Festival News and Rumors
The Aftermath of Bonnaroo’s Cancelation on The What Podcast
Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google | Radio Public | RSS A week ago, we were supposed to be getting ready to return to Manchester, Tennessee for Bonnaroo. Instead, Hurricane Ida rolled through and canceled everyone’s plans. Okay, so we saw the storm coming, but we didn’t anticipate it coming like this. We certainly didn’t think “too much water” would be the reason Bonnaroo wouldn’t happen for the second year in a row. After the year we’ve had, who did? Advertisement Related Video With what should have been ‘Roo weekend behind us, Brad, Barry, and Lord Taco of The What Podcast gather again to discuss whether the cancellation of Bonnaroo was the right call, how people made the best of the situation, and where things might go fr...
Golden Sand Destination Hip-Hop Festival Brings 50 Cent, TLC, Ludacris to Riviera Maya
Pollen Presents, a technology company known for its event experience packages, has announced the lineup for its first-ever Golden Sand destination music festival. Taking place January 12th-16th, 2022, Golden Sand aims to present an immersive weekend filled with classic hip-hop and R&B, luxury resort amenities, and adventures all along the gorgeous beaches of Riviera Maya, Mexico. The Phase 1 lineup includes 50 Cent, TLC, Kelly Rowland, Ludacris, Nelly, Flo Rida, Sean Paul, T-Pain, Fat Joe, and Lil’ Kim, with more artists to be announced soon. Beyond the music, attendees will be able to indulge in the all-inclusive services of the Barcelo Riviera Maya resort. That includes all premium food and beverages from over a dozen restaurants and bars, 11 swimming pools, jungle adventures, yoga, ...
Bonnaroo Announces Make-Up Concert with Phoebe Bridgers, Brittany Howard, Sylvan Esso
For Bonnaroo fans who are all dressed up with no where to go, festival organizers have announced a make-up concert on September 4th with Phoebe Bridgers, Brittany Howard, and Sylvan Esso. The 2021 festival was supposed to start today, September 2nd, and run through Sunday, September 5th, before downpours from Hurrican Ida flooded the farm’s 700 acres. This new event will be held on Saturday at Ascend Amphitheater in Nashville, TN, a site with a capacity of around 6,800. Proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test taken with 48 hours of admittance is required. Bridgers was added to the roster this year. Howard and Sylvan Esso were first announced with the 2020 lineup, though that festival was subsequently cancelled due to COVID-19. As in 2020, Sylvan Esso will hope to present...
Manchester, Tennessee Schools Close Due to Bonnaroo Traffic Changes Following Hurricane Ida
Update: Bonnaroo 2021 is officially canceled. While some schools close down for religious holidays or dangerous weather, only a select few get the honor of shutting down because of their proximity to high-profile music festivals. Earlier today, Manchester City Schools in Tennessee announced that students will no longer be expected to attend classes this week due to traffic patterns from Bonnaroo. “Due to expected increased traffic volume because of weather related changes to Bonnaroo entry, Manchester City Schools will be closed Wednesday, September 1. Students will return on September 7. There will be no extended care,” reads a statement on the school’s Facebook page. Two elementary schools and one middle school will be directly impacted by the changes, and hopefully any kid that was cont...
Bonnaroo Canceled Due to Unsafe Conditions Caused by Hurricane Ida
Just days before Bonnaroo was set to kick off, organizers have pulled the plug on the annual music festival due to unsafe conditions caused by Hurricane Ida. In a message emailed to fans and shared via social media, Bonnaroo organizers explained that much of Centeroo (where the stages and activations are set) and the surrounding campgrounds became so waterlogged from rain that the grounds have been rendered unusable and unsafe. “We are absolutely heartbroken to announce that we must cancel Bonnaroo,” read the note. “While this weekend’s weather looks outstanding, currently Centeroo is waterlogged in many areas, the ground is incredibly saturated on our tollbooth paths, and the campgrounds are flooded to the point that we are unable to drive in or park vehicles safely.” Advertisement Relate...
Olympia Music Festival Scammed by Fake Jonathan Richman
Up until Friday, August 27th, Modern Lovers singer Jonathan Richman was scheduled to headline LoveOly Summer Fest in Olympia, Washington — or so the organizers thought. As it turns out, the Olympia Film Society fell victim to “an elaborate booking scam” and neither Richman nor his publicist knew anything about the concert until they were contacted for an interview. As reported by The Olympian, the scam was uncovered when Mark “Markly” Morrison, host of the Low Profile podcast, contacted Richman’s publicist Debbie Gulyas to request an interview with the veteran singer-songwriter. Both Gulyas and Richman were “confused,” as they had no knowledge about his festival appearance until receiving the email. The Film Society, which books concerts for the weekly festival, had slated Richma...
