Summer Festivals, Media Conferences and Concerts By Simon Beck  [1 more lists]

Ah, yes the delightful sounds of pop-punk, emo, thrash, grind, punk, garage and well everything else. This year Vans Warped Tour celebrates 15 years of serving the youth of America and the world, some of the best unsigned, indie and major label bands.

This is a very special event for indie, blues, acoustic, and rock lovers alike.

What more can be said than, "45 plus bands, 5 stages 2 nights." The festival is spread out through all of downtown San Diego with artists like The Dead Weather, Public Enemy, MIA, Modest Mouse, Busta Rhymes, Silver Sun Pick Ups and more. This is the best west coast festival besides Coachella.

Southern California’s regional media conference convenes in two weeks, August 7-9th in North Park. This is the second year of the conference which is now being known as the North Park Music Thing. Both a festival and media conference it, boosts an eclectic and knowledgeable group of industry panelists and regionally known musicians. The festival hosts 15 bands on 20 stages spread out through up-town venues. We all know the venues giving a platform for some of the hottest San Diego and indie touring bands so it’s no surprise that Beauty Bar, Soda Bar, Bar Pink, Whistle Stop, Ken Club, Le Stats and more will be staging in 30-40 minute sets starting on Friday (7/7/09) and ending Sunday (7/9/09).

We all know what this is conference is about. What was so special about this year's event, was the interest that Hollywood took in the conference. When stars like Johnny Depp, the whole Twilight and True Blood cast show up it's obvious that comic-con has reached critical mass. More and more studios are rushing to finish their filming in order to premiere at comic-con.