Voodoo Fest headliners announced

With Coachella in the books, it is now time to start thinking about some of the other major music festivals around the country. I'm a big believer in planning ahead, if at all possible, because tickets for these big festivals are often cheaper the earlier you buy them, and hotel rooms can almost always be found.

One of the best fall music festivals, without a doubt, is the Voodoo Music and Arts Experience in New Orleans. If you've ever been curious about this particular event, well, listen up: The lineup for the 2013 Voodoo Fest is outstanding!

This year's Voodoo Fest is planned for November 1-3, 2013, in New Orleans' sprawling City Park. But unlike in past years, when thousands of people were crammed into what I think was a smallish space to hear major acts on several stages, organizers this year are unveiling the brand new City Park Festival Grounds. As this festival has grown, so has the money the city puts into it. Now, thankfully, they've redone a special area that's designed to comfortably accommodate the throngs of fans who'll pour into the park to enjoy three great days of live tunes.

The headliners for the 2013 Voodoo Fest were just announced, and they include Pearl Jam and Nine Inch Nails. NIN has played Voodoo many times in the past, and the shows are always fantastic. If those acts don't excite you, how about some of the other newly-announced acts like Bassnectar, Macklemore, Paramore, Afrojack, Calvin Harris and The Gaslight Anthem? I highly recommend checking out the Gaslight Anthem live, by the way.

Again, I'm really into planning in advance as much as possible, so if you want to head down to the Big Easy for some big fun in November, you might want to check out the official Voodoo Music and Arts Experience website. You'll get links to purchase tickets, information about hotels (some offer specials for festival attendees) and great tips on traveling to and from City Park from wherever you plan to stay in the city. Take the buses, trust me, you'll be really glad you did. The streetcars are great but the schedules are...well, they're just inconsistent, even during big event weekends.

Is anyone else thinking about hitting up Voodoo Fest 2013? Let me know, and I hope to see you there!

Photo courtesy of Rolling Stone Magazine