Festival Showdown

No doubt the summer is in full festival swing now.  Generally recognized to kick off with the party in the desert known as Coachella and closing out with Austin City Limits, festivals large and small take over areas across the states.  This year even has a new contender for festival of the year with the inaugural All Points West taking a stab at winning over the scene with two nights of Radiohead. 

The art of a good festival is a very precise formula - counting on standout headliners, strong supporting bands, atmosphere and even transportation to and from the area.  Take a look at a brief rundown of festivals that were on our radar this summer, and tell us who your pick is to reign supreme in 2008.

• Coachella - Apr. 25-27, Indio, CA.  Performers: Prince, Portishead, Roger Waters, Death Cab For Cutie, My Morning Jacket
• Sasquatch! - May 24-26, Gorge, WA.  Performers: R.E.M., The Cure, Death Cab For Cutie, The Flaming Lips, Modest Mouse
• Wakarusa - June 5-8, Lawrence, KS.  Performers: Built To Spill, The Flaming Lips, Dr. Dog, Mates of State, Ben Folds
• Bonnaroo - June 12-15, Manchester, TN.  Performers: Pearl Jam, Sigur Ros, Kanye West, M.I.A., Willy Nelson
• Pitchfork Music Festival - July 18-20, Chicago, IL.  Performers: Animal Collective, Spoon, Dinosaur Jr., Fleet Foxes
• Siren - July 19, Coney Island, NY.  Performers: Broken Social Scene, Islands, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Ra Ra Riot, The Helio Sequence
• Lollapalooza - Aug. 1-3, Chicago, IL.  Performers: Radiohead, Wilco, Nine Inch Nails, Kanye West, Explosions in the Sky
• All Points West - Aug. 8-10, Jersey City, NJ.  Performers: Cat Power, Andrew Bird, Kings of Leon, Girl Talk, two nights of Radiohead
• Outside Lands - Aug. 22-24, San Francisco, CA.  Performers: Wilco, Radiohead, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Beck
• Bumbershoot - Aug. 30-Sept.1, Seattle, WA.   Performers: Beck, M. Ward, Nada Surf, The Black Keys, Band of Horses
• Monolith - Sept. 13-14, Morrison, CO.  Performers: Justice, TV on the Radio, Band of Horses, Silversun Pickups
• Treasure Island - Sept. 20-21, San Francisco, CA.  Performers: The Raconteurs, TV on the Radio, Hot Chip, Tokyo Police Club
• Austin City Limits - Sept. 26-28, Austin, TX.  Performers: Foo Fighters, David Byrne, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, N.E.R.D.

Comments

[Janann]

What about the Mile High Music Festival (July 19-20)? They made a strong showing for the first year of the festival, with acts including Dave Matthews, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, O.A.R, John Mayer, the list goes on and on.

[amanda]

i know it hasn't happened yet, but i really think that lollapalooza will be fest of the year despite the ever-present chicago humidity.