Let's simplify the problem by reminding everyone that the track represented in the screen cap above, "International Player's Anthem" is the last official release involving the joint project of Andre 3000 and Big Boi. The last one. It's a throw-away remix of a track produced by Three 6 Mafia and in collaboration with the South's hip-hop godfather, UGK (in one of Pimp C's last appearances as well, actually). And it's wonderful, maybe the most purely enjoyable song released in the last decade. It delights in language and sound and clarity in the way most of OutKast's best music does.
And this year, for the first time since 2006, the two great MCs will stand together on stages around the world and offer that delight once again. It's an unusual idea -- a reunion tour comprising entirely music festivals. But it's a great forum for a group such as this: A bonafide main event in any circumstance and a party-starter of unparalleled reliability.
Probably this isn't the last we'll hear from OutKast. Success on this festival tour will likely beget broader touring and maybe even new music. But who knows? Maybe it won't. There's no way to be sure this isn't your last chance to see one of the most universally compelling artists in any genre of the past 25 years. So we advise you make your way to one of these festivals. Here's a map and complete list of the options in chronological order to help you out.
The pins on this map are alphabetized in chronological order. So the red "A" is Coachella, OutKast's first scheduled stop, and that pink "Z" over in the UK is Bestival, its last. You may need to zoom out or drag the map to see all the festivals
Denver, it turns out, is among the least convenient places in the US and Western Europe for making your way to an OutKast festival. There are plenty on the coasts here and enough across the Atlantic. But if Colorado residents want to partake, they will need to embark on a pilgrimage. We've sought to help you do just that by finding flight and hotel costs for every one of the shows announced so far. You can peruse them below.
A few caveats:
-If the festival was within driving distance, we calculated gas cost instead. We assumed you were driving a 2001 Subaru Forester, because you live in Colorado.
-In all cases, we pursued the cheapest possible option. The idea here is to tell you what it will take to see OutKast -- the rest of the amenities and talent offered by these festivals are gravy. Because of this, we presented one-day pass costs when applicable, and assumed the travel and lodging associated with getting in the day before OuKast's set and leaving the day after.
-We did not include hotels or hostels with two or one star ratings. The cost of treatment for syphilis or whatever is greater than the savings you get there anyway.
-Some of these festivals are sold out. We included them anyway, with the original ticket costs, because there is a third-party market and presumably if you are a great OutKast fan you're smart enough to navigate them without getting hosed.
Festival: Coachella Other notable artists: The Replacements, Queens of the Stone Age, Pharrell, Beck, etc. Location: Indio, California Date: Friday, April 11 or Friday, April 18 Ticket cost: $375 for a weekend pass (sold out, though, so you'll have to try your luck on StubHub or whatever) Travel cost: $355.36 in gas money for a 2001 Subaru Forester Lodging cost: $85 for a camping pass (sold out) Total cost: $815.36Festival: Counter.Point Other notable artists: Pretty Lights, Foster the People, J. Cole Location: Kingston Downs, Georgia Date: Sunday, April 27 Ticket cost: $75 advanced GA for Sunday Travel cost: $276 round trip flight on Delta from Denver to Atlanta Lodging cost: $110 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Cartersville Total cost: $461 *Cheapest way to see OutKast*
