The #1 issue facing festivals called VIA around the nation over the past few years has been that they are only based in Pittsburgh. While Pittsburgh is a totally respectable location (it served well enough in 2013 anyway), like any normal festival and/or human being, VIA Festival was constantly distracted with thoughts of someday achieving the capacity to be in more than one place at a time. Though I am still limited to a single earthly location and as such have to keep getting up to check on my macaroni and cheese, as it happens, VIA Festival 2014 has managed to overcome the limitations of the physical realm, this year occurring simultaneously in both Pittsburgh and Chicago. Bully for them!
Stretching between October 1 and October 5, all-access and weekend pass tickets are on sale right here. You can and should use money to get them. Here is why: in addition to the fact that the organizers of VIA approach it with the notion of “festival of laboratory” in mind so there’s always exciting and different stuff going, there are also a metric ton of great artists in both lineups. Holly Herndon, Jónó Mí Ló, Giant Claw, Liturgy, Circuit des Yeux, and a bunch of others will be in Pittsburgh, while folks such as Mykki Blanco, Cakes Da Killa, and Traxman will be holding it down in Chicago. The VIA site has a full list for both Chicago and Pittsburgh. Another reason why you should attend is that, if you did what I said earlier in this paragraph, you’ve already got a ticket anyway, so, really, why not?
• VIA Festival: http://via2014.com