Coachella 2009 Dates!

I missed last year's edition and it looks like I'm missing the 10th anniversary edition as well. That doesn't mean it still isn't good news! It was announced earlier today that the uber-cool/amazing/fantastic/[insert overwhelmingly positive adjective here] Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival that takes place in Indio, CA will take place from April 17th to April 19th!

I've attended Coachella for four years and if my schedule (and the economy, too) allowed me, I'd go again in a heartbeat. It's easily the best music atmosphere around with the best possible scenery for a music festival. This is awesome news!

Update in Un-Deux-Trois... and Quatre

NHL All-Star Weekend
So this weekend was the All-Star Weekend in Atlanta. While I wasn't able to attend any real events, I did make the trip up for the trading card and memorabilia stuff yesterday. It was just awesome to walk into CNN Center and just know that hockey is all around you... and food, as the event was oddly held in the middle of the CNN Center food court. Regardless, the atmosphere was that of a card collector's convention, something I haven't revisited since my teens. Looking at various rookie cards, the game-worn jersey cards (and quickly realizing how ridiculous that concept is), and other hockey-related goodies brought me back a few years and I was beginning to feel like I wanted to haggle a little bit and get a few bargains. Seeing how I didn't do any of that, really, I did make a few purchases, which Maal over at Fire Wagon Hockey would certainly approve of. This will be a nice treat for the soon-to-be Mrs.!



Trading cards aside, I took a few pictures of the memorabilia show as well as some of the surroundings of Philips Arena, including bunches of All-Star-related garb. As is the norm, they are at the flickr site.

Coachella 2008 - Let's go?
Last week, a bunch of chaos circulated around this year's Coachella Festival lineup. Because of the veteran that I am, I certainly had an interest in how it would shape up even though I wasn't flying across the country this year (at least not for Coachella). Apparently there was some press conference in Mexico City and bit-by-bit the lineup started leaking to the masses. This year's headliners include Jack Johnson, Portishead, and Roger Waters (performing Dark Side of the Moon).

Can I just say that while it's exciting that Portishead is coming to the desert, it's a bummer that they are headline material? They would be a great warmup for an amazing headliner (i.e. how Pixies into Radiohead worked in '04). And the other two are pure throw-aways for me.

With this festival, it's typical that the second-tier acts and anything less than that make due for an amazing event. In past years, Air, the Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, Bloc Party, etc. often made the biggest impressions on show-goers because of their standing in the music community or because of the strength of their set. This time around, there are definitely some strong acts, but nothing that makes you want to really fly five hours to California. I love some of the bands playing this year (Stars, Metric, the Breeders, Spiritualized, Les Savy Fav), but their presence at Coachella doesn't make me want to get on a plane and jump across three time zones for an abbreviated set in the desert.

I don't know, maybe it's damned maturity or something, but this year doesn't do that much for me. Maybe it's also because there's the completely uneven scale of "Hawaii vs. Coachella"... or, better yet, "HONEYMOON vs. Coachella, Round Five". Thanks for trying, Goldenvoice, but I'll have a little faith in your so-called "All Points West" (website down at the moment) festival that is apparently slated to run in New Jersey's Liberty State Park in August.

Either way, have a look at the Coachella 2008 poster and see what you think of this lineup.



Weddings-r-Us!
With less than a month before the wedding, things have actually calmed down for a change. We're waiting on responses to boomerang back to Georgia and then time to freak out in a couple more weeks and then, just like that, we're hitched! I can't wait. This is something we've worked towards for 4+ years and, while things aren't exactly how we planned them to be by now, the timing couldn't be any better. I'm just glad that this is all happening and I'm with the best girl possible. I really don't know who else would put up with my schtick for this long and, now, a lifetime. Crazy how these things work out, eh?

Fixation Focus?
To a milder extent, the Fixation Focus returns. Since the end of July, I've seen this band start it up and play a few gigs. They're like nothing I've heard from the Atlanta area and they are just great people that are doing this. The band is Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun and you should definitely keep a lookout for them in 2008. Described to me as "indie-guitar-electro-fuzz rock", this band is completely awesome. They've already opened for The Comas, Great Northern, Fiction Plane (Sting's son's band), and IAMX and are poised for more recognition. They are currently putting down tracks for a seven-song EP that will probably get out there in April or May (fingers crossed!). They have a show at the Star Bar in Atlanta on March 1st, so definitely mark that on your calendar and be ready for a complete aural assault!

Coachella 2007 -> TAMED!

After spending a week in the desert of southern California, chilling out in Los Angeles, and getting pwned by the Arcade Fire last nite, it's time to document nearly everything that was my version of this year's Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. There's no way to include everything in one entry, because that would alienate and exhaust many readers (if there even are that many people who read this thing!), but I'll do what I can to best summarize last weekend.