Festival: Big Guava Festival Location: Tampa, Florida Other notable artists: Vampire Weekend, Foster the People, Cake Date: Friday, May 2 Ticket cost: $65 single-day ticket Travel cost: $337 round trip flight on US Airways Lodging cost: $138 for two nights at the Howard Johnson in downtown Tampa Total cost: $540
Festival: Hangout Music Festival Other notable artists: The Black Keys, The Killers, QOTSA Location: Gulf Shores, Alabama Date: May 16 to 18 (schedule not yet announced) Ticket cost: $229.00 for a three-day pass Travel cost: $447 on American Lodging cost: $266 in the Key West Inn in Foley, 15 min from festival Total cost: $953
Festival:Sasquatch! Music Festival Other notable artists: The National, QOTSA, MIA Location: George, Washington Date:May May 23 to 25 (schedule not yet announced) Ticket cost: $325 Travel cost: $282 on united Lodging cost: $0 (camping pass included in ticket price) Total cost: $607 *Best venue at which to see OutKast. If you can't have Red Rocks...*
Festival:Bottle Rock Festival Other notable artists: The Cure, Weezer, TV on the Radio Location: Napa, California Date: May 30 to June 1 (schedule not yet announced) Ticket cost: $149 single-day pass Travel cost: $304 on Delta Lodging cost: $322 at the Staybridge Suites Fairbridge/Napa Valley Total cost: $775 Festival: Governors Ball Other notable artists: Jack White, Vampire Weekend, The Strokes Location: Randall's Island, New York City Date: June 6 to 8 Ticket cost: $230 Travel cost: $278 on Spirit Airlines Lodging cost: $262 at The Bowery House in Manhattan Total cost: $771 *Best overall lineup value*Festival:Orange Warsaw Other notable artists: Florence and The Machine, Pixies, Kings of Leon Location: Warsaw, Poland Date: June 15 Ticket cost: $65 for a one day pass Travel cost: $1,600 on LOT Polish Airlines Lodging cost: $72 at the Victor Hotel Total cost: $1,737
Festival: Firefly Music Festival Other notable artists: Foo Fighters, Beck, Arctic Monkeys Location: Dover, Denmark Date: June 19 to 22 (schedule not yet announced) Ticket cost: $279 Travel cost: $389 on United Lodging cost: $242 at the Holiday Inn Express Total cost: $910
Festival: Fuji Rock Festival Other notable artists: Kanye West, Franz Ferdinand, Lorde Location: Naeba Ski Resort, Japan Date: July 25 to 27 (schedule not yet announced) Ticket cost: $168 Travel cost: $2,000 on Alaska Airlines Lodging cost: $126 at the Chisun Inn Niigata Total cost: $2,294 *The coolest way to see Outkast: This depends on where your dream destination is, but as far as a experience goes, it probably doesn't get better than seeing them on top of a mountain at a ski resort in Japan. Gorgeous views, foreign country and Outkast. Not to mention the other headliner is Kanye West.*Festival: Summerfest Other notable artists: Location: Milwaukee Date: June 29 Ticket cost: $46.60 Travel cost: $343 by car in a 2001 Subaru Forester Lodging cost: $310 Total cost: $699
Festival:Rosklide Festival Other notable artists: Arctic Monkeys, Deerhunter, Interpol Location: Rosklide, Denmark Date: June 29 to July 6 (schedule not yet announced) Ticket cost: $179 for one-day pass Travel cost: $1,446 on Icelandair Lodging cost: $264 Total cost: $1,889 Festival: Wireless Festival Other notable artists: Kanye West, Drake, Bruno Mars Location: London and Birmingham Date: July 5 in Birmingham Ticket cost: $113 Travel cost: $1,525 on Iberia airlines Lodging cost: $68 at the Kingfisher Hotel Total cost: $1,706
Festival: Openair Frauenfeld Other notable artists: Macklemore, Pharrell Williams, MIA Location: Frauenfeld, Switzerland Date: July 10 to 12 (schedule not yet announced) Ticket cost: $213.95 for three-day pass Travel cost: $2,858 on US Airways Lodging cost: $0 (camping included in ticket) Total cost: $3,071.95
