Concert Tickets: The Big Day Out,The Stagecoach Festival

Most bands have already announced their fall/winter tours and with the holiday break coming up, don’t expect much to be announced until January (though keep a look out for radio station Christmas shows, which should be going on sale relatively soon). Honestly, it’s probably a good thing that your getting a little break from spending because in the past few weeks you’ve already bought tickets to Brand New, the Mastodon/ Dethklok tour, Jay-Z, Paramore, Gogol Bordello, The Decemberists, The Sounds, Snow Patrol, and some band called U2. Your credit card bill probably looks like the population of a small pacific island by now.

If your in the mood to travel, here are a few things worth cashing in your sky miles…

Stagecoach Festival

Yee-haw!  Coachella’s country based festival-from-another-mother (though, technically, the same father) The Stagecoach Festival has announced it’s initial lineup way in advance of the April 24th and 25th dates in Indio, CA (FYI all you Coachella heads: this means the 2010 festival should take place April 16-18). Headlining the 2010 Stagecoach Festival will be everyone’s favorite American Toby Keith, Keith Urban, Sugarland and Brooks & Dunn (celebrating their last scheduled year together). Also on stage during the festival will be Gary Allan, Billy Currington, The Oak Ridge Boys, alternative-artists The Avett Brothers, Tiger Army-frontman Nick 13, and many, many more.

Add in one BBQ, domestic beer, a sea of cowboy hats, and some American-flag laced accessories and you have a festival the whole family can enjoy (unless your kids like Arcade Fire, who will probably be playing the weekend before). Tickets go on sale next Friday, October 16th, though weekend passes are on sale right now for a limited time for only $99 (plus fees).

Big Day Out

Due to cost and distance, bands traditionally only make it to Australia once during an album cycle. Because of this most of them are always looking for a way to maximize their touring exposure down under, while keeping their costs efficient. This is why so many US/UK bands love the annual Australia/ New Zealand Big Day Out festival. Package tours already have bookings, sponsors and routes set up.  Think of it as the Warped Tour with  more wallabies.

As usual, the 2010 edition of Big Day Out is huge- “damn, I wish they would do this in the US” type of huge with Muse, Lily Allen, The Mars Volta, Rise Against, Mastodon, The Decemberists, Girl Talk and many more to be announced. You can find all relevant info here if you think you can make it down there.