It just seems that after doing this thing for three years, it would somehow become "boring", "repetitive", and even "lame". Yeah, because sights like this are soooo dull:



I'm assuming that after the previous years' successes, promoters Goldenvoice decided to try a three-day festival, the first in Coachella history. Last year's version of the fest featured it's first repeat headliner (Tool) and this year followed suit and invited back '02 headliner Bjork and '03 festival closer Red Hot Chili Peppers. However, the biggest draw for the weekend had to be what was scheduled for Sunday, the last day of the festival, that featured a freshly-reunited Rage Against the Machine. While the did achieve a considerable amount of acclaim for the music they put out, the three "surviving" members of Rage had success with Chris Cornell and Audioslave, but you could just tell that something was amiss in their music. And there was the hibernation of Rage frontman Zack de la Rocha. He was supposed to put out a solo album that was going to blow the world to bits, with there even including talk of teaming up with ?uestlove from The Roots. It just goes to show you that certain essential pieces of the band certainly do not come close to topping what they did together.

Bjork brought Friday's crowd to their knees with material old and new. I wanted no part in what the Chilis had to offer for Saturday, so I caught the tail end of Girl Talk's set and made my way over to the Sahara where James Murphy's LCD Soundsystem was tearing the place apart through dance.

And then there was Sunday. Rage Against the Machine. We'll go more into this later.

With all of the bottles of water consumed, pictures of the dueling tesla coils taken, and every discussion of "meeting at the hot dog", this year's Coachella came to it's end earlier this week. Expect updates in the next couple of days about how it all went down in the desert.

Frippy, Sappy, Suppy

Well, this time of the year has finally arrived. In 24 hours, I will be in sunny southern California, ready to embark on my yearly trek into the desert to take in every single aspect (eh, close) of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. The set times are now up for everyone to take a look at and get delighted/pissed/annoyed/WTF about. I have yet to take any of the times in, but that's one of the things I'll examine on my evening flight into LAX tomorrow. I try to organize these things, knowing that everything will probably be thrown out the window once I get on the grounds. So whatevs.

Basically, enjoy the playoff hockey this week and I'll enjoy what So-Cal has to offer. First is a 2+ hour drive from LAX to Indio where I'll relax in my private condo (for a nite, that is). Then I'll pick up some friends in Palm Springs on Thursday, take in the surroundings. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are occupied by this. And my Monday will be spent in Los Angeles, a city I haven't been to in over 10 years. I'll actually attend the Diamondbacks/Dodgers game that nite, too! It's definitely looking like an action-packed weekend and it's a sure thing that updates are in the future once I return... next Tuesday. Although an immediate update might not happen as I'm attending that evening's show of the Arcade Fire, live in Atlanta.

Why do I do this to myself?!

Time to get packing...

Coachella Misses You, Too - Pt. 3

I love how something spawned by this festival can translate into news across the country. Naturally, the biggest news about this year's Coachella is the "one-time" reunion of Rage Against the Machine. News of this reverberated everywhere as RATM are one of the most vocal politically-powered bands of the current generation... and also one of the most ferocious and excitable live acts, as well. A few days after the announcement of the Coachella bill (that included RATM), I was told about this at my job here in suburban Atlanta. At the Lily Allen show I went to on Monday, there was talk about the Rage reunion also. It just gives me a smile to be a part of something that's so incredibly noteworthy... even though, in all honesty, I really couldn't care about RATM.

With that said, here's the last of the three-part series of what I'm looking forward to about this year's Coachella lineup. This final installment focuses on the last day, Sunday, April 29.


Courtesy of cybele malinowski.

Klaxons - I've heard this band on Left of Center (Sirius 26) enough times to really form judgement, especially since I've heard three of their songs now as well as an interview with the band. All of the statements about this band somehow tapping into the future are true - how this band sounds fits perfectly into the framework of the year 2207. Yes, that's right, their sound is two hundred years ahead of their mortal bodies. They've talked about how rave culture applies to their music, but it's also indie sounding. I mean, in "Atlantis to Interzone", there are sirens going off, minimal lyrics (saying "Atlantis" and "Interzone" x-amount of times doesn't suffice as a "lyric"), tremendous beats, and Britishness beyond belief. The future is now with this band and I entirely expect them to be "buzzworthy" at this year's Coachella. Personally, I cannot stand the track I just mentioned, but "Golden Skans" is very tolerable. I really like joining the band in their "ooh-woo-ooh-woo - OOH!" that they have going on throughout the track (hm, you need to hear it to understand). I just heard another new one the other day, but it didn't stand out. When it comes down to it though, I might visit the Mojave (because they will own this tent early in the evening) and see the reaction they are getting. People will either go berzerk over it or they will be lambasted with palm trees; it's a toss-up at this point.


Courtesy of Danny North.

The Kooks - I'm ready to take bets here - who will join who on stage for "Naive" - Lily Allen joins The Kooks or vice versa? Place your bets now!



