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(thirdrail/flickr)Soundcheck Smackdown: Summer Festival Blues
Summer festivals like Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza are billed as critical cultural events wrapped up in the greatest party on the planet. But with soaring ticket prices, searing heat, tired line-ups, and defective port-o-potties, are they really such fun? Today: debating whether multi-day festivals are holy or hype. Also: Before his performance tonight with the New York Philharmonic in Central Park, pianist Lang Lang joins us to talk about his two (yes, two) new autobiographies.
The (Not So) Great Music Festival
Summer festivals like Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza are billed as critical cultural events wrapped up in the greatest party on the planet. But with soaring ticket prices, searing heat, tired line-ups, and defective port-o-potties, are they really such fun? Today, Annie Holub, contributor for Pop Matters, and Mark Guarino, music writer for the Chicago Tribune, debate whether multi-day festivals are holy or hype.
Our blog: John Schaefer on music festivals.
Bonnaroo online
Lollapalooza online
Annie Holub's Article: How Pricey Summer Shows Have Become
Mike Guarino's Article: Summer Festivals Equal the Perfect Vacation
Lang Lang
25-year-old pianist Lang Lang is one of the most talked-about classical musicians of our day. He joins us to share his new memoir "Journey of a Thousand Miles," which chronicles his journey from an industrial city in northern China to his difficult years in Beijing to his success today.
Lang Lang will be performing Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 in Central Park on Jul. 15. The show, which starts at 8 p.m., is part of the New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks series.
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Go behind the scenes!
Find out what John Schaefer and the Soundcheck staff have to say about recent segments on the show. Plus, watch videos from in-studio performances.
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Introducing our Video Contest
Soundcheck
John Schaefer gives the lowdown on Soundcheck's music video challenge with the Fiery Furnaces.
In Studio: Angel Deradoorian
Soundcheck
The 22-year-old multi-instrumentalist performs live in our studio.
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Cucu Diamantes Performs Amor Cronico
Soundcheck
Cucu Diamantes went from a tough childhood in Havana, Cuba, to an art school in Rome to underground New York City, where she co-founded the Latin alternative band Yerba Buena.
- Comments [1]
In Studio: Stephanie McKay
Soundcheck
The local singer-songwriter performs "Jackson Avenue," a nostalgic toast to her childhood in the South Bronx.
- Comments [3]
In Studio: The Decemberists
The Portland, Ore., band's latest album, "The Hazards of Love," is a concept album with a mythological flair. They joined Soundcheck to play live for a studio audience in WNYC's Greene Space.
Sound Off
Soundcheck
Throughout May, Soundcheck presents “Sound Off” a Friday series on the many aspects of noise in music and our lives. The series -- which coincides with “Better Hearing and Speech Month” -- looks at issues like New York’s noisiest neighborhoods, the latest research on iPods and hearing loss, and what happens when noise becomes a musical ingredient.
