Spring brings with it an air of anticipation in the US. Not for pretty
flowers and Easter chicks, but the roll call of confirmed artists who'll be
headlining at some of the country's most celebrated annual rock music events.
It all started on glorious summer's day in 1969 when half a million people
congregated on dairy farm in Bethel, New
York, for the legendary Woodstock Festival. That weekend of August 15-18 was
pivotal moment in rock music history, and paved the way for some of the biggest
rock music festivals we know and love today.
Whether you're a lover of folksy rock and blues, or a complete
metal-head, our guide to the top 5 rock music festivals in the US has every
sub-genre covered!
Lollapalooza
Grant Park, Chicago
Conceived in 1991 by iconic frontman
Perry Farrell, Lollapalooza was originally intended to be a last farewell tour
event for his fabled band Jane's Addiction. The travelling summer road-show
showcased alternative bands such as Soundgarden and Nine Inch Nails at a time
when grunge and alternative music were still in early infancy. Lollapalooza had
a successful run of seven years before its cancellation in 1997. After years of
speculation, the event was revived as a travelling tour in 2003, before it was
established as a static event at leafy Grant Park, Chicago. Today, the event
attracts in excess of 160,000 people each August, and hosts 130 headlining acts
across multiple stages. Recent editions have included: Red Hot Chilli Peppers,
The White Stripes, Black Sabbath, Florence and the Machine and Sigur Ros. With
a dedicated shopping precinct, farmers market and arts and crafts fair,
Lollapalooza is as close to Woodstock as you can get in the 21st
Century!
Summerfest
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Hailed as the “World's Largest
Music Festival” by its creators, the 11-day June Summerfest shows little sign
of slowing down as it enters its fourth decade. Set within the leafy grounds of
Henry Maier Festival Park beside picturesque Lake Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the
festival encompasses a huge 30 hectares, comprising 11 stages, a shopping
pavilion, fair and crafts market. Noted for its eclectic variety of alternative
headliners, Summerfest has showcased some of the biggest names in contemporary
music down the years, including the Steve Miller Band, Bon Jovi, Metallica and
Tim McGraw. With the installation of the Harley Davidson stage and BMO Harris
Pavilion in 2008 and 2012 respectively, Summerfest has since diversified its
entertainment offerings to include acts from both the indie and metal genres.
Coachella
Indio, California
Coachella's rock 'n' roll beginnings are perhaps one of the
reasons it continues to dominate the exhaustive list of summer music events in
the US. The roots of the festival were sewn back in November 1993 when prog
rockers Pearl Jam earmarked the location for a one-off rock show in a
sensational attempt to boycott their former organisers Ticketmaster. Six years
later in 1999 the heavily anticipated inaugural event was held, hosting 10,000
revellers and over 30 well known acts, including indie marvel Beck, Rage
Against the Machine and Morrissey. Fast forward almost a decade on and
Coachella still garners praise for being one of America's flagship music
festivals, boasting 125,000 revellers at its 2012 event. Despite well
documented reports of iconic duets between hip hop artists (Snoop Dogg and the
'hologram' of iconic rapper Tupac Shakur), the event remains a largely rock 'n'
roll festival, attracting some of the biggest Indie bands from around the
globe.
Rock on the Range
Columbus, Ohio
Now in it's 7th year, Rock on the Range commands
global attention for its headlining acts, notably being the place where Stone
Temple Pilots announced their comeback in 2008, and where punk metallers
Avenged Sevenfold last performed, prior to the death of their drummer Jimmy
“The Rev” Sullivan in December 2009. Situated at the Columbus Crew Stadium,
Ohio, The Range doesn't have quite the same ground space as some of its larger
contemporaries, yet still manages to pack in a whopping 30,000 people between
its three main stages. Revellers can expect a
heady mix of both mainstream and underground bands, with past headliners having
included Evanescence, Breaking Benjamin, Mötley Crüe and Halestorm.
Following on from its success, a second weekender has since been unveiled at
Winnipeg, Mannisota, with its own unique line-ups.
Bonnaroo
Manchester, Tennessee
The Woodstock of the 21st Century; America's first environmentally
conscious music festival started life as little more than a rent-a-field event
in 2001, however, has since grown to become one of the most eclectic rock
festivals anywhere in the world. It's founders, AC Entertainment, cite Bonnaroo
as being “An escape into Excitement. Music. Art. Discoveries. Trees,” owing to
the beauty of its surroundings and sheer wealth of entertainment on offer.
Where else could you catch the Temper Trap after a morning of meditation and
yoga? Some refer to Bonnaroo as a hippie revival of Woodstock, albeit far more
eco-friendly. Bonnaroovians, as attendees are called, are encouraged to do
their bit for environment by recycling plastic and glass bottles in exchange
for cool prizes, which range from free passes to the Cinema Tent, to backstage
meet and greets with headlining bands. Line-ups run the gamut of rock offerings,
ranging from the dulcet tones of Folk singer EMA, to cheerful indie, á la The
Lonely Forest. If you're looking for a festival that showcases the best of up
and coming bands, Bonnaroo is the place to be!