2015 was an amazing year in the world of music festivals, and we have proof. Here are 10 of the best festivals that debuted this year, stunning audiences with their location, lineup, or just by virtue of being quirky and fun!
1. Eaux Claires, Wisconsin
When: July, 2015
Where: Eau Claire, Wisconsin, USA
Curated by Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver) & Aaron Dessner (of The National), this festival came about as a means to create an experience for both, the artists and the audience. With their claim to fame being the amazing line up that is in store, as well as a picturesque 20-acre farm with three stages located in the beautiful city of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, right along the banks of the Chippewa River, this festival was one to reckon with. Bon Iver returned to public performance after six whole years, and the lineup had the likes of Sufjan Stevens, The National. There were amazing art installations, film screenings and even a Brass Band Parade!
2. CRSSD
When: October, 2015
Where: San Diego, USA
After a successful premiere early this year at San Diego’s beautiful Waterfront Park, CRSSD festival made its return on October 10-11 for what became another two days of thrill and excitement. Coming back with a fall edition, and with a stellar lineup, made its mark as one of the best music festivals of the year. The Flaming Lips, Kygo, Giorgio Moroder, Jamie XX and Bonobo were part of the amazing list of electronic artists playing at CRSSD. Unlike other hedonistic electronic music festivals, this event managed to retain a warm and intimate spirit, along with awesome music.
3. Landmark Music Festival
When: September, 2015
Where: Washington DC. USA
With names like Drake, The Strokes, Alt J, Chvrches, George Ezra and Ben Howard, the inaugural Landmark Music Festival has been initiated to celebrate one thing – the legacy of the National Mall in Washington, DC. The Landmark Music Festival, was held on September 26-27, has been kickstarted to direct attention and possible funds towards the heritage site, by using music as the instrument of togetherness. Despite being in its debut year, this festival was a massive success, which is not surprising considering the lineup it had!
(Images via: Landmark Music Festival/Facebook)
4. Billboard Hot 100 Music Festival
When: August, 2015
Where: New York, USA
With a record attendance of 40,000, this festival boasted some massive names on the lineup. With performances by Kygo, Nicki Minaj, Skrillex and Justin Bieber, the entire weekend was an overwhelming success. The Weeknd, Axwell^Ingrosso, Lil Wayne, Jason Derulo and New Politics were some of the other names on the extremely crowd-pleasing lineup. Some of the best moments of the festival were when Justin Bieber made a surprise appearance during Skrillex’s set, and when The Weeknd flawlessly covered Beyonce.
5. Woogie Weekend
When: July, 2015
Where: Silverado, California, USA
What began as a mini-Lightning in a Bottle Festival, Woogie Weekend reiterated LIB’s core idea, which is ‘Leave it Better, Leave it Beautiful’. This July, Oak Canyon Park in Silverado, CA played host to the first ever Woogie Weekend. But acts like Tara Brooks, progressive legend Nick Warren, J.Phlip, Desert Hearts made sure that the festival’s music scored big! One thing that stood out about Woogie Weekend were the scheduled two hour sets that allowed the DJs ample time to build a vibe and give the crowd a true journey.
6. A Summer’s Tale
When: August, 2015
Where: Luhmühlen, Germany
Making its debut this summer was an offbeat offering from Germany, a summer festival that stayed true to its seasonal deliverance – bringing together some fine collection of folk and rock musicians, along with delectable establishments of food and wine, accompanied with a great curation of art. In the scenic green spaces of Luhmühlen, Germany, the festival came to life the first weekend of August, with artists like Patti Smith, Damien Rice, Tori Amos, Belle and Sebastian, Zaz, and some other amazing folk rock musicians!
7. Dirtybird Campout
When: August, 2015
Where: Silverado, California, USA
In the same year Dirtybird celebrated its tenth anniversary as the renowned San Francisco record label decided to throw their own curated weekend of music, games and camaraderie. Some of Dirtybird’s most well-known artists threw down memorable sets, notably, Ardalan, Justin Martin, and J. Phlip. A music festival with activities almost as fun as a summer camp, Dirtybird Campout had Native American styled teepees housing arts and crafts activities, potato sack races, a kick ball tourney, and a whole bunch of other fun stuff you’ve secretly wanted to do for a long time.
8. Bestival Toronto
When: June, 2015
Where: Toronto, Canada
Bestival is one of the more modest, aesthetically pleasing festivals to gain ground in United Kingdom. This popular British festival headed for its first Canadian edition, and also made the month of June a lot more exciting. Featuring artists like Florence + The Machine, Flume B2B SBTRKT, Caribou B2B Banks, Jamie XX B2B Nicole Moudaber, Nas and Flosstradamus among others, the indie and dance cred of the festival was at an obvious high.
9. The Wrecking Ball
When: August, 2015
Where: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
This festival lived up to its name as it made some major waves in the Georgia music scene. It was everything it intended to be, with a super-packed lineup that had something for everyone who grew up as a fan of 90’s punk in all of its various fashions, from pop punk to classic hardcore with a bit of emo and indie rock thrown into the mix for good measure. Superb acts like Chumped, Brick+Mortar, The Coathangers, Title Fight, Braid, The Movie Life, American Nightmare, and a lot of other bands in the punk rock scene filled the lineup, making sure the festival was definitely worth remembering.
(Images via: ghettoblastermagazine.com & subap.com)
10. Future Fusion Festival
When: April, 2015
Where: Near Johannesburg, South Africa
This fantastic electronic music adventure planned around Johannesburg took people on a ‘futuristic safari’ with one of the biggest contemporary line-ups in this part of Africa. The new festival donned a ‘Futuristic Safari’ theme and was held over seven carefully constructed stages and arenas to provide a multi-sensory experience, presenting over 60 international and local artists. These included a slew of brilliant first time performances in Africa. It was held in a mountainous setting, on a resort just 18 kilometres from Potchefstroom towards Vereeniging, south of Johannesburg.
