Music Festivals: New Jersey and SF get into it

While I’ve been on the topic of Coachella and Lollapalooza, I gotta mention that SF and New Jersey have festivals of their own as well.  If you’re in those locales, you have Outside Lands (SF), Bamboozle (NJ), and All Points West (NJ) to look forward to in the coming months.

Bamboozle is on the weekend of May 1st out in the meadowlands.  I’ve been to Bamboozle Left for the last two years at the Irvine Ampitheater, and always had a great time there.  You have to love a lineup of headliners No Doubt, Fall Out Boy, and a SLEW of punk, alternative, and hardcore rock bands (personal faves Rise Against, Taking Back Sunday, and All Time Low).  Disney princess Demi Lovato seems a bit out of place in the lineup, but hey, there’s something for everybody here.  Bamboozle skews to a younger crowd than Coachella and Lollapalooza anyway.

Also part of Bamboozle weekend is the popular Hoodwink Festival on May 1st where you’ll have a chance to see your favorite band do a cover set of your other favorite band.  This year you’ll have acts like Sum 41 playing Metallica’s music, We The Kings playing Jimmy Eat World, and Boys Like Girls playing Coldplay.  It’s definitely an interesting treat for those who are entertained by covers.  Personally, I usually like the originals best.

Later in the summer, you can catch All Points West the weekend of July 31-August 2nd in Jersey City.  This massive musical orgy in the Garden State boasts acts like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Beastie Boys, Coldplay, Tool, and many others.  Look for me to consider a cross country trip for this one.

This year also marks the second running of the Outside Lands music and arts festival in Golden Gate Park, SF.  Held on the last weekend of August, it’s bound to provide a good close to another good summer concert season.  Their lineup hosts headliners Beastie Boys, Dave Matthews Band, and Pearl Jam, but I will be going for Jason Mraz, MIA, Thievery Corporation, Black Eyed Peas, and Incubus.  I had never heard of SF having a music festival of this scale before when I was still up in the bay, but I’m glad that they finally have one.  The Golden Gate Park also makes for a seemingly perfect venue… I only worry about parking and getting around.

Summer music festivals galore!