Photo Credit: Essence Fest Image
Your Complete Guide To Summer 2019 Concert Season
Summer’s almost here, which means it’s almost time to bust out the sunscreen and sunglasses and enjoy some of the best music and arts concerts under beautiful weather. There’s no reason you should be cooped up in the house this summer.
Visit one of these summer concerts in a new city, where adventure and live music are top priority.
Raleigh, North Carolina
April 6th
In four days, J.Cole’s highly-anticipated Dreamville Fest will finally take place after being canceled, due to Hurricane Florence last year. J. Cole, SZA, Big Sean, 21 Savage, 6LACK, Nelly, Teyana Taylor and more are on the lineup. Expected to be a sold-out event, certain areas of Dorothea Dix Park will be closed this week to due to construction for the festival, which benefits his Dreamville Foundation and Dix Park Conservancy.
Mayrhofen, Austria
April 8-13th
Relax, unwind and find adventure at THE WORLD’S GREATEST SHOW ON SNOW which will bring Stormzy, Fatboy Slim and hundreds more to the magnificent mountains with igloos, luxury spa hotels and Austria’s famous beer.
Palm Springs, CA
April 12-21
Like me, you’ve probably caught Kanye West’s recent weekly “Sunday Service” performances of via social media. Well, now you can experience it in-person during Coachella during Easter Sunday. Watch your favorite artists like Pusha-T, Tierra Whack, Blood Orange, Juice WRLD, Playboi Carti, Bad Bunny, and Idris Elba’s rap skills.
Vana Nava Hua Hin, Thailand
April 13-14
Soak up some fun in the sun, with a pirate theme at the largest Hip-Hop Music Festival in Asia, headlined by A$AP Rocky and the problematic Ja Rule. Enjoy thrill-seeking, water-filled rides at the Water Jungle and a food and fashion zone showcasing local food and streetwear, right along the beach.
Miami, Florida
April 20th
Celebrate 4/20 with the Marley family (Stephen Marley, Ziggy Marley and Damian, Julian, Ky-Mani) and special guests Pitbull, Busta Rhymes, Davido and Sean Paul, Koffee at Bayfront Park. The next generation of the Marley family—Skip, Mystic, Yohan Marley and Shacia Päyne are also set to perform during the festival, created as an ode to Bob Marley’s musical legacy.
Philadelphia, PA
April 26th
Hosted by media personality Scottie Beam, Broccoli City’s 2019 lineup balances music, fitness, art, food, education and impact over workshops, networking events for millennials with panelists Bozoma Saint John of Endeavor and Quality Control’s Kevin “Coach K” Lee. Musical acts include Tobe Nwigwe, Teyanna Taylor, 6lack, Ella Mai, Bri Steves and more.
Virginia Beach, VA
April 26–28
What’s better than live music at the beach during Pharrell Williams’ Something In The Water Festival? This fest features performances by his friends Jaden Smith, Jhene Aiko, Lil Uzi Vert, and DRAM. With this festival, Pharrell wanted to “empower everyone from the youth to the small business owners” by uniting “the community and celebrate the diversity and magic of Virginia Beach.” There will also be a special screening of The Burial of Kojo by writer Samuel “Blitz” Bazawule, hosted by Ava Duvernay’s independent film distribution company ARRAY, dedicated to the highlighting independent films by women filmmakers and filmmakers of color.
Memphis, TN
May 3rd
The Beale Street Music Festival is part of Memphis In May’s annual month-long festival, bringing together a diverse group of musical artists reflecting Memphis’ diverse community. This weekend is set to be one of the biggest this summer, with performances by Khalid, Charlie Wilson, Mrs. “I am Not My Hair” India.Arie.
May 3rd Dallas – May 4th Austin
JMBLYA is more hip-hop focused this year with Kevin Gates, Travis Scott, Lil Wayne headlining the seventh annual JMBLYA concert in Texas. A portion of the proceeds from the Dallas show will be donated to House of Blues Music Forward, a nonprofit organization that encourages creative expression and offers scholarships to lower-income individuals with aspirations to work in the music industry.
Miami, FL
May 10
Kid Cudi and Migos are set to headline Miami’s Rolling Loud festival along with NYC newcomers Young M.A., Lil Tjay, Phresher, Maliibu Miitch and DMX, post-prison release, at Hard Rock Stadium.
Minnesota State Fairgrounds, MN
May 26
If I were you, I’d be excited about seeing iconic rappers Talib Kweli and Yasin Bey (Mos Def) perform together on stage as Black Star. DJ Spinderella of Salt-n-Pepa fame and Just Blaze will also make their own DJ presence felt at the concert.
Barcelona, Spain
May 27
Solange has more than claimed “A Seat at the Table” as she’ll be headlining this music festival in Barcelona, where the ladies shine this year. Erykah Badu, Janelle Monáe, Rosalía FKA twigs, and more women, taking over half of the lineup this year.
Randall’s Island Park, NY
May 31 – June 2
What better way to spend your summer rapping every lyric to Lil Wayne’s “Go DJ,” SZA’s “20 Something,” or Jorja Smith’s “On My Mind.” The musical lineup also features Nas, Tyler, The Creator, Vince Staples at the three-day, open-air venue.
Croydon, UK
May 31
Nas Wizkid, and Damian Marley are the first confirmed artists to headline a new London food and music festival, aimed to engage and inspire local communities through music and food in one of Britain’s enthusing districts. Other entertainers include De La Soul, Nao and Maleek Berry.
