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All right everybody, the 2009 Coachella Music Festival line-up is finally here!

February 10th, 2009 Posted by: Dust Devil

Hello my friend,

I guess the critical question is did you get your Coachella tickets already? The 2009 Coachella Festival line-up is pretty amazing this year. Another blog I read that shall remain nameless refererred to this year’s Coachella lineup as “Yawnapalooza”. Whatever, get over the fact that the headliners are indeed mainstream artists and look at the amazing wealth of talent that will be on display this year.

Assuming I go to the 2009 Coachella Music Festival, and chances right now are about 90%, this will be my first venture to Indio, CA and this festival that has been around since 1999. I have considered going for quite a few years now, but reasons and excuses always came up that have kept me from attending. Well, a killer line-up and a need to treat myself as I turn 40 just over a week earlier have inspired me to quit screwing around and do it!

Let us take a look at the artists, sorted by date and in alphabetical order, the Dust Devil plans to see while at the Empire Polo Field Friday, April 17, though Sunday, April 19:

Friday April 17
A Place to Bury Strangers. Finally, a chance for redemption after I missed most of their set at last year’s Monolith Festival! They are so loud, so intense, yet there are plenty of great hooks in the music. Psychocandy-era Jesus and Mary Chain for this decade, how great is that?

Ghostland Observatory. I will admit, I will only see these guys if time permits. Great duo, great energy, and if you have not seen them yet, Ghostland Observatory should be on your list as one of the essential shows of the weekend! However, I have seen them three times now, including the Tucson Gem and Jam that just happened February 7, 2009, so I am not considering this a critical show. Trust me, if when the actual schedule comes out one of the other artists I want to see is not playing during Ghostland Observatory’s set, I will definitely be there.

M. Ward. I am only familar with one track of his, Chinese Translation, but really like his mellow take on music, so I am hoping I get a chance to see him perform.

Morrissey. Well, at least he will be there since The Smiths reunion rumors were, of course, not true. I have not been a big fan since the release of Your Arsenal back in 1992, but Morrissey, if nothing else, remains an interesting artist. Tomorrow, Suedehead and Everyday is Like Sunday are great songs, and Your Arsenal is a great album.

Paul McCartney. Was that a typo? And what is with the “dinosaurs” playing these festivals (Roger Waters last year, Springsteen at Bonnaroo this year)? But folks, this is one wily veteran I will be happy to see. Please do not even try to say you are a fan of rock and roll and deny you like The Beatles. The announcement of Sir Paul McCartney headlining this festival is mega-huge.

Silversun Pickups. Amazing band, they shred in concert, this band is a must-see live! Another band I have already seen three times before, but if the news is correct, their second full-length album will be released the same week as their Coachella appearance. That should make for one heck of a performance. They played a couple of new songs when I saw them at Monolith last year and they were stellar tracks, I’m anxious to hear the rest of the new material!

The Black Keys. I hate to admit when I know nothing of a band, but that is the case here. However, a buddy of mine that plays guitar in a great local band by the name of Rizir keeps telling me I would like these guys, so I am looking forward to seeing if that is the case.

The Presets. This duo out of Australia was playing at the same time as the Silversun Pickups at Monolith last year, so naturally I missed them. Curious sounding music, a combination of punk and dance; I liked what I heard online from them!

We Are Scientists. I have missed these guys twice now when they played in Tempe, so I am hoping the third time is the charm to finally see them play. Their major label debut from 2006 With Love and Squalor is a really good disc, full of post-punk music with lots of hooks.

Saturday April 18
Amy Winehouse. She is a train-wreck, but for some reason the public adores her. I want to see why. 

Band of Horses. My favorite band that will be performing at Coachella! Band of Horses, My Morning Jacket and the Fleet Foxes have done a fabulous job combining Southern rock, indie-rock and folk into a smoking style of music. What sets Band of Horses apart from their peers is a hint of shoegaze-inspired guitar work in the songs. This is one band that knows how to rise to the occasion at a big festival. Check out my review of them from last year when they were at Monolith if you don’t believe me.

Blitzen Trapper. I arrived at Red Rocks too late to catch these guys at Monolith last year. The perils of flying on the day of to a concert festival! All I know is they were on my list of artists I wanted to see then, so I am hoping to make it happen this time.

Bob Mould Band. Bob Mould is a GOD. Yes, I said it folks. His solo work is fantastic enough, but the fact he sang vocals and played lead guitar for both Husker Du AND Sugar just adds to the legend. 1994 was the last time I saw this guy play live, when Sugar was touring in support of their last record File Under Easy Listening. Folks, there really aren’t enough quality adjectives to describe this artist, his work and the enormous influence he has on alternative music. This show will be one of the highlights of the weekend!

Calexico. A little bit of alt-country will be in the cards when these guys play. Normally not my cup of tea, but what little I have heard I did like, and the band is from Tucson, so have to support an Arizona product!

Cloud Cult. Great band, and one of the most sincere around! I barely had a chance to sneak in a peek of these guys at Monolith in 2007 and was totally impressed. Alas, the Flaming Lips were coming up on the main stage, so I had to leave, but I have vowed since then to catch Cloud Cult when an opportunity presented itself. The Meaning of 8 and Feel Good Ghosts (Tea Partying Through Tornadoes), their two most recent albums, are fabulous records, showcasing the unique brand of indie-rock they perform. This is a must-see, especially since leader Craig Minowa has hinted that the last disc may be it for a while.

