A packed summer of music quickly approaches, and Columbia’s middle-of-the-middle location is a boon to concertgoers willing to travel any which way.
Here are just 10 of this summer’s great music fests, all with a little different flavor, that are within a day’s drive from mid-Missouri.
May 27: Pointfest
Where: Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, St. Louis
Driving distance: Around 2 hours
Vibe: St. Louis radio stalwart 105.7 FM The Point focuses on the heavier side of radio friendly rock, though this year’s fest steers a bit farther afield from the metal orientation of previous years
Artists to catch: Incubus, Coheed and Cambria, White Reaper
Tickets: $22-$129
Website: https://www.1057thepoint.com/shows/pointfest-2023/
June 15-18: Bonnaroo
Where: Manchester, Tennessee
Driving distance: About 7 hours
Vibe: Anything and everything pop culture at this old-school meets new-school festival
Artists to catch: Foo Fighters, Paramore, Lil Nas X, My Morning Jacket, Jenny Lewis, Portugal. The Man, Fleet Foxes
Tickets: $175-$360 general admission
Website:https://www.bonnaroo.com/
June 16-17: Boulevardia
Where: Grand Boulevard at Crown Center in Kansas City
Driving distance: Around 2 hours
Vibe: An eclectic Midwestern affair that blends danceable indie-pop, stout songwriters and a varied array of regional talent
Artists to catch: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, The War and Treaty, The Beths, K. Flay
Tickets: $40-$219
Website:https://boulevardia.com/
June 17-18: WonderRoad
Where: Indianapolis
Driving distance: A little more than 5 hours
Vibe: Buoyant hooks will win the day, as WonderRoad features pop-forward artists in genres ranging from indie-rock to electronica, blues and alt-country
Artists to catch: Weezer, Local Natives, Marcus King, Tegan and Sara, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness
Tickets: $50-$150 for general admission; other packages vary
Website:https://www.wonderroadfest.com/
July 7-8: 80/35 Music Festival
Where: Downtown Des Moines
Driving distance: 4 hours
Vibe: Quality and quantity mark this fest, with thoughtful artists stretching across hip-hop, indie rock, folk and more experimental styles
Artists to catch: The War on Drugs, Big Boi, Sudan Archives, Deerhoof
Tickets: $55-$125 general admission
Website:https://www.80-35.com/
July 13-16: Windy City Smokeout
Where: United Center, Chicago
Driving distance: About 6 hours
Vibe: High-quality, high-energy country of all stripes set to the sights and smells of a good old-fashioned cookout
Artists to catch: Darius Rucker, Zach Bryan, Zac Brown Band, American Aquarium
Tickets: $54.95-$299 general admission
Website: https://www.windycitysmokeout.com/
July 21-23: Pitchfork
Where: Union Park, Chicago
Driving distance: About 6 hours
Vibe: Cutting-edge, critically-approved pop, rock and hip-hop
Artists to watch: Big Thief, Weyes Blood, The Smile, Alvvays, Killer Mike, Illuminati Hotties
Tickets: $109-$239, general admission
Website:https://pitchforkmusicfestival.com/
Aug. 3-6: Lollapalooza
Where: Grant Park, Chicago
Driving distance: About 6 hours
Vibe: Once the locus of ’90s alt-rock, Lollapalooza has evolved to enfold alternative-leaning talent in pop, electronica, hip-hop and more.
Artists to catch: Kendrick Lamar, The 1975, Lana Del Rey, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Carly Rae Jepsen
Tickets: $125-$375 general admission
Website:https://www.lollapalooza.com/
Aug. 4-6: Hinterland
Where: St. Charles, Iowa
Driving distance: About 4 hours
Vibe: An unassuming but oh-so-potent assembly of the best acts in indie pop and rock
Artists to catch: Maggie Rogers, Bon Iver, Sylvan Esso, Orville Peck, Angel Olsen
Tickets: $100-$250 general admission
Website:https://www.hinterlandiowa.com/
Aug. 26-27: Evolution Festival
Where: Forest Park, St. Louis
Driving distance: 2 hours
Vibe: Hoping to fill the LouFest-sized hole in concertgoers’ hearts, this inaugural fest packs a genre-fluid punch
Artists to catch: The Black Keys, Brandi Carlile, The Black Crowes, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, Brittany Howard, Ice Cube
Tickets: $149.50 and up
Website:https://www.evolutionfestival.com/
Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or by calling 573-815-1731. He’s on Twitter @aarikdanielsen.
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