With classes coming to an end now, summertime is making its way back to our front doorsteps. From sunny days to rainy days, beach days to pool days and — best of all — festival days! These few months of fun and relaxation have primed themselves around one of the fastest growing trends in today’s youth culture.
The Girls of Coachella, captured by Gordon Von Steiner, 2010.
Over the next few months, music lovers from coast to coast will have the chance to experience what it’s like to fully indulge in music. Whether you choose to camp out, rent a hotel room or spend the night making rounds at after parties, it’s all worth the effort. Venture off with your closest of friends, with your new friends or even alone to find yourself in a world of bliss, unity and, for some, rebirth.
Next month we have Purple Hatters Ball in the scenic landscapes of Florida’s Spirit of The Suwannee Music Park, followed by Hangout Music Festival along the white and sandy beaches of Gulf Shores, Ala.
Memorial Day weekend is abundant in music festivals nationwide. From Sunset Music Festival here in Florida to Summer Camp Music Festival in Chillicothe, Ill., to all the way out west for Lightning In A Bottle in Southern California. The west also has the I Love This City Festival in San Diego and San Francisco, Calif., and Sasquatch Music Festival up in Washington’s The Gorge.
Sasquatch Music Festival at The Gorge in George, Washington.
June brings us yet another round of music festivals to choose from. First we have Wakarusa in Ozark, Ark., which starts May 31 and stretches until June 3. In addition, in chronological order, we have Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Tennessee, followed by Spring Awakening in Chicago, Impulse Festival in Georgia and Re:Generation in North Plains, Ore.
I’ve only touched on a few of the possibilities. Simply put, there are just too many music festivals to name. However, there is one in particular that I would like to focus this week’s Sound Drip spotlight on. It takes place July 12-14 in upstate New York. Inside the gates of the Indian Lookout Country Club, hidden from city lights in some 200 acres of rolling hills and plushy green grass, lies Camp Bisco.
Official Camp Bisco X Aftermath Trailer
This year marks the 11th annual Camp Bisco, a three-day music and arts festival in Mariaville, N.Y., founded by The Disco Biscuits and produced by MCP Presents.
Additions to this year’s event include a lower capacity than 2011, larger and improved dance tents, up to three main gates for quicker entrance into the campgrounds, increased venue facilities, and new wooded campground options. Long distance shuttles will also be available for those commuting from Albany, Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo, Burlington, New York City and Philadelphia.
With over five stages of music, this year’s artist lineup includes headliners The Disco Biscuits, Bassnectar, Skrillex, Amon Tobin ISAM, Portugal. The Man, Lotus, Atmosphere, Big Boi, Shpongle presents The Masquerade, A-Trak, Simian Mobile Disco, Dada Life and many more. View the full lineup below.
Three-day general admission tickets are still on sale for $170 and can be purchased on the festival’s website or by calling 1-877-4-FLY-TIX. Tickets will also be sold at FYE stores throughout New England and select outlets in New York.
Although VIP Platinum Experience packages have sold out for this year, all-inclusive VIP Experience packages are still available. You can also purchase tickets at the gate, depending on availability, for $190. Considering the affordable price and how last year’s ticket sales sold out the day before the event, I wouldn’t suggest waiting until the last minute.
Camp Bisco is just one of the many festivals I’ve mentioned that take place this summer. Others not mentioned include, but are not limited to, Electric Forest in Rothbury, Mich., All Good Music Festival in Thornville, Ohio, Firefly in Dover, Del., HARD Summer in Los Angeles, Lollapalooza in Chicago, Outside Lands in San Francisco, Calif., Rootwire in Logan, Ohio, and Global Dance Festival, which takes place in four separate locations across the continental United States.
Choose wisely, meet new people and create more memories. Most of all, have fun and be safe.
Posts in Sound Drip appear on Wednesdays. Follow @bionicbeatlab on Twitter.
