Posts Tagged ‘Indio’

There are sour notes emanating from Coachella fans, in reaction to the music festival’s lineup announcement in the wee hours of this morning.

In what some are calling one of the weakest lineups in years, fans have taken to social media to air their displeasure. “We waited for this?” “Where’s the big headliner?” “I’m selling my airline tickets!” Yes, all direct quotes from their official Facebook page.

And of course, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I wasn’t scrutinizing the lineup myself.

Fans have raised a legitimate beef – where is the marquee, blow-you-away headliner? No offense to Phoenix, but the French band hardly deserves top billing at one of the biggest musical events of the year. Ditto for Stone Roses and Blur – it’s not the early ’90s anymore, and it’s not a UK fest catering to 40-something hipsters with British accents.

Also, my biggest grievance, the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Big name for sure, but every time I’ve seen them through the years, sadly, the opening band has consistently outplayed them.

So is all lost for the thousands of music fans that will still get crazy from the heat of the California desert in April? Hardly.

If you get the musical microscope out and focus in on the small font on the concert poster, you’ll find it’s the lesser lights that are going to shine.

Bands like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Lumineers, Grizzly Bear, Vampire Weekend, the xx, and a reunited Postal Service will all easily make up for the lack of electricity up top.

In addition to the young bucks, there are some veterans that may give them a run – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Violent Femmes (who are reuniting for the gig), New Order, Wu-Tang Clan (also back together for the first time in years) and Lou Reed – you read correctly – Lou friggin’ Reed – will all grace the stage without walkers or hearing aids of any kind (EDITOR’S NOTE – he has now cancelled his appearance).

Heck, there’s even some top notch CanCon on the list with Tegan and Sara, Metric, Stars and Vancouver’s Japandroids.

So worry not. For those who’ve already made their travel plans, no need to refund your plane ticket. Just keep in mind that most of the stage heat will be generated during the day. Bring extra sunscreen.

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival takes place at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, Calif., and runs over two weekends: April 12 to 14 and April 19 to 21 (the same acts are on both weekends). Tickets go on sale HERE on Tuesday at 7 a.m. (EST).

What do you think of the lineup? Sound off in the comment section below.

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Friday, April 12 & 19

Blur, The Stone Roses, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Modest Mouse, Lou Reed, Jurassic 5, Grinderman, Bassnectar, Dog Blood, How to Destroy Angels, Passion Pit, Tegan and Sara, Band of Horses, Beach House, Metric, Local Natives, Of Monsters and Men, Infected Mushroom, Japandroids, Divine Fits, Stars, Johnny Marr, Luciano, Wolfgang Gartner, Nicky Romero, Modestep, Tommy Trash, Thomas Gold, the Shouting Matches, Dillon Francis, Four Tet, Aesop Rock, Alt-J, Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine, TNGHT, Jake Bugg, Earl Sweatshirt, Polica, Sparks, Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, Purity Ring, Lee Scratch Perry, Dam-Funk, DJ Harvey, Jamie xx, Seth Troxler, Youth Lagoon, Deathfix, C2C, Beardyman, Lord Huron, Palma Violets, IO Echo, Skinny Lister, the Neighbourhood, Sam XL Pure Filth Sound

Saturday, April 13 and 20

Phoenix, the XX, the Postal Service, Sigur Ros, New Order, Hot Chip, Grizzly Bear, Knife Party, Benny Benassi, Two Door Cinema Club, Moby, Descendents, Yeasayer, Franz Ferdinand, Violent Femmes, Simian Mobile Disco, Spiritualized, Puscifer, Cafe Tacuba, Portugal, the Man, the Make-Up, Bat for Lashes, Richie Hawtin, Major Lazer, Fedde Le Grand, Dropkick Murphys, FOALS, Ben Howard, 2 Chainz, Janelle Monae, Danny Brown, Wild Nothing, Booka Shade, Bingo Players, Allen Stone, El-P, the Selecter, Pusha T, Kill the Noise, the Evens, Biffy Clyro, Theophilus London, Baauer, Zane Lowe, Trash Talk, Birdy Nam Nam, Action Bronson, Jason Bentley, the Wombats, Guards, Mona, Savages, Shovels & Rope, Huoratron, Kurt Vile, Reignwolf, Cassy, 3Ball MTY, Kids These Days, the 2 Bears, the Colourist, Vintage Trouble

Sunday, April 14 and 21

Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Vampire Weekend, Social Distortion, Wu-Tang Clan, Pretty Lights, Eric Prydz, Tame Impala, the Lumineers, Dead Can Dance, La Roux, James Blake, Excision Grimes, the Gaslight Anthem, the Faint, Hardwell, Paul Oakenfold, Dinosaur Jr., Raider Klan, OMD, Roni Size, the Airborne Toxic Event, Father John Misty, Tanlines, Rodriguez, Alex Clare, Paul Kalkbrenner, Jessie Ware, Loco Dice, Jamie Jones, the Three O’Clock, Disclosure, Mimosa, Cloud Nothings, Parov Stelar Band, Julio Bashmore, Thee Oh Sees, Dub Fx, Maya Jane Coles, JEFF the Brotherhood, Smith Westerns, Dirtyphonics, Joris Voorn, Hanni El Khatib, Danny Avila, Ghost, DIIV, Little Green Cars, Mord Fustang, James McCartney, Unicorn Kid, Robert DeLong, White Arrows, Deep Vally, Wild Belle, Adrian Lux, Ladies Night