My dream festival lineup
It’s festival season, and thinking about the big ones – Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza – got me pondering what my dream festival would be. So, if I could present a lineup of any artists I wanted, and I was magically given the power to reunite bands, this is what my festival would look like:
One note: This is meant to be an “of-the-moment” festival. In other words, I realize that in a few years no one will even remember who Humanwine & Busdriver are, but if I’m attending a festival now, in the summer of ’07, I want to see them.
Friday: Day of pop
The festival opens with my favorite current indie rock band, then a bunch of pop artists from now and the '80s. It would be sweet to see a reunited incarnation of Culture Club. (And Air Supply would be freakin' awesome.) I originally had Michael Jackson on this list, but his lip-synched and choreographed performances wouldn't fit the rock festival vibe so I replaced him with Prince, who would be a much better act for this kind of event. Using my all-controlling powers, I would insist that Prince play "Controversy," "Erotic City," and "D.M.S.R."
Friday schedule:
Tokyo Police Club
Mika
Peaches
Architecture in Helsinki
Junior Senior
Air Supply
Reunited Culture Club
Madonna
Prince
Friday late night:
Justice
Girl Talk
Saturday: Big name hip hop/rock
Today is headlined by the Rolling Stones. I’m not a huge fan but I want to see them play live at least once. I need some quality hip hop, but I couldn’t decide between Kanye and Jay-Z, so I’ve decreed that they play together. And I’d kill to see Soul Coughing reunite just one time. The post-midnight shows would feature the Dresden Dolls, and world’s biggest party band, the Scissor Sisters.
Saturday schedule:
Garbage
AFI
Reunited Soul Coughing
Weezer
Reunited Fugees
Marilyn Manson
TV On the Radio
Kanye West/Jay-Z
Dave Matthews Band
Rolling Stones
Dresden Dolls
CSS
Scissor Sisters
Sunday: Mishmash of chill/indie/critical favorites
Following the lead of Bonnaroo, I’d make Saturday the day of big names, and Sunday a more chill vibe with a lot of folkie types. I’ve been dying to see the New Pornographers and Ani DiFranco, and I couldn’t resist ending the festival with Radiohead, who have put on the two best concerts I’ve ever seen.
Sunday schedule:
Humanwine
Sophie B. Hawkins
Ani Difranco
Busdriver
Alison Krauss & Union Station
Damien Rice & Lisa Hannigan
New Pornographers
Bjork
REM
Radiohead
