22 June 27th-July 3rd, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Summer Sounds 10 out-of-town music festivals worth leaving Phoenix for. BY CHRIS COPLAN A dmittedly, the Valley has some great festival offer- ings, including M3F and Innings Festival. But what do you do when it’s a little later in summer and you still want to see live music while avoiding 113-degree temperatures? Why, a road trip. Whether you’re going to Vegas, Los Angeles or heading out to the Midwest, there’s a stacked calendar of great summer music fests. How, then, do you choose the one right for you (and your wallet and schedule)? We’ve gone ahead and orga- nized some of the season’s most impressive fests. So whether you’re all about alt rock, soul, folk or some joyous genre mish-mash, we’ve got your summer plans already outlined. Just don’t forget the sunscreen. Summerfest Milwaukee June 27 to 29 and July 4 to 6 There’s a reason they call Summerfest the “world’s largest musical fest” — if you can run for three separate weekends for some 56 years, then you’re clearly doing some- thing right. But the appeal of Summerfest isn’t just about its duration; it continually presents some rather compelling and multifaceted lineups year after year. The 2024 headliners alone include Tyler Childers (June 27 to 29) and Maroon 5 (July 4 to 6). If that musical smorgasbord wasn’t enough, Summerfest takes place at a couple dozen or so venues/stages citywide, giving you an excuse to meander across the many neighborhoods of greater Milwaukee. Summerfest is a proper test of your summer festival endurance, and if you make it through even one-tenth of the acts, you’ll be more than entertained. Must-See Headliner: Tyler Childers Undercard Standouts: Carly Rae Jepsen and MUNA Essence Music Festival New Orleans July 4 to 7 Maybe it’s not the biggest event on this list, but Essence Music Festival is still called the “party with a purpose.” Because if you were just seeking out great music, the 2024 lineup once again delivers with perfor- mances from Janet Jackson, Charlie Wilson, The Roots, Raphael Saadiq and many more, plus Birdman hosting “30 Years of Cash Money” and Usher commemorating 20 years of his “Confessions” album. But Essence is so, so much more than just the music, and the event features everything from celebrity panels and workshops to courses on finance and parenting, all in the name of promoting “Black excellence.” Then, if you somehow still need more to do, you’re smack dab in the food and arts mecca that is New Orleans. Now, party like you really mean it. Must-See Headliner: Usher Undercard Standouts: Big Boi and T-Pain Minnesota Yacht Club St. Paul, Minn. July 19 and 20 Admittedly, Minnesota Yacht Club isn’t as big or as long-running as some of the other fests on this list. In some ways, it’s a lot like the Twin Cities’ take on our own Innings Fest (only with yachts and not baseball). That’s because the two-day fest, which takes place from the scenic Harriet Island Regional Park, features a diverse (albeit ’90s-leaning lineup) of Gwen Stefani, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Alanis Morissette, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts and many more. Similarly, there are some great features of St. Paul outside of the yachting and water- works, with a rich downtown scene packed with great restaurants and gastro-pubs galore. Is it their version of Tempe? Sure, if you want to boil it down so simplistically. But if you like rock music and good grub, you’ll pretty much be at home either way. Must-See Headliner: Gwen Stefani Undercard Standouts: The Hold Steady and Durry Pitchfork Festival Chicago July 19 to 21 Pitchfork Festival is, in all the ways that really count, one of the premier music festivals in the U.S. Over the last 20-ish years, it’s served as a showcase for both up-and-coming indie acts as well as a slew of beloved legacy artists. Sure, there was some uncertainty earlier this year when the publication was set to be “folded” into GQ, with many unclear about how that restructure might affect the fest at large. But based on the lineup — which includes Black Pumas, 100 gecs, Jeff Rosenstock, Billy Woods & Kenny Sega and Amen Dunes, among others — it seems like the spirit of the Pitchfork Fest remains generally intact. Pitchfork is ultimately about a streamlined, frills-free experience for serious music-heads, and this lineup will show you exactly who you should be repping over the next several years. Must-See Headliner: Jai Paul Undercard Standouts: Black Duck and Crumb Newport Folk Festival Newport, R.I. July 26 to 28 In 2024, the Newport Folk Festival will celebrate 65 maddening years. And in that time, the fest has been home to some massive moments in music history, including serving as the event where Bob Dylan “went electric” way back in 1965. But perhaps the most impressive feature of Newport is that it’s evolved and expanded over that seven decades, and this year’s lineup demonstrates that it’s not just about great folk (even as that’s very much still a feature). Between the soul-rock of Brittany Howard, the wonder that is Bertha: Grateful Drag, punk rockers Dropkick Murphys, hip-hop from Killer Mike and the country stylings of Orville Peck — plus folk from Hozier to Joan Baez — Newport has become a reflection of music’s true time- and culture-spanning power. Newport is an OG like few others. Must-See Headliner: Adrianne Lenker Undercard Standouts: Petey and Shovels and Rope Lollapalooza Chicago Aug. 1 to 4 Is it somehow cheating to have two separate fests emanating from Chicago? Perhaps, but no list about summer music festivals is complete without Lollapalooza. It is, in many ways, the pioneer of this ▼ Music