Whither Festivus - Virgin Mobile Festival Review

It seems 2008 is to be my year of festivals. One festival was nice, two was to be grand, but three, well, three is the bee's knees. This one was another rather last minute addition to my gig schedule, too. This weekend I'll be hitting the road up to ye olde Pimlico racetrack near good old Baltimore for the 2008 Virgin Mobile Festival. The Virgin Mobile Festival kind of flew under my radar, what with Coachella and All Tomorrow's Parties taking up most of my attention this year, but the lineup is rather impressive on its own. Not as solid from top to bottom as the other two, but who can argue with seeing legends like Dylan and the Stooges? Not to mention some of my favorite nouveau gazers, a 60s-esque soul siren, Britain's former favorite exports and current favorite big-voiced babe, hometown hero Dave Grohl, some of alt-country's finest, and the oft-mentioned at LET Lord Reznor. The V Fest makes a nice sandwich festival, fewer bands than Coachella and way more patrons than All Tomorrow's Parties. While swimming in the heat and humidity that inevitably wait for us all in Maryland, these are some of the artists we spectators will be spectating this weekend:



Day 1

Cat Power
Duffy
Gogol Bordello
The Swell Season
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings
Soulwax
Bloc Party
Chuck Berry & the Silver Beats
Wilco
Underworld
Foo Fighters

Day 2

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
The Go! Team
Shudder To Think
Andrew Bird
She and Him
Iggy Pop & the Stooges
The Black Keys
Nine Inch Nails
Bob Dylan

There are others, but these are the most worthy of the lot. I'm happiest about finally seeing the one and only Bob Dylan, though the Stooges also present a rather exciting legend sighting as well.