East Coast? West Coast? It ain’t a thing, baby.
Jay-Z’s groundbreaking Made In America festival is returning to the Ben Franklin Parkway this year for the third Labor Day weekend in a row. This time, however, the music’s going bicoastal. Touting the tagline, “Two Cities / One Weekend,” the festival will simultaneously rock Philly and Los Angeles on August 30th and 31st.
The fest, which is organized by Live Nation, sponsored by Budweiser, and curated by Jay-Z, was the subject of a Showtime doc following the music industry renaissance man’s journey to bring an eclectic lineup of rock, EDM, hip-hop, pop, and R&B to Philadelphia. A huge success in its first and second years – attendance skyrocketed by 100% between 2012 and 2013 – all indications show that Young Hov’s dream of an eminently accessible, gender-inclusive community celebration of music will flourish once again.
Each city’s fest will feature a distinct lineup, neither of which has yet been announced. Last year’s bill featured Deadmau5, Nine Inch Nails, and Phoenix as headliners. Kanye West Jill Scott, Passion Pit, and Pearl Jam graced the stage(s) during the inaugural year. As for Jay-Z himself, reputable industry gossip has him joining his (sexy, fierce, wig-snatchin’, drunk-in-love, transcendent goddess) wife Beyonce – also a 2013 MIA mainstage act – on a 20-stop double headliner tour this summer. Will Madame and Monsieur Carter be gracing Philly with their combined badassery before Labor Day? It remains to be seen.
Two-day passes to Philly’s Made In America festival are currently available for pre-order on the MIA official website for $99.95.