Los Angeles County to Require Masks at All Major Outdoor Events
It’s been said that live music is back, but for more and more major cities, that promise comes with caveats. Today, in an effort to combat spiking COVID-19 cases, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has issued a new order requiring attendees of any major outdoor event to wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status. This requirement goes into effect on Thursday, August 19th, at 11:59 p.m. As Variety points out, the easily-transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus is now predominant in L.A. County (though a vast majority of hospitalized patients have not been vaccinated). This news follows orders issued last month, which reinstated a mask mandate for most indoor spaces, including concerts, restaurants, gyms, and more. With this new order, outdoor concerts and music fe...
Shaky Knees Taps Foo Fighters to Replace Stevie Nicks on 2021 Lineup
Atlanta’s Shaky Knees Festival has tapped Foo Fighters to replace Stevie Nicks on this year’s lineup. Earlier Tuesday, Nicks announced the cancelation of all her 2021 tour dates, citing the rising number of COVID cases. Among the impacted dates was Nicks’ Friday night headlining slot at Shaky Knees. Shortly after Nicks’ announcement, Shaky Knees organizers made one of their own: Foo Fighters will fill in for Nicks as Friday night’s headliner. Additionally, Garbage have been added to the bill. Advertisement Related Video Taking place October 22nd-24th at Atlanta’s Central Park, Shaky Knees’ 2021 edition also promises The Strokes, Run the Jewels, Phoebe Bridgers, St. Vincent, Mac DeMarco, Alice Cooper, Portugal. the Man, Jay Electronica, and more. General admission and VIP tickets to the fes...
Rage Against the Machine & Travis Scott to Headline Coachella 2022, Frank Ocean Moved to 2023
Coachella co-founder Paul Tollett has confirmed that Rage Against the Machine and Travis Scott will return to headline the festival in 2022, while Frank Ocean has been bumped to 2023. All three acts had been originally booked to headline Coachella in 2020 prior to the festival’s postponement due to the pandemic. Tollett shared the news in a rare interview with the Los Angles Times, explaining that he wanted to provide fans “some reassurance after the chaos and uncertainty of the last year and a half,” notes the Times. Advertisement Related Video “Right now, it’s the Wild West,” Tollett is quoted as saying. “I’m just trying to be as fair as I can to artists and to the fans to make sure that eventually they get to see everyone that we talked about.” As Tollett explained, Ocean was not availa...
Governors Ball Drops Homophobic Rapper DaBaby From 2021 Festival
Governors Ball is the latest US festival to boot DaBaby from its 2021 lineup in the wake of a series of homophobic comments made by the rapper. In a statement, Governors Ball producers Founders Entertainment said it “does not and will not tolerate hate or discrimination of any kind. We welcome and celebrate the diverse communities that make New York City the greatest city in the world. Thank you to the fans who continue to speak up for what is right. Along with you, we will continue to use our platform for good.” DaBaby had been scheduled to play the festival’s opening night on Friday, September 24th. “Stay tuned for a lineup addition,” advised Founders Entertainment. Advertisement Related Video DaBaby has been roundly criticized for remarks he made last weekend at Miami’s Rollin...
On the Ground at Lollapalooza: How Are the Festival’s COVID-19 Protocols Holding Up?
When Lollapalooza announced its return to Chicago back in May, it felt like one more positive sign of a return to some kind of post-pandemic normal. Flash forward to this week, and the sentiment around Chicago has become far more ambivalent; stalling COVID-19 vaccination rates and the emergence of the dangerous Delta variant led prominent local music critics to label the festival a potential superspreader event. Jim DeRogatis of Sound Opinions went as far as to call for Lollapalooza’s cancellation. “They can’t control their own gates,” DeRogatis told Chicago’s WTTW. “Why are we supposed to believe that they are going to be diligent about checking for vaccination?” Lollapalooza’s COVID-19 mitigation plan is comprehensive on paper. The festival website’s Health and Safety section sets out a ...
Hopscotch Announces 2021 Lineup with Animal Collective, Flying Lotus, Dr. Dog and More
In the spirit of the game for which it was named, Hopscotch Music Festival has leapt over the square marked 2020 and landed on 2021. The event returns to Raleigh, North Carolina from September 9th through 11th with appearances by Animal Collective, Flying Lotus, and Dr. Dog on their farewell tour. Hopscotch built its brand around an experimental and underground vibe, though those adjectives haven’t described this year’s headliners for quite a while. But few will complain about seeing more recognizable names on the roster. In addition to the bold-faced acts, the fest boasts performances by Caroline Polachek, Parquet Courts, and Shannon & The Clams, as well as Archers of Loaf, Body Meat, Bowerbirds, Colin Stetson, Dougie Poole, Garcia Peoples, Hannah Jadagu, Helado Negro, Hippo Camp...
