That “thing” in Indio, California…
By now, you’ve probably picked up your jaw after reading the lineup for this year’s Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. Well, good for you. You’re ahead of the game. My jaw is still somewhere under the couch, collecting dust and being nibbled on by ants. I’ve just been too busy with travel plans to go and fetch it. That’s how shocking all this comes to me. So, why am I acting like a six-year old at Disney World? The truth is, there hasn’t been a line up of this caliber in years, quite possibly in decades, and it’s exciting to the ‘nth degree. Some may think otherwise, but seriously, let’s take a closer look. (Note: This is where you keep reading, even if you’re ready to throw a brick at my head.)
Okay, so on first glance…Paul McCartney. Yep, Goldenvoice managed to snag a former Beatle. Already they’re ahead of the game, and any other organizer (C3 Presents, for one) is probably kicking their children at this point. C’mon! You might not like the guy’s solo work (Memory Almost Full is somewhat weak, I’ll give you that.), but this is the guy who wrote “Hey Jude”, “The Night Before”, and “Helter Skelter”. He’s the Brit who penned “Maybe I’m Amazed”, and dueted with Michael Jackson on “The Girl is Mine”. Okay, so maybe that last part won’t sell you, but how can you not be psyched, if not impressed, at this headliner? We’re pretty ecstatic about ol’ Macca being there, but it’s not like we haven’t been excited for weeks now.
But, what’s that? There’s a truck load of other winning artists, too? Oh, right! How can we forget Morrissey, Leonard Cohen, The Cure and My Bloody Valentine? At this point in the glance over, I’m about ready to pass out. That’s enough to sell me on the festival alone, even if Macca wasn’t there! The twist? We haven’t even begun to focus on the real juice of the squeeze. Take a closer look and you’ll see The Bob Mould Band, Henry Rollins, and Paul Weller. Considering seeing Bob Mould is like having Hüsker Dü on the bill, and the same can be said of Weller and The Jam, those are two elements to throw in, as well.
Then there’s the modern talent, too. Among the ’80’s heroes, we can’t ignore the likes of Franz Ferdinand, Okkervil River, TV on the Radio, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Peter Bjorn and John! Take a breath, Mike. Then you can look again and find newer festival favorites like Girl Talk, Lupe Fiasco, The Black Keys, and Atmosphere. Somehow, Goldenvoice happened to steal Amy Winehouse from the crazy house, too. That seems to be a miracle in itself. You might even write that off as a form of public service.
Really, I could go on and on about this line up. Are there negatives? Sure there are! Nothing’s perfect. Just off the top of my head, I can think of a couple of drawbacks. For one, there isn’t a big “reunion” act here. In a perfect, idealistic world, The Replacements would have been a trophy addition, and even the inclusion of Paul Westerberg would have sufficed, but we live in reality, unfortunately. Goldenvoice can’t do it all, so maybe that will give some leeway for Superfly and C3 Presents (’Mats for Lolla ‘09?). As for other concerns, that collection on Saturday sticks out some. A few might fret and complain that The Killers aren’t even in the same league as both McCartney and The Cure, and they’d be right, so there’s that to scoff at. Then again, to play the Devil’s advocate, you have to consider that Goldenvoice typically has a heavy, late addition to the game. That’s not to say The Killers aren’t headlining, they probably are, but a lucky guess would bet that something is on the horizon for Saturday. What might that be? That’s a good topic to flirt about, but I’ll leave that to Alex.
So what’s next?
Once you digested the lineup, which I did half-consciously at 4:00 a.m. this morning, it’s pretty evident that there is more to come, and if Coachella’s history says anything (see: Prince), that more should be pretty big.
Obviously, the biggest area needing improvement is the electro-friendly Sahara Tent, which at this point, seems to be lacking a few big names. In years past, the area has featured the likes of such heavy hitters as Daft Punk, Justice, Fatboy Slim, Tiësto, Paul van Dyk, and someone named Madonna. Needless to say, Goldenvoice has set a pretty high standard for Sahara and with Thievery Corporation, The Crystal Method, MSTRKRFT, and Girl Talk highlighting the list of probable acts this year, it definitely seems likely, and has been rumored since this morning’s announcement, that a couple more additions are coming.