Philadelphia, PA
June 1
According to festival founder Questlove, this year we’ll be able to have a real picnic at “greener pastures” during one of the dopest festivals of the last decade. Musical performances by Davido, 21 Savage, Raphael Saadiq, Tobe Nwigwe, along with gaming and art workshops and podcasts, “The Read,” “The Joe Budden,” and “Questlove Supreme.”
New York, NY
June 2
Check out Meek Mill, Migos, Tory Lanez and Houston standout Megan Thee Stallion and her single “Big Ole Freak” at this year’s Summer Jam.
Columbia, MD
June 7-9
Flock to the streets of Columbia, Maryland for the ultimate outdoor jazz festival featuring performances by Anita Baker, Diana Krall, Earth, Wind and Fire and more.
Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
Manchester, TN
June 13
The countdown has begun. In less than 72 days, Childish Gambino, Solange, Zhu and Odesza will all bless the same stage at the annual Bonnaroo celebration.
Los Angeles, CA
June 20-23
One of the biggest weekends in Los Angeles is the BET Experience weekend. Fans are excited to see Bri Steves and get a full Quality Control day with performances by Cardi B, Migos, Lil Yachty, Lil Baby and City Girls.
FInsbury Park, London
July 5-7
A few hours after their announcement in January, more than 135,000 tickets were sold out. Hear some of the biggest names in grime and Hip-Hop like Deno Driz, Tyga, Ella Mai, Maleek Berry, Stefflon Don and more.
Brooklyn, NY
July 2019
If you’re a naturalista and product junkie, such as myself, Curlfest is where you need to be. Its a celebration of black beauty and naturally, beautiful kinky curly hair amongst thousands of women.
Dublin, Ireland
July 5-6th
Check out the hottest new addtions to this Dublin festival: J.I.D, Jimothy, H.E.R. AJ Tracey, Vince Staples, and Gunna.
Glynde Place, UK
July 5-7
Enjoy one of the most Europe’s top jazz festivals with generations of soulful love music with Lauryn Hill, Gladys Knight, Mahalia, and Tank & The Bangas.
New Orleans, LA
July 4-7
The movie Girls Trip has everyone wanting to go to Essence Fest, including myself. Essence Fest is the annual unofficial national conference for black women to celebrate the very essence that makes them beautiful. Take it back to the 90’s with performances from Missy Elliot, Big Daddy Kane, 702, Brownstone, Pharrell Williams, Ginuwine and more.
Gunnersbury Park, London
July 12-13
Solange and Chance the Rapper are set to headline the London fest this year at a new venue, Gunnersbury Park. 2 Chainz also graces the mainstage during the two-day festival.
London, UK
July 13-14
“ I had a vision”… that Masego, Lizzo, Janelle Monae, Maleek Berry, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage were all on one stage and then a friend told me about Afropunk in Paris.
Zrće beach, Croatia
July 14-19
European beach festival Fresh Island features sets from Tory Lanez, Lil Uzi Vert, Gunna, Yxng Bane. Get ready for special events, boat parties and never-ending nightclubs in the middle of Paradise on the Pag.
Ferropolis, Germany
July 19-21
The Melt Festival has one of the coolest venues for a festival, an open-air museum. Where electro meets pop and hip-hop with performing acts Jorja Smith, Flohio and more.
Chicago, IL
July 19-21
This year’s lineup for the Pitchfork Music Festival is almost unbelievable, yet suitable for all audiences. Pusha T, Dreezy and the Isley Brothers, celebrating their 60th anniversary.
Long Beach, CA
July 27
Cali native Snoop D-O-Double-G tapped YG, The Game, Amanda Perez, Too Short, Warren G, DMX, O.T. Genasis and others for an already sold-out Long Beach celebration.
Chicago, IL
August 1- August 4
Downtown Chicago shuts down once a year for thousands of ecstatic fans hyped to see Childish Gambino, Meek Mill, 21 Savage, 6lack and more at Grant Park.
The Algarve, Portimao, Portugal
August 1-4
Spend a weekend in Europe at one of the biggest beach festivals in the country. WIzkid, Davido, Burna Boy, Stefflon Don and Ms. Dynamite, Femi Kuti and Busy Signal celebrate the sounds of Reggae, Dancehall, and Hip-Hop.
Grant Park, Chicago
August 1-4
Lollapalooza’s 2019 lineup as “A Lot” of music heavyweights including 21 Savage, Meek Mill, Normani, J. Balvin, H.E.R, Tayla Parx, Chicago rapper Saba and a taste of Shaquille O’Neal’s Fun House.
New York, New York
August 24
Afropunk is more than a music festival. It’s a cultural experience of music, art, film, and creativity. Jill Scott, Santigold, Leon Bridges, Nao and more at Commodore Barry Park.
Watkins Glen, NY
August 16-18
Considering his recent work with criminal justice reform, it seems so fitting for JAY-Z to perform during the iconic Woodstock event, in accordance with their ‘peace and music’ theme for the last 50 years.
Philadelphia, PA
August 31- Sept 1
Made in America is one of those concerts you have to experience in person, but you can also experience via live stream, thanks to Tidal. Get your tickets to the two-day festival watching Anderson .Paak, Kaytranada, Tierra Whack and more.