By this time, summer
as we know it and love it in a classic sense has come to a bittersweet close.
Backyard barbeques dwindle into an aromatic smoke of a memory, swim gear may be
worn one more time then shelved and forgotten, and the ice cream truck’s bell
is audible fewer and fewer times. However, all is far from quiet on the music
festival front. To label these September music festivals “summer” is debatable
but to say great music won’t be heard is a total misconception. Really,
September is fully stocked with a variety and intensity of bands and musicians
which surpasses or photo finishes with the most eventful of the standard summer
months. The distance of these events are in a much closer proximity to the Evansville and tri-state
area (except for one.) As a result, they are much friendlier on the gas tank
and the wallet in general. This is a much welcomed highlight in comparison to
last month with the music festival in Maine
(what a hike.) Here is what September is getting down with.
The Land of Lincoln
boasts a festival specifically tailored for all those artsy folk out there. One
will find most of these bands and performers are fairly obscure but present a
unique scene and opportunity to hear and see some great music and laid back
performances. The 2009 Pygmalion Music Festival in Champaign-Urbana,
IL is hosted by the KrannertCenter for Performing Arts on the quaint
and rustic campus of the University of
Illinois at Urbana/
Champaign. Due
to the atmosphere and location this festival easily snags the award for “Best
College Town Festival” and also the award for “Best Chance to Find a Keg in the
General Area.” So grab a fedora and prepare to vibe out September 16th-19th
with headliners Iron & Wine, Lucero, RJD2, and Ra Ra Riot. For more
information visit 2009.pygmalionmusicfestival.com.
Iron & Wine
Now for the music festival
containing such an obscene amount of talent, originality, and energy every
single musician cringes and cowers (literally) at the mention of it. American
Idol Tour. This is tour inspired by the spell-binding show which has
single-handedly swept the hordes of musical sheep in our beautiful nation and
completely captured their simple, benign musical imaginations. To such a
powerful and lasting some credit must be given. This show has opened the doors
to every day Joes and Janes and put them on the fast track to a record deal.
This is truly fantastic but couldn’t these musicians made it on their own as
well? Anyways, this event takes the prestigious award of “Best Festival to Take
your Musically Challenged Mother or Father To” and features show favorites such
as Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, and Anoop Desai. The tour will make a stop in
Indianapolis on
the 5th at the Conseco Fieldhouse. For more info visit www.americanidol.com/news/view/pid/1632.
Adam Lambert
Get down to the musical roots of the
United States with the Lewis
and Clark Music Festival on the Illinois side
of the Mississippi in the St.
Louis area in the town of Hartford. The
festival is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 12th and features
instruments brought to our shores from other countries when our country was
young. Musicians playing flutes, dulcimers, and fiddles will fill the air with
traditional tunes whose origins are French, Spanish, and Native American. The
event will be hosted at the Lewis and Clark Historical Site off New Hoag Road and
IL-3. Admission is free and performances will be held indoors and outdoors.
This event walks away with the “Learn While you Listen” award and the Best
Festival for the Culturally-Minded” award. For more information call
618-251-5811.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Be advised the Monolith Music
Festival is not exactly a stones throw away but it is hosted by one of the most
beautiful outdoor venues in the country. In the small town of Morrison, CO lies
a venue fit for the gods and partially hewn from layered, burnt sienna rock
native which gives color to the southwest. Most artists dream of playing at this
venue and rest-assured the Monolith Music festival has one hell of a line-up.
The Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, The Mars Volta, Ok Go, and Method Man & Redman are
fully charged to deliver a show of immense energy and talent. This event seizes
the “Best in West Coast Taste” award and the “Most Eye-Popping Locale” award.
The event takes place on Sept. 12th and 13th. Single day
tickets are available starting at $52 up to $65 the day of the show. Two-day
passes are available starting at $95 up to $110. In this case, every inch of
the 1,000+ mile trip is worth it. For more information go to www.monolithfestival.com.
October Tease
Three words which
carry a ton of meaning to a musician and most music fans is “Austin City
Limits.” This music festival behemoth boasts 130 bands including Pearl
Jam, Beastie Boys, and Dave Matthew’s Band. Ziker Park in Austin, TX will play
host to eight stages and three days of music and more October 2nd-4th.
For more info visit www.aclfestival.com.
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