The headliners are a brush off the shoulders. I'm intrigued by Jay-Z and he's proved himself at Glastonbury. I've seen Muse before and I wasn't impressed. So I hope there's another good band playing at the same time as them. But Sunday, oh bloody Sunday, there will be high expectations for Gorillaz. Damon Albarn, you best impress and maybe give us a "Woo-hoo, I feel like heavy metal!" shout out.
Now for the day by day break down. The boring shit. But hey, if you're reading this, you either love me to pieces or were led astray by google search.
Friday: LCD Soundsystem is my headliner that night. I wonder how they're going to be on the large outdoor stage as they're more of a tent band. But James Murphy, he has never disappointed me before. Them Crooked Vultures. I expect Dave Grohl and Jay-Z to high-five right before/after their sets. Public Image Limited = Johnny Rotten, enough said. I hope he spits into the crowd and some lucky photographer will catch that shot or be saliva-attacked. Passion Pit, Grizzly Bear, Echo and the Bunnymen share same font size billing. And I know these bands will performed adequately well beneath the blazing Indio sun. But as the font size gets smaller, we have She&Him with my darling M Ward and Zooey what's-her-name. Which means her husband Ben Gibbard will be in tow and I know Jenny Lewis and Jimmy Tamborello aren't touring. So why not have the Postal Service perform? If just to stand on stage and say "Fuck you Owl City." Grace Jones. Why is her name not in larger letters? I am stumped by this snub to the disco diva queen. She sold out the Hollywood Bowl! Ra Ra Riot, Deer Tick, La Roux will have me meander towards their stage for a brief listen before I beg for shade and water.
Saturday: Not. Impressed. Muse = no. Faith No More = double no. Tiesto = triple no. MGMT = cringe. Can somebody explain to me how we time travled to 2004 because Coheed and Cambria are the sub headliners. They are on the same bill line as Devo, the Dead Weathers, and Hot Chip? Alternate dimension, perhaps? Let's just skip the sub headliners because Saturday is an audio wasteland. So the XX, Mew, Tokyo Police Club, White Rabbits, Portugal. the Man, Girls. Beach House, Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Fields. I am so set for indie rock that day.
Sunday: We've reached the crossroads to audio heaven. Gorillaz, Pavement, Thom York, Phoeniz, Spoon!!! In 2005, while most of the crowd caught Coldplay, I saw Spoon and that was worth my night. Granted, I was curled up on the deserted bleachers but I would have chosen the cold temperatures over Coldplay's out of key set any time. Sunny Day Real Estate will be a collision of guitar reverb, but nowhere close to last year's My Bloody Valentine. Belinda Carlise, my ears are still humming. Matt & Kim, Miike Snow, Local Natives, Mayer Hawthorne will round out the rest of festival trampling. The biggest surprise of the festival will have to be a performance by Yann Tiersen. His name might not be familiar but if you've seen Amelie, then you too will wonder how he will bring whimsy to the desert. I'm looking forward to it but orchestras in the heat don't mesh well.
Is it April yet?