No Bonnaroo, no Lollapalooza, no Coachella. What’s a New England music fan to do all summer?
How about hang home, save on gas and see the very best summer has to offer.
While New England remains the only part of the country without a kookily named festival - Langerado, Wakarusa or Bamboozle anyone? - you’ll have no problem putting together a sunny schedule specifically tailored to your tastes. Until someone launches the Rockbusterchuggarama Massachusetts Music Festival, we’ll help you navigate a brilliantly crowded May to September with a few customized itineraries.
Let the festival come to you festival
Two options. Book a half-dozen plane trips and buy a half-dozen festival passes to see a half-dozen buzz bands. Or stay put and check out all the good stuff when it blows through town. Few of the hip will miss the Hub this summer: DeVotchKa (May 18, Paradise), Raconteurs (with Black Lips, June 3, Bank of America Pavilion), R.E.M. (with Modest Mouse and the National, June 13, Tweeter Center), The Ting Tings (June 19, Great Scott), Yael Naim (June 21, Berklee Performance Center), Pearl Jam (with Ted Leo, June 28 and 30, Tweeter), The Black Angels (June 29, Middle East), Feist (July 8, Bank of America Pavilion), Dengue Fever (July 9, Museum of Fine Arts), Radiohead (with Grizzly Bear, Aug. 6, Tweeter Center).
Woodstock ’08
Remember how those rapscallions ruined Woodstock ’94 by - gasp! - throwing mud? Damn kids. To re-create the original Woodstock experience with a few of the original performers and none of the Gen X spoilsports, check out these dates: Joe Cocker (opening for the Steve Miller Band, July 19, Tweeter Center), Crosby, Stills & Nash (July 25), Richie Havens (Aug. 2, Newport Folk Festival), former Band-singer/drummer Levon Helm (Aug. 3, Newport Folk Festival, and June 21, Bank of America Pavilion, with Phil Lesh).
Dead Again
You can’t see Jerry and you can’t even see the Dead alumni as a unit, but three key players will be here this summer on solo tours. Bob Weir & Rat Dog (May 31, Hampton Beach, Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, N.H., and Aug. 16, Tweeter Center, with the Allman Brothers), the Bill Kreutzmann Trio (featuring Oteil Burbridege and Scott Murawski, June 5, Roxy) and Phil Lesh & Friends (June 21, Bank of America Pavilion).
Really guilty pleasures
We’ve been monitoring you for some time and we know what you listen to in your car when you’re all alone. Sadly Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin won’t be coming this summer, but there’s plenty of similar Velveeta to slather your inner cornball with. Duran Duran (May 28, Agganis Arena), Stevie Nicks (June 22, Bank of America Pavilion), Donna Summer (July 12, Bank of America Pavilion), George Michael (July 27, TD Banknorth Garden), Solid Gold Dance Party (with the Village People, Aug. 1, Bank of America Pavilion), Poison (with Dokken and Sebastian Bach, Aug. 7, Bank of America Pavilion), Journey (with Heart, Cheap Trick, Aug. 19, Tweeter Center), Neil Diamond Aug. 23, Fenway Park [map]).
Go for the tailgating, stay for the show
If you want to drink fruity rum and high fructose syrup go see Jimmy Buffett. If you want to drink cheap, domestic beer with real rock fans before a real rock show, you best steer clear of the Parrothead scene. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (with Steve Winwood, June 13, TD Banknorth Garden and June 14, Tweeter Center), Black Crowes (June 28-29, Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, N.H.), Bruce Springsteen (Aug. 2, Gillette Stadium), Buddy Guy and George Thorogood & the Destroyers (Aug. 16, Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom and Aug. 17, Bank of America Pavilion), Lynyrd Skynyrd and Kid Rock (Aug. 23, Tweeter Center).
Ozzy-free Ozzfest
With Ozzfest rumored to be just a two-day event in Dallas, you’ll have to rely on someone other than Sharon to make up your metal itinerary in ’08. Don’t fret, you don’t need the Prince of Darkness to bark at the moon this summer. Iron Maiden (June 20, Tweeter Center), Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival (highlights being Slipknot, Airbourne, Black Tide and Mastodon, Aug. 5, Tweeter Center), Motley Crue (with Buckcherry, Aug. 22, Tweeter Center).
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