So who are some names to consider? Well, Orbital just got back together, while Basement Jaxx and The Chemical Brothers were two names filling everyone’s wishlist in the weeks leading up to the announcement. Of course, there’s always Moby and the Plump DJs, pending visa issues. And if all else fails, Perry Farrell is on the lineup and has been to known to spin at times.
As for those hoping for another mainstage headliner - you know, someone to stop Brandon Flowers and Co. from closing out Saturday night - one would have to guess something is coming, whether in the form of Neil Young, whose appearance was heavily rumored, but is currently noticeably absent on the lineup, or a high-profile reunion, such as Pavement. Other possibilities? Outkast or Nine Inch Nails seem like reasonable options, and while of course, The Smiths probably aren’t, as long as Morrissey is on the bill, there’s always a possibility Johnny Marr could hop on the plane destined for Indio.
All in all, if I had to guess, I would say the coming weeks will bring a few high-profile additions - Neil Young for Saturday headliner, Orbital for the Sahara Tent - and a slew of solid mid-tier acts, like Flight of the Conchords, Neko Case, and Keane. And maybe, just maybe, if we get lucky, a nice reunion mixed in; after all, if you don’t feel like ponying up the cash for Pavement, Mr. Westerberg and Co. are always available…
2010 lineup has leaked:
Daft Punk
Blur, The Strokes
Paul Oakenfold, Feist, Mos Def, Supergrass
Arcade Fire
Pulp, Modest Mouse
Underworld, Blonde Redhead, Lily Allen, GZA
Outkast
Beck, Snow Patrol
M.I.A., Paul van Dyk, Sonic Youth, The Knife
So I’ve been using the trusty COS site and also Coachella’s site to dig deeper into this truly awesome lineup. I am a serious fan of 3 days fests and feel that I should go to all of them for the full duration. However this year… Friday is extremely top heavy, Saturday really has an amazing mid level tier card, and Sunday.. just has a lot of bands I do not like. So much in fact that it leaves me considering not even researching the other bands playing.
So Micheal really did break it down extremely well, but allow me to throw in some picks for most exciting expectations. As for Friday, Paul must be seen. This really is a huge deal for me, because as far as I have known, Paul is hard to see live. He’s always near home in the U.K and when he does come to the states it is rare he does a festival. But let me tell you how freaking stoked I am for some of the other bands. So many that I have never seen (and I’ve seen crap ton of bands live).
Conor Oberst is a must, Leonard Cohen!, CAGE THE ELEPHANT!!!, Girl Talk, NASA, Morrissey, Dear and the Headlights, and Molotov are all new ventures for me. Of course there is the best live band ever which happens to be the Black Keys. God I hope they get even 15min more than the average 1 hour slot. You have some other favorites that have really good new material that I am itching to see live: Ghostland Observatory and Franz.
Aside from those, does anyone else feel that this Friday seems a bit techno heavy? Now as for Friday, let me share some that I’m no way in hell seeing: Beirut (let me take a nap instead), Bajafondo, Felix da housecat, and Craze Kelevr.
Number one possible surprise that could be a slight dish of heaven? Cage the Elephant. that and Gui Boratto. Whoa.
As for Saturday, a quick review of bands that I again havent seen and have fallen in love with over the past year and change: Band of Horses, Blitzen Trapper, Bob Mould, Cloud Cult, Dr. Dog, and the Liars. I’m really looking forward to seeing Killers (because I use to talk so much shit about them and 2 years ago started liking everything from them. New album is…eh) MASTRKRFT is going to be awesome! Thievery was surprisingly good at Rothbury and I think the TRAVSDJ-AM gig is really something to catch (considering what they’ve been through). I mean these are my picks without doing any research. Really, Saturday is quite killer.
