Vacation ideas for us music-minded folks?

[Rim]

There are tons of golf vacations out there for golfers, fishing vacations for fishermen, fantasy baseball/football camps for sports enthusiasts, etc., are there vacation "packages" for us music-minded folks? Outside of jazz festivals, I am short of ideas and I need to plan a week vacation for myself sooner than later.

 

Please don't say: "it's called an out-of-town gig"

 

A guitar mag I used to subscribe to ran a cruise once where you can take lessons and jam during the cruise. I don't know if they kept that going with some pretty heavy git slingers. Something like that would be in serious contention.

 

I guess I can also make a trek to OH for the RnR Hall of Fame.

 

Any ideas?

[TheSoundman]

wow. I don't think there are any "packages" for music minded vacationers... the R'n'R hall is a nice stop, but what after that? Maybe Akron to see if Chrissy Hind's city is really gone, then on to Toledo for some Devolution... my mind is racing...

[DC]

I saw the Beatles museum in Liverpool, and took the 'Magical Mystery Tour' bus ride around town to see the Beatly sights, but I don't think that's there anymore. I mean Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane are still there I reckon, but the musuem closed last I heard.

[Rim]

Could be a business opportunity for an entrepeneur!

 

Imagine these vacation packages:

 

"Beatles" vacation: stay in London, check out Abbey Road Studios, Strawberry Fields, etc, and then you get to jam with some Beatle-lookalikes at The Cavern (or just hear the lookalikes in concert). Of course, other famous groups can have their own packages.

 

"On Tour" vacation: You (or your band for a group vacation) travel in a limited area (possibly by tour bus) and get to play in famous stages. You get to invite friends in those areas to see you in concert. And then you get into swanky clubs to party all night.

 

"Back Stage Pass" vacation: You get to choose concerts you want to go and you get back stage passes on all of them and stay overnight in each town and ride in a jet from concert to concert.

 

 

If Joe Shmoe wants to pretend he's a major league baseball player for a week, why can't I pretend I'm a rock star for a week?

[EoS]

I went over to the Meltdown festival in London in 2002 and had a blast. Of course, that had a lot to do with the friends I went with, but still.

 

Basically it's a 2 week music and art festival with a different curator each year who chooses the artists. 2002 was Bowie runnin the show.

 

This year it's Patti Smith - could be an interesting line-up. If John Cale ends up on the bill, I'll probably go myself.

[Dennyf]

This is a pretty cool event: Musikfest , in Bethlehem, PA.

 

And while you're in the neighborhood, Nazareth is not very far away.

[LiveMusic]

I have heard of cruises that surprised me. I think Delbert McClinton and friends did/does one. Also, seems I recall some of the Texas music artists did/do one.

 

If you write, there are songwriter week-long things in very cool outdoorsy places.

[djwayne]

Check out your favorite band's website to see if they are on tour, and go to a city that they are playing in and explore that city. Toronto has a very happening music scene. R&R HoF is also fun for a day or two, currently they have a "Tommy" exhibit going on.

[Billster]

Dennyf: Musikfest is awesome.

 

Look into Memphis/Graceland if you're into that sort of thing. I seem to recall hearing of a Beale Street tour. New Orleans might have something semi-organized as well.

 

I advocate picking a jazz festival, and exploring the surrounding area - Ottawa was a neat place to see. Cape Breton has some celtic music and dance events to look into, and is a very dramatic place to see, especially if you like glacier carved rocks.

[Jimbroni]

I'm surprised no one has heard of the Jam Cruise.

 

http://www.jamcruise.com/

[ihategarybettman]

Man, New Orleans always has something happening, music-wise, along with plenty of other distractions!

[Felix_dup1]

Nobody's mentioned the Experience Music Project yet. Seems like it wouldn't be difficult to put together a Seattle-area music-themed vacation.

 

Also, I've always wanted to check out the Audio Playground Synthesizer Museum in Orlando, FL.

[KenElevenShadows]

Sounds of the South

http://www.generationstouringcompany.com/html/familytravel/Music.html

or

http://www.thefamilytravelfiles.com/ezine/articles/115.asp

 

Madagascar

http://www.madagascar-travel.net/music.html

 

Classical Music Tours (Austria)

http://www.allegroholidays.com/Ind_Music/Independent_Music_Main.htm

[KenElevenShadows]

If you are interested in Indian classical music, one can arrange for lessons in Varanasi rather easily. Other places as well, but Varanasi seems to really cater to this especially. You can also attend workshops to see how classical instruments are made, and learn classical dance.

