5 Ways to Experience (and Relive) the Top Summer Music Festivals Without Leaving Home

Arcade Fire is headling Bonnaroo 2011 alongside Eminem, Lil Wayne, and Widespread Panic.

Summer music festivals are a gentle reminder that poor people suck. The biggest icons of music all get together for three or four nights of sweaty crowds and drinking-induced chaos, and anyone who can't spring for a $300 ticket--on top of the food, hotel, and travel expenses--is left pretending they actually wanted to stay home. I mean, what's so exciting about witnessing a collaboration between Neko Case and Triumph, the Insult Dog? (Answer: Everything.)

Fortunately for us, this sweet thing called "2011" brings with it a few technological advances--particularly the art of streaming. Kick back, pop open a beer, and watch all the musical glory of your favorite bands shredding it at the biggest music festivals without spending a penny.

Better yet, relive festivals that happened last month, last year . . . or in 1977.

Bonnaroo

Still recovering from Sasquatch? Then chances are you didn't have the extra cash to splurge on tickets to attend Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tennessee. The four-day festival, which kicks off today, is streaming for free on Vevo and features Eminem, Arcade Fire, Widespread Panic, Lil Wayne, the Decemberists, and many, many more.

Streaming begins Friday at 9 a.m. PST on Vevo.

Coachella

Kings of Leon, Kanye West, and Mumford & Sons joined 187 other acts this past April for three days of musical magic in the California desert. Advance tickets for 2012 have already gone on sale for $269 (plus fees), which easily turns into a pretty substantial investment for anyone on the East Coast who has any inkling to trek the 2000+ miles.
In a pretty classy move, Coachella decided to stream the entire festival on YouTube, and still has more than 70 videos archived on its account.