Lily Allen - She created significant buzz over the summer with her UK-released debut Alright, Still, and she's already whining about playing her own songs to get more recognition Stateside. So who knows what kind of set we'll get at Coachella. But you cannot deny her cuteness or her wit with her songs. Some of the tunes fall a little flat, but the ones that are strong are pretty much unstoppable. As I said earlier, I saw her here in Atlanta on Monday and I was already curious about the show after reading that NME article (oh, credibility!) from Saturday. Despite her "boredom" with her songs, she carried herself nicely throughout the show. I could notice moments of, "Ugh, gotta do this AGAIN," attitude, but her songs held up and she let out a few chuckles every once in a while. When I asked her afterwards about Coachella ("See you at Coachella! Are you excited about it?"), all I got was a simple, "Oh, yes!" Hmm.


Courtesy of Serena Sundai.

Placebo - Brian Molko is back, and he has an agenda this time, folks - PURRRRRRREEEEE MORNNNNNNING! Uh huh. That aside, my only experience with Placebo is during the Black Market Music phase of their career. I did enjoy that album (to an extent) and ended up seeing them live on the resulting North American tour. The show left much to be desired for me, and revealing a hiding Brian Molko from the masses outside of the venue made it all worthwhile. Apparently their recent album Meds is something worth investing time into. We'll see about that one. I see a late afternoon Coachella Stage appearance, possibly similar to Muse's slot in '04. I just hope the IEH isn't too much for the kids in southern Cali.

Crowded House - I really couldn't believe that this was true when I first heard it. Their drummer killed himself several years ago and they were complete 80s has-beens. I just couldn't justify why they were on the lineup. But alas, they are there. I'm definitely interested in hearing how the Finns are doing these days and how those tunes are holding up. If worse comes to worse, get Six Pence None the Richer to come and complete the set... or just sing "Don't Dream It's Over".


Courtesy of Guy Eppel.

Kaiser Chiefs - I could've sworn that parts of their last big hit here ("I Predict a Riot") sounded like the Ramones. This time, "Ruby" is completely infectious. They'll probably go on right after Placebo and get the crowd all riled up for the evening session.



Explosions in the Sky pic courtesy of cyberkode.

Explosions in the Sky/Air - Here's the conflict everyone hopes to avoid this year. Everyone knows how good Air is live, especially after their out-of-body experience in '04. Also, a lot of people know how ridiculously mindblowing EITS is in the live setting. Both bands appeal to those who long for "sunset sets". I fall into each sentence I've said so far. I've seen Air twice and loved 'em both times. I recently saw EITS for the first time in a packed, sweaty club that they blew apart. Both bands are pretty amazing live. Please, for the love of God, Goldenvoice has to really examine this possible conflict.

Coachella Misses You, Too - Pt. 2

Yesterday, I went over what interested me from the first nite of this year's Coachella. Tonite, I'll continue the trend and go over Saturday.


Courtesy of kathryn.

Fields - After writing about 'em more than a month ago, I'm still lovin' me some Fields. Their debut album, Everything Last Winter, hits the shelves on the 3rd of April. If it's anything like their great EP, "7 From the Village", then we're in for a treat. To have an early appearance in Gobi would be a safe assumption.


Courtesy of mediaeater.

The Fratellis - Don't let the acoustics mislead you with this group. I've only heard a couple of tracks from their album Costello Music and I know I must see these guys live. If "Chelsea Dagger" doesn't sound like a stereotypical downing-a-pint-in-a-packed-pub track, I don't know what does. That song just makes me want to drink Guinness... and I hate Guinness. Regardless, The Fratellis have a ton of energy, and I'm looking forward to catching 'em at Coach. They just announced a tour with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, but, unfortunately, they aren't on the dates that bring them to Atlanta (or the Birmingham show, which I'd rather attend). With that said, seeing The Fratellis is high on my list.


Courtesy of kathryn.

Peter, Bjorn & John - While everyone went crazy over "Young Folks" last month (and possibly earlier) and how PB&J apparently invaded New York City, I was going nuts over another track from their recent album, Writer's Block. The fourth track on their myspace player is the one that gets me each and every time - "The Chills". I love the drumbeat and how it really carries the song. I do appreciate the band for what they do, but that track is, right now, one of my favorite tracks of the year.


Courtesy of Emdashes.com.

The New Pornographers - I was vaguely familiar with this band before the release of Twin Cinema and the thing that happened to stick out with them was "low-fi". I just had this impression that this band was about quiet-time with poor mic setups and four-track recordings. I still haven't delved into their back catalogue, but I'm glad I got over that mindset because I really dig Twin Cinema. It's just a loud, in-your-face production record with concise songwriting. I could see a late afternoon set on the Outdoor Theater stage, getting ready for sunset. That would be nice.


Courtesy of jonathas.

The Good, The Bad & The Queen - First off, yeah, the pic isn't the best out there, but because I'm a sucker for Lost, I couldn't deny using a pic from a venue that includes a Dharma-esque logo as their own. Back to the subject at hand... I have never cared for Blur. I have never cared for Gorillaz. I have certainly never cared for Damon Albarn. So you'd think that the odds are stacked against this band with me. For now, you're close to right, but things are starting to turn around. For days, I couldn't get "Herculean" out of my head and the only thing I could think about was how it would sound out in the desert. Also, "History Song" isn't half that bad. Considering this is only a one-album type deal for this superband, maybe they should hold it together while Graham Coxon figures out whether he wants to come back to Blur territory. Their material does appear promising, and I'm sure that this Coachella appearance will really enhance their image in this country.


