• Time Out New York
    • Time Out New York Kids
    • Time Out Worldwide
    • Travel
    • Book store
    • Subscribe to Time Out Chicago
    • Subscriber Services
  • Time Out Chicago
  • Ad Space
    (728 x 90)
  • Search
  •  
    • Home
    • Art & Design
    • Books
    • Clubs
    • Comedy
    • Dance
    • Film
    • Gay & Lesbian
    • Home & Living
    • Kids
    • Museums & Culture
    • Music
    • Opera & Classical
    • Restaurants & Bars
    • Sex & Dating
    • Shopping
    • Spas & Gyms
    • Sports & Rec
    • Theater
    • Travel
    • TV & DVD
  • « BACK TO SEARCH
    • In this series

      • Articles
        • Fair play

        • Toys of summer

        • Top three… places to cruise

        • Top three… antiques spots

        • October fests

        • September fests

        • August fests

        • July fests

        • June fests

        • May fests

        • Word on the street fest

        • Top three… fests worth the trek

        • Top three… contests

        • It’s a Toss-Up

        • Top three… fests for oenophiles

        • Season’s eatings

        • Summer School of Rock


    • Tools

      • E-mail

        E-mail a friend





        • * Mandatory

        • View our privacy policy
      • Print
      • Rate & comment
        [X]

        • (will not appear on site)
          *Required
          •  characters left

        • View our privacy policy
      • Report an error

        Report an error


        • View our privacy policy
      • Share this
        • Delicious
        • Digg
        • Facebook
        • reddit
        • StumbleUpon

  • TOC Blog

    • So you’re saying the stuff was bad….

    • Published at 4:47pm

    • I know the Tribune delivers the Sun-Times, but I didn’t realize they share editors as well...

    More posts »



    TOC Poll

    • We want to know what you think. Click here to answer this week's poll question.



  • Ad Space
    (120 x 240)


  • Sign up today!  

    Newsletter

    • Events, discounts, and the best of Chicago delivered to your inbox every week.



    Prizes & Promotions

    • Win prizes and get discounts, event invites and more.



    TOC Staff

    • Who does what and why.



    Student Guide

    • Essential advice for our scholastically minded citizens.



    TOC Free Flix

    • Get free tickets to hot new movie releases.



    Subscribe

    • • Subscribe now

    • • Give a gift

    • • Subscriber services



  • Features
    Time Out Chicago / Issue 166 : May 1–7, 2008
    Summer festival guide

    Summer School of Rock

    As soon as the weather warms, hundreds of bands strap on guitars and slather on sunblock to play the county-fair and street-festival circuit. Some we welcome back like old friends; others make us run so far away. Alas, we couldn’t get away.

    By Rod O’Connor

    Photo: WireImage

    Bad Hair Band

    Typical band
    A Flock of Seagulls

    Career high point
    While this one-hit wonder’s signature tune, “I Ran (So Far Away)” did crack the Top 10, lead singer and former hairdresser Mike Score’s ’80s new wave hairdo—a stylized, backward mullet: business on the sides and back, party (long and swooping) in the front—remains the synth-pop band’s lasting legacy.

    Groupie profile
    Aggressively-ironic male models; Supercuts employees who trim their own hair.

    Likely dressing room demand
    Back in the day, flat irons were a must. But since lead singer Score now performs in a baseball hat, we assume he’s balding and therefore requires one box of Rogaine for Men.

    Catch them at
    Wells Street Art Festival, June 14–15

    In Name Only

    Typical band
    Foghat

    Career high point
    Its boogie-rock sound peaked in 1975 with “Slow Ride.” But after decades of revolving-door band membership—the Spinal Tap–like confusion reached its nadir from 1990 to 1993 when there were two versions of Foghat touring at the same time—only drummer Roger Earl remains from the original lineup.

    Groupie profile
    A mix of doobie-smoking, Camaro-driving ’70s holdovers and young axe slingers who first rocked to “Slow Ride” thanks to Guitar Hero III.

