This Summer in Concerts

15Feb08

And Bonnaroo was doing SO well.  At least from the sounds of it.  This year’s Bannaroo headliner is Pearl Jam?  And Metallica?  I can kind of get Pearl Jam despite being years out of their prime, them releasing an album in the past 2 years and all.  But Metallica?  They’ve gone on record as saying their new album will go back to their roots, the type of good shit they were making when they were still the metalist band on the planet, or at least the best selling metal band.  Since those days, you may remember them on one side of the war against downloading.  Ironic that the vast number of people attending Bonnaroo will no doubt be the people who owe some artist or another several thousands of dollars, at least from Metallica’s stand.  Eddie Vedder at least has a kind of old, rustic rock star vibe, the kind you get with years of road wisdom.  James Hetfield is like a guy from “Celebrity Rehab” which, when you think about it, is really just this generation’s version of “Where Are They Now?”  So, boo on the headliners.  What else we got?<p>  The likelihood that Levon Helm will get the crowd that he deserves from a audience coming to see State Radio and Against Me! is about the same of Led Zeppelin reuniting along side the 1/3 of the band already certain to perform: an acoustic set with Robert Plant and Alison Kraus.  There will be the jam band festival regulars, obviously Dark Star, Bela Fleck, Yonder, Robert Randolph and Umphrey’s, but they traded Keller for Kanye, a Les Claypool band of freaks for the frat-friendly O.A.R., and STS9 for a Deathcab band that practically wrote the book on modern indie, at least in the hearts of weeping girls everywhere.  There are quality acts, some of which will put on awesome shows.  I’d go see Gogol Bordello in a shoebox…I might even prefer it that way.  Derek Trucks is just a prodigy who’ll no doubt play with uncle Butch Trucks (of the also performing Allman Brother’s Band).  Speaking of which, there’s a good group of “see-them-before-you-can’t” bands, Allman Brothers, B.B. King, and Willie Nelson, in addition to Phil Lesh and the afore mentioned Levon Helm.  Unfortunately, it all just feels too…hipster.  But if you are in the mood for almost a straight up jammy festival, one a little bit more managable, consider Langerado.  A little bit lesser known, but more of that neo-hippie smell that made Bonnaroo what it is some five years ago.  You’ll keep a lot of the same acts, actually.  Phil Lesh, Ben Folds, Umphrey’s, Dark Star, Sam Bush, Ghostland Observatory, but you’ll also get some Built to Spill, Benevento Russo Duo (Marco is just blowing up all over the place, if you hadn’t noticed, working even with Brad Mehldau), the reunion of Blind Melon, Perpetual Groove, STS9, The National, MMW, Les Claypool, and G. Love to boot.  Headliners for Langerado are the living legends Beastie Boys, Michael Stipe’s posse R.E.M., and 311.  They do have their share of one trick pony’s however (*cough* Matisyahu? *cough*) For full lists, click the links and read where it says line up.</p><p>SO yeah, obviously you can’t have a bad time at a festival…unless you get some bad opium or get a bad acid trip going, or if you’re just stupid about it (LIKE MISSING LEVON HELM IF YOU GO TO BONNAROO).  And there’s still a bunch of good ones not yet announcing their line-ups: All-Good, the modest yet blatantly commercial Virgin Festival.  Oh, and how can I forget.  Coachella.  Personally, I’d give a whole bunch to go see Coachella… but later on that.

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