Last Year's Superstars Top This Year's Summer Festival Circuit

I’ve often heard of our age referred to as the death of satire. American consumer culture has become so incredibly overwrought that comedic distortion is near impossible. Any doubts I might have had were swept away, however, when I read that the Newport Folk Festival would now be known as the “Dunkin’ Donuts Newport Folk Festival.” Yes, you heard correctly. The Newport Folk Festival—the paradigmatic presentation of America’s musical heritage, the institution of folk purism—now walks hand-in-greasy-icing-encrusted-hand with Big Fat. I’d like to see Bob Dylan’s face when he finds out that the venue at which he chose to revolutionize the folk world with his fiery strains of electric guitar now bears the cutely misspelled name of a nutrition-less pastry. Ah, yes, but he’s probably too busy pushing lingerie to notice.

But who can blame them? It’s summer, and if there’s any common trend about summer entertainment, it’s that money rules the day, from blockbusters to high-priced music festivals.

Newport, which is admittedly probably only of interest to old people and me, really is the only major festival to join forces with a fast-food joint. But even though others may still have pure images, summer festivals and concert series all share a common interest in spectacle: big lineups, big crowds, and generally big ticket prices.

So while there are plenty of smaller artists on lineups, if the summer’s biggest festivals are any indication, it might not be the best time to try and discover new folk, or anything else new for that matter. Festivals, on the large part, feature sure-bet artists, musicians who we’ve come to know and love—many because their biggest break came last summer.

Case in point: Summerstage. Central Park’s concert series has, as of yet, only released a listing of their benefit concerts, but these headliners exhibit a trend that is growing increasingly apparent. Consider the lineup: The Killers, Modest Mouse, Broken Social Scene, Death Cab for Cutie with the Decemberists—basically a who’s who of bands that were on fire eight months ago. So if you really want to see a band that you’re sure you’re going to like and are willing to shell out at least $40 to hear them play songs you know by heart, summer is your season.

This trend, accompanied by the near segregation of genres and the ascendancy of indie rock, pervades the summer’s major festivals. Mainstream biggies Coldplay, Weezer, and Nine Inch Nails are the main attraction at the Coachella Valley Music Festival in California. Sasquach! boasts Wilco, Pixies, and Kanye West—one of those few hip-hop megastars beloved by indie and pop kids alike. Lollapalooza bills Dashboard Confessional and Billy Idol, and Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival has its regular eclectic mix of stars, from Modest Mouse to Dave Matthews. You can even spend $230 to see Arcade Fire play three different shows. As for the side stages, there’s indie rock... and more indie rock. From The Futureheads to The Fiery Furnaces, the summer’s festivals are awash with hipster-y goodness. Don’t like indie rock? Too bad, basically. Punk rockers have the seminal Warped Tour, which has been getting more MTV each year, and hip hop fans can look forward VIBE’s first annual MusicFest. Playing in Atlanta, Geargia from June 10th to June 12th, Midtown Music, with a wide range of talents in many genres. It stands alone as the only really diverse festival, including the likes of Lou Reed and Tom Petty. Otherwise, the American choices are almost exclusively one-track.

Most of the more diverse festivals tend to be in the UK. I recommend not looking at the lineup for the festivals of all festivals, Glastonbury, because it will just make you depressed; there are too many people to list, but the first few names on the main stage are The White Stripes, Coldplay, Kylie, New Order, and Van Morrison, and the list just goes on and on. Considering that you’d have to sell your firstborn to get into the supremely sold-out event, I didn’t feel too bad thinking of all the hours I’ll be working at summer camp instead.

If money isn’t something you have a lot of, there are really good festivals out there that are free—or damn close to it. The Village Voice’s Siren Festival exemplifies what is hopefully a refreshing new trend—lots of good music without a massive price tag. In fact, Siren has no price tag at all. So on July 16th, you can go to historic Coney Island and hear nine hours of live music by local and national bands for absolutely nothing. There has to be a catch, right? Not at all. In fact, there seems to be an almost inverse correlation between price and quality. Without the impetus to set up a star-studded show that would seem to merit some insane ticket price, Siren doesn’t have to play it safe and can shoot for a more interesting lineup. And, that’s decidedly a good thing, seeing as Siren brought us bands like Death Cab for Cutie, The Constantines, and The Fiery Furnaces last year, and Modest Mouse two years ago.

Pitchfork, the excessively pompous and/or tastefully discriminating Web site has followed suit, beginning its own two-day Intonation festival in Chicago this year. Self-described as the “ultimate human experience,” Intonation touts a panoply of bands like The Decemberists, The Fiery Furnaces, The Wrens, and Broken Social Scene, for just a ten dollar walk-up fee each day. That’s less than any of those bands would charge individually at someplace like, say, Summerstage. Which makes one wonder: who exactly is going to show up for the hundred-dollar Chicago-only Lollapalooza a week later? Let’s just hope Perry Farrell’s project doesn’t get cancelled two years in a row.

With all that free rock, I’ll probably be pooling my money for New York’s JVC Jazz Fest. With genres ranging from funk to Dixieland, and personalities like Belá Fleck and Dave Brubeck, it is one of the most under-appreciated music events of the summer. For now, I’ll just be counting down the days until Get Behind Me Satan is released and waiting for The White Stripes to start touring. I shouldn’t worry though; I’m sure I can catch them at Summerstage next year.