And sunday… oh how a let down this day is. Please, someone rebuttal this claim so I can see a reason to go on this day. Sure the Cure is the birth of modern day indie emoness. Sure they would be worth considering, maybe. Jenny Lewis.. Boring. MBV.. boring. The Kills… not that talented. Vivian Girls…eh (sadly most girl rock outfits end up this way. Paramore anyone?) The only ones that grab my eye are Okkervil River, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, PB & J, and MANDY.
SO I just finished my rant, now lets see some criticism and agreements!
word from a friend at GoldenVoice…apparently the Coachella lineup announcement delay was because a Sound Garden reunion fell through (random!), so they booked The Cure at the last second.
also, word on the street is that they’re working on adding No Doubt to headline Saturday (kinda like they did last year with Prince)…Portishead last year & The Killers this year are not strong enough headliners.
lastly, Basement Jaxx and/or Chemical Brothers will probably be added as well…most likely to Sun., since that day is the shortest on number of acts at the moment.
Haha, just watch on Tuesday man, you’ll see.
HOW?!
i still dunno how the ‘roo is going to top coachella
i mean we’re going to def see springsteen & the dead or phish?
how is that better than the cure/MBV/paul M?
the lineup is pretty nice. nothing that really excites me too much besides Cohen, Gristle, and My Bloody Valentine. I think Bonnaroo’s lineup is going to top it, hands down. watch.
The Smiths are headlining Saturday night. They will not appear on the poster until later. Organizers want to give their regular customers a chance of getting tickets before the big news.
This lineup is so dull. So incredibly dull. Cohen and Liars are the only acts I really would want to see.
Heimster, 2006 arctic monkeys only played Sasquatch as summer festival go. I wonder when Sasquatch is going to get the respect it deserves?
On the dance music end, I’m completely thrilled that Hercules & Love Affair is playing…AND Antony and the Johnsons is on the slate, too? That means Antony will be doing vocals for Hercules….a-mazing!!!
I’m also happy to see White Lies on the list.
can someone tell me why ‘roo 09 is looking better than coachella 09?
totally agree with heimster. i love all the weird bands coachella brings to the US. but can’t believe why anyone is so impressed with this lineup, especially given the turtle-heading releasing the lineup. geez, drop it already!
and while i’m excited about throbbing gristle, superchunk and x, it may not be enough to get me there. for a year that is pretty light on the headliners it’s also a little too light on the upper-mid tier bands.
Actually, Heimster, as far as I’m concerned Coachella usually does the best in terms of headliners and subheadliners of all of the US festivals. They typically seem to do better than Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza, but Roo ‘09 may very well turn out to be an excpetion.
I think they do a bit better in terms of undercard as well, which is why they’re my favorite festival, but that’s something that could be pretty easily argued. Just sayin, Coachella seems like a headliner festival to me. Personally, the only headliners I’ve been super interested in in the three years I will have attended would have been Rage, and now, Macca. (Prince blew me away as well, and Arcade Fire were basically defacto headliners.)
Also, that picture you’re using on the top is the car of Coachella board member thestripe. That picture of his picture has been everywhere all of the sudden. Kinda funny.
Hate to splash rain on the party, but all these people who come in and just talk about the headliners are missing the point of Coachella. The best part is always the undercard, including the Euro bands that come over and only play Coachella and only a few of the biggest cities in the US (in the past this has been bands like Razorlight, Kaiser Chiefs, and Arctic Monkeys). If you never look past the bands in 54pt fonts, you belong at Bonnaroo. Nothing wrong with that, they are just different festivals for different people.
I think it makes sense that Saturday is much less stacked than the other two days, because traditionally that is the day in which most people will attend. Last year when Saturday was far and away the hallmark of the weekend I think was actually just a stroke of luck based on the bands’ availability. In 2007 all three days were pretty equal, so it’s sort of hard to say.
But in general, for non-destination festivals like this, particularly so for the three-days, Saturday will automatically be the biggest selling day just based on the availabitlity and freedom from work for most of the attendees, lineup aside. So it makes sense from a business standpoint. I still think there may be a major add, and I think it would be fitting to have Neil Young, he’s the perfect size IMO. But even if there isn’t one on the way, I’d have to guess that Saturday sells just as well if not better than Friday and Sunday, just like it has historically (Rage being a major exception).
