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Best Music Festival Lineups of All-Time

Menace Sockeyes

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Sep 2, 2010
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Inspired by the festival you could create from artists you’ve seen thread: What would be your top 3 festivals of all-time to go to if you could time travel. Basing this purely on lineups, not because you’d get to say you were there. Here are mine from third to first…


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Live Aid

John F. Kennedy Stadium, Philadelphia, PA​

Ashford & Simpson
Billy Ocean
Black Sabbath
Bob Dylan
Bryan Adams
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Daryl Hall & John Oates
Duran Duran
Eric Clapton
Four Tops
George Thorogood & the Destroyers
Joan Baez
Judas Priest
Kenny Loggins
Led Zeppelin
Madonna
Mick Jagger
Neil Young & The International Harvesters
Patti LaBelle
Phil Collins
Pretenders
REO Speedwagon
Rick Springfield
Run‐D.M.C.
Santana
Simple Minds
The Beach Boys
The Cars
The Hooters
The Power Station
Thompson Twins
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
USA for Africa



Wembley Stadium, London

Adam Ant

Band Aid

Big Country

Bryan Ferry

Coldstream Guards

David Bowie

Dire Straits

Elton John

Elvis Costello

Howard Jones

Nik Kershaw

Paul McCartney

Paul Young

Queen

Sade

Spandau Ballet

Status Quo

Sting & Phil Collins

The Bands of The Life Guards and The Coldstream Guards

The Boomtown Rats

The Style Council

The Who

U2

Ultravox
 
Hard to include the mega-benefit concerts in the same category as a regular concert/festival. Also hard to compare a long list of very famous artists, most of whose best years are behind them, with a somewhat smaller list of artists who were all at the start or the peak of their influence.

I would go with Monterey.
 
Hard to include the mega-benefit concerts in the same category as a regular concert/festival. Also hard to compare a long list of very f Yepamous artists, most of whose best years are behind them, with a somewhat smaller list of artists who were all at the start or the peak of their influence.

I would go with Monterey.

I agree, the onetime only mega-benefit concerts are essentially cheating.

Meanwhile, how awesome would it have been to make it to the Cow Palace on December 31, 1991 to rock in the new year with Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam?

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I agree, the onetime only mega-benefit concerts are essentially cheating.

Meanwhile, how awesome would it have been to make it to the Cow Palace on December 31, 1991 to rock in the new year with Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam?

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Yeah, Farm Aid was pretty regular. And I went with Farm Aid II. Now, I would agree when discussing Live Aid, which was a one off.

…And yeah, that is one helluva show you bring up.
 
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This was a pretty strong lineup, 1974. Not bad for fifteen bucks...

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Isle of Wight in 1970 was also a pretty stout lineup...Hendrix, Chicago, The Who, Leonard Cohen...

Isle of Wight 1970 Performers: Judas Jump, Kathy Smith, Rosalie Sorrels, David Bromberg, Redbone, Kris Kristofferson, Mighty Baby, Gary Farr, Supertramp, Howl, Black Widow, The Groundhogs, Terry Reid, Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso, Fairfield Parlour, Arrival, Lighthouse, Taste, Rory Gallagher, Chicago, Procol Harum, Voices of East Harlem, Cactus, John Sebastian, Shawn Phillips, Joni Mitchell, Tiny Tim, Miles Davis, Ten Years After, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, The Doors, The Who, Sly & the Family Stone, Melanie, Good News, Ralph McTell, Heaven, Free, Donovan, Pentangle, The Moody Blues, Jethro Tull, Jimi Hendrix, Joan Baez, Leonard Cohen, Richie Havens
 
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The original Bonnaroo 2002 lineup was pretty good.

Widespread Panic
Trey
Phil & Friends
Gov't Mule
Ween
Les Claypool
Umphrey's McGee
Keller Williams
String Cheese
Ben Harper
Bela Fleck
Noah Jones
Robert Randolph
Mofro
Moe.
Galactic
Disco Biscuits

essentially what Woodstock 99 should have been for the peace and love tradition.
 
Lollapalooza 1992 was pretty damn strong.

Main stage included - RHCP, Ice Cube, Ministry, Pearl Jam, The Jesus and Mary Chain

Side stages - RATM, Tool, STP, Cyprus Hill, Temple of the Dog, Porno for Pyros.
 
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