Virgin Mobile Festival, the much-loved summer music fest that first visited Baltimore in 2006, seemed unlikely to return this year. Despite rumors it would, nothing concrete was ever announced and the days ticked by like tour buses rumbling down 95.
Just before music fans totally dismissed the possibility of a rockin' summer, the V-Fest announcement has arrived. The festival, now called Virgin Mobile FreeFest, returns Aug. 30 like some rock and roll prodigal son: Loud, broke and a little bit thinner. Despite packing the now free festival into Merriweather Post Pavilion instead of its former home, Pimlico Race Course, and shaving the schedule to one day, the festival lineup still manages to include 17 acts.
The big draws this year are Blink-182 and Weezer, but in our opinion better bets would be Wale, The Hold Steady and Girl Talk (now out of the dance tent and unleashed on the festival proper!).
Rounding out the bill are Taking Back Sunday, Franz Ferdinand, The Bravery, Mates of State, Public Enemy, Jet, The National and St. Vincent. In the dance tent, see Lee Burridge, Pete Tong, Danny Howells and Holy F*ck.
The festival maintains its commitment to do-goodery by asking attendees to donate $5 to youth homelessness through RE*Generation. It also keeps its green theme, with composting efforts, recycling take back, clean energy efforts and carbon-offsetting.
Though offering less than we've become accustomed to, we're happy the festival remains largely intact. And considering the crap economy, Virgin Mobile FreeFest certainly got the price right.
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