Road trip!

by kellie abrahamson
The First Coast has plenty of great music festivals to choose from but if you want to see big names like Paul McCartney, Springsteen or 50 Cent, you’re going to have to travel. Huge music festivals like South By Southwest, Bonaroo and Coachella attract the biggest acts and promise a unique experience that you will tell your grandkids about (or not, depending on how much you party!). Below is a list of the major fests happening around the country between now and June and a look at just some of the bands scheduled to play them. Plan to use your tax return for tickets and gas money because these are not shows you want to miss!

March 18- 22 South by Southwest 2009 Austin, TX
Gomez, Katy Perry, Ben Harper, Meat Puppets, Lil Jon, Tori Amos, PJ Harvey, The Black Lips

March 27- 28 Ultra Music Festival 2009 Miami, FL
Bloc Party, The Prodigy, The Ting Tings, Santogold, Perry Farrell, Rabbit in the Moon, Moby

April 4- 5 The Bamboozle Left Irvine, CA
Fall Out Boy, The Get Up Kids, 50 Cent, Deftones, Taking Back Sunday, The Used, Thrice

April 17- 19 Coachella Festival 2009 Indio, CA
Paul McCartney, Morrissey, Band of Horses, The Killers, The Cure, My Bloody Valentine

April 24- 26 & April 30- May 3 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival New Orleans, LA
Neil Young, Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews Band, Wilco, Tony Bennett, Erykah Badu, Bonnie Raitt

April 25- 26 Stagecoach Music Festival Indio, CA
Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Reba, Kid Rock, Little Big Town

April 29- May 3 Sunfest West Palm Beach, FL
311, James Taylor, David Cook, UB40, G. Love & Special Sauce, Jack’s Mannequin

May 2- 3 The Bamboozle East Rutherford, NJ
No Doubt, Fall Out Boy, The Get Up Kids, Taking Back Sunday, Rise Against, Gwar

May 16- 17 Rock on the Range Music Festival Columbus, OH
Slipknot, Motley Crue, Alice in Chains, Korn, Avenged Sevenfold, Shinedown

May 23- 25 Sasquatch! Music Festival 2009 George, WA
Kings of Leon, Sun Kil Moon (rumored: Animal Collective, The Decemberists)

May 29- 31 Mountain Jam Festival Hunter Mountain, NY
Allan Brothers Band, Coheed and Cambria, The Hold Steady, Girl Talk, The Lee Boys

June 11-14, Bonaroo Manchester, TN
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Phish (2 Shows), Beastie Boys, Nine Inch Nails, David Byrne, Wilco, Al Green, Snoop Dogg, Elvis Costello Solo