Music festival season has begun!
But before you buy your tickets, check out these helpful festival apps, fashion tips and previews of local music festivals in The Signal’s 2014 summer music festival guide.
10 Essential Music Festival Survival Apps
1. Gas Buddy
By GasBuddy Organization Inc
Free
IOS/Android
Between the cost of tickets, clothing and accommodations, your pockets may be looking a little lean. The Gas Buddy App figures out your location using GPS and helps you find the cheapest gas prices in your area, so you can save some money on transportation.
2. FESTIVAL READY APP
BY VICTORINOX
Free
IOS/Android
Made by a company who created the swiss army knife app comes the swiss army knives of festival apps. This all-encompassing app includes features that help you find your friends, locate your previously marked campsite, check live weather reports, make a packing checklist, get festival camping tips and use messaging. It even includes a sound flare.
3. Shazam
By Shazam Entertainment Ltd.
Free
IOS/Android
Music festivals are a time of musical exploration. This app helps find songs from new acts you just discovered or find those exclusive debut tracks from your favorite band. Open Shazam and it will listen for a second, compare the sound in its expansive music database and then send you the track info if it finds a match.
4. Find My Car Smarter
By FMC
Free
IOS
Many of us lose our cars in grocery store parking lots, so it is not hard to fathom losing your vehicle in the sea of cars in music festival parking lots. Find My Car eliminates having to remember to remember to use the app—it uses Bluetooth smart technology to save your car’s location when you park.
5. Pzizz
By Pzizz technology limited
Price: $4.99
IOS/Android
Festivals are 24-hour parties, but at some point you have to reboot. That can prove to be difficult if you’re camping or staying at a hotel anywhere near the festival. That’s where Pzizz comes in. The app features inspiring words, soothing music and comforting sound effects to help lull your senses and blur out noises so you can reset for the next day.
6. Battery Doctor
By Beijing Kingsoft Internet Security software Co.Ltd/K.S. mobile
Free
IOS/Android
What’s the use in downloading all these amazing apps if your phone dies halfway through the day? Battery Doctor is an app packed with tools for optimizing battery life. It includes shortcuts for disabling features for better battery life, a unique three-stage charging system and general power-management tips.
7. Glympse – Share location with friends
By Glympse Inc.
Free
IOS/Android
The Glympse app is the easiest way to share your location with friends at a festival. There is no sign-up and no new social media features to learn. The simple app allows recipients to receive a link, allowing them to view your estimated time of arrival and your location in real-time for whatever length of time you choose.
8. Happy Camping
By Random House Digital, Inc.
$ 0.99
IOS
For those brave souls that choose to camp, here’s a cool app with useful features for your outdoor adventure. Happy Camping features a flashlight, compass, checklist, strobe light and sound effects all within one app.
9. Water Your Body
By Daniel Floyd
Price: $0.99
IOS/Android
Staying hydrated is essential when it comes to outdoor events, and I’m not talking about alcohol. Water Your Body takes your weight, decides how much water you should be drinking every day and reminds you when to hydrate.
10. Instagram
By Instagram, Inc.
Free
IOS/Android
If you don’t have Instagram, please remove yourself from under your rock, even if it’s just for the festival. Instagram is a festival-goer’s best friend. Its easy uploading and instant social-media sharing features allow you to share your photos and videos, inciting jealousy in all your friends.
5 Music Festival Fashion Essentials
Ladies:
Cross-body bag
A cross-body bag is the best way to keep up with all the essentials you need to take for the festival. They force you to pack light and are convenient to carry around.
Denim
Denim is a must for any outdoor music festival. Whether it’s short shorts or a chambray, denim fabric is breathable, comfortable and easy to style.
Maxis skirts/dresses
Maxis are great for festivals because they have that effortlessly bohemian quality and are also comfortable. Just keep in mind length when choosing a maxi. You want it to hit at your ankle, not your toes—you want to avoid tripping and mud dragging.