Festival: Splash! Festival Other notable artists: Wiz Kalifa, Earl Sweatshirt, Chance The Rapper Location: Gräfenhainichen, Denmark Date: July 11 to 13 (schedule not yet announced) Ticket cost: $150.22 Travel cost: $3,066 on Luftansa Cityline to semi-nearby Leipzig Lodging cost: $0 (camping included in pass) Total cost: $3,216.22
Festival: North Sea Jazz Festival Other notable artists: Pharrell Williams, Hall & Oates, Sharon Jones & Dap Kings Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands Date: July 13 Ticket cost: $113 Travel cost: $1,837 on British Airways Lodging cost: $140 at Van Der Valk Hotel Total cost: $2,090 *Least valuable way to see OutKast -- not only is the price tag over $2000, but the lineup is particularly week.*
Festival: Forecastle Festival Other notable artists: Jack White, Beck, The Replacements Location: Louisville, Kentucky Date: July 18 to 20 (schedule not yet announced) Ticket cost: Single day tickets go on sale April 4, weekend pass: $184 Travel cost: $369 by car in a 2001 Subaru Forester Lodging cost: $170 at Staybridge Suites in East Louisville Total cost: $723
Festival: Osheaga Festival Other notable artists: Jack White, Skrillex, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Location: Montreal, Quebec Date: August 1 to 3 (schedule not yet announced) Ticket cost: $250 Travel cost: $495.36 on Delta Lodging cost: $146 at Days Inn and Conference Center Total cost: $891.36 Festival: OVO Fest Other notable artists: Drake and "special guests" (last year that included Diddy and Kanye West) Location: Toronto, Ontario Date: August 3 Ticket cost: $66.50 by car in a 2001 Subaru Forester Travel cost: $403 by car in a 2001 Subaru Forester Lodging cost: $128 at Courtyard Toronto Mississauga/Meadowvale Total cost: $810.50
Festival: Øya Fest Other notable artists: Janelle Monae, Neutral Milk Hotel, Royksopp & Robyn Location: Oslo, Norway Date: August 7 Ticket cost: $138.84 Travel cost: $1,547 on Icelandair Lodging cost: $144 at Anker Hostel Total cost: $1,829.84
Festival: Way Out West Festival Other notable artists: Blood Orange, QOTSA, Bill Callahan Location: Gothenburg, Sweden Date: August 8 to 9 Ticket cost: $295.16 for three-day pass Travel cost: $1,368.40 on KLM Lodging cost: $150 at Goteborg Hostel Total cost: $1,813.56
Festival: Flow Festival Other notable artists: The National, Charli XCX, Mac DeMarco Location: Helsinki, Finland Date: August 8 to 10 (schedule not yet announced) Ticket cost: $219.32 for three day pass Travel cost: $1,194 on Blue 1 Lodging cost: $168 at Hotel Korpilampi Total cost: $1,581.32 *North-most place to see OutKast. Hey, maybe that's a thing you're into.Festival: Pukkelpop Other notable artists: Snoop Dogg, Jake Bugg, Janelle Monae Location: Hasselt, Belgium Date: August 14 to 16 (schedule not yet announced) Ticket cost: $117.25 for a one-day pass Travel cost: $1,706 on United Lodging cost: $0 (camping included with ticket) Total cost: $1,823.25
Festival: Rock 'n' Heim Other notable artists: A Day to Remember, Parov Stelar, Die Antwoord Location: Hockenheim, Germany Date: August 15 to 17 (schedule not yet announced) Ticket cost: $246.81 Travel cost: $1,597 on Delta Lodging cost: $0 (camping included in ticket) Total cost: $1,843.81 *Festival with the dumbest name at which to see OutKast. Low blow? Probably. But no "rock 'n'..." anything, under any circumstances.*
Festival: Bestival Other notable artists: Chic, Foals, Busta Rhymes, Disclosure Location: Isle of Wight, UK Date: September 4 to 7 (schedule not yet announced) Ticket cost: $322.14 for four-day pass Travel cost: $1,410 on United and Flybe Lodging cost: $110 at Mount Sorrel Hotel Total cost: $1,842.14 *Best festival experience involving OutKast. The good vibes coming from Bestival radiate several thousand miles.*• BACKBEAT'S GREATEST HITS • - The fifty best rap lyrics of all time - The ten biggest concert buzzkills - Five more concert buzzkills - From Phish to Floyd, the ten best light shows
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