Hundreds of music festivals are taking place all over the U.S., so why limit yourself to the behemoths when you might enjoy a more intimate experience elsewhere with some of the same artists and enticements? Here’s a handful worth the price of travel. While I know there’s no real substitute for fests like Bonnaroo or Lollapalooza — they are what they are because they are what they are — these smaller-scale fests should be on your radar for future music and vacation travel planning.
If you dig SXSW, check out Savannah Stopover
Savannah Stopover provides Southeasterners with a closer and much cheaper alternative to SXSW. Though only established in 2011, the fest has already drummed up some impressive indie street cred, and benefits from Savannah, Ga.’s convenient proximity to both I-95 and I-10, making it an ideal pre-game gig for artists on the road to SXSW. A dozen distinctive indoor and outdoor venues in downtown Savannah’s charming Historic District hosted an eclectic lineup of 100 indie acts at the 2013 edition.
Next dates: March 6-8, 2014. Ticket prices TBA; 2013 early bird pre-sale tickets were $50, regular weekend passes $75.
2013 highlights: of Montreal, the Thurston Moore-helmed Chelsea Light Moving, BRAIDS, The Whigs, Mac DeMarco, Merchandise, Turbo Fruits, Ben Sollee, Ducktails.
If you do Bonnaroo, take a peek at High Sierra Music Festival
High Sierra Music Festival is like Bonnaroo’s serene yet dynamic elder brother, debuting in 1991 but remaining a small-scale affair with an average attendance of 10,000 (compared to Bonnaroo’s 100,000) and 80 acts performing over four days. Air travel is required (90 minutes from Reno, three hours from Sacramento, four from San Francisco), as is a rental car, but the destination — northeastern California where the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges meet — makes the journey worthwhile, the fest grounds nestled amid stunning natural scenery (canyons, lakes, pine forests, etc.). It’s held on July 4 weekend, which means you already have days off, there are numerous lodging options, and campers are treated to the comforts of shaded sites, bathrooms and showers with running water, and humidity-free weather — 80s by day, low 50s at night. Plus, High Sierra is not only family-friendly — kids’ activities throughout the day range from yoga to puppet shows to parades — but has its own group of qualified educators, professionals, and CPR-certified child care providers known as Rockin’ Nannies, who offer their services in a safe, fun environment from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. each night so parents can enjoy some quality adult time.
Next dates: July 3-6, 2014. Ticket prices TBA; early bird 2013 tickets started at $175.
2013 highlights: Robert Plant/The Sensational Space Shifters, Primus, Thievery Corporation, moe., Steel Pulse, Greyboy Allstars, John Scofield Überjam Band, White Denim, Rubblebucket.
Lollapalooza is fun, but what about Forecastle?
Forecastle Festival (which goes down this upcoming weekend) takes place in Louisville, a city with distinctive character beyond the horse races for which it's best known. Forecastle’s main four-stage event is held at the scenic Waterfront Park on the Ohio River, and amenities include a bourbon lodge that pours 30-some flavors, late-night shows that occur at select venues around town, and after-parties on the deck of the world’s oldest operating Mississippi-style steamboat, the Belle of Louisville.
Next dates: July 12-14, 2013. $75 single-day tickets/$180 weekend pass.
2013 highlights: The Black Keys, String Cheese Incident, Robert Plant/The Sensational Space Shifters, The Avett Brothers, Big Boi, Old Crowe Medicine Show, Young the Giant, Alabama Shakes, Jim James, The Flaming Lips, Toro Y Moi, El-P & Killer Mike, Animal Collective.
If you like Newport Folk Festival, try Pickathon
Pickathon, at the idyllic privately owned Pendarvis Farm in Happy Valley, Oregon — located 15 minutes outside downtown Portland — has a bohemian-hipster spirit and an overriding focus on artist sustainability and green living. The 80 acres of meadows, forests and rustic buildings bring bucolic ambiance to the event, and the range of indie roots artists (more than 45 this year) give intimate performances to audiences that haven’t yet exceeded more than 5k for the entire weekend. Every artist at Pickathon performs twice so you don’t have to worry about conflicting set times, fine food and drink is offered throughout, impromptu jam sessions spring up all over the wooded grounds, and there’s camping in the farm’s dense forest along with a plethora of lodging options for those who’d want to soak up the Portland vibes and catch a few acts on the fly.
Next dates: Aug. 2-4, 2013. $260 weekend pass/$130 single-day tickets.
2013 highlights: Feist, Andrew Bird, Divine Fits, Ty Segall, Kurt Vile & The Violators, Shabazz Palaces, Vieux Farka Touré, Foxygen, Marco Benevento, Parquet Courts, King Tuff.
If you like Coachella, check out FYF
The same high caliber of indie and alt music talent you’ll find at Coachella is delivered on a less grandiose, more metropolitan scale at the event originally known as F*** Yeah Fest, currently condensed to FYF. You don’t even have to rent a car, as the Metro Rail stops right in front of the fest site at downtown Los Angeles’ 32-acre State Historic Park, directly adjacent to Chinatown and boasting its own picturesque view of the city’s hazy skyline, not to mention shade tents and misters. Camping isn’t an option. But then again, if you’re vacationing in LA, you’re probably not interested in roughing it.
Next dates: Aug. 24-25, 2013. $99 weekend pass/$199 VIP.
2013 highlights: The Breeders performing Last Splash, My Bloody Valentine, Yo La Tengo, TV on the Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Beach House, MGMT, FLAG (The Black Flag reunion group featuring former members with Descendents guitarist Stephen Egerton), Devendra Banhart, Strfcker, Deerhunter, Les Savy Fav, Metz, Mikal Cronin, Solange, Thee Oh Sees.