Courtesy of mediaeater.

The Arcade Fire - Ah, the cream of the crop. You can't hate on this band. Mayyyyyybe it's possible after just hearing their albums. Hell, I'll admit that it took me a while to really get why people were FREAKING OUT over Funeral. But I finally did get it, and I realized it was pretty stinkin' good. After a couple friends of mine saw The Arcade Fire a few months before Coachella, they couldn't stop talking about their live show. Then, I saw footage from their appearance on Conan. Then I saw some interview clips, along with some more live performances. I was slowly getting it - but I didn't have the whole picture in perspective. And then there was me strongly urging my friends to stay after Tegan and Sara's set in '05 to catch this band that, really, I had no experience with in the live setting. I was only going on word of mouth at this point. Turns out that this was the set that stole the weekend, if not the year. Now, I find myself two years later still freaking out about this band, a band that I last saw at that Coachella. Since then, this band has opened for U2, recorded and released a new album, and almost conquered the universe. It's hard to imagine them going on right before the icky Red Hot Chili Peppers, and that's probably the case. While I'd love to have them close out the Outdoor Theater (that they happen to pwn), that's doubtful and I know that this is one band that you can always rely on to amaze you in the live setting.

Coachella Misses You, Too - Pt. 1

Ok, so I just received a suspicious email, but it turned out to be wonderful news! After getting word that my tickets to Coachella 2007 are now on their way, I figured that now would be a great time to go over some of the bands that I'm aiming for come the end of April. Either that, or bands/groups that will be on my radar for that weekend. First, let's go over Friday's acts. By clicking on the band's respective pic, that'll bring you to their myspace.


Courtesy of Rocco Kasby.

Tilly and the Wall - I saw them open for Rilo Kiley a couple of years ago and it was a complete schtick act. For some songs, the band's main percussive force is at least one member's tap shoes. While I did find it amusing for a bit, I just couldn't get into the music. I'm sure my girlfriend's love for this band only enhanced my displeasure, seeing how I had to listen to them ALL THE TIME. But you know what - sometimes people come around, including myself. When I found out Tilly and the Wall had a new album, I downloaded it for my girlfriend, like a good fella should do. It so happens that I added it to my iTunes library and, one day, on shuffle, a track from this new album (Bottoms of Barrels) came on and I wasn't instantly repelled by its sound. The track was "Lost Girls" and I think I actually liked it. After listening to the album recently, I came to the conclusion that it wasn't all that bad... and maybe they, as a band, weren't that poor afterall. Assuming that they are one of the earlier acts in the afternoon, I might consider giving them a shot.


Courtesy of andrewkendall.

Amy Winehouse - She's been getting a lot of crap lately, considering that the's cancelling shows left and right, reportedly due to her extracurricular habits (i.e. drinking). With that said, however, there's no denying her voice and how rich it is. I really don't relate to her music that much, but I don't avert my ears whenever I hear "Rehab" in my car. I moreso think it's a bit ironic (and it probably isn't), but that's just me.


Courtesy of Jamarr.

Silversun Pickups - Now this is where it gets good. They played a show here in Atlanta sometime in the summer and I just missed out on the opportunity. After the buzz generated from that show, I decided to snag a copy of their album, Carnavas, and I absolutely loved it. I've wanted to see this band ever since, and I haven't been able to. I can see this band having a slot like Wolfmother had last year - later on in the afternoon in Mojave. This is my first "must-see" band at this festival, and I'll be damned if I miss out on 'em.

Comedians of Comedy - For some reason, I have a feeling that Zach Galifianakis won't be there. If he isn't, I don't know if I'll stick around for a few minutes during their time slot. Can someone confirm whether or not he'll be there, along with the others?


Courtesy of studio 520.

Tokyo Police Club - "Nature of the Experiment" is a nice taste of Canadian rock. I haven't had much of a chance to devote much time to their EP, A Lesson in Crime, but I know I'll be putting it into my rotation in the coming weeks because of the obvious. They're coming to town in a few weeks, too, opening for Cold War Kids. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make that due to my new job, but hopefully I can catch a few tunes at their Coach appearance.


Courtesy of Guy Eppel.

Peaches - I fully expect to get all sweaty, greasy, and sexxed up whenever I see Peaches. I'd like to say that it's a love-hate relationship with her, but I disagree. I don't love her, and I don't hate her. I had a great time seeing her back in July . I'm sure I'll see her and the rest of the Herms on the Outdoor Theater stage under the stars, probably with a slot like Eagles of Death Metal's last year (after 8PM).


Courtesy of Nick Helderman.

