2020 Festival Countdown
I don’t know about you but once the cold weather sets in and I am stuck inside I start to go a bit stir crazy! For me, the only thing that keeps me “Radiating Positivity” all winter long is dreaming about all the fun times this Summer and planning for the Summer festival season.
Personally, I’m trying to keep my head from exploding from all of these festival lineup announcements! 2020 is going to be one festival season that really has amazing festival experiences for any musical tastes and the lineups announced so far are really star-packed.
While we are still waiting for the lineup for LOCKN’, there have been quite a few announcements that are definitely worth talking about. A few that are absolutely STACKED and a few that left much desired.
Recent Headliner Announcements
Bonnaroo 2020 came in hard this year with a heavy metal headliner, TOOL that had not released an album in 13 years and the first female headliner, Lizzo.
For some, these two headliners may be relatively new, but both have been around for quite some time, and now it is the time for them to shine. I don’t think you could ever come up with two performers who are so diverse and who are loved by two very different fan bases. You know it is going to be GOOD as HELL!
Tool fans awaited the 2019 release of Fear Inoculum – and after 13 years of the band’s hiatus, the band became the first act ever to have a song in every spot of Billboard‘s Top 10 Rock Sales chart. And any fan can tell you why…
If you have never listened to TOOL, I suggest you start here: TOOL – Reflection off of Lateralus and then work your way back to the angrier and savage releases of the ’90s, to get familiar and only then you should relish the evolved sound of Fear Inoculum. Here is a link to the full song list for Tool – Lateralus.
Those who know and love Lizzo, are aware that she dropped multiple albums in 2013 and 2015 before her first major-label release. In 2019, she grabbed the attention and the spotlight has not left this talented lady. Here is the album playlist that started it all:
The other acts further down the bill include Miley Cyrus, Lana Del Rey, Vampire Weekend, The 1975, Run The Jewels, Megan Thee Stallion, Brittany Howard, Tenacious D, Leon Bridges, Jason Isbell, and The 400 Unit, Young Thug, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, the Grand Ole Opry featuring special guests, DaBaby, Grace Potter, Nelly, Pinegrove, Slowthai, Nilüfer Yanya, Orville Peck and Yaeji, with many others. This year the Superjam comes courtesy of North Carolina electro-pop duo Sylvan Esso. Here is the Spotify Playlist:
Something for Everyone
No matter where you live in the US, there definitely is a festival for everyone. A few more announcements that I have to mention is Governors Ball in NY – with headliners like Tame Impala, Stevie Nicks, Vampire Weekend, Ellie Goulding, Miley Cyrus, Portugal the Man to highlight just a few.
The Peach Festival in Scranton, PA, started by The Allman Brothers Band always brings the jammiest bands for the celebration at the Pavilion at Montage Mountain and Montage Mountain Ski Resort. And as you can see the lineup is STACKED.
And we can’t forget one of my favorites in Virginia, Floyd Fest which received top honors (once again) in Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine’s ‘Best of the Blue Ridge 2020:’ “Best Festival Overall” and “Best Kid-Friendly Festival” They also snagged Runner-Up honors for the following: “Best Kid-Friendly Adventure”, so if you have little ones and have always wanted to experience a music festival with them, this is the BEST one to enjoy. This one is also an all-volunteer run so definitely check it out if you have some free time in July.
This year LOCK’N Festival instead of August, they have moved the date to June 19 – 21, 2020 to celebrate Phil Lesh’s Birthday (from the Grateful Dead).
This one is definitely TOP of my list. Nestled on a farm in the mountains of Virginia, I have seen some of the BEST performances of my life at this festival over the years. Jam fans and Virginia is waiting for them to Announce this one. Fingers crossed for Stevie Nicks and Widespread Panic.
NOW is the BEST time to start planning your festival camp!
Looking at my 2020 Festival List can definitely give anyone some serious FOMO and can leave you BROKE if you just pick one! That is why I set up this website, after 12 times on the farm in Tennessee and countless other music festivals around the country, I have learned to pack light and to always take the BEST festival gear. This website recommends my top gear suggestions and helps to find the BEST prices on four and five stars Amazon products to save you some cash as you get ready to FESTIVAL!
Check out my curated gear pages: General Admission, VIP, Super VIP for the BEST festival gear to fit any budget where you can literally see the lowest price you can find an item for on Amazon. And if you are not sure what to pack, I have a downloadable/printable PDF Festival Camp Essentials Checklist to help you plan for your BEST festival camp set up.
Stay warm out there everybody as Jack Frost is nippin, and as we hibernate, and dream about the summer festival season I hope this gives you some inspiration to start planning and to make a decision.
I know where I am going! I’ve got my hands up they’re playing my song … nodding my head like YEAH…IT’S A PARTY IN THE USA!
~Wren
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