With that said, though, Friday unfortunately doesn’t look that great for me. I’m super jazzed about Macca, and Beirut and APTBS should be awesome experiences. Other than that, not really too much for me. Hmmm…
It’s just exciting, really. To be honest, I think some of the best acts in music are on this line up. Sure, Friday is pretty top heavy compared to the weekend, but so what? For an initial line up, it’s outrageous. I think we’ve become overly picky over the years and the over-saturated festival market has made our expectations very unrealistic.
A former Beatle? A former Smith? Former members of The Jam, Husker Du, Black Flag? All in one weekend? That’s surreal and enticing in so many ways.
This is coming from someone that was slightly psyched for a ‘Mats reunion or, at the very least, Westerberg himself.
Yeah, I was in the lower bowl for the tour in 2007.
I remember there being outrageous ticket prices for right up front, but still pretty reasonable as you got further out.
My seats both times were plenty good.
I am not trying to shoot down your excitement in the least, as I think the line up is solid for sure, it just surprises me that someone could be _this_ amped about this line up.
Really? Last time I tried to see him (2005), the tickets were sky high. I like to actually see the performer, too.
My last McCartney ticket(2 years ago) cost 75 bucks.
The time before (maybe 5 years ago) was somewhere around 50.
Yes, Paul McCartney does an arena tour…at 500 bucks a pop. This gives you a chance to possibly see him up close. Not to mention, you’re paying less for a handful of huge acts.
The fact that you’re seeing McCartney, Moz, Cohen, MBV and just about every hot act out there musically pretty much tells me this is an experience you won’t get anywhere else.
Reunion acts are huge, and one of my favorite aspects, but we’re pretty limited on realistic reunions anymore. I mean, the ‘Mats aren’t going to reunite anytime soon, or ever for that matter. Pavement would be the only one, but it didn’t happen. So, oh well.
I just never thought I’d see all these artists at once, and given McCartney’s price tag for his usual tour, I convinced myself I wouldn’t see my favorite Beatle live ever. So, I think that’s a big selling point, at least for me.
The biggest problem I have with the festival this year is that it is missing the feel of an “event you can’t get anywhere else” that it has had in the past few years.
Yes, McCartney is a huge name, but the man does an arena tour every couple of years. The Cure did an arena tour this past year as well. The Killers are playing 6500 seat venues in large markets right now. Morrisey and Cohen will be out on tour on the way through Indio, so they don’t provide much of a wow factor in the least.
Missing for sure is a big reunion name that they have had in the past. Nothing against Throbbing Gristle playing their 3rd show in the USA ever, or Superchunk getting the band back together, but acts such a Portishead, The Verve, Rage Against the Machine, Tool, Bauhaus, gang of 4, Jesus and mary Chain and on and on have had a much bigger impact than those two provide. Its awesome that My Bloody Valentine are playing, but they had enough shows in 08 to not hit like they would have had his been their reunion.
This line up really just looks like all the same bands that have been on the festival circuit for the past couple of years (TVOTR, Okkervil, ect…) and a few names that have been on tour or are about to tour the states themselves.
So what time is the fest ending on Day 1? I’m figuring Sir Paul and Morrisey have an 8.30 bedtime? And most of the oldies will have fried to death by that time in the day, no?
I like the lineup quite a bit (I plan to go in fact), but I don’t think it’s the greatest thing ever. I agree somewhat that a lot with the poster who said that many of the acts could be seen last year or this year on tour. The really big “gets” IMO are McCartney, Leonard Cohen, Throbbing Gristle, My Bloody Valentine (would have been much, much bigger last year though) and Paul Weller. Shows in the US from these acts are rare. The middle card is solid though and I am looking forward to a great time. I just get the feeling that the Saturday headliner dropped out or hasn’t signed on yet. Hopefully GV still has some extra $$$ to add a big name there.
mccartney is cool… but the killers and the cure dont interest me whatsoever. The cure were terrible live when i saw them last year, its really a shame. They didn’t look interested at all to be there. Maybe itll be different at a festival. The rest of the lineup looks quite good, maybe lollapalooza can take a few hints
Never trust Wiki.
