The Sound and the Festival

Music festivals have a long history around the world.  After the emergence of rock and roll music by the mid-1950s, they began to take on a more modern sound.  Bob Dylan famously plugged in his electric guitar at Newport Folk Festival in 1965.  There was a series of outdoor festivals celebrating the “summer of love” in California, the most well-known being 1967’s Monterey Pop Festival held outside the San Francisco Bay Area.  Since Woodstock in 1969, every successive generation has tried to create its own Woodstock.  Altamont Speedway Festival, the West Coast’s answer to Woodstock just four months later, also made the history books.  In 1991, Lollapalooza single-handedly resurrected a forgotten word from the late 19th century.

Despite the demise of Germany’s Love Parade, which had a good run between 1989 and 2010, dance music festivals have become bigger and proliferated all over the world.  It’s no accident their popularity coincides with the rise of the superstar DJs.  Note that Forbes started publishing its annual list of electronic cash kings (highest paid DJs) in 2012.  Belgium’s Tomorrowland boasts 400,000 visitors—not bad for a small country.  Some of the marquee events—Electric Daisy Carnival, Creamfields, and Ultra, for instance—have branched out to multiple locations, establishing spin-offs and franchises.

Two of the most talked-about festivals in America are South by Southwest and Coachella—though both cover more than just music.  Check out the late Huell Howser’s behind-the-scenes look at the 2008 edition of Coachella for “California’s Gold.”  He got up close and personal with some of the art installations (love that tree house).  The audio quality is not optimal because a fan uploaded this one-hour episode (video starts here).  You’ll see a few seconds of VHS or Beta, Dwight Yoakam, and a reclusive artist who shall remain nameless as he is rather litigious.  The unusual venue is a polo field in the desert; there can’t be that many polo fields in the U.S.

Say It or Save It

Did we miss your favorites in the following directory?  If so, go to our Contact page and tell us about it.  You’ll feel better afterwards.

Dance Music Festivals and More

The festivals below are primarily dance-oriented except for the multi-genre ones with an asterisk.  You’ll find some of the open-waters variety (cruises).  We publish each festival’s year once the date has been announced for the upcoming calendar year.  Of course, a festival could be canceled the last minute.  And beware of fake sites/pages for defunct festivals.

A playlist while you browse:

• Bob Dylan – Like a Rolling Stone (1965) [►]
• Scott McKenzie – San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) (1967) [►]
• Eric Burdon & The Animals – Monterey (1968) [►]
• Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Woodstock (1970) [►]
• Jimi Hendrix – Star Spangled Banner (1970) [►]
• Rolling Stones – Gimme Shelter (1970) [►]
• Leo Sayer – The Show Must Go On (1973) [►]
• Three Dog Night – The Show Must Go On (1974) [►]
• John Fogerty – Rockin' All Over the World (1975) [►]
• Wings – Venus and Mars Rock Show (1975) [►]
• Peter Frampton – Do You Feel Like We Do (1976) [►]
• Status Quo – Rockin' All Over the World (1977) [►]
• Cheap Trick – I Want You to Want Me (1979) [►]
• Da Hool – Meet Her at the Love Parade (1998) [►]
• Hans – Meet Her at the Love Parade (Club 69 Tribal Anthem) (1998) [►]
• Zombie Nation – Kernkraft 400 (Live Remix) (2000) [►]
• Sir Ivan – San Francisco (John Kano Mix) (2003) [►]
• Kygo Featuring Parson James – Stole the Show (2015) [►]

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