Cullen Ronan:
Alternative rock leads the charge for 2018’s festival season, with artists including Jack White, Queens of the Stone Age and The Killers finding their names atop the bill for more than just one festival in the coming year. But variety is important for each and every festival, and for this reason alone, Boston Calling is one of the more intriguing lineups released so far.
Eminem, The Killers and Jack White will be headlining the stage at Boston’s premier music gathering, and the event as a whole this year has done a fantastic job in creating an environment any music fan can enjoy. This year, support ranges from indie rock projects like Portugal. The Man, Fleet Foxes and Royal Blood to some of the biggest names in hip-hop and rhythm and blues, including Bryson Tiller, Khalid and Tyler, The Creator. Although the bill may be smaller in terms of the number of artists who will be performing, you’re certainly getting bang for your buck, as the talent for the one-day affair is on par with even the most storied of festivals.
If headbanging is your thing, look no further than Columbus, Ohio’s Rock on the Range, a hard rock and metal festival through in through. The lineup is headlined by progressive metal pioneers, Tool, as well as grunge icons, Alice in Chains. From metalcore to radio rock, the support for the bill is dense with talent, featuring bands from across the country, including a revitalized Stone Temple Pilots and an extremely exciting up and coming punk project, “The Fever 333” lead by from former Letlive frontman Jason Aalon Butler, featuring members of Night Verses and The Chariot. There is talent from from top to bottom on this lineup and it is a must-see for any hard rock fan.
Every year, thousands gather in Colorado’s Coachella Valley for one of the most recognizable events in the history of outdoor music festivals. Despite the pop culture lore that seems to shroud the event, the 2018 Coachella lineup falls a bit short. While chart-toppers Eminem, Beyonce, and The Weeknd are universally recognizable names on top of the lineup as headliners, it seems for support, the festival has spread itself too thin. With over 40 performers each day, there are still a decent number of unrecognized names for even the most dedicated music fan. Despite an underwhelming amount of big-time performers, Coachella itself is about the experience just as much as it is about seeing your favorites perform, so regardless of who’s playing, it’ll be a memory cherished for a lifetime, and an event that shouldn’t be passed up if given the opportunity.
