The Signal’s summer music festival guide

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