Why Does Austin City Limits Rule?

Lollapalooza
Location: Grant Park, Chicago, IL
Dates: August 4-6, 2006
Performers: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kanye West, Wilco, Common, Death Cab for Cutie, Queens of the Stone Age, Raconteurs, more
Tickets: $140 - $150 for a 3-day pass
Why it's cool: There are good reasons why this festival has a fifteen-year history: The lineup is always uniformly hot, the turnout is crazy (180,000 fans are expected at this year's three-day event), and via various contests and booths you'll get to witness festival co-founder Perry Farrell's latest ideas of what the kids are into.

Austin City Limits
Location: Zilker Park, Austin, TX
Dates: September 15-17, 2006
Performers: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Van Morrison, Willie Nelson, Massive Attack, String Cheese Incident, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, Flaming Lips, John Mayer, the Raconteurs and more
Tickets: $115 for a 3-day pass
Why it's cool: One word: Austin. With beer, barbecue and that laidback Texan vibe, it's impossible not to feel mellow and happy at ACL.

Essence Music Festival
Location: Relient Park, Houston, TX
Dates: July 1-3, 2006
Performers: Mary J. Blige, Earth, Wind and Fire, LL Cool J, Yolanda, P. Diddy and Friends, New Edition and Bobby Brown, Steve Harvey, Jaheim, Toni Braxton, Keyshia Cole, and more
Tickets: $45 - $110 single day, $123 - $297 3-day pass
Why it's cool: Jonathan Slocumb, the mainstage host, is famous for his clean, family-oriented sense of humor. "Bill Cosby is the king of clean, and Jonathan Slocumb is the prince!" his Web site announces.

Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
Location: Manchester, TN
Dates: June 16-18, 2006
Performers: Radiohead, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Beck, Elvis Costello and the Imposters, Bonnie Raitt, Death Cab for Cutie, Bright Eyes, Cypress Hill, Buddy Guy, Damian Marley, Sonic Youth, Cat Power and the Memphis Rhythm Band, The Streets, Be Your Own Pet, and more
Tickets: Sold out
Why it's cool: Bonnaroo is the perfect summer rock festival: You can hit at a batting cage, go to the movies, stuff yourself and rock out all in one place.

Pitchfork Music Festival
Location: Union Park, Chicago, IL
Dates: July 29-30, 2006
Performers: Silver Jews, The Futureheads, Ted Leo/Pharmacists, Art Brut, Destroyer, Band of Horses, Man Man, Spoon, Yo La Tengo, Devendra Banhart, Mission of Burma, Tapes 'n Tapes, and more
Tickets: $20 single day, $30 2-day pass
Why it's cool: Indie rock finally has its own place in the summer sun thanks to Pitchfork. Where else can you inundate your eardrums with two days of obscure rock? Plus, in keeping with the independent theme, a two-day pass costs less than most regular rock shows.

Street Scene Music Festival
Location: San Diego, CA
Dates: August 4-5, 2006
Performers: Tool, Kanye West, Social Distortion, Snoop Dogg, Sean Paul, Bad Religion, AFI, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Modest Mouse, Queens of the Stone Age, My Chemical Romance, Wu-Tang Clan, Bloc Party, The Futureheads, Editors, Rock Kills Kid, Tapes 'n Tapes, and more
Tickets: $75 single day, $115 2-day pass
Why it's cool: Street Scene features a good combination of emerging artists, established indie acts, and rock stalwarts. This festival is all about Grammy winners playing alongside the next big thing.

Jazz Aspen Snowmass
Location: Rio Grande Park, Aspen, CO
Dates: June 22-25, 2006
Performers: Jamie Cullum, Lizz Wright, Diana Krall, Elvis Costello and the Imposters, Delbert McClinton, Trey Anastasio, Maceo Parker
Tickets: $30 single day, multi-day passes sold out
Why it's cool: Snowmass isn't just for skiing, it's for hearing jazz under one of the most beautiful skies in America.

Summer Festivals continued