Catch Willie Nelson, Jeff Beck, Primus, My Morning Jacket and More At Summer Music Festivals

Around this time each year, I do what a lot of music aficionados and concert-goers do as summer approaches: study and harshly critique festival line-ups as they are announced.

While I’d love to go to them all, time and money simply does not allow that. I’m eyeing a few in particular, so I thought I’d share with you five festivals I’m excited about.

DelFest

• I’ve found myself gravitating towards acoustic music and bluegrass recently, and this festival is a dream for that. Anchored by The Del McCoury Band, this festival features an all-star acoustic line-up that includes Old Crow Medicine Show, a rock ‘n’ roll folk band, Yonder Mountain String Band, an energetic string quartet, Warren Haynes, guitarist for the Allman Brothers Band and Gov’t Mule, and Punch Brothers, which features Nickel Creek’s Chris Thile on mandolin. If I go, I’ll be counting down the minutes until sets from The Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.
• When and where: May 26-29 in Cumberland, Md.
• Tickets: $75 to $130

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

• This is a no-brainer. If you can get down there, go. I’ve never been to NOLA, and it’s something I aim to correct as soon as I can. This line-up is overflowing with musical legends, up-and-comers and everything in between. Guitar guru Jeff Beck, blues legend Bobby Blue Bland, James Brown sax player Maceo Parker, Willie Nelson, country-blues guitarist Keb’ Mo’ and folk singer Arlo Guthrie are just a small sample of the talent gracing the festival. And you can even catch Kenny G! Seriously.
• When and where: April 29 – May 8 in New Orleans, La.
• Tickets: $45 for single day, $120 to $160 for weekends and VIP packages available

Summer Camp Festival

• A jamband haven, this festival takes place on the same weekend as DelFest in Chillicothe, Ill., and features headliners moe. and Umphrey’s McGee. Each band plays three or four full shows, and sit-ins between the two bands and other festival performers are frequent. They are joined by Widespread Panic, Cypress Hill, Girl Talk, Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, Keller Williams, Lotus and more. I’ve made the 13-hour drive four times and it’s always been worth it. I often make my way to the photo pit or backstage for some interviews, and had the opportunity to watch one of my favorite bands, Umphrey’s McGee, rehearse in their dressing room.
• When and where: May 27-29 in Chillicothe, Ill.
• Tickets: $150 and up

The All Good Festival

• All Good takes place on a beautiful mountain with breathtaking views in West Virginia. It’s main stage and second stage face the same field, so music doesn’t stop once the evening gets rolling, and there’s no overlap between featured acts. The line-up is stacked with Furthur, Primus, moe., Umphrey’s McGee, the John Butler Trio, Yonder Mountain String Band, Keller Williams, Galactic and Toots and the Maytals. One of the best things I’ve found from the All Goods I’ve attended is that you might find a great new band hidden early in the schedule.
  
• When and where: July 14-17 on Marvin’s Mountaintop in Masontown, W.Va.
• Tickets: $139 to $440

Wakarusa

• I’ve never made it to this one, but each year the line-up looks absolutely jaw-dropping. As always, this year features a variety of big names that cover a wide variety of the musical spectrum. There are almost too many names to fit, but I’ll point out some of favorites: My Morning Jacket, Ben Harper and RELENTLESS7, Thievery Corporation, Umphrey’s McGee, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Galactic and many, many more. Sounds like it would be a lot of running around between stages, but running from guitar wizard Buckethead’s set to catch someone like New Orleans-based Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue doesn’t sound so bad.
• When and where: June 2-5 in Ozark, Ark.
• Tickets: $154 to $595
• When and where: June 2-5 in Ozark, Ark.
• Tickets: $154 to $595

There's a lot of music to see, and if you've got the endurance and free time, I highly recommend taking a road trip to a festival this summer.