[PBBPaul]

If you're thinking late June / early July, come to Milwaukee. Summerfest (I guess it's now officially the world's largest music festival) will be going on from June 30th to July 10th. They've only announced a couple of headline acts so far but there are typically 20+ stages going 12 hours a day. It's a huge event.

[Hush]

There's the GuitarWorkshop in CT

 

I hear Austin has a great music scene. NYC also has a lot of great places to hear music.

 

Here\'s a listing of a bunch of guitar workshops.

 

Marc

[spokenward]

And speaking of New Orleans. It is time for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival . They cast a pretty wide net.

[flyscots]

You could do what I did and drive across the country meeting MusicPlayer folk!

 

Or you could just come over here and do some recording for a week!

 

Hi Rim

[Jimbroni]

Originally posted by flyscots:

You could do what I did and drive across the country meeting MusicPlayer folk!

 

Or you could just come over here and do some recording for a week!

 

Hi Rim

Winner.

[Wooden]

There are some jazz cruiser trips by the caribbean islands i think. Kirk whalum has been there.

[Eric VB]

If you don't "know what it means to miss New Orleans", then I also vote for a Nawlins trip.

 

Nashville wasn't too bad, either. Tour the studios, including the one where Elvis recorded.

 

If you're going to RnR Hall of Fame, consider also going a little further north to the Motown Historical Museum here in Detroit. While you're here, pick up a Metrotimes mag and listen to some locals or join them for open mic/jams, etc.

[Mark Zeger]

For many years, I've wanted to go to the Montreal Jazz Festival. I just haven't pulled the trigger. On any given night, there are lots of concerts to choose.

 

A few years ago, Esquire Magazine had a list of the Top 50 Rock and Roll destinations in the US. IIRC, the list had everything from great retailers to historic music sites. If you can find that list (and I couldn't), you could string together a few stops.

[Kris]

Originally posted by Jimbroni:

I'm surprised no one has heard of the Jam Cruise.

 

http://www.jamcruise.com/

Incredibly fun time...

[Jimbroni]

Originally posted by Kris:

Originally posted by Jimbroni:

I'm surprised no one has heard of the Jam Cruise.

 

http://www.jamcruise.com/

Incredibly fun time...

Cool. You actually went. I haven't been to one yet, but we've seriously considered it the last few years. Looks like a blast.

[Rim]

Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

Musikfest then a tour of Martin sounds pretty cool and I can drive there. I even have a cousin in Bethlehem I can visit!

 

The Jam Cruise definitely sounds like fun - maybe I'll sign up for next year. Too bad I missed it for this year.

[ITGITC]

Big Jazz in the Big Easy

 

This years Jazz Fest line up includes The Original Meters Reunion, Dave Matthews Band, James Taylor, Nelly, Artist TBA, B.B. King, Juanes, The Neville Brothers, Trey Anastasio, Isaac Hayes, Elvis Costello, Steve Winwood, Ike Turner, and thousands more artists. A complete festival line-up and schedule of concerts can be found on its official Web site.

 

If you go, take me too.

[Sylver]

Originally posted by Dennyf:

This is a pretty cool event: Musikfest , in Bethlehem, PA.

 

And while you're in the neighborhood, Nazareth is not very far away.

WOW! REO Speedwagon AND Nightranger on one bill? I think I just wet my spandex.

 

I've been meaning to get to that Martin tour, but it might be too expensive!

[Calfee Jones]

Memphis is a great place for a music lover. Beale Street always has lots of stuff going on. There are big music festivals like Memphis In May (3 stages, 3 days, big name bands, $45 for the 3 day pass). Travel 70 miles south to Clarksdale Mississippi to Robert Johnson's crossroads, Sun Studios (Elvis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis) - The Sun Studio tour puts you in the same room they recorded in, and so many have recorded since (U2, BB King, Macca). Then the great Ardent Studio and Brad Blackwood's Matering House...

 

The weather is good from April to November - You can easily spend and enjoyable music week here!

[Dennyf]

Originally posted by Sylver:

Originally posted by Dennyf:

This is a pretty cool event: Musikfest , in Bethlehem, PA.

 

And while you're in the neighborhood, Nazareth is not very far away.

WOW! REO Speedwagon AND Nightranger on one bill? I think I just wet my spandex.

 

 

Well, ya know, give 'em credit for having ALL kinds of music.

 

I've also seen the Flecktones, Rippingtons, and that guy who's name I can't remember that played guitar in the Lost Planet Airmen. (Dang, I've even turned my Tele control plate arsey-versey after seein' his . . . what's his name? Crap!)

[KenElevenShadows]

Aren't there a lot of clubs that are off Beale Street that the locals go to that are supposed to be really great clubs? I keep hearing this, but as I've only been to Memphis for maybe 2 days, I wouldn't know!!