Rock On!
Your guide to the hottest musical tickets of 2010
Music lovers everywhere, put down your iPods and get ready for the real deal—2010 promises to be a marquee year for festivals, which means live performances by hundreds of bands at events all across the world. Look for festivals to unveil their full lineups a couple of months before the event, and remember to check their official websites for more information—you may be able to get good deals on early tickets and other perks.
Here are a few annual festival favorites that are guaranteed to rock your world.
Soundwave Festival
February 20–March 1
Australia
Five cities Down Under play host to this melding of old favorites and new talent. While Soundwave is a relatively new kid on the block, it's quickly grown from its one-city roots to five locations today (Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth). More than 35 bands, many from the American rock category, have been confirmed for the 2010 shows.
2010 Lineup Highlights: AFI, Sunny Day Real Estate, Eagles of Death Metal, The Weakerthans
Cape Town Festival
March 19–22
Cape Town, South Africa
"By inviting popular artists from throughout the continent, we want to showcase Cape Town as a proudly African city," says festival chair Ryland Fisher. Each day has a different theme, with Friday showcasing a range of styles, Saturday focusing on music popular with the younger set, Sunday featuring jazz, and Monday offering artists from three community festivals.
2010 Lineup Highlights: Sasha-Lee Davids, Chad Saaiman, Emily Bruce, The Rudimentals
Coachella
April 2010
Indio, California
Out in the middle of the California desert in blistering heat, tons of music fans gather to watch bands that are as hot as the sun. Coachella's organizers rarely book repeat acts, so you can count on a fresh lineup every year in genres like alternative rock, hip-hop, and electronica. Installation art is also displayed on-site, and those who want the true festival experience of camping out with thousands of others can pitch a tent near the venue.
2009 Lineup Highlights: Paul McCartney, The Killers, The Cure, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Rock al Parque
June 2010
Bogotá, Colombia
Bogotá's secretary of culture, recreation, and sport sponsors this annual rock concert, the biggest in Latin America. Concertgoers get to see—for free—local, national, and international bands on two stages in Simón Bolívar Park. In the days leading up the event, a panel discussion is held on the music industry, and local acts battle each other for the privilege of performing.
2009 Lineup Highlights: Artefacto, Gaias Pendulum, Madame Complot, Candy 66
Bonnaroo
June 2010
Manchester, Tennessee
It may be on a 700-acre farm in the middle of nowhere, but that doesn't mean there's nothing to do at Bonnaroo—far from it. In addition to the great music, of course—think jam bands, bluegrass, hip-hop, electronica, country, indie, etc. —an entertainment village offers an arcade, a silent disco, and a comedy club.
2009 Lineup Highlights: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Phish, Beastie Boys, Snoop Dogg
Glastonbury
June 23–27
Pilton, England
The last weekend of June each year plays host to the largest greenfield music and performing arts festival in the world. In the world of outdoor concerts, this is as big as it gets, figuratively (it's a cultural phenomenon) and literally (the perimeter around the grounds is eight and a half miles). The weather is notoriously rainy, creating plenty of mud, but that never stops the revelry. The event is so popular, in fact, that all tickets were snatched up last year, but some are inevitably released later so check the website if you're hoping to make the iconic trek.
2009 Lineup Highlights: Fleet Foxes, Lily Allen, Q-Tip, Franz Ferdinand
Roskilde Festival
July 1–4
Roskilde, Denmark
Roskilde, born in 1971, is one of the biggest rock festivals in Europe and has a distinctly charitable feel—all profits from the festival are donated directly to humanitarian and cultural causes. The festival showcases acts from all kinds of genres, including hip-hip, metal, urban, and singer-songwriter. In addition to the music, there's an annual Naked Run, which awards tickets to next year's event to the first male and female to cross the finish line sans clothing.
2009 Lineup Highlights: Faith No More, Oasis, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Trentemøller
Musikfest
August 6–15
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
More than 1 million people converge on Bethlehem, a Pennsylvania town with German roots, for this 10-day festival that attracts more than 300 acts. Best of all, 11 of the 14 stages are free, so you don't have to drop a lot of cash to see performers. If you're around for the closing night, don't miss the spectacular fireworks display.
2009 Lineup Highlights: Chris Isaak, The Commodores, Third Eye Blind, Puddle of Mudd
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