Fleet Foxes. When a friend of mine introduced me to this band last year, I listened to their debut full-length album Fleet Foxes and thought to myself, “Not bad, but nothing overwhelming.” There was too much hype about them, so I went into that first listen without a shred of objectivity. Well, I played the disc again a week later and was blown away. Wow! This is an incredible band and worth all the hoopla. I am really pumped to see these guys!

Henry Rollins. One of my heroes along with Bob Mould. I could not tell from the Coachella website if this will be a spoken-word performance or if music is on the agenda. It really does not matter, he will pummel the audience into submission either way. I have seen him as frontman of both Black Flag and the Rollins Band, and have seen him solo doing spoken-word twice. Pure intensity. Folks, anyone who can use the word “introspection” as a lyric in a song and make it work is someone worth paying attention to.

Michael Franti and Spearhead. Honestly, I know nothing of Michael Franti’s work since the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy. All I know is if you claim to like rap and hip-hop music and don’t own Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury, you are missing out on one amazing slab of vinyl. Anyone who samples This Mortal Coil in their music is a genius in my book. Of course, in my opinion most music from those genres of music do not possess a shred of intelligence in the lyrics, nor any creativity in the actual music, so that would explain the fact they never hit it big the way they should have. I am hopeful Spearhead move me the same way Disposable Heroes did.

Superchunk. fIREHOSE covered the Superchunk song Slack Mother F’er years ago and I liked it.

The Killers. Saturday’s headliner, this band can be a bit trendy and have rode the eighties retro wave pretty well. Somebody Told Me is a great song.

TV on the Radio. Now that I own two of their discs after seeing them at Monolith last year, I am actually prepared for the onslaught of this band. A great live act and some ear-splitting guitar work by David Andrew Sitek are the two qualities that stand out for me. After the commitment they showed last year just to get to Red Rocks after their bus broke down will make this a band I will ALWAYS support and respect.

Sunday, April 19.
My Bloody Valentine. Are you kidding me, the kings of shoegaze are back? One of the most brutal bands to ever step foot on this earth, My Bloody Valentine unleash a cacophany of fury that will make your ears bleed. Fine with me! It is too bad that the actual recorded output from this band is so little, but one thing is certain. If you do not own Loveless, you need to make that album a part of your collection. Don’t believe me? Listen to the first track Only Shallow, a sonic assault that is both agonizingly powerful and yet beautiful at the same time.

Okkervil River. Interesting folk music with an indie edge to it.

Paul Weller. Wow, another legend! I never did have a chance to see one of my all-time favorite bands The Jam live, and did not become a Style Council fan until they were gone. Paul Weller is a superb songwriter and vocalist, and at his age still has the attitude that made him famous when The Jam were around. One of my must-sees during this festival.

Perry Farrell. I will go see him if I have an opportunity out of respect more than anything. I really have not enjoyed most of his work since Nothing’s Shocking from Janes Addiction, but as a music fan I have to respect all he has done for alternative music over the years.

Public Enemy. One of the worst concerts I ever attended was U2 on their Zoo TV Tour in 1992. The Sugarcubes and Public Enemy opened. The Sugarcubes are great on record, terrible live. Public Enemy was the main draw for me and the few songs they performed that evening were incredible. Unfortunately, this was when Arizona did not recognize MLK Day as a holiday, and artists such as Public Enemy decried Arizona as a racist state. Three songs into the show Chuck D tore into a rant about how he hated Arizona, then the band performed By The Time I Get to Arizona. When the song was over the whole band walked off the stage. To say I was pissed is an understatement. I am hoping for a full show this time …

The Cure. Sunday’s headliner, and a quality veteran one at that. I have seen The Cure twice, once in 1987 at Mesa Amphitheatre, a phenomenal show touring in support of Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me. Five years later I saw them at America West Arena (now the US Airways Center) touring in support of the Wish album and they were horrible. I am hopeful for a repeat of the first time I saw them. Maybe they will perform most, if not all, of the incredible Pornography album?!

The Kills. There is a pattern here folks. I really did want to see The Kills at Monolith last year, but their set was during Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings and rolled into Band of Horses. No contest there. Hopefully things will work out this time.

X. It was so unfair to this band to be classified as a punk band, because their style of music and their professionalism take them to a level far beyond that. Quite simply, X should go down as one the best rock and roll bands of all time. The duo of Exene and John Doe is a fabulous songwriting and singing combination, DJ Bonebrake plays a monster set of drums, and Billy Zoom is one the best, if not the coolest, guitar players of all time.

Yeah Yeah Yeah’s. I have not quite figured this band out yet. I like some of their songs, really do not like others, but am definitely curious to see what they do live.

Wow, I am exhausted just writing about all this! I am sure as time rolls on and I get a chance to familarize myself with the other artists that I will make additions to this list. That is a lot of music already!

This should be a Coachella to remember, and I fully intend to witness it for myself. I hope you get to go as well!

Cheers,
The Dust Devil

Filed under: Concert Tour Announcements, My Take