Best of the Fests

It’s summer—which means it’s summer festival season! To help you sort out through SoCal’s abundant bounty of tours, festivals and live music extravaganzas, we’ve boiled down the can’t-miss events right here.

By David Jenison

VANS WARPED TOUR

What’s Up With This: A traveling punk circus that books roughly 100 bands per show, Vans Warped Tour is the country’s premiere music festival aimed at the surf-skate-snow crowd. While they occasionally book a Katy Perry, the tour generally features punk, metalcore, alt-rap and hardcore acts as well as a half-pipe for skaters selected by local shops.

Mark Your Calendar: July 1.

Location, Location, Location: Pomona Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona, (909) 623-3111.

Who’s Playing: Gym Class Heroes, Jack’s Mannequin, 3OH!3, The Devil Wears Prada, Sum 41, Paramore and Unwritten Law.

Info: HYPERLINK “http://vanswarpedtour.com/”vanswarpedtour.com.

HARD SUMMER

What’s Up With This: L.A.’s best and safest dance festival returns to downtown with four stages, top-notch electronic artists and a new curfew pushed back to 2 in the morning. Housed at a historic 32-acre park near several metro stops, HARD is an 18+ party with special drinking areas and four stages including James Murphy’s DFA Tent.

Mark Your Calendar: Aug. 6.

Location, Location, Location: Los Angeles State Historic Park, 1245 N. Spring St., downtown Los Angeles, (323) 441-8819.

Who’s Playing: Duck Sauce, Chromeo, Boys Noize, Odd Future, James Murphy (ex-LCD Soundsystem) and Pat Mahoney.

Info: www.hardfest.com.

THE HOOTENANNY

What’s Up With This: The Hootenanny, a name that alludes to old-time folk music parties, celebrates its 17th year with Celtic punk headliners the Dropkick Murphys and several veteran rockabilly and alt-country artists. The custom car show is one of the many highlights that make this music fest a real cultural event.

Mark Your Calendar: July 2.

Location, Location, Location: Oak Canyon Ranch, 4700 Santiago Canyon Rd., Silverado Canyon, (714) 740-2000.

Who’s Playing: Dropkick Murphys, Royal Crown Revue, 3 Bad Jacks and festival regulars the Reverend Horton Heat and Supersuckers. It appears Mike Ness finally gets a year off.

Info: www.thehootenanny.com.

JOHNNY CASH MUSIC FESTIVAL

What’s Up With This: Artists play original tunes and Johnny Cash covers at this festival dedicated to the Man in Black. Taking place Father’s Day weekend, the event includes a hot rod gallery, kid’s corral, pin-up girl pageant and other attractions that make this ticket a better gift for dad than that necktie you’ve been eyeing.

Mark Your Calendar: June 18.

Location, Location, Location: Ventura Fairgrounds, 10 Harbor Blvd., Ventura, (805) 648-3376.

Who’s Playing: Kris Kristofferson, the Blasters, X, PeeWee Moore, Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats and the Cash on the Line tribute band.

Info: johnnycashmusicfestival.com.

KCRW’S WORLD FESTIVAL

What’s Up With This: Now in its 13th season, this summer concert series showcases sounds from around the globe. This year’s programs include a musical voyage to India with Slumdog Millionaire’s Oscar-winning composer, a multi-genre Japanese pop night and a tribute to late French maestro Serge Gainsbourg performed with a full orchestra.

Mark Your Calendar: June 26, July 10, 24, 31, Aug. 28, Sept. 11.

Location, Location, Location: Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 850-2000.

Who’s Playing: A.R. Rahman, Beck, Cibo Matto, Stevie Wonder, Grace Potter, Ziggy Marley, Sean Lennon, The National and Neko Case.

Info: www.kcrw.com/events/world-music-festival-2011.

KJAZZ BLUES BASH

What’s Up With This: Beloved by blues fans for keeping the tunes on the airwaves, Cal State Long Beach radio now brings the music to the stage with its Blues Bash. The festival features free concerts and a street fair during the day, while ticket holders fill the performing arts center at night for the main event.

Mark Your Calendar: September 4.

Location, Location, Location: Carpenter Performing Arts Center, California State University Long Beach, 6200 Atherton St., Long Beach, (562) 985-7000.

Who’s Playing: Keb’ Mo’ Band, Jon Cleary, Guitar Shorty, the Arthur Adams Band and Give Me Back My Wig.

Info: www.jazzandblues.org/events/lbbf/2010/microsite/

LA RISING

What’s Up With This: Rage Against the Machine did a benefit concert last summer, but the L.A. band still hasn’t done a proper hometown show since Slick Willie was in office. Maybe Ashcroft had them locked away in Gitmo, but Rage is back and headlining the Coliseum. Now the only question is, “Are you gonna do what they told ya?”

Mark Your Calendar: July 30.

Location, Location, Location: L.A. Memorial Coliseum, 3911 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, (213) 741-1338.

Who’s Playing: Rage Against the Machine, Muse, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Rise Against, Immortal Technique and El Gran Silencio.

