As the annual roll call for summer music festivals continues to balloon, a select few set themselves apart from the pack. Below are our festival picks for the summer, including both the local neighborhood bookings and the familiar blowouts like Pitchfork, Blues Fest, and Lollapalooza.
Neon Marshmallow Fest For its second edition, the experimental/noise festival rolls out an impressive lineup that features Lucky Dragons, Pelt, Bill Orcutt, Morton Subotnick, Oneohtrix Point Never, Mountains, and others. 6/10-6/12, 7 PM, Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, 773-276-3600, neonmarshmallowfest.com, $25 per day, three-day pass $70.
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FitzGerald’s American Music Festival Marcia Ball, Junior Brown, Dave Alvin & the Guilty Ones, and the Spampinato Brothers are among the confirmed acts. 7/1-7/3, FitzGerald’s, 6615 Roosevelt, Berwyn, 708-788-2118, fitzgeraldsnightclub.com, price TBA.
Chosen Few House Music Picnic Frankie Knuckles, Ten City, Wayne Williams, Jesse Saunders, Tony Hatchett, and Alan King perform at the 21st edition of the daylong house music fest. 7/9, 8 AM-8PM, 63rd and Hayes, chosenfewdjs.com, $10.
Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival The festival features a host of gallery exhibitions and a strong local music lineup that includes JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound, White Mystery, Hollows, the Arrivals, and the Hood Internet. 7/29-7/31, Fri 4-1 PM, Sat-Sun noon-11 PM, Milwaukee between California and Kimball, 773-278-4257, milwaukeeavenueartsfestival.org. F
