Tour Kick-Offs: Blink-182, Lollapalooza and More
Check back every week for a rundown of summer festivals and tours kicking off in the coming days.
BLINK-182
August 5th-October 15th
Tickets: $17-$88
The reunited punk-pop trio are looking forward to road-testing cuts from their still-untitled new album, due later this year. “It’s a different dynamic in Blink – a better dynamic,” says singer-bassist Mark Hoppus. “In the early days, we just wanted to get up onstage, play as fast as we could, make a bunch of jokes and have a great time. Now, we actually want to play well.”
LOLLAPALOOZA
Grant Park, Chicago
August 5th-7th
Tickets: $90-$215
Top Acts: Eminem, Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Muse, My Morning Jacket, Deadmau5, A Perfect Circle, Cee Lo Green, the Cars, Bright Eyes, Girl Talk, Kid Cudi
Lollapalooza launched 20 years ago as the essential alt-rock summer tour, but it’s expanded into a whole galaxy of genres since being reborn as a festival in 2005. This summer brings the most diverse roster yet, with 130 rappers, rockers, jam bands, DJs and more kicking out the jams in Chicago’s lakefront park. With eight huge stages, including founder Perry Farrell’s newly expanded dance tent, it’s going to require some careful planning to catch everything you want to see.
Don’t Miss: Eminem got stadiums in Detroit and New York rocking last year – expect the same intensity in Chicago; My Morning Jacket are in the very top tier of American live bands; and Muse are festival masters, with a massive laser-powered live show. But the bill is packed with can’t-miss gems all the way down to the tiny print, like Fall Out Boy singer-turned-R&B-crooner Patrick Stump; rising L.A. folk rockers Lord Huron; British rap phenom Tinie Tempah; epic instrumental crew Explosions in the Sky; and dance-tent DJ superstars like the Dutch sensation Afrojack.
Pro Tips: Celeb chef Graham Elliot oversees a gourmet dining area featuring authentic deep-dish pizza, lobster corn dogs and more. Have kids? Hit up Kidzapalooza, where major acts pop up for surprise sets all weekend. But even if you don’t, that’s where you’ll find the fest’s shortest bathroom lines.
ESCAPE TO NEW YORK
Southampton, New York
August 5th-7th
Top Acts: Patti Smith, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Best Coast, the Vaccines
Created by the organizers of the Burning Man-ish U.K. fest the Secret Garden Party, this brand-new event promises high-end camping, art installations and a giant brunch (plus lots of live music) on the Shinnecock Nation’s reservation in the Hamptons.
J. GEILS BAND
August 6th-28th
Tickets: $15-$272
“These shows give me the opportunity to revisit my past,” says frontman Peter Wolf. He’ll be joined by all his original bandmates, minus drummer Stephen Jo Bladd. “That’s an enigma,” Wolf says. “But the physical demands of a J. Geils show are tremendous. It’s like an old-style 15-rounder.”
HARD SUMMER
Los Angeles
August 6th
Top Acts: Duck Sauce, Boys Noize, Odd Future, James Murphy, Chromeo, Ratatat
Break out your glow sticks for this clubworld summit in downtown Los Angeles, where insanely hip electronic acts from around the globe (plus local rap phenoms Odd Future) will keep the party going all night long on four stages.
Related
• Photos: Blink-182’s Rock Show: Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker’s Journey
• Listen: The Essential Lollapalooza 2011 Playlist
• The Insider’s Guide to Lollapalooza
• The Hottest Acts at Lollapalooza 2011
• Photos: The Week’s Hottest Live Shots
Previously:
• Tour Kick-Offs: Weezer, Kings of Leon and More