Head/hair accessories
Floral headbands, turbans, fedoras, sun hats—the possibilities are endless when it comes to head gear. Head and hair accessories serve multiple purposes at music festivals; in addition to adding an element of style, they also protect your head and face from the sun, camouflage messy hair and keep sweat out of your eyes.
Boots
Close-toed shoes are the only option for the hours of standing, moving and dancing that are inevitable at any music festival. From combat to ankle booties, boots are a great choice because they protect your feet and go with anything.
Fellas
Tanks
Tanks are a music festival essential. They are stylish, comfortable and allow for ventilation. Keep in mind that you need to regularly apply sunblock to avoid getting too crispy.
Short sleeved button-ups
Button-ups are great for music festivals because they come in all colors, patterns and cuts and add an effortless level of cool to any outfit.
Backpacks
Obviously you need something to lug around your necessary items. Backpacks are perfect because they are as light as you want them to be, and you can easily sling them on you back and forget about them until you need something.
Slip ons
Slip ons are a must. Not only are they stylish and versatile, but they are also comfortable. Try some Converse, Toms or Vans to complete your festival look.
Head Gear
Snapbacks, fedoras, and bucket hats—add any head accessory to your outfit for an effortlessly stylish look that will also protect your head.
Festival Previews:
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Location: Indio, California…or your living room
Dates: April 11-13, 18-20
I know, I know, very few college students can afford to actually travel to Indio, California and attend Coachella, but, ironically, this choice may be the most convenient and economical.
A few years ago the popular festival started streaming a good chunk of its sets on YouTube, so now fans from all over can join in on the fun.
Although the first weekend of the popular festival is over, there’s still one more weekend to go! This weekend’s festivities will air live on AXS TV. The sets streamed on YouTube will also be available for on-demand playback for a few weeks. So grab a few snacks—and a flowered headband, if you must—kick your feet up and enjoy the show.
Watch for: Ellie Goulding, Foster the People, Empire of the Sun, Pharrell Williams, Muse, Blood Orange, Beck, Nas, Arcade Fire, Disclosure
Hangout Music Festival
Location: Gulf Shores, Alabama
Dates: May 16-18
What better way to kick off summer than heading to Gulf Shores, Alabama for three days of live music ON THE BEACH.
Three-day general admission tickets are $229, not including service fees.
The fifth-annual festival will feature over 80 artists on six different stages. Last year’s lineup included Stevie Wonder, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Roots, Kings of Leon, Public Enemy and more, which means this year’s artists have some pretty big shoes to fill.
Go for: The Black Keys, The Killers, Outkast, Modest Mouse, Jack Johnson, Childish Gambino, Chance the Rapper, Bleachers
Shaky Knees Festival
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Dates: May 9-11
The second annual Shaky Knees Festival will take place just down the street at Atlantic Station. Four music stages will be placed among retail stores, restaurants and bars so that patrons can dine, shop and hear their favorite bands.
Last year, the then two-day festival took place at the Historic Fourth Ward Park and Masquerade Music Park with less than 30 musical acts including The Lumineers and Band of Horses. In less than a year they’ve more than doubled that.
Single day tickets are $84, while 3-day passes are $169.
Go for: Alabama Shakes, The National, Modest Mouse, The Replacements, Cage the Elephant, Iron & Wine, The Lone Bellow, The Districts, Wake Owl
Counter.Point Music Festival
Location: Kingston Downs, Georgia
Date: April 25-27
April 26 marks the 20th anniversary of the release of Outkast’s debut album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, so it’s only right that the Atlanta-natives celebrate the milestone with their reunion performance at the second annual Counter.Point Music Festival.
Not only is this festival one of the most economical and convenient for ATLiens, it’s sure to be one of the rap duo’s livelier shows out of their 40-date reunion tour this year.
Three-day general admission tickets are $199. Single day passes are $90.
Go for: Outkast, Foster the People, Chance the Rapper, Janelle Monae, Run the Jewels, Schoolboy Q, St. Lucia