Sonic Youth - I'm still wondering how a band like Sonic Youth can exist for 25 years and still be a powerhouse on the indie rock scene. I mean, Rather Ripped, their 15th studio album, nearly topped several "Best Of" lists at the end of 2006. How is that possible? I'll tell you how - because they will blow yr mind! I saw 'em with Mary Timony in August of '02, right after Murray Street came out. I couldn't believe how good they were and how their improvising really fit in so well with the "traditional" songs. I wouldn't be surprised if they closed out the Outdoor Theater, and, if they do, I'll be there.

The Jesus and Mary Chain - Let me just say this - I'm completely unfamiliar with this band. From what little I HAVE heard, however, it certainly hasn't been that bad. There's a good possibility that I'll check this out on sheer noteworthiness. I'm probably a moron for being that far out of the loop when it comes to bands like this.


Courtesy of andrewkendall.

Interpol - Do I really care about Interpol anymore? This performance might make or break it. Let's face it - everyone loved their first record. Their second seemed like a retread of their debut, and it got them more commercial notoriety. I loved 'em the first time I saw them when they sold out the Cotton Club. Then they came back during the Curiosa tour and I could've cared less. Apparently they have a new record in the works. The Coachella crowd will definitely get a taste of some of the newies. But how will it be received? Like I said - do we really care?


Courtesy of Waltzzz.

Bjork - I never got Bjork. When her Greatest Hits album came out a few years ago, I bought it, wanting to appreciate her material. I figured that that was the time to really get started with liking Bjork, or just getting a good taste of her material. Well, I just could not get into it. I can like the music, but I just cannot get past her voice... or her antics. After watching the footage of her '02 appearance on the DVD, it only reminded me that maybe I should continue to give her a chance. Maybe this is fate's way of messing with me and my preferences and that I'm destined to cross paths with her on April 27th.

Sell Outs!

It appears as if three-day passes for this year's Coachella Festival have sold out. This is pretty insane news. I mean, the lineup was released about three weeks ago, and now passes for the entire weekend are snatched up. Usually, these passes don't go sold until probably March, even into April. The secret's out, though, as more and more people are getting wind as to how amazing this event is. Individual passes for Friday, the 27th, are still up for grabs, however.

One has to think that more tickets will be released as time passes. I just don't see how there's that much demand for this three-day thing that it's completely sold out after the lineup is announced for three weeks. In '04, tickets weren't sold out for the mind-blowing lineup that featured Radiohead, Pixies, Broken Social Scene, The Cure, Air, etc. until, I think, a couple of weeks before the festival (if it even was that much before at all). With Friday's tickets the only ones available, maybe Goldenvoice has taken note of previous complaints about how congested and packed with people the grounds were for the past few years. Who knows, but I don't think they're done.



Photo courtesy of gleggers.

The Coachella Music & Arts Festival 2007, featuring headliners Bjork, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Rage Against the Machine, with The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Arcade Fire, Air, The Good, the Bad, and the Queen, and Peaches (among countless others), takes place April 27-29 at the Empire Polo Fields in Indio, CA. Ticket info (Friday only remains!) can be found here: http://www.coachella.com/tickets

OFFICIAL: Coachella 2007 Lineup!

I wish I could pin down an official press release from Goldenvoice, but it seems that I cannot. Not like you need one anyway...



As was mentioned last night, some leaks occurred and it eventually led to the inevitable, which happened probably around 11AM on the east coast. While I did have a good dose of rumors from the past few months about who was gonna be where during the last weekend of April, I still had no idea who would actually decide to make an appearance at Coachella this year. I hoped for the Lily Allen rumors, the Explosions in the Sky rumors, the Air rumors, and so on. While they seemed legit, I remained skeptical. Fortunately for me, all skepticism came to an end this morning... or afternoon, when I really found out about it.

This lineup is incredible. I mean, Bjork is making her first US appearance in a few years, as is Jarvis Cocker (uh, nine years?!)... and a full-on Rage Against the Machine reunion...?! This doesn't even take into account the fact that The Jesus and Mary Chain, Crowded House, and Travis are coming out of retirement or extremely extended hiatuses (?). And let's not forget about the soon-to-be triumphant returns of Air and the Arcade Fire to the polo fields.

I mean, I could keep going on and one about this lineup. I really could. There are huge things to talk about and discuss until both parties in the discussion completely pass out from tongue fatigue. Let's see - do I start with an appearance from the Comedians of Comedy, or a DJ Shadow set, or how much pot Willie Nelson is going to smoke, or how hot Lily Allen is going to look with a dress and Chucks on, etc. Let's face it, gang, this will be talked about for a loooooong time.

And to know that additions will be made. Of course, everyone remembers how three additions to the bill last year basically determined the festival - with those additions being Madonna, Massive Attack, and Daft Punk. We all know that Goldenvoice has something else up their sleeves. In time, we'll find out and more pieces of the puzzle will be revealed. But as of right now, this lineup could go down as the best yet in the name of Coachella. Sure, Radiohead/Pixies/etc. in '04 was pretty damned good... but I don't think that holds a candle to this year's variety. And we're still missing suitable big names for the Sahara/dance-themed tent for at least two nights.

