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9 nostalgic summer music festivals that will make you wish you were there
Take a look back at these 9 iconic summer music festivals from past decades. Which one would you relive again?
Who doesn't love a rockin' music festival? It's that time of the year where music festivals are popping up all over the country. There are so many these days it's hard to choose just one! Whether you go for the music, the festival food, the memories, the travel or just the vibes, it's a fun way to spend your summer.
There are many music festivals such as Lollapalooza, Coachella and Summerfest that took influence from the past. Here are nine iconic and memorable summer music festivals that took the world by storm. Which one would you go back in time to relive for the first time, or relive again?
1. Newport Folk Festival
1959, Rhode Island
The Newport Folk Festival originally began in 1959 as a counterpart to the Newport Jazz Festvial. This festival had one goal in mind: put folk music on the map. The festival still continues today. Throughout the decades some major names to grace the stage include: Bob Dylan, Crosby, Stills & Nash, The Allman Brothers Band and Pixies. If you love folk music, this one is for you!
Image credit: NPR
2. Monterey Pop Music Festival
1967, California
The Monterey Pop Music Festival was a three-day festival in California. The festival is remembered for first major American appearences by Jimi Hendrix, The Who and Ravi Shankar. It was also the first large-scale performance from Janis Joplin and was the introduction to Otis Redding. The festival has a rich history behind it. It also represented counterculture with various groups, such as The Flower Children making their first appearence. It was said to be a templete for Woodstock. We'd travel back in time for this one!
Image credit: Pinterest
3. Miami Pop Festival
1968, Florida
Can you imagine a festival featuring Three Dog Night, Grateful Dead, Fleetwood Mac and Marvin Gaye? This festival was your dream if you answered yes to all of the above. This festival had two major things in common with Woodstock, which took place the following year. Michael Lang was one of the promoters on both and Jimi Hendrix was the headlining act at each festival. 100,000 people came out to this one. Do you remember this one?
Image Credit: Pinterest
4. Woodstock
1969, New York
Woodstock is one of the most iconic music festivals of all time. Were you lucky enough to have gone? It was billed as "Three Days of Peace & Music." It brought in more than 400,000 people from all over the world. It was the festival most pivotal to music history and counterculture. This festival featured performances by Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Grateful Dead. Woodstock is still celebrated today and its currently in its 50th anniversary.
Image Credit: CBC
5. Altamont Free Concert
1969, California
The Altamont Speedway Free Concert was a counterculture rock festival held at the Altamont Speedway outside of Livermore, California. 300,000 people attended this event. Many considered it to be the "Woodstock of the West." It featured many favorites such as Santana, Jefferson Airplane and the Rolling Stones.
Despite many people wanting this show to be the "Woodstock of the West," it was actually remembered for its violence. There was one death, three accidental deaths, one overdose that lead to drowning and two hit-and-runs.
Image Credit: Pinterest
6. Summer Jam '73
1973, New York
This festival once received a Guiness Book of World Records entry for "largest audience at a pop festival." An estimated 600,000 fans came out to see The Allman Brothers, Grateful Dead, The Band and more. Were you one of the 600,000 people in attendance?
Image Credit: Pinterest
7. Lollapalooza
1991, Chicago
Lollapalooza is still one of the biggest music festivals of the summer. The first ever Lollapalooza took place in 1991 as a touring event through the U.S. and Canada. Lollapalooza doesn't focus on one genre of music in the four-day festival, rather it is a celebration of rap, electronic, rock, alternative, pop and everything in between. The original lineup was: Jane's Addiction, Nine Inch Nails, Ice-T, Violent Femmes and more. Are you going to Lollapalooza this year? Let us know how many years you've been!
Image Credit: Red Bull
8. Warped Tour
1995, Touring
People in band shirts, emo kids and moshers are at the forefront of Vans Warped Tour. No longer around, Warped Tour started in 1995 and became America's biggest and longest-running music tour festival. It featured bands such as A Day to Remember, AFI, The All-American Rejects, Deftones, Jimmy Eat World and so much more. In 2019, rumors started that Warped Tour would make a comeback. We can only hope! Would you go?
Image Credit: Variety
9. Ozzfest
1996, Touring
Calling all metal heads! The first Ozzfest was a two day festival held in Phoenix, Arizona and Devore, California. It was founded by Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne. It featured many performances by heavy metal and hard rock groups. Ozzy and Black Sabbath played the tour over many years. Did you ever go to Ozzfest?
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63 Comments
Led Zeppelin
The Doors
Chuck Berry
And more . . .
Would loved to have seen The Doors or Beatles in concert!😊
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goose_Lake_International_Music_Festival