I’ve gone almost every year since '71 and this is THE best year for the “free” music. Get in free with a can of food or a kid’s book (or pay a whole $13), and wander between a dozen stages with top-notch acts.
Sure, there are acts you can pay for (Linda McCartney’s husband’ll be there, Weezer, Alabama Shakes, Sting getting help from Peter Gabriel)…
But the free stuff is just as good.
Last night was Garbage doing possibly the tightest show I’ve ever seen. Hey Marseille and X Ambassadors were near-perfect. Saw Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson being legendary. Tonight you can just stroll through your childhood (Cheap Trick, 38 Special, Kool & The Gang), then over to The Decemberists and The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and end up watching hometown boys The Violent Femmes.
Saturday i’ll get there early for Neil Finn, Ides of March, Howard Jones, OMD, then in the evening, Chris Isaak, barenaked ladies, Death Cab for Cutie (wasn’t that a Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band song?), and Ben Folds. Hmmm, maybe I’ll go the last night for Ryan Adams, too.
Summerfest is the center of my Venn Diagram of Good Bands/Great Food/Super Cheap. I highly recommend jumping in the car and getting there this weekend.