There are months ahead of us, kids. One of these days I'll get to posting my wishlist, who I hope will avoid conflict, what kind of expectations I have for certain artists, and how I plan on things panning out. For right now, however, I have to keep things to a minimum because, hard to believe, this is not a Coachella-only blog!

The true passion arises...

UPDATE: Coachella 2007 Lineup Leaks! (clicky)

More is sneaking out by the hour. Looks like stuff's gonna break tonight for sure. A blog hosted by the LA Times is reporting now that Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker is making a desert stop, along with local artists Silversun Pickups (yay!), and UK has-beens Travis.

Yeah, THAT Travis. WTF. This is getting intense right now... and it's only going to get worse.

Linkage: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/buzzbands/2007/01/coachella_lineu.html

OFFICIAL: Coachella 2007 Headliners Revealed! (clicky)

This just in - Coachella 2007 headliners have been announced by the LA Times here:

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/music/la-et-coachella22jan22,1,6747076.story?coll=la-headlines-entnews&ctrack=1&cset=true

Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bjork, and a one-off reunion of Rage Against the Machine will headline the three nights of the festival, with acts The Arcade Fire, The Roots, Interpol, The Decemberists, and Sonic Youth (among others) mostly playing a role as sub-headliners. 80s Australian act Crowded House will also wax nostalgic over a reunion slot during the weekend. For a teaser-list, click the above link.

There have been rumblings about the lineup being released in its entirety this evening. When I can get a hold of it, you'll be sure to know.

Coachella 2007 - The **** of the ******

Something just needs to be said about what's happened in the past 24 hours of Coachella news. Upon getting home last night at 3AM, I found an email in my inbox from Coachella stating that a presale was going on as I read it, and that the password was, well, ROXANNE. While the news of the presale was a pleasant bit of info to come home to, the password let loose a major hint of something to come.

You see, this story broke earlier this month about The Police stirring the pot about reuniting (and feeling so good?). This would be huge if it did happen because The Police are pretty international and pretty mega-star. And we all know about Coachella's ability to pull off reunions like nobody's business. So rumors started to swirl about The Police headlining a night at the first three-day Coachella this year. Then there was some more talk... and then there was the password to the presale in the email that I just mentioned. Could this really be a sign? Or could Goldenvoice have a little humor by steering the Coachella faithful in the wrong direction as we steered the general public off course when people posted a fake lineup in 2006? We'll see, because the next bit of info is pretty big.

After the news of the presale (that's pretty exclusive, BTW - if you want info, email me or leave a comment), I found out that Los Angeles mega-station KROQ posted on their website (as of today, 2006/01/20) that their morning show would announce the 2007 lineup, in its entirety, on Monday morning. Is all of the speculation finally coming to an end or are we being spoon-fed bands as we were last year? Time will tell, but I know there are a ton of people who will be turning their dials to 106.7 FM in California. I know I'm prepared for whatever comes out this time around. Last year I was caught off guard completely with Tool and the lack of knowledge of any of the other lower-tiered bands. Even that none of the headliners are glaringly obvious to outsiders yet (despite the bit about The Police that's still not confirmed, just - uh - speculated), I'm sure we're in for a treat in April.

On my checklist so far, I can sign off on everything. I'm basically committed on every end possible. I'm taking my first venture to LAX in quite a few years (especially since I've travelled to Palm Springs for the past three years) and driving into Indio that night on Tuesday. It'll no doubt be weird to drive a minivan solo for about two hours in lands that I am completely unfamilar with. Let's just hope that I don't somehow ride into Compton with a sky-blue minivan, listening to Nada Surf's newest record or something.

Next is the condo that we secured. Once again, after staying in hospitable Palm Springs, we're moving to Indio, to a place that's actually a block away from the polo fields. Too bad the blocks in Indio are HUGE. Note here:



"C" denotes the polo fields (the big 'L' on the lower left) and the green arrow provides a general area of where we'll be staying (I have the road correct, just not the actual location). Pretty tight, right? Hopefully the walk back is worth it to not sit in traffic for about an hour and then drive back about 30-45 minutes to Palm Springs. I think walking that distance will be accomplished in less than an hour and a half.

And let's not forget that Coachella is three days this year. To adjust our stay, we're staying in Indio from Wednesday to Monday, with me chillin' it up in Los Angeles Monday evening and catching an early flight out on Tuesday. I just have to figure something out for that Monday - do I do touristy things since I haven't been to LA in over 10 years or do I find a decent show going on and do that? Seeing how I have a few months to figure that out, I'm really not worried about this aspect of the trip yet.

With everything said and done, all that needs to come is a lineup and that seems to be imminent. Hard to believe that this is happening so soon, and it's even more difficult to swallow that everything is going to speed up as the event comes nearer.

