Text size:

Critics' Choice: The Music Events Not To Miss

Glenn Gamboa

May 25, 2003

The burning question of the summer is: Why see one band when you can see 20?

It seems everyone has caught festival fever, especially on Long Island, which will soon be home to two of the biggest concerts of the year - Field Day (June 7 and 8) and Bonnaroo NE (Aug. 8-10). Those shows, both at Enterprise Park in Calverton, will likely be talked about for years to come, whether it's soon-to-be- heroic tales of dodging traffic on the LIE or dodging campers to get close enough to watch Thom Yorke sweat.

Field Day is alt-rocker heaven, featuring Radiohead, which will offer a sneak preview of its upcoming "Hail to the Thief" album (June 7) and the long-awaited return of The Beastie Boys (June 8), as well as Beck, Dashboard Confessional, Interpol, Thursday and Thievery Corporation (June 7) and Sigur Ros, Blur, Bright Eyes, The Roots and The Streets (June 8). Tickets are $75 for one-day tickets and $140 for a two-day pass through Ticketmaster, 631-888-9000 and 212-307-7171.

Bonnaroo NE will be a jam-band delight, with Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers along for the groovy ride led by The Dead, Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds, and a string of solo- happy bands, including moe. and Gov't Mule, rappers X-ecutioners and Talib Kweli and alt- rockers Yo La Tengo.