Molly Goodspeed

Festival season is upon us and if you haven’t made it to one yet, we’ve created the bSmart list of noteworthy music festivals you need to attend this summer.  No matter your taste in music, you'll find musical memories within the lineups of these 10 versatile fests.  Let your summer festival tour begin!

7.6.TW.1 

Pitchfork / July 17-19 / Chicago, IL

Located in the Near West Side of Chicago, this independently run festival offers food, art, and 40+ emerging artists and bands.  Organized by Pitchfork Media, Pitchfork Music Festival features artists primarily from the alternative rock, indie rock, and alternative hip hop genres.  Some significant members of the 2015 line-up include Chance the Rapper, Wilco, Chvrches, Run the Jewels, Mac Demarco, and many more.

 

Forecastle / July 17-19 / Louisville, KY

In the past 13 years, Forecastle Festival has made its way from being a small-scale gathering of local artists to a nationally recognized music festival with over 75,000 attendees.  By showcasing environmental nonprofits, Forecastle has set itself apart from the many music & art collaborating festivals throughout the world.  Located just 3 miles from downtown Louisville and featuring acts such as Sam Smith, Modest Mouse, Cage the Elephant, RL Grime and many more, Forecastle is the undisputed second stop on our 2015 Summer Festival Tour.

 

Newport Folk / July 24-26 / Newport, RI

Set in the beautiful seaside city of Newport, Rhode Island, Newport Folk Festival was originally created in 1959 to run alongside the well-established Newport Jazz Festival.  As a result, Newport Folk became a large-scale music festival for musicians known to carry American culture in their tunes.  While watching artists and bands of the folk, blues, country, bluegrass, and folk rock genres, you'll be fully immersed in the tranquility of Fort Adams State Park which is located right on the iconic Newport Harbor.  A few well-known artists to take the stage this year are The Decemberists, Roger Waters, Sufjan Stevens, ’65 Revisited, and Hozier.

 

Outside Lands / Aug 7-9 / San Francisco, CA

Outside Lands Festival, located in the lush Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, is home to a variety of music, food, wine, beer, art, and comedy.  Featuring food trucks and carts, specified 'choco lands' and 'cheese lands,' and an abundance of SF based restaurants, OSL festival goers will never run out of options to munch on between their favorite artists and bands.  Featured acts this year include Elton John, The Black Keys, Mumford & Sons, D’Angelo and The Vanguard, Tame Impala, and Slightly Stoopid.

 

Summer Set / Aug 14-16 / Somerset, WI

Showcasing talents from the electronic and alternative hip hop worlds, this camping festival is a 3-day vacation for the party-loving and crowd-vibing music fanatics.  Additionally, Summer Set is noticeably less pricey than many of the music festivals that also host some of the biggest names in music.  This year, some of their outstanding acts include Bassnectar, Big Gigantic, Deadmau5, The Weeknd, and Die Antwoord.

 

FYF Fest / Aug 22-23 / Los Angeles, CA

FYF Fest was originally created by an 18-year-old and his small circle of friends in 2004.  However, in the past 12 years, they have relocated to bigger venues two times due to the rapidly increasing number of interested fans and crowd members.  Because of the expansion, FYF has partnered with large corporations such as Ray-Ban and Stella Artois and it has blossomed into a predominantly indie rock, electronic, and hip hop festival.  Some notable artists scheduled to perform this year are Frank Ocean, Bloc Party, Purity Ring, Chet Faker, and Deerhunter.

 

First City / Aug 23-24 / Monterey, CA

This two-day festival set in the laid-back, coastal town of Monterey is a perfect weekend escape for the music lover.  First City showcases live bands on three main stages along with a featured Vaudeville Stage and full carnival.  Food, music, games, and unique vendors make First City an extraordinary newly established festival.  The lineup is comprised of some impressive artists including Beck, Phantogram, Best Coast, and The National.

 

Bumbershoot / Sept 5-7 / Seattle, WA

As one of North America’s largest festivals, Bumbershoot is stationed in the historic Seattle Center that was originally built for the 1962 World’s Fair.  Most Seattlites can agree that Bumbershoot (meaning umbrella) is a fitting name for a festival set in the Pacific Northwest.  Fortunately, Seattle Center consists of both indoor and outdoor stages.  Initially, Bumbershoot was resistant to add hip hop to the line-up and mainly featured grunge rock.  Eventually, it transitioned into introducing some of the first large-scale hip hop acts and influential alternative rock bands.  This year’s lineup features artists such as Ellie Goulding, Atmosphere, Fitz & The Tantrums, Zedd, and Cake.

 

Riot Fest / Sept 11-13 / Chicago, IL

Riot Fest is a punk and rock festival that began in Chicago and has since spread to Denver and Toronto.  Although the festival now fills up its Douglas Park location, for seven years it existed as a multi-venue festival with artists playing in Chicago theatres and clubs that were known for showcasing upcoming bands and underground music.  In addition to hosting some of the most influential bands in history,  Riot Fest also presents its attendees with a full mini-golf course and arcade.  The most impressive aspect of Riot fest is its undeniably remarkable lineup usually featuring uncommon reunions or special guests.  Some of the highlights this year include No Doubt, Modest Mouse, System of a Down, Iggy Pop, Snoop Dogg, Flogging Molly, Damian Marley, Cypress Hill, and many more.

 

Life Is Beautiful / Sept 25-27 / Las Vegas, NV

If you are looking for a unique, interactive, and colorful festival then Life is Beautiful is the right one for you.  Located in downtown Las Vegas and spread throughout 11 city blocks, LIB offers culinary demonstrations, insight from business leaders, activists, and artists, 70+ music performers, and sensational street art filling the festival grounds.  The Culinary Villages serve eats from world-famous restaurants and chefs with hand crafted cocktails, wine, and beer selections. If you're not there for the music, then you surely came for the speaker series because LIB is the only festival in the world to offer stories and inspirations from prestigious mentors of many different fields.  Notable music performers this year include Stevie Wonder, Kendrick Lamar, Duran Duran, Death Cab for Cutie, Major Lazer, Atmosphere, and more. 

 

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