Info: www.lacoliseumlive.com/joomla.

MAKE MUSIC PASADENA

What’s Up With This: Over a dozen stages will dot downtown Pasadena during this free, all-day, all-ages music festival. Baby bands, veteran acts and a slew of KCRW DJs make for a diverse line-up, while having an Indie Rock Stage presented by mortgage mogul Wells Fargo provides the irony.

Mark Your Calendar: June 18.

Location, Location, Location: 16 different stages located throughout Pasadena.

Who’s Playing: Spain, Best Coast, Ra Ra Riot, Hello Seahorse!, The Morning Benders, Ben L’Oncle Soul, The B Side Players, Saint Motel and Zola Jesus.

Info: www.makemusicpasadena.org/program.html.

REGGAE ’PON THE MOUNTAIN

What’s Up With This: Billed as L.A.’s No. 1 homegrown reggae festival, ’Pon the Mount enters its second year with a crowd that should top 3,000 people. Wailing Souls, a triple-Grammy-nominated group dating back to the late ’60s, headlines the event with proceeds benefiting the Topanga Community Club.

Mark Your Calendar: July 9.

Location, Location, Location: Topanga Community Club, 1440 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., (310) 633-3033.

Who’s Playing: Wailing Souls, Rootz Underground, Rocky Dawuni, Bodhi Rock and Jah Beloved.

Info: HYPERLINK “http://reggaeponthemountain.com/”reggaeponthemountain.com.

ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL

What’s Up With This: This SoCal date kicks off the five-week fest founded by Kevin Lyman (Warped Tour, Taste of Chaos). Disturbed, who impressively claim four straight No. 1 albums including 2010’s Asylum, headlines the Mayhem, while cartoon-to-stage Dethklok is the reason to arrive early. Testament will make a special SoCal-only appearance.

Mark Your Calendar: July 9.

Location, Location, Location: San Manuel Amphitheater, 2575 Glen Helen Pkwy., San Bernardino, (909) 880-6500.

Who’s Playing: Disturbed, Godsmack, Megadeth, Machine Head, In Flames, Trivium, Dethklok and Testament.

Info: rockstarmayhemfest.com.

ROCK THE BELLS

What’s Up With This: This year’s hip-hop fest takes a novel approach by having artists perform their most seminal album in its entirety. Slated performances include Ghostface Killah and Raekwon’s Cuban Linx, Cypress Hill’s Black Sunday, Nas’ Illmatic, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and a reunited Black Star rockin‘ their eponymous classic. What an awesome idea!

Mark Your Calendar: Aug. 20.

Location, Location, Location: San Manuel Amphitheater, 2575 Glen Helen Parkway, San Bernardino, (909) 880-6500.

Who’s Playing: Nas, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Cypress Hill, Black Starr, Souls of Mischief, Erykah Badu, and the Wu-Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah and Raekwon.

Info: HYPERLINK “http://rockthebells.net/”rockthebells.net.

SOCAL YOUTH TAKEOVER FESTIVAL

What’s Up With This: This positive teen-centered event features live music, games, giveaways, a fashion show, and poetry and dance contests in a safe environment. Proceeds benefit local youth charities, which will be on hand dispensing educational information. Young Whitmans and JabbaWockeez in training can visit the website for info on entering the contests.

Mark Your Calendar: Aug. 13.

Location, Location, Location: LA Center Studios, 1201 West 5th St., Los Angeles, (818) 415-1085.

Who’s Playing: YG, The Rejects, Kerli, Audio Push, Nylon Pink and Cristi.

Info: www.ytofestival.com.

SUNSET JUNCTION STREET FAIR

What’s Up With This: When gays flocked to Silver Lake in the late ’70s, the first Sunset Junction was held to help ease the tensions with the local Latino community. Over three decades later, this annual event draws the entire city with big-name music acts, rides, vendors and food. Now if only they could ease tensions between latte-sipping liberals and silver needle tea partiers.

Mark Your Calendar: Aug. 27-28.

Location, Location, Location: 3600-4400 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 661-7771.

Who’s Playing: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Butthole Surfers, Hanson, Melvins, Morgan Page, Cold Blank, Art Brut, Tapes ‘n Tapes and a DJ set by Peaches.

Info: www.sunsetjunction.org.

SUNSET STRIP MUSIC FESTIVAL

What’s Up With This: Four years running, this three-night fest pays tribute to the musical heritage of Hollywood’s Sunset Strip. The event kicks off with a night honoring Mötley Crüe’s contributions to music and sex tapes and concludes Saturday with an outdoor party right on the Strip. Performers have yet to be announced, but festival alums include Ozzy, Slash and Fox News fave Common.

Mark Your Calendar: Aug. 18-20.

Location, Location, Location: Sunset Strip between San Vicente and Doheny (Friday night in the clubs, Saturday on the outside stage), Los Angles, (310) 659-7368.

Who’s Playing: TBA June 15.

Info: www.sunsetstripmusicfestival.com.