Like everyone else with a blog or is on the message boards, the lineup will be out on Monday and everyone and their mother will have it posted. I'll follow suit, surely with a big grin on my face to finally cement the fact that I'm on my way west, baby!

Why can't we sit and wait?

So, just take a minute and go over to coachella.com and, when the shockwave/flash stuff loads, click "MESSAGE BOARD" on the right side of the site. Hell, if you don't even want to go that far, just click here. Aside from the cliquey Coachella Lounge, the two most active areas of the board are Line-up/Artists and Rumors/Gossip.

Why?

This is the time of year that everyone who has paid a stop to the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival looks forward to... at least in ths present time. (Things will actually get much worse when festival time rapidly/slowly approaches.) Everyone is FREAKING OUT about who's going to play this year's rendition of the best music festival in the States... and even the world.

You know, typically with events like this, you can usually pick out a sure-fire headlining act that will most-likely be there. With my knowledge of the event, I know that in '04, it was announced New Year's Day that The Cure were headlining a night of the festival... and eventually news leaked out that the Pixies were ending their first tour in 12 years (and obviously reuniting) at Coachella. 2005 was met with a ton of speculation about Coldplay and Nine Inch Nails, eventual headliners. There was a lot of hype around those two acts as they both had new releases in that year. Festival-goers were even spoiled for the '06 lineup when it was announced that Depeche Mode were headlining a night... all the way back in November of '05.

We really should've known something was up though when it was pretty much a surprise that Tool was brought on to hold the other half of the weekend down last year. Really, no one saw that coming, because there was a ton of speculation that surrounded the recent (at the time) announcement that Billy Corgan made about The Smashing Pumpkins getting back together. So many just assumed that was the case.

I mean, just look at how crazy us Coachella lovers are. Of course, there's always speculation and gossip and rumors about who's gonna play, who should play, who won't have a chance in hell playing, who is dead and will play, etc. Last year, a Coachella message board member actually took things another step and made a mock-poster that included all of the bands (at the time) who would've been good bets at Vegas to be at Coachella. And I guess when it comes down to it, it's not that hard to come up with a fake poster, especially when the lineup looks pretty damned realistic and, well, good. Here's last year's real lineup, with the fake beneath it.





Uh... pretty good right? But also... pretty damned obsessed, no? Exactly.

With that said, the chaos that's going on currently over at the boards is pretty intense. People live for this annual event, myself included. So to say that Coachella fans are passionate is probably the biggest understatement of the day (hey, it's early). But where one aspect of it stops, another picks right up. If there's no lineup, there's intense questioning and ruling out. If there is a lineup, the next step is figuring out who you can see if sets do not conflict (which those aren't announced until a few months later). When set times arrive a day or two before the actual event, people just go apeshit when they realize that the two bands they wanted to see the most were playing simultaneously.

And then there's Coachella.

And then there's the following year and the cycle repeats itself!

Basically, it's a shame that we all have to pull our collective hairs out each winter to try to figure out who's gonna be where come the end of April. This year is even worse because no one has any kind of clue who the real marquee bands are. Smaller bands have been "confirmed", and that's even worse than being on the bill. When something's "confirmed", that basically means you're going by word of mouth or myspace or something. Kids ask bands at shows, "Hey, you guys going to Coachella this year?" When the answer is, "Yeah, we'll see," that's kinda like a "confirmation", which is kinda ass. That's word of mouth, and never to be 100% trusted. And then there's the new method of proving something's gonna happen - bands posting Coachella on their concert itinerary. Yeah, that doesn't work for me either... basically because it's myspace. Sure, it might be as official as a website if the band is running it, but I still don't buy into that as something to get invested into. Artists that are "confirmed" through these means as of right now are Silversun Pickups, Hot Chip, !!! (chk chk chk), and, what's worse, The Arcade Fire.

There's also the next step of "confirmations" that includes bands that are actually strung through the media and put into print. Some of these can be pretty solid, as they come through reputable sources. Pitchfork, for example, is pretty reliable and they are not there to drag themselves through the mud, all in the name of speculation. On the opposite end of the spectrum is NME. Last year, they didn't know any better and actually reported the fake lineup and put it into print. (Click here for NME running the story that TSP are back... but I cannot come across the actual story about the fake.) So when bands are rumored through online publications that they are playing (this goes out to you, Lily Allen, Lupe Fiasco, and Fountains of Wayne), this is one step closer to being confirmed, but you still cannot strip them of their "confirmed" nature just yet.

Lastly, there's the highly formulaic method of proving someone will be at Coachella. Sometimes bands tour California when it's convenient to the dates of the festival. Apparently there's some sort of agreement that bands sign when they are contractually-bound to performing at Coachella that they cannot play in the Los Angeles area a few weeks before or after the festival. So people often figure that if a band is touring southern Cali near the end of April and that there's the omission of any dates near Los Angeles that said band must be playing Coachella. This currently applies to Explosions in the Sky, Blonde Redhead, and Kaiser Chiefs. All of these bands are making stops in Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Francisco, San Diego, or elsewhere during April trips out west.

