Pitchfork

Hey, here's this great idea. Get a bunch of bands that people like and have them play all day long. Cater to a decent cross-section of young folks, and invite sponsors to bankroll a good portion of the overhead. Hell, tack on a week's worth of satellite events, just for kicks. We'll call it...a festival!

Seems some folks in amalgamated British city NewcastleGateshead will put this brilliant idea to the test in late May. The 2007 edition of the Evolution festival kicks off May 20 and runs through May 28, culminating on the final day with a massive, cataclysmic, day-long outdoor event in the city's Quayside called (groans at the ready)...Freevolution.

Freevolution will feature performances from Maxïmo Park, Bonde do Role, Echo & the Bunnymen, Simian Mobile Disco, Datarock, Kano, Soulwax, Shy Child, Hot Club de Paris, and more. Did we mention it's, like, totally free to attend? Meanwhile, during the days leading up to Freevolution, cool musical entities invade NewcastleGateshead's many venues, entities such as Patti Smith, the Apples in Stereo, Loney, Dear, Emma Pollock, Tunng, 2ManyDJs, Joan as Police Woman, Nouvelle Vague, and others.

Scope the fest's website and MySpace for all the thrilling details.