Festivals in Brief: Three Rivers, MidPoint, Voodoo, and cancellations!
A new day, a new slew of festival news. Let’s round up all the important info in today’s edition of CoS’ Festivals in Brief:
Three Rivers Arts Festival:
Like everyone else, we like free music, not the mention the type that’s actually good. Pittsburgh’s Three River Art Festival offers both. From June 5-14, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust will bring The Black Keys, Toubab Krewe, Booker T., Robert Randolph and the Family Band, The Wailers, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, and countless other acts to the Steel City…all for the price of nothing.
MidPoint Music Festival:
Head west a few months later, and you’ll stumble upon Cincinnati’s MidPoint Music Festival. Billed as “the midwest’s premier independent music festival,” this year’s edition, scheduled to take place from September 24-26, will feature over 250 acts from around the world. Among the early confirmations? Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit and The Subjects. Band submissions are still open; tickets will go on sale beginning May 29th.
Voodoo Music Experience:
Slowly but surely, this year’s Voodoo Music Experience is beginning to take shape - courtesy of a few leaks. Up into now, they’ve been intentional (via Twitter), but what appears to be an inadvertent slip on the festival’s website has unveiled the second headliner scheduled to take the stage from October 30-November 1. That would be the Beastie Boys, yes the same Beastie Boys playing nearly every other festival this year. Still can’t complain - Beatie Boys + KISS? Talk about diversity. Specially priced weekend and VIP passes are currently available via voodooexperience.com.
New American Music Union:
Hoping for some another round of American Eagle-approved sounds this summer? Well, unfortunately, it appears you’ll be out of luck. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the New American Music Union will not return for a second go around this summer. “In 2009 we’re focusing our marketing resources on the AE product itself, as it relates to fashion and value,” said AE publicist Jani Strand. “We’ve cut back on most of our entertainment initiatives for this year.” However, Strand would not say there would never be another New American Music Union - “There’s no telling what we might consider in the future,” aka put this in the same category as Vineland.
School of Rock Festival:
NAMU won’t be the only Pennsylvania festival missing from the summer calender. Consequence of Sound can also confirm that Paul Green’s School of Rock Festival, which last year brought a weekend of Devo, The Hold Steady, Dropkick Murphys, and Butthole Surfers to downtown Philadelphia, will not take place this year. Organizers cited the current economic environment as the reason for the cancellation, but did go on to note that they do plan on returning in 2010.
can’t say i’m not surprise by NAMU not happening this year. tickets were $25 for college students ($50 for general public) with a line of consisting of Bob Dylan, The Roots, Gnarls Barkley, The Black Keys, Spoon, and The Raconteurs. that, and they gave away american eagle concert tees to everyone, along with a 24 oz Nalgene bottle. there’s not way they made money on it.
that said, i had a blast and hope this damn recession ends so we can party it up on the South Side again in 2010.
Where do you get that from? But yes, I would call the YYYs festival whores.
Also, I can’t take all these festivals going under.
Damn, and you’re calling YYY’s festival whores.