Upcoming summer music shows look to shine

With Memorial Day just around the corner, the season of summer is almost upon us. And aside from scorching heat waves, one of the best things about the summer months is the tremendous tours and festivals that cross the United States. Although not all of them roll through our neck of the woods, the following are going to be some of the summer’s hottest tickets. Get your sunscreen and bottled water ready.\nVans Warped Tour (June 20 – Aug. 17) – The annual rodeo for acts that fall into the emo/punk/whatever-they’re-calling-it-nowadays genre is now in its 14th year. No other tour this year will feature as many acts as Warped Tour – 60 in total will move in and out of the lineup throughout the summer, including rising scene stars Forever The Sickest Kids, All Time Low, and Mayday Parade, as well as high-profile acts such as Gym Class Heroes and Jack’s Mannequin. Let’s not forget all the sideline stuff at Warped – the free Monster Energy Drinks and condoms, the skate ramp – that make it one of the best tours around.\nRothbury Music Festival (July 3-July 6) – Although it’s brand new this summer, the Rothbury Festival in Rothbury, Mich., is shaping up to be something really special, due to their emphasis on more than just the music. Sure, big time acts like Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, Modest Mouse and Snoop Dogg are performing throughout its four-day run. However, also included will be “The Think Tank,” which will delve into issues of energy independence. Even if the music isn’t for you, Rothbury might be the most interesting festival.\nRocklahoma (July 10 – July 13) – If Rothbury is out to change the future, Rocklahoma is dead-set on teasing out the past with as much hair spray and ’80s power ballads as possible. This four-day event in Pryor Creek, Okla., will see performances from hair-metal gods such as Bret Michaels, Night Ranger, Extreme and Warrant, among others. Chances are there will be loads of dirt-cheap tequila, bleached jeans and topless women--and it may not get any better than that. The outrageous events of Rocklahoma will probably deserve a “Behind The Music” episode of their very own.\nLollapalooza (August 1 – August 3) – After falling apart in the late 1990s, Lollapalooza has made a huge comeback in recent years by digging its heels into just one three-day festival in Chicago instead of a nationwide tour. And this year’s lineup might be the best yet in Lolla’s comeback. Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails and Rage Against The Machine are set to headline, while Gnarls Barkley, Kanye West and Wilco fill out the roster of star-studded acts. This year is really a music snob’s dream.\nEven though there may be other tours that include more diverse or better acts, the above shows look to be showstoppers that will garner some major headlines this summer, for better or worse. Now if only Whitesnake was playing Rocklahoma, we’d be in business.