Four music events worth traveling for
May 26th, 2009 by Leilani Polk in NewsAs an addendum to my recent column, “Traveling to see music without losing your money (or your mind),” I’ve put together this small group of shows and fests that provide some good selections for music-motivated travel. If you haven’t already made travel plans this summer, here are some of your best bets.
Grizzly Bear and TV on the Radio
Saturday, June 13, The Tabernacle, Atlanta
If you wanna go, get your tickets now — it’s a Saturday night co-headlining bill featuring of two of Brooklyn’s most hip and beloved bands, both with recent albums — Grizzly’s just-released Veckatimest, TVOTR’s fantastic Dear Science from last year — so the show will most definitely sell out. I would be at this show, front row, if I wasn’t just returning from a music-motivated vacation that same Thursday.
The Decemberists (pictured) with Andrew Bird and Blind Pilot
July 18-19, Edgefield, Portland, Oregon
The chamber rock quintet only comes as close as Atlanta and plays that date on Wednesday, June 3 — not at all convenient for a road trip unless you plan on taking that week off. But the tour also includes this appealing Saturday-Sunday run in Portland, and with whistling singer/songwriter Andrew Bird, and Portland’s own indie pop duo, Blind Pilot.
All Points West Festival Music & Arts Festival
July 31-Aug. 2, Jersey City, New Jersey
The rather fatty fest lineup makes up for the unsavory setting, and you can always take a ride six miles over to NYC if you get tired of the obnoxious accents. Or the smell.
Music highlights: Tool (pictured), Coldplay, Beastie Boys, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, My Bloody Valentine, Echo & The Bunnymen, Vampire Weekend, The National, MGMT, the Ting Tings, Gogol Bordello, Fleet Foxes, MSTRKRFT, Q-Tip, the Pharcyde, Ra Ra Riot, Arctic Monkeys, Neko Case, Crystal Castles, Kool Keith, The Black Keys, Elbow, Telepathe, Tokyo Police Club, White Rabbits, the Postelles, Silversun Pickups, the Gaslight Anthem, Steel Train, Heartless Bastards, Mogwai, Ghostland Observatory, Lykke Li, Akron/Family and others.
Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival
August 28-30, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
San Francisco is fun to visit, fog and all — there are literally dozens upon dozens of things to do aside from the music; the Ghirardelli Square (free chocolate!), Chinatown, Amoeba Music, Haight-Ashbury, City Lights … And this eco-friendly fest boasts a bevy of awesome acts with more TBA.
Music highlights: Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, Incubus, Beastie Boys, Black Eyed Peas, M.I.A., Ween, The Mars Volta, Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band, Lucinda Williams, Thievery Corporation, Tom Jones, Modest Mouse, Built to Spill, Mastodon, Raphael Saadiq, Band of Horses, TV on the Radio, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Bat for Lashes, The Avett Brothers, Silversun Pickups, Calexico, Os Mutantes, Tea Leaf Green, Deerhunter, The National, Q-tip, Calexico, Kinky, The Dodos, Lila Downs, Bettye Lavette, Los Campesinos!, Lenka, Akron/Family John Vanderslice, The Morning Benders, West Indian Girl, Portugal. The Man, and Extra Golden.
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