In a precedent-setting move for American music festivals, ALL POINTS WEST MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL organizers have just confirmed the U.S. festival debut of JAY-Z.  The hip-hop superstar and pop culture icon will take over the headlining slot for the opening night (Friday, July 31) of the critically acclaimed annual event. 

The seventh annual 10,000 Lakes Festival opened yesterday to a large crowd that seemed small. This was partly due to the fact that the Main Stage had two acts running against the Saloon Stage (called the Vitamin Water Syn Saloon Stage this year). The Field Stage and Barn Stages were dark until 11:30 pm. This meant that the focus of last night’s audience was on the Main Stage acts: Gomez and Widespread Panic. Unfortunately, this drew some of the crowd away from the acts up the hill at the Saloon.

The group that has for more than 13 years brought you Quixote’s True Blue, Sancho’s Broken Arrow, Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom, Dulcinea’s 100th Monkey and Owsley’s Golden Road, is making their foray into the festival business with Dancin’ In The Streets, which is set for Aug. 7, 8 and 9.

Borrowing a thought from another Grateful Web writer, I’d say that you can tell a lot about a festival by how it handles its second year.  No festival is ever perfect, and the first year is definitely the experimental year.  In the second year, you get to see how the festival responds to the demands placed upon it by its patrons.  Do things get better or worse, smoother or more of a hassle?  Last weekend, July 18th and 19th, I boogied on down to the second annual Mile High Music Festival just outside Denver, Colorado.  Having rocked

Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero met as teenagers in Mexico City. Both heavy metal fanatics at that time, they decided to combine their talents in the metal group Tierra Acida. They recorded an album, but wouldn’t sign the record contract. Instead, they decided to concentrate on learning more guitar styles. They survived by teaching lessons during the day and playing bossa novas in hotel bars at night. One day, they decided to take a step in the unknown and traveled to Europe. They ended up in Dublin, where they still are based today.

MONOLITH FESTIVAL presented by Esurance returns to Red Rocks Amphitheatre on September 12th and 13th with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs headlining Saturday night, and The Mars Volta topping the bill on Sunday. The festival debuted in 2007 as the first multi-day, multi-stage festival ever held at Red Rocks - Colorado's beloved outdoor venue. Monolith was instantly adopted as an indie fan favorite and a staple of the summer festival season.

Fans attending the Camp Bisco festival in Mariaville, NY, this weekend will have a chance to win a free spot at the upcoming Caribbean Holidaze Festival (Dec. 10-14) in Runaway Bay, Jamaica – just by writing letters to their Congressional representatives or showing off their prowess at political and music trivia.

The journey to All Good began by taking several meandering West Virginia roads. The only sign of a 4-day concert being this way was the countless police officers patrolling the road. As I got further and further down the rabbit hole signs started to pop up, marking the way to All Good, and also to respect the private property of those fortunate souls that live along side the road. Another repeating sign reminded motorists to stay in their vehicles; apparently people have chosen to hike the 3 miles rather than wait for the traffic to clear.

Seaside Park is abuzz as stages, mobile office trailers, fence-lines, restrooms and shower trucks settle into place for the 14th annual Gathering of the Vibes festival, which runs from Thursday, July 23rd through Sunday, July 26th.

With just 5 days until Colorado's second annual Mile High Music Festival, today festival organizers announce the weekend's performance schedule.  Five stages will host 50 bands during the two-day festival, with music beginning at 11:15 am each day and going until 2 am on Saturday and 12:30 am on Sunday. Mile High Music Festival has also unveiled the 2009 Site Map.  Visit www.milehighmusicfestival.com for complete details and to purchase tickets.