Students anticipate the arrival of summer for several reasons, the most obvious being that there’s no more school, at least for awhile. But number two on many lists is that it is the season for music festivals.
The music scene in Tennessee is thriving these days, as country musicians are no longer the only attraction at concerts, bars and open mic nights.
In fact, the Volunteer State hosts two of the most well-known and highly acclaimed festivals in the South: Beale Street Music Fest and Bonnaroo.
Here’s a rundown:
Sixty-plus acts. Four stages. Three days. The Beale Street Music Fest takes place from April 29 to May 1 in the scenic Tom Lee Park where Beale Street meets the Mississippi River.
This Festival is part of Memphis In May, an annual affair highlighting a different country and its culture each year; Belgium is the focus for 2011. Other events include a barbecue cooking contest, the Sunset Symphony and educational programs.
Top acts performing at Music Fest include Ke$ha, Jason Mraz, John Mellencamp, Stone Temple Pilots, MGMT, The Flaming Lips, Wilco, Cee Lo Green, Buckcherry, The Avett Brothers, Mumford and Sons, Cake, B.oB. and Ludacris.
Tickets for the 2011 Beale Street Music Festival can be purchased online through Ticketmaster or by calling at 1-800-745-3000. A 3-day pass is $69 plus fees.
If you’re a music lover and enjoy being (and sleeping) outdoors, Bonnaroo is the festival for you. The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is a four-day, multi-stage camping festival held June 9-12 on a beautiful 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tenn.. Bonnaroo brings together some of the best artists in rock ‘n’ roll, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop and nearly every other genre.
Headliners for Bonnaroo include Eminem, Arcade Fire, Widespread Panic, The Black Keys, My Morning Jacket, Lil Wayne, Mumford and Sons, The Strokes, The Decemberists, Bass Nectar, Iron & Wine, Girl Talk and many more!
Tickets are $249.50 (plus applicable fees). All tickets are four-day festival tickets (Thursday through Sunday), which include camping and parking.
Of course, there are other music festivals, and Lipscomb students will be scouting them out as they disperse throughout the nation for the summer. But if you’re in Tennessee, these two will surely help that summer remain truly festive.