-27 Where: Mt. Currie, Pemberton, British Columbia Headliners: Coldplay, Jay-Z, Nine Inch Nails, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Must see acts: Serj Tankian, Interpol, Secret Machines Scheduled number of performers: 40+ Other activities: Whitewater rafting, horseback riding, jet boats Details: http://www.pembertonfestival.com/ Lollapalooza When: Aug. 1-3 Where: Grant Park, Chicago Headliners: Kanye West, Wilco, Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine Must see acts: Broken Social Scene, Gnarls Barkley, Love and Rockets Scheduled number of performers: 90+ Other activities: Kidzapalooza (children's activities), scavenger hunt, PlayStation competitions, free mullet haircuts Details: http://www.lollapalooza.com/ New American Music Union When: Aug. 8-9 Where: SouthSide Works, Pittsburgh Headliners: Bob Dylan, Gnarls Barkley, The Raconteurs Must see acts: Black Keys, Spoon, The Roots Other activities: TBA Details: http://www.ae.com/ Virgin Mobile Festival When: Aug. 9-10 Where: Pimlico Racetrack, Baltimore Headliners: Foo Fighters, Kanye West, Bob Dylan, Stone Temple Pilots Must see acts: Iggy Pop and the Stooges, Jack Johnson, Chuck Berry Scheduled number of performers: 40+ Other activities: Art installations, carnival sideshow Details: http://www.virginmobilefestival.com/ Outside Lands When: Aug. 22-24 Where: Golden Gate Park, San Francisco Headliners: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Radio Head, Jack Johnson Must see acts: Regina Spektor, Beck, Primus, Rodrigo Y Gabriela Scheduled number of performers: 50+ Other activities: TBA Details: http://www.sfoutsidelands.com/
Regis Behe can be reached at rbehe@tribweb.com or 412-320-7990. |