    Likely dressing room demand
    Once the proud owner of one of rock & roll’s most distinctive mustaches, Earl no doubt requires one package of Mach 3 razor blades for his now clean-shaven look.

    Catch them at
    Jeff Fest, June 6–8 and Naperville Ribfest, July 3–6

    Jam Band

    Typical band
    Umphrey’s McGee

    Career high point
    Playing Bonnaroo back in 2002 when it was still a hippie fest. Also, the day Phish broke up, which made Umphrey’s the country’s most noodle-tastic jam band (although they refer to themselves as “progressive”).

    Groupie profile
    Nonthreatening drug dealers; college students who enjoy face-melting guitar solos.

    Likely dressing room demand
    Patchouli-scented candles, vegan burritos and lots of Budweiser.

    Catch them at
    Summer Camp Festival, May 22–25

    Tribute Band

    Typical band
    Elevation

    Career high point
    When founding member Daniel Burrow decided to scrap his own identity and channel U2 singer Bono for a living by calling himself “Danno.” Certainly, it’s Danno’s pitch-perfect “Bono-ness” that keeps the fest crowds coming back for more each and every year.

    Groupie profile
    Plastered Lincoln Park Trixies who are so drunk, they think the band’s even better than the real thing.

    Likely dressing room demand
    Three extra pairs of purple-tinted wrap-around shades for Danno, the Mr. Bono-wannabe. And three black skullcaps for The Edge’s stand-in.

    Catch them at
    Sheffield Garden Walk, July 19–20

    Current Festival Band Ready to Break Out

    Typical band
    The Redwalls

    Career high point
    Rocking live on Letterman and Leno; also having their tune “Build a Bridge” featured in an AT&T commercial (just like their heroes Oasis).

    Groupie profile
    Americans who never could quite get into Oasis; Anglophiles who think these suburban Deerfield residents are actually British.

    Likely dressing room demand
    Copies of every Beatles album ever released; also, extra product to maintain their shaggy British-Invasion haircuts.

    Catch them at
    West Fest, August 9–10


    • Comments
    • |
    • Leave a comment
    [X]

    • (will not appear on site)
      *Required
      •  characters left

    • View our privacy policy

    • 7630 Georgie Pie Fri, Jun 06, at 04:40pm
      Elevation on here? seriously? i've seen them once and i couldn't stop laughing at how pathetic they were.

      Flag as inappropriate



      • Subscribe now and save 87%!

      • For just $19.99 a year, you'll get hundreds of listings and free events each week, plus our special issues and guides, including Cheap Eats, Great Spas, Fall Preview, Holiday Gift Guide and more!
      • Time Out Covers
      • Time Out Chicago respects your privacy. We will only use your e-mail address in order to contact you regarding to your subscription and to send you our weekly e-newsletter. We will not share this information with anyone.

  • Ad Space
    (320 x 110)

    Ad Space
    (300 x 250)

  • Most viewed in Features

    • Articles
    • Holiday gift guide 2008
    • It happened to me
    • Erogenous zones
    • Thinking about inking?
    • My kink of town
    • Your guide to the Games
    • 100 best things we ate and drank this year (in no particular order)
    • Naughty, by nature
    • Tall tales
    • The upper crust

  • Ad Space
    (160 x 600)

    Ad Space
    (160 x 600)

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit & Advertising
    • Get Listed
    • We're Hiring
    • Subscribe
    • Subscriber Services
    • Site Map
    • Home
    • Art & Design
    • Books
    • Clubs
    • Comedy
    • Dance
    • Film
    • Gay & Lesbian
    • Home & Living
    • Kids
    • Museums & Culture
    • Music
    • Opera & Classical
    • Restaurants & Bars
    • Sex & Dating
    • Shopping
    • Spas & Gyms
    • Sports & Rec
    • Theater
    • Travel
    • TV & DVD
    • Visit our sister sites:
    • Time Out New York
    • Time Out New York Kids
    • Time Out London
    • Time Out Worldwide
    Copyright © 2000–2008 Time Out Chicago