Step by step, summertime is getting closer … the most beautiful period of the year with many festivals to choose from. One of those splendid festivals, is GentJazz, which takes place from July 8 to July 19 in the gardens of De Bijloke, one of the most beautiful sites of the city, an ideal environment for those who like to be busy with music, dance and other forms of art.

Louis Molinary is convinced that the Stones wouldn’t really care if he wasn’t able to make his mortgage next month.  The fifty-something real estate developer from Charleston, SC  is quick-stepping into the festival alongside me, headed back to the picking tents.  He tells me he’s new to bluegrass music and wants to hear some more, he said.. Until last year, when a longtime friend finally convinced him to come, Molinary had been more of a fan of The Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin.

A nasty day in February became much brighter when my Treo blew up as texts started flying in informing me that Rothbury 2009 was officially on.  After months of speculation and discussion about leases and bankruptcy and rumors of a possible alien abduction of any confirmed artists, this was fabulous news!

ROTHBURY unveils the "2-Day Sat & Sun Ticket," a reduced rate ticket that allows access to the show on Saturday, July 4 and Sunday, July 5.  Also announced today, the lineup schedule for ROTHBURY 2009 headliners - The String Cheese Incident (their only 2009 performance) will top the bill on Friday, July 3; The Dead (their only summer appearance) will headline on Saturday, July 4; and Bob Dylan and His Band and Willie Nelson & Family will wrap up the weekend on Sunday, July 5.

As the last notes of music rang out over the hillside and crews began dismantling stages, preliminary estimates showed that over the festival's four days more than 70,000 music fans filled the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro for MerleFest 2009, presented by Lowe's.  The weather in western North Carolina felt more like summer than spring, with sunny days and high temperatures in the '80s.  One storm blew through on Friday evening, delaying some of the performances for just a few minutes.

The 10,000 Lakes Festival (10KLF) announces single day tickets will be made available for Saturday, July 25.  A limited number of single day 10KLF music-only festival tickets go on sale Friday, April 24, starting at $75 for general admission and $99 for general admission and overnight camping.

The clock is ticking down the hours and minutes to MerleFest 2009, presented by Lowe's, which will begin its 22nd year of "Music, Moments and Memories" next Thursday, April 23, and wind up on Sunday, April 26, on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

The Northwest's premier acoustic music festival returns for its eighth year to beautiful Horning's Hideout in North Plains, Oregon, on July 17-18-19.  The family friendly event boasts three days of nearly all-acoustic music, culminating each night with main stage performances from musical hosts Yonder Mountain String Band, this year joined by special guest Danny Barnes (Danny Barnes with Bad Livers, Tim O'Brien Band).  Yonder Mountain String Band has been called the fastest growing acoustic band in history.

Guerilla Union has announced initial details for the 2009 installment of the critically acclaimed festival series ROCK THE BELLS--North America’s only hip-hop festival. Teaming with Budweiser for this year’s ROCK THE BELLS 2009 FESTIVAL SERIES, the festival features such headliners as Nas & Damian “Jr Gong” Marley, The Roots, Big Boi and Common plus many more major hip-hop artists.