2020 was pretty rough on everyone. Jobs were lost, people were getting sick, classes moved completely online along with the fact we were now being restricted as to who and how we socialize. One of the bigger industries to take a hit during all this was the music industry with the cancellation of live shows and performances and restrictions to tours, the pandemic brutally killed one of many people’s favorite experiences in life: music festivals.
Thankfully, the music industry is making a bit of resurrection and comeback this year so we can begin moving closer back to a bit of normality, and with that being said, we are going to look at my top five upcoming music festivals.
- Coachella – Coachella is probably the most well-known music festival here in the U.S. and is returning this year in April, and if the music lineup isn’t grabbing your attention, then the incredible outfits people come up with while attending an all-day outdoor festival will. The lineup hasn’t been released yet but is known to always have a popular lineup that never disappoints with legendary headliners such as Beyonce, Daft Punk, Prince, and RadioHead. Coachella is a wide-range genre music festival that takes place in Indio, California, and sells out fast each year with many celebrities appearing at the festival. This is a festival I would place on my bucket list but wouldn’t be too high up considering the amount of expense it would entail, definitely one of the more expensive music festivals you can attend but sounds well worth it if you can fork it out!
- Burning Man – Burning Man will always be one of the number one festivals on the list just because of the amount of creativity entailed within the attendees themselves. YOU are essentially the festival, along with many other people and artists attending in Black Rock Desert, Nevada. This festival is a cultural phenomenon beginning back in the 80s and continues to thrive and grow with popularity. Burning Man focuses on community, art, and self-expression and continues this year in August.
- AFROPUNK – Being born and raised in the PNW I haven’t had the privilege of going out and experiencing too much cultural diversity, it’s mostly rock or indie. AFROPUNK is a multi-genre music festival, that takes place in Atlanta and Brooklyn this Summer and Fall and is well known not only for its mix of art, activism, and music but its a festival that started with its artists and continues to grow with the spread of its art and messages of community connection within society.
https://afropunk.com/festival/atlanta/
- Life is Beautiful – The Life is Beautiful festival takes place in America’s beautiful playground of Las Vegas, Nevada this September 17th-19, and includes a very popular lineup of well-known artists over the decades such as Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, Beck, Billie Eilish, Chance the Rapper, Childish Gambino, DJ Snake, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Kings of Leon, Lionel Richie, along with a great lineup of comedians. Life is Beautiful focuses on creating a global art experience and bringing social connection with artistic passion. If it’s not the comedians or the performers grabbing your attention, the food and art displays surely will. The lineup this year features some of my favorite artists, Green Day, Billie Eilish, A$AP Rocky, and Megan thee Stallion, and much more! Lineup and ticket registration are recently just posted up!
- Sasquatch – Last but most certainly not least, The Sasquatch Music Festival. This was the first music festival that I had the pleasure of experiencing in my life in high school when it first began making a name for itself. The Sasquatch Music Festival takes place in the Pacific Northwest over Memorial Day weekend and is an all-over phenomenal experience for any music lover, especially in the indie genre. It’s not just the music and the overall positive vibes from the festival atmosphere, but the event is held in the Gorge Amphitheater, in George, WA – which is hands down the most beautiful, natural amphitheater I have ever had the privilege of experiencing – and has the musical sound waves gliding over the Columbia River and the warm sunset glistening down over the rolling grass hills. The Sasquatch lineup includes artists such as Bon Iver, The Nationalist, Modest Mouse, Spoon, Tyler the Creator, and one of my personal favorites: Jai Wolf! This is a festival more directed for outdoorsy concertgoers. The campsite on the site is almost an event itself which can be a ton of fun if planned accordingly.
https://festivalhunt.com/sasquatch
Hopefully, you all have been getting through the rough last year. We are very close to experiencing the norms of concerts again; go and check out an upcoming festival and reward yourself by living life a little more fully. That festival you have always wanted to check out – go do it. Or, check out some of the ones I introduced. Regardless, go enjoy a much-needed festive summer.