So, the moral of my story? Why don't we just wait for things to happen? It's kinda like clockwork that the lineup gets posted at the end of January or early February at the latest. Tickets then usually go on sale a week or two following that announcement. So why freak out about who's playing, get excited about rumours, then get pissy about the actual lineup because RUMORED BAND isn't playing at all? I've just exhausted myself of the whole entire thing with waiting and hoping and crossing my fingers. C'mon - it's Coachella, people. There's always something for EVERYONE. To really put forth significant effort into looking in the deep recesses of the internets for a glimmer of hope or NOTHING, that's just fruitless. If nothing's come out now (and considering we're about two to three weeks away from the lineup getting posted), I really don't think anything's going to change until the day arrives. And, kids, it'll be soon! No need to be all scientific and put on your lab coats and figure out systematically the formulas for what makes a "perfect Coachella fit".

With all of this said (haha), I'm going to offer my own wishlist. If none of these bands make it, I'm sure that there will be better acts. If some of them make it, I'm ecstatic. We'll see.

Smashing Pumpkins
The Arcade Fire
Air
Lily Allen
Explosions in the Sky
Do Make Say Think
Mono (can you tell I'm on a big post-rock kick right now?)
Silversun Pickups
Portishead
Cold War Kids
Caribou
The Breeders
Supergrass
Stars
Emily Haines
¡Forward, Russia!
Doves
Eels
Spiritualized
Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins
Sean Lennon
Margot and the Nuclear So and So's
Les Savy Fav
Harry and the Potters (!)
Imperial Teen
Feist

If even five of those bands are there, I'll be pretty damned happy. I wanted Supergrass so bad last year, I'm hoping that maybe I'll be able to see them sometime... and at Coachella, that would be awesome.

But until then, I'm just holding out until the day of days comes and THEN that's when things get interesting.

Deck the halls with... Coachella?

First things first (and this really cannot go without saying) - Coachella 2007 will be a three-day affair in the desert.



I mean, really? Enough said? By clicking on the lame-o teaser poster, you are brought to an article in Palm Springs' The Desert Sun newspaper about the announcement. Also, two-thirds of the line-up is committed? Whaaaaat? C'mon, who's gonna be the tool over at Goldenvoice that breaks into the safe and take a super-cool cameraphone capture of some of it? Rumors are already circulating that Prince (uh, yes?), Radiohead (oh, yes!), and The Smashing Pumpkins (YEESSSSSS.) are the three headliners, but who doesn't love Coachella rumors, right? Let's see how much these babies get blown out of proportion this year. We all remember 2006. It's just funny that when you google "coachella 2006" in google images, you see a fake poster more than anything else. Gotta heart it, I swear. Just stay tuned to this place because there are two things I really live for out of life - hockey and Coachella. What I might lack in hockey, I certainly have in being on top of stuff with Coach... and maybe vice versa.

Also, alpharuin is reporting a new Explosions in the Sky record in February. Time to get my instrumental post-rock (uhhh...) on, and stat!

And all music stuffs aside, while trying to decipher the Thrashers/Capitals game on 680 The Fan tonight, I could SWEAR I heard something about a trade between San Jose and Phoenix that would've been amazing - Sharks' goalie Evgeni Nabokov for Yotes' d-man Ed Jovanovski. Other than that bit of warbling I thought I could make sense out of, I haven't seen ANYTHING on that anywhere. I guess I was caught in some sort of weird fourth-dimensional hole in the Fayette/Coweta boundaries. Whatever.

What made that news worthwhile for me is that I have Jovo on my fantasy team (POLSKA KIELBASA) and moving him to San Jose would do wonders for the guy and for the Sharks' squad. Nabby's value would dip a bit in PHX, but he would remain a top goaltender in the west. But to know that Jovo would be a fixture on the blueline of the Sharks would be an amazing thing... all I'd say is that Anaheim better duck and cover... ugh, pun intended. Lame.

Le Thrash aren't doing so hot right now (well, presently, they're holding a 3-2 lead over Le Craps after two) with four straight losses and not much representation from the team. Playing behind in most of the games, you can't expect to win even half of those. Even though the Thrash are quite the resilient bunch of mates, they can't keep coming back from such deficits. The Dallas game from Saturday was just terrible to watch, even though the Thrash did keep in it. Kari's slack performance could've been the kicker, but going up against a Western conference stronghold was a good test for the playoff-caliber Thrash and they failed. Dallas held up for the entire game and you expect teams with that much skill and talent to do such. Pre-season speculations about the Thrashers living and dying on the back of Kari Lehtonen are appearing as such. There is definitely a positive correlation with Kari's nightly performance and the success of the Thrash. It's good to know that Moose is reliable enough to step up when Kari falls a little short. And that's to be expected with someone as young as Lehts. With all of the early pressure on the guy, he had to come back to earth eventually. Hopefully this is his grounding time and that things will get sorted out in the short-run.

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and a safe holiday weekend!