The Wake

Times are bleak, my friends. As we arrive back from our respective spring breaks, we are faced with the most horrifying of truths: the rest of the semester is downhill from here.

Fear not. Out of the darkness shines a light, something to strive for: music festival season! And what a good season it promises to be. Naturally, one cannot peruse such offerings without proper guidance, so we’ve whipped up a handy little chart devoted to the best of the best:

Coachella
April 29-30
Empire Polo Field in Indio, California
Tickets: $85/day, $165 for limited weekend passes

This beloved arts and music festival celebrates its fifth year in Coachella Valley with an appealing lineup of headlining performances from Depeche Mode, Tool, Madonna and a horde of other acts including Cat Power, Animal Collective, Wolf Parade and Art Brut. It is a bit pricey and quite the trek for us Midwesterners, but the chances of finding another festival with such a diverse offering is pretty slim. Plus, it’s California. Heat!

Sasquatch! Music Festival
May 26-28
The Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington
Tickets: $165 for three day passes, $55/day

Sasquatch! also turns five this year on Memorial Day weekend, and Bauhaus, Neko Case, the Flaming Lips, Sufjan Stevens, Beck and Nine Inch Nails are going to be the cool kids at the birthday party. The distance is just as considerable as Coachella’s, but for a somewhat better price. If nothing else, go because the festival’s three stages are named Mainstage, Wookie, and Yeti.

Bonnaroo
June 16-18
A 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee
Tickets: $169.50 to $184.50

Bonnaroo has been previously pegged as the hippie festival. This time around, they’ve ditched the Dave Anastasio Band and Grateful Dead impersonators, and instead threw in hipsters Sonic Youth, My Morning Jacket, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! and a wee band called Radiohead, on tour for the first time since their 2004 Coachella appearance. The cost isn’t terrible, and as a bonus, it’s totally held on a 700-acre farm! Like, woah. Vastness.

Intonation Music Festival
June 24-25
Union Park in Chicago, Illinois
Tickets: $20/day, $35 for weekend passes

Intonation, curated last year by Pitchfork Media, has separated itself from its former sponsor (see below), though both festivals will take place in Chicago’s Union Park. This time around, Vice Records is footing the bill for Intonation, with label bands Bloc Party, the Streets, Lady Sovereign, Annie, the Stills and Jon Brion scheduled to play.

Pitchfork Media Festival
July 29-30
Union Park in Chicago, Illinois
Tickets: $20/day, $30 for weekend passes

It seems Mommy and Daddy had a little disagreement, and now Pitchfork Media has branched off with its own festival that certainly takes the prize for most tantalizing. Out of the 38 bands performing, only 15 have been announced, but who’s complaining? Devendra Banhart and Destroyer were just added to an already-stellar lineup including Spoon, Mission of Burma, Ted Leo/Pharmacists, Mountain Goats and Jens Lekman. The best part? It’s grossly inexpensive and not that far from the home front.

Lollapalooza
August 4-6
Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois
Tickets: $130 for three day passes

Though this particular festival is quite far in the future, you are invited to have your fill of 130 artists including Broken Social Scene, New Pornographers, Blackalicious, Feist and Of Montreal, all for about a buck a band. It’s a bloated festival with eight stages, but should not be overlooked, especially since the original Lollapalooza was responsible for triumphant festival revival.