www.summerfest.com
Summerfest is probably my favorite non-food/drink-centered aspect of Milwaukee. For those of you who don't know, Summerfest is widely regarded as the world's largest annual music festival. This year, it will run from June 30 to July 10 and will feature 9 stages and ~1000 acts. Back in the glory days, I would normally be able to find an act worth seeing every night, but quality and freshness of acts have gone down a bit in recent years. Regardless, Summerfest rocks. If you're down there, look for the guy having the best time...that's me. Here's what methinks I'll be checking out this year.
July 1 - Mississippi Cactus & Rusted Root
Don't know much about MC. I have friends who saw them last year and will be showing again this year. RR, though not really my type of music, seriously impressed me opening for Santana a few years back. Plus I'm skipping opening night for the first time in years, and Phantom Planet, Sugar Ray, and Crossfade are other free-show headliners, so pickings are thin. Tom Petty/Black Crowes is the big draw of the night, but they've headlined three of the last 4 years, and they're not worth a repeat in my book.
July 2 - Talib Kweli
July 3 - Shinedown (I'm leaving after Simple Man)
July 5 - Kool & the Gang
I might go try to stomach Seether afterward, but don't count on it.
July 6 - Journey
The show starts early enough that I should be able to trek all the way back across the grounds in time to catch a good chunk of Local H.
July 7 - The Fray / Pixies / Weezer
Hell yes.
July 8 - Altar Bridge
Just kidding. I'm taking this night off.
July 9 - O.A.R.
Not kidding this time. Decent show, plus it's easily the hottest chick crowd at Summerfest on an annual basis. Jerry Cantrell's new band is playing at the same time...that's a damn shame.
July 10 - Pete Yorn
If he's lucky, I'll feel like going to his show. He was great opening for the Foo Fighters, but I'll prolly be musiced out by the end of Summerfest.