Best Music Destinations

There are some destinations where you can practically hear the music as you step off the plane. Whether it’s the steel drums of Trinidad or Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue playing during the opening sequence of Woody Allen’s Manhattan, there’s practically a soundtrack for every trip. Here’s where music lovers want to visit when they just can’t get that song out of their heads:

The West Indies

No destination plays host to quite as many extravagant music events as the Caribbean, which boasts a lengthy annual calendar filled with parties stemming from Carnival season (which on certain islands like Trinidad & Tobago starts as early as January), as well as entire months dedicated to music (February is for reggae in Jamaica.) As the birthplace of a variety of popular music forms, festivals in the Caribbean range from Dominica’s World Creole Music Festival (an October celebration of cadence-iypso, zouk, Louisiana Zydeco and other types of English creole music), to Jamaica’s enormous Reggae Sunfest, scheduled this year for July 21-27. And let’s not forget the Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival, where from April 30 to May 12 fifty big name artists from all over the world will be performing.

Berlin, Germany

It didn’t take long after the fall of the Wall for young Berliners to reunite with their Western counterparts in applauding that unst-unst-unst coming from the DJ booth. The birth of techno in the late 80’s spawned an international club scene that today still draws millions of tourists to Berlin each weekend. While every one of them comes with the hope of getting into über-exclusive Berghain, there are tons of other hotspots that might be a better bet. Try Watergate, which has a beautiful terrace overlooking the River Spree, or Cookies, a slightly more posh version of the all-night rave. For an eerie peek into the city’s tumultuous past, walk down the cement staircase of Tresor and enter a converted bank vault where Berliners have been partying since 1991. If techno isn’t your thing, check out the more mainstream acts at the annual Berlin Festival, set in the vacant hangars of Tempelhof Airport. Legendary Icelandic singer Bjork is set to headline this year.

England

A 20^th century music tour of England might begin in Liverpool, the birthplace of practically everything that happened in pop music post WWII. I’m referring, of course, to the hometown of the Beatles, where today travelers can take a virtual tour of the band’s legendary past at Albert Dock, a series of warehouses that since 1990 has housed “The Beatles Story.” Along with commentary by John Lennon’s half-sister Julia, the museum features memorabilia like George Harrison’s first guitar and Lennon’s famous spectacles. Afterwards, catch the two-hour Magical Mystery bus tour, which takes tourists around the city and down Penny Lane. But the Beatles are only part of England’s musical legacy. Only a decade later, a new subculture stood to take the Beats’ and psychedelic rockers’ place:  the punks. The 70’s DIY ethos gave rise to musicians like the Clash, Johnny Rotten and the Sex Pistols and designers like Vivienne Westwood, who was responsible for stylizing the elements of punk (think bondage gear, leather, safety pins and dog collars). Travelers can still browse through her 71-year-old’s London boutique in Mayfair, which ironically is one of the more upper crust neighborhoods in the city. Today, London also remains a popular destination for seekers of dubstep, a form of electronic music that was born in the homes of English DJ’s. Try Mass, a Brixton club in the basement of a church which holds regular concerts featuring well-known local acts.

New York, New York

 

The subject of a staggering number of hit songs ranging from the Jazz Age to the Golden Era of musical theater to 1970’s Billy Joel, Lou Reed and beyond, New York lives up to its iconic status. Start a tour of NYC’s legacy in Harlem, once the home of Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald. Catch a show at the 99-year-old Apollo Theater, unless you’re downtown—in which case, head to the Blue Note in Greenwich Village (recognized by the enormous piano shaped awning), which hosts some of the best jazz nights in the city. Hop on the A train to Bed-Stuy, a Brooklyn neighborhood that was home to hip-hop legends like Notorious B.I.G., Lil’ Kim and Jay-Z in the 80’s and 90’s. But if you’re looking to be serenaded, stroll through neighboring Williamsburg, where New York based bands who have since made it big (like Grizzly Bear or the Strokes) play alongside up-and-coming acts. The Music Hall of Williamsburg, Public Assembly, and the Knitting Factory are all good bets. And for a taste of the real Lullaby of Broadway, jump in line at the TKTS booth in Times Square for last-minute deals on soon-to-be-Tony nominated Broadway musicals where you can hear the sounds of Abba, Cyndi Lauper and Berry Gordy, all prospects for the musical Hall of Fame.

Tennessee

 

As long as Graceland is standing, Memphis, Tennessee will be a huge draw for music tourists. Every year, thousands trek to the home of the “King of Rock n’ Roll,” where they can hear an audio commentary, see “the wall” of graffiti and the Convair 880 jet named for Elvis Presley’s daughter, Lisa Marie. Although visitors aren’t allowed upstairs where Presley died, his grave in the meditation garden can be viewed by all. While in Memphis, take a tour of Sun Studio, where Presley, Johnny Cash, and B.B. King all recorded albums, then snag tickets to a show at the Beale Street Music Festival, scheduled this year for May 3, with headliners The Black Keys, Phoenix, and ZZ Top.  It’s also well-worth the 3 hour drive to Nashville, a.k.a. Music City, for a photo op on the Walk of Fame or a country show at the Grand Ole Opry. Nashville’s local scene is where the magic happens. Check out what’s happening at The 5 Spot during your visit. Chances are you’ll get a preview of next year’s breakout band.