Four Music Festivals to Keep Your Spirits Up for the Fall Semester

By Ian Donnelly

The semester has officially begun, which means the all-day music festivals and summertime fun are now just great memories, right?

Don’t worry, fest fanatics – these Fall festivals beg to differ! If you’re not ready to leave the light shows and main stages behind for the year, there are plenty of incredible performances still to come in 2017. Here’s a list of the top four must-see Fall music festivals coming your way.

III Points Festival

October 13 – 15 in Miami, Florida

Headliners: Gorillaz, The xx, Rufus Du Sol

III Points looks to highlight not just fantastic EDM and electronic music, but also the burgeoning arts scene of Miami, Florida. This festival promises to bring some of the coolest, edgiest musicians to the city, filling the weekend with events, parties, discussions, and all things art related. III Points is quickly becoming one of the most influential events in modern music, bringing together all the movers, shakers, and exciting crowds for one action-packed weekend.

Voodoo Music + Arts Experience

October 27 – 29 in New Orleans, Louisiana

Headliners: The Killers, LCD Soundsystem, Kendrick Lamar, Foo Fighters

It’s only (super)natural that Halloween is a big deal in New Orleans—a city steeped in history and tradition where ghost stories and tales of voodoo run rampant.  The Voodoo Music + Arts Experience is a cultural gumbo that combines magic and mystery with today’s hottest artists and most talented performers. With a wide scope of genres to enjoy, traditional Louisiana cuisine, and interactive, large-scale art installations, this immersive music and arts festival gives Mardi Gras a run for its money.

Desert Daze Music & Art Festival

October 12 – 15 in Joshua Tree, California

Headliners: Iggy Pop, Spiritualized, Sleep, Unknown Immortal Orchestra

This homegrown psych-rock festival is held at The Institute of Mentalphysics, a unique desert retreat in Joshua Tree, California that offers music fans a cerebral concert experience unlike any other. This year boasts living legends and fresh new talent alike along with the lineup’s most intriguing act: the newly formed supergroup of Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile, playing one of their first shows together as a new band, The Sea Lice. Desert Daze extends beyond the confines of a typical festival experience with art installations, projections, and more— not to mention that it’s held on a sacred site of a rare geological occurrence where a measurable magnetic field is said to give the festival its own unique vibe and energy. And you know, we’re all about good vibes, man.

Sound On Sound Fest

November 10 – 12 right outside Austin, Texas

Headliners: Blood Orange, Electric Wizard, Kehlani, Grizzly Bear

Austin is known for its music scene. But among the many concerts, shows, and festivals that call the city home, Sound on Sound Fest is the most dedicated to keeping Austin weird. 75 bands, comedians, and performers will take over the medieval-style village in Sherwood Forrest, a permanent woodland town built for the annual Sherwood Forest Faire, to bring fans a weekend of music with the most eclectic festival lineup you’ve ever laid eyes on. Whatever your scene or niche, from hip-hop to head-banging metal, you’ll find it on-stage at Sound on Sound Fest. And with all the festival’s profits going towards the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, it is worth every penny.

With so many amazing festivals scheduled for Fall, there’s much more to the season than the Autumn TV lineup, the return of football, and of course, pumpkin-flavored everything. In fact, there’s still plenty of live music to enjoy in 2017 – just make sure you get make it back in time for class on Monday!

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