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With the hot days and warm nights of summer approaching, the concert season is also coincidentally heating up. Not only are the standard configuration tours hitting stadiums, sheds and arenas, but the US is now seeing an explosion in the number of big festival dates which are attracting the biggest names in music today.

The almost-annual festivals such as Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits and Coachella are now being joined by the All Points Festival, Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival, Langerado, Pemberton (in Canada, but that’s pretty much the US) and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

I know that I am probably missing some big ones and for sure missing some small ones, but why are there suddenly so many big summer festivals? In Europe, it is expected to be greeted each summer with a Glastonbury, T in the Park, Rock AM Ring, Rock in Rio (strangely in Portugal) and the Montreux Jazz Festival.

While festivals allow rabid fans and casual fans to see many of their favorite artists at a single venue with multiple stages, there are a couple unavoidable hiccups in any festival situation:

- Overlapping times of must-see performances

- Travel time

- Parking

- Cost (especially if you’re really gunning to only see a couple acts)

- The sheer size of the crowd on an open field for the must-see acts

- The sad reality of not seeing the band if you’re vertically challenged on a flat field

- Oh, and coupled with the heat, alcohol and being on your dancing feet all day… sheer exhaustion

It’s a lot of fun… I promise!

Arthur C. Clarke…. enjoy the stars