Summerfest 2008

Well, it’s almost here folks: Milwaukee’s Big Gig, Summerfest. Summerfest, deemed the World’s Largest Musical Festival by the Guinness World Records in 1999, has been around since 1967, and this year marks the festival’s 41st year.

The festival brings music, comedy, fireworks, kids’ attractions and much more to Milwaukee’s lakefront each and every year.

Summerfest showcases a myriad of types of bands ranging from classic rock to jazz to metal to country to alternative rock.

Previous years have brought bands like Death Cab For Cutie, Wilco, Violet Femmes, Silversun Pickups, Bob Dylan, Nine Inch Nails, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Rush, Ben Folds, Tool, Rusted Root, Steve Miller, Paul Simon, Journey, O.A.R., Nickelback, The Black Crowes, etc. (I could go on for ages about the number of bands that have played at the festival.)

This year’s festival begins June 26th and ends July 6th, 2008. Tickets are $15 (quite an increase from just five years ago..) and they grant you admission to the festival and all stages except for the Marcus Ampitheater. (Marcus tickets are sold separately and are for the major headliners.)

Bands/musicians playing this year include Stevie Wonder, They Might Be Giants, Three Dog Night, Gnarls Barkley, Sevendust, Dashboard Confessional, Blondie, Old 97’s, Jack’s Mannequin, The Polyphonic Spree, Joe Cocker, Matisyahu, Rascal Flatts, Paramore, Sean Kingston, Filter, Pat Benatar, Alkaline Trio, John Mayer, Coheed and Cambria, Finger Eleven, Alicia Keys, Tim McGraw, Plain White T’s, Gomez, Kansas, Stone Temple Piolets, Tom Petty, Cheap Trick, 311, The Bravery, Earth Wind and Fire, and Jakob Dylan.

For the full Summerfest lineup (or at least what has been announced so far), visit the festival’s website.

Personally, I feel like years past have been much better when it comes to the lineup. Where are all of the indie bands? Where are the bands like Wilco and Death Cab? I’m quite disappointed with this year’s selection, except for bands like Old 97’s and Jakob Dylan. (But that’s just two bands out of hundreds that play each year.)

But, oh well, I guess. Summerfest is still always a great time, and I highly recommend it for anyone who hasn’t been there before (unless of course you don’t like large crowds, because millions of people attend Summerfest each year. So, agoraphobics, stay away!)

If anyone plans on attending or wants to discuss Summerfest as a whole, please comment below…

Old 97’s- Designs on You (Acoustic)

Old 97’s- Nineteen