Festivals

Last year, I tried and failed to head up to Chicago for 2008's three-day Pitchfork Music Festival. The lineup was an indie rock lovers dream -- how could you expect any less from a Pitchfork.com-sponsored event? -- but I simply couldn't get it together in time to actually go. This year, I may just have to scrape the bottom of my cash barrel; while no artists have been confirmed as yet for 2009, the lineup usually includes bands that Pitchfork has been following/raving about/writing about throughout the year. Based on acts that played previous years, Pitchfork's Top 50 albums of 2008, and reviews of albums that have come out so far this year, I'm going to hypothesize the following: Fleet Foxes, Portishead, Cut Copy, M83, Deerhunter, Erykah Badu, Los Campesinos!, Santogold, Beiruit, Lykke Li, Antony and the Johnsons, Andrew Bird, Trail of Dead, Black Lips, and TV on the Radio.

This might make for a nice road trip in early March. Harvest of Hope, a non-profit organization that provides financial, educational, and service oriented aid to migrant farm workers all over the country, has organized a three-day alternative music festival on the St. John's County Fairgrounds, a short distance from St. Augustine, Fri.-Sun., March 6-8. The lineup is surprisingly strong and the price is right. ($19.50 for a day pass/$39.50 for a three-day pass).

There's been plenty of controversy in recent years about the centrality of blues music on Beale Street, but all that takes a hiatus this week as hundreds (do I hear thousands?) of blues lovers descend on Memphis for the 25th annual International Blues Challenge, an amateur blues contest and talent search conducted each February by the Memphis-based Blues Foundation.

Starting Thursday, February 5th, nearly 200 blues acts from across the U.S. and around the globe will compete in clubs up and down Beale Street, culminating in finals on Saturday at The Orpheum.

Yesterday, I heard rumors that Langerado was in trouble due to slow ticket sales. Today, 14 hours after Bonnaroo revealed its monster schedule with Phish, NIN and Springsteen as headliners, I received the official nail-in-the-coffin confirmation. Here's the release:

The rumors have been confirmed -- Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will be there. Phish will be playing two nights. Who else? Beastie Boys, Nine Inch Nails, The Mars Volta and a whole bunch more.

Tickets go on sale on Feb. 7 at noon.

This just arrived in my inbox about two minutes ago. Rather than ramble on about how cool Langerado is (and it is by far the coolest fest in Florida), or analyze the roster (truth be told, I've barely looked at it), I'll simply pass on the info:

7TH ANNUAL LANGERADO MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES INITIAL ARTIST LINEUP:

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE, SNOOP DOGG, RYAN ADAMS AND THE CARDINALS,
THIEVERY CORPORATION, SLIGHTLY STOOPID, FLOGGING MOLLY,
DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL, BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE, COLD WAR KIDS,
GIRL TALK, CHROMEO, MUTE MATH, AND BLACK KIDS

ARE JOINED BY GYM CLASS HEROES, THE FAINT,
THE POGUES, ZAC BROWN BAND, MATISYAHU, THE DISCO BISCUITS,
UMPHREY'S MCGEE, ROBERT RANDOLPH AND THE FAMILY BAND,
MICHAEL FRANTI AND SPEARHEAD, THE VIRGINS, AND MANY MORE

TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY DECEMBER 12TH NOON EST AT WWW.LANGERADO.COM
MARCH 6-7-8, 2009 AT BICENTENNIAL PARK IN MIAMI, FL

Held for the first time this year at Bicentennial Park on Biscayne Bay, Langerado now calls Miami - one of the world's must cultural cities - home. Today, festival organizers make an initial artist announcement to make the Magic City proud. Death Cab For Cutie, Snoop Dogg, Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, Thievery Corporation (Live), Slightly Stoopid and Dashboard Confessional join Flogging Molly, Broken Social Scene, Girl Talk, Cold War Kids, The Faint, Gym Class Heroes, Tricky, Chromeo, Mute Math, Black Kids, Café Tacuba, The Pogues, The Virgins, Zac Brown Band and more. Langerado is also proud to welcome back veterans from Langerado's past including Matisyahu, The Disco Biscuits, Umphrey's McGee, Robert Randolph and The Family Band and Michael Franti and Spearhead and extend a warm welcome to the many artists performing at the festival for the first time. Artists will perform on multiple stages throughout the three day event and more artists are still to be announced!

Head out to Snug Harbor tonight to check out this month's Crowntown Showdown. It's a great way to see a variety of bands for a good price -- and you may get hooked up with the latest copy of Jeff Hahne's Homebrew CD, too!

While the event started out as a competition, it's now a local and regional showcase of talent.

Head out to Snug Harbor tonight to check out this month's Crowntown Showdown. It's a great way to see a variety of bands for a good price -- and you may get hooked up with the latest copy of Jeff Hahne's Homebrew CD, too!

While the event started out as a competition, it's now a local and regional showcase of talent.