If you are looking for a rockin' destination this summer, antiMusic travel editor Kevin Wierzbicki gives us the lowdown on four great events taking place in June and July: Rockapalooza, A Taste Of Bloomington, Montreal Guitar Show and Montreal Guitar ShowRockapalooza – Jackson, Michigan – June 23
Scheduled to appear at the 5th annual edition of this Midwestern rock festival are Puddle of Mudd, Saliva, Reha3, We Came as Romans, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Coolio, Afroman, I See Stars, Bobaflex, 12 Stones, Sore Eyes, the Elder Beer Men and 50 other acts. Bam Margera and Brandon Novak host. www.rockapalooza.net
A Taste Of Bloomington – Bloomington, Indiana – June 23
More than 50 food, drink and goodie vendors will be on hand to tempt any and every appetite as the 30th edition of A Taste of Bloomington takes over Showers Common in downtown B'Town. Upland Brewing and Bloomington Brewing Company and Oliver Winery and Butler Winery will be offering Indiana-made adult beverages and of course there'll be a "taste" for the ears, too: scheduled to appear are Main Squeeze, Hairbanger's Ball, Polka Boy, the Vallures and bluegrassers New Old Calvary. There'll also be a country stage featuring Ragin' Texans and a jazz corner featuring the Chris Parker Group and Neil Ferris Sound Machine. www.visitbloomington.com/taste
Montreal Guitar Show – Montreal, Quebec, Canada – June 29-July 1.
This show for "guitarophiles" takes place at the Hyatt Regency Montreal, right in the heart of the concurrently running Festival International de Jazz de Montreal (Montreal Jazz Festival) site. More than 140 acoustic and electric luthiers will display their wares and manufacturers of amps, effects pedals, etc. will also be exhibiting. Performing live will be Philip Catherine, Pierre Bensusan, Larry Coryell, Matt Schofield, Kelly Joe Phelps, Steve Hill and Paul Deslauriers. www.montrealguitarshow.com
Rockwave – Athens, Greece – June 30-July 2.
Ozzy Osbourne headlines Greece's biggest rock festival, also one of the biggest in all of Europe. Others scheduled to appear are The Prodigy, Iggy & the Stooges, Everlast, Nashville Pussy, Machine Head, Paradise Lost, Unisonic, the Locos and quite fitting for a show in Greece, the Planet of Zeus. www.rockwavefestival.gr
