As the “awards season” comes to a close with the all-mighty Academy Awards, we must all fill the void of hopeless wishing and watching for our favorite names to be called. Just as riveting, revealing and wonderfully candid, the world of music has its own list of champions soon to be posted:

The summer festival lineup.


Lineups are posted and edited for what seems like decades before the actual artists take the stage, yet the early speculation and set list calculation is in the likes of “fantasy football;” we all secretly hope to hear the names of a dream team of artists. While many headliners have already been announced from coast to coast, the debacle as to which festival offers the loudest decibel for your dollar is ever-present. Unlike a single concert, many important factors make up the perfect summer concert festival experience: cost, location and, of course, musical variety are all things to keep in mind. A complicated choice to make? Of course. But alas! I am here with festival experience in my pocket to bring you “The Summer Series Breakdown.”

Coachella
As the closest summer series, Coachella brings the heat in several senses. In the heart of Indio, California, the festival pays annual homage to the classic festival combination of music and camping all on the same grounds. True, camping in the desert that is Indio is not the most ideal situation, yet I commend their efforts for really trying to create a true, full weekend of musical bonding. This year, Coachella has announced Jay-Z, Muse, MGMT, and Spoon as a few of the artists scheduled to appear. As an indie-rock enthusiast, I can admit that Coachella usually draws the biggest names in the genre out of all the major festivals. Because of this, the price reflects the grand showcase of talent you will see from April 16-18: $269.00 (plus additional humanitarian donation fees). In whole, Coachella is for the rugged rocker with a few bucks to spend.

Bonnaroo
Held in Manchester, Tennessee, Bonnaroo is a hard-hitting contender in the fight for festival greatness. Also offering camping, Bonnaroo is simply a classic festival, specializing in several genres, all coming together for the communal love of music at its finest. With travel, of course, Bonnaroo will hit your bank account harder than the standard $249.00 weekend pass for the festival, but in my opinion, summer festivals are the best reason to leave Los Angeles behind and take to the open roads of the United States. As well, Bonnaroo is showcasing talents such as Dave Matthews Band, The Flaming Lips, and even Stevie Wonder. Indeed, Bonnaroo is the perfect festival for the eclectic ear looking for an adventurous trip.

Lollapalooza
Looking to head eastward, but not a fan of the great south? Lollapalooza understands. This festival in the heart of Chicago offers a sampling of the best artists as a perfect way to end the summer. Though “Lolla” does not release the majority of its set list until next month, the festival has announced that Lady Gaga and Green Day will be among the participants of the festival, running August 6-8. In all honesty, Lollapalooza has taken a lot of flack for booking their headliners based on popularity, rather than quality (no offense, Gaga-ites), but as a four-time Lollapalooza attendee and Chicago native, I’m here to defend the city of wind.

Lollapalooza is something different just because of its stunning location. It blows my mind that a festival of such great magnitude can survive, literally, right in the center of skyscrapers and taxicabs, but somehow, thankfully, they pull it off every year. There is truly nothing as spectacular as looking at the skyline while listening to your favorite act. Ticket prices usually run a bit cheaper (prices are TBA at the moment), but one downside of the festival for eastward trailers is that it does not offer camping (for, I believe camping in a city is called being homeless). Lollapalooza is for the concert-goer looking for a weekend of sight-seeing, music, and fully sensory experience.

And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. Amidst a musical affair, the choices are limitless! As well, I advise you to look into other great festivals such as Sasquatch Festival and Pitchfork Music Festival. So go forth and set some dates to enjoy the sights, sounds and simply unforgettable experiences that are sure to come with the 2010 summer concert festivals nationwide.