Tag: festival

Rundown of Austin City Limits 2018

Source: Heather West

Austin City Limits is a 3-day, 2-weekend music festival held every year in October. Nearly half a million people traverse Zilker Park in downtown Austin during these weekends to hear some of the biggest artists in the biz. This year, ACL brought in an impressive lineup, including Paul McCartney, Arctic Monkeys, Travis Scott, The National, Metallica, and Odesza. Austin is hailed as “the live music capital of the world” thanks largely in part to this festival. Here are some interesting tidbits from Austin City Limits 2018:

The First Ever Breakaway Nashville

This past weekend I had the absolute thrill of attending the first ever Breakaway Nashville. Typically held in Ohio, North Carolina, and Michigan, this was the first year the festival headed to Music City. The festival was Friday and Saturday and we were fortunate enough to attend each day, listening to a variety of different artists. And while the festival still has a few kinks it must work out (naturally, as it was the first one), I believe this is such a great step for the live music scene in Nashville. The festival featured one main stage silhouetted by the Nashville skyline, with 18 different artists as well as a Silent Disco tent that raged throughout the day with multiple acts. Here are some of the highlights of the festival.

Your Summer Guide to Music Festival Conflicts

Music Festivals! They’re so much fun. All your favorite artists are there! You can’t wait to see them all. You start listening to them obsessively, imaging what it will be like when you obviously get front row at each show. The festival approaches, the schedule drops, and to your complete horror EVERYONE you want to see plays at the exact same time.

New Discoveries at Savannah Stopover Music Festival

Called “SXSW’s grungy little sister” by Entertainment Weekly, Savannah Stopover is a hidden gem for festival-goers. In fact, EW perfectly describes this small city fest, as it was conceptualized eight years ago to attract touring artists who were on their way to the colossal South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, TX. Savannah Stopover brings in a large spectrum of artists, from the local bands to the Grammy-winners, but gives them all the same southern welcome.

Suwannee Hulaween

This Halloween weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the Suwannee Hulaween music and arts festival in Live Oak, Florida. A “feel-good” festival of sorts, the artists were mostly categorized as either jam bands or electronic acts/DJs, with a fair number of hip-hop artists interspersed throughout. Besides the expertly cultivated lineup/musical experience, the three main stages are situated around the ‘Spirit Lake’- a forested area full of art installations, live performances, workshops, and hammock spots with a beautiful Florida lake centerpiece. The inspiration I was able to reap from the weekend was unreal, as festival-goers were decidedly there to kick back, connect with like-minded humans, and express themselves at their fullest.

Pitchfork Music Festival Sunday Highlights: Solange, Pinegrove, Isaiah Rashad, & More

Pinegrove’s Evan Stephens Hall at Pitchfork Fest (photo: Meredith Mattlin)

The last day of Pitchfork Fest, I’d assert, was the day that had the highest concentration of crowd-pleasing favorites: in just sheer numbers, today’s lineup was the highest up in terms of hitting on almost every conceivable niche of possible audience interest all across the obscurity-to-popularity spectrum. And with Solange—Solange!—headlining, there was nothing to possibly complain about.

Pitchfork Music Festival Saturday Highlights: A Tribe Called Quest, Angel Olsen, & More

A Tribe Called Quest at Pitchfork Music Festival 2017. Click to enlarge. (photo: Meredith Mattlin)

After an eventful day one, Pitchfork Fest day two promised an even more saturated schedule. And it certainly delivered on that promise: first of all, with A Tribe Called Quest headlining, all the other bands could have tanked and this day still would have been certifiably historical. Fortunately, however, we were lucky enough that not a single one of the other acts disappointed.

Pitchfork Music Festival Friday Highlights: Dirty Projectors, LCD Soundsystem

Dirty Projectors at Pitchfork Fest 2017 (photo: Meredith Mattlin)

Friday’s lineup promised an electric start to an action-packed festival weekend. Nashville’s own William Tyler played at 4 PM on Friday, followed immediately by Frankie Cosmos and Thurston Moore. The three of these provided a perfectly well-rounded, balanced trio of acts to precede the contrastingly high-energy Danny Brown, who flawlessly delivered intensity and famously rapid rap. Dirty Projectors’ intimidating, otherworldly sounds set a new kind of mood, one that held the audience rapt for a night that culminated in an impossibly fantastic performance by LCD Soundsystem.

Looking Forward to Rolling Loud

The festival bubble is growing more and more every year. Lineups are becoming progressively weaker, attendance is going down, and variety is spreading thin. The desire to appeal to everybody ends up not fully satisfying anyone. Differentiating yourself is now the key to a successful festival, and, in my opinion, the one that has done that the best is Rolling Loud Music Festival in Miami, FL.

Okeechobee 2016

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By Sammy Spencer and Bo Kennedy

This year’s Okeechobee Music Festival, held on Lake Okeechobee in Southern Florida, exceeded all of my expectations for a first year music festival. I arrived late on Friday night due to exams, and set up camp that night already feeling a strong positive energy throughout the site. The next day was a whirlwind of amazing experiences, enhanced by the unbelievable art and music that Okeechobee had to offer.

The Festival(s) of Your Dreams

Spring has sprung and that means Rites of Spring is upon us here at Vanderbilt. This two-day festival is the most anticipated music event of the school year. The hype got me thinking, while this may be one of the most exciting occasions in the Nashville area: what are the most interesting and unique festivals around the world? I began the search for the festivals that sounded too good to be true, exceeded expectations, and attracted people from all the around the world. While I am sure I missed many worthy names, the following list are a few of the events that really caught my eye.