There exists those music festivals which defy any easy definition and refuse to be categorized. That won’t stop us as we embark on our latest 2012 Music Festival Preview with a collection of the most unique festivals of the year. While the next ten festivals have vastly different crowds and music, they all share the defining characteristics of a passionate fan base and one-of-a-kind twists.
1. Gathering of the Juggalos
Where: Cave-In-Rock, Illinois
When: August 2012 (unconfirmed)
A few of the interesting characters to meet at Cave-In-Rock.
When most of the music industry wrote off The Insane Clown Posse over a decade ago, they didn’t just fade away. Instead, ICP went underground and tapped into the Internet to bring fans closer together. Now without any middlemen to deal with, ICP boasts a rabid fan base that gorges on anything the band puts out. Case in point: The Juggalo Gathering — a three day twisted carnival themed festival that has become a mecca for ICP fans around the world.
2. Water Hill Music Festival
Where: Ann Arbor, Michigan
When: May 6, 2012
Photo Credit: Mark Brush / Michigan Radio
You probably haven’t heard of the Water Hill Music Festival because there’s no corporate sponsors, no headliners, and no venue. Water Hill is that rare experiment which actually pulls a community closer together. So who’s in the lineup? Anybody in the neighborhood who wants to perform on their porch or lawn.
3. Nerdapolooza
Where: Orlando, Florida
When: July (unconfirmed)
The Protomen came from the future to rock the past at Nerdapalooza 2011.
If nerdcore hip hop, chiptunes, comedy rock, video game music, and VG remixes sound like a foreign concept, you’re not alone — except at Nerdapolooza. Traditonally held in an Orlando Marriott, Nerdaplooza proudly states that “Tonight, the nerds will rock.” The website has been mysteriously quiet about this year’s show, but we’re pulling for a 2012 edition.
