Graduates, you’ve made it, and it’s time to celebrate. Music festivals can be a great way to forget about those long cram sessions with Southern California hosting some of the best concerts around. Some of these festivals are just as good as Coachella and are within close driving distance.
Low End Theory Festival
Low End Theory is a weekly electronic and hip-hop club that has heads bouncing every Wednesday night at The Airliner in Los Angeles. With its emerging popularity, the Low End Theory will hold its first music festival at The Echoplex. The festival will feature a rare performance by Invisibl Skratch Piklz, an influential DJ crew from the ‘90s. The Internet, which features Syd the Kyd and Matt Martians from rap collective Odd Future, is also expected to headline. The audience shouldn’t be surprised if other members of Odd Future hit the stage as well. The audience can expect a myriad of electronic music such as synth-pop beats from Baths and psychedelic instrumental bass drops from Teebs. It features old school beats and experimental music that will have the crowd going wild. With over 30 DJ’s and producers performing, this event will stand out to all hip-hop heads. The event will be held at The Echoplex on June 14 and 15. General admission is $70.
Vans Warped Tour
This year The Vans Warped Tour will be celebrating its 20th birthday. A lot has changed over the years; particularly the type of genre the music the festival caters to. The lineup has a significant metal and post-Hardcore influence this time around. There are, however, a number of other bands that still provide some variety including punk band Bayside and hip-hop artist Watsky. A couple of ska bands are also in the mix, so expect danceable beats and heavy brass tunes from Beebs and Her Money Makers and Less Than Jake. If you like reggae, the presence of Lionize and Pacific Dub should excite you. Even if you aren’t into the music this year, Warped Tour can still be a lot of fun with its inflatable water slides and carnival-like atmosphere. The event will be held at the Pomona Fairplex on June 20. General admission is $39.50.
FYF Fest
FYF Fest returns to Los Angeles with another year of great indie and underground music. FYF will be moving to a new location, the L.A. Sports Arena & Expo Park, which should excite veterans of the fest. For the past 10 years, FYF has been a hipster’s paradise. Now entering its 11th year, the festival has only gotten bigger and better and this year’s stacked line up is proof. Some of the headliners include Phoenix, Interpol, The Strokes and Flying Lotus. Over the course of two days spectators will experience music from over 50 musicians ranging from grunge synth pop from Future Islands, to industrial punk hip hop from Death Grips. There will be a lot of new music for audiences to discover. FYF is local and inexpensive while showcasing a few bands that appeared at Coachella. Do yourself a favor and end summer with a bang at FYF. The event will be held at the L.A. Sports Arena & Expo Park on August 23 and 24. General admission is $129 and VIP tickets are $229.