Depeche Mode did not play the Sahara tent.
This is true, Jasun. This is very true.
ya screw the oldies like springsteen, phish, and the grateful dead…im totally fine with mccartney…hearing Live and Let Die that night will be FUCKING EPIC, the only oldies i would be really excited about are Led Zeppelin, Michael Jackson, or King Crimson…ya thats right…i didnt include Bowie just like every other stupid hardcore indie kid who is complaining about this lineup (and every lineup for that matter) bowie would be cool to see, but not THAT AMAZING! so stop whining about him
Oh Michael, a hit is a hit.
Thanks, Jay. I have no idea why I wrote Baby. I guess I could chalk this up to being Monday. Oh wait…
Thanks for being a smart ass, Jasun. We don’t get enough of those!
i’m pretty sure this lineup will trump ‘roos
i mean i’d rather have mccartney/cure/the killers
than springsteen, phish and the dead
No spelling errors, but one song title is wrong. It’s “Maybe I’m Amazed.”
flight of the concords=no go
Flight of the Conchords Tour Dates
4/6/09 Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center* Tampa, FL
4/7/09 University of Miami BankUnited Center* Coral Gables, FL
4/8/09 UCF Arena* Orlando, FL
4/10/09 Ryman Auditorium* Nashville, TN
4/11/09 Fox Theatre* Atlanta, GA
4/13/09 Constitution Hall* Washington, D.C.
4/14/09 Radio City Music Hall* New York, NY
4/17/09 Agganis Arena* Boston, MA
4/18/09 Tower Theatre (2 shows)* Philadelphia, PA
4/19/09 Kent State University* Kent, OH
4/21/09 Massey Hall** Toronto, ON
4/22/09 Massey Hall** Toronto, ON
4/24/09 Fox Theatre** Detroit, MI
4/25/09 IU Auditorium** Bloomington, IN
4/26/09 Overture Center for the Arts** Madison, WI
4/28/09 Aerie Crown** Chicago, IL
4/30/09 Fox Theatre** St. Louis, MO
5/2/09 Riverside Theatre (2 shows)** Milwaukee, WI
5/3/09 Northrop Auditorium** Minneapolis, MN
5/5/09 Nokia Theatre** Dallas, TX
5/6/09 Jones Hall** Houston, TX
5/7/09 Bass Concert Hall** Austin, TX
5/10/09 Center in Vancouver for the Performing Arts*** Vancouver, BC
5/11/09 Paramount Theatre*** Seattle, WA
5/12/09 Paramount Theatre*** Seattle, WA
5/14/09 Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall*** Portland, OR
5/16/09 Red Rocks Amphitheatre**** Denver, CO
5/17/09 Abravanel Hall*** Salt Lake City, UT
5/19/09 Dodge Theatre*** Phoenix, AZ
5/20/09 RIMAC Arena*** San Diego, CA
5/22/09 County Bowl*** Santa Barbara, CA
5/23/09 The Joint*** Las Vegas, NV
5/24/09 Greek Theatre*** Los Angeles, CA
5/25/09 Berkeley Community Theatre (2 shows)*** Berkeley, CA
Supporting:
* = Kristen Schaal
** = Eugene Mirman
*** = Arj Barker
**** = 1st Support: Iron & Wine, 2nd Support: Arj Barker
Well… a the very least we can be excited that CoS managed an article with no spelling errors.
This lineup is really bad. Completely misses the boat. McCartney, Killers and the Cure as headliners? I can’t think of a major festival (Bonnaroo, Coachella, ACL, Lollapalooza, etc.) that has done this badly in recent memory.
Really? It barely seems better than 2008 to me. I don’t feel it competes with lineups like ‘04 or ‘07. There’s not much to offer that concert-goers couldn’t get seeing these acts on their own tour or at other festivals.
we will see if coachella 09>any US festival tuesday when the bonnaroo lineup comes out;
Excluding some 60’s and 70’s ones lol.
Seriously Coachella 09> any US festival ever.
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