2015 Lineup Leak

Happy Day-After-the-2015-Lineup-Leaked!

My friend Joseph sent me this link: http://365thingsaustin.com/2015/05/03/acl-2015-lineup-leaked-early/ last night with the following message: "If this is the top of the lineup this sucks dick." Unfortunately, my initial reaction is very similar.  First, where are the special artists that make this ACL?  I know we get line-up bleed over from other festivals, and that will likely only get worse with Bonnarroo being folded into the Live Nation pot, but I think the Austin festival should have less EDM and pop and hew more towards what Austin City Limits has always done right.  Groups like My Morning Jacket or Mumford & Sons would have complimented our city much better than Deadmau5 and The Weeknd.  Second, where are the huge headliners?  Lolla gets Metallica and Paul McCartney, two massive names that have been selling out entire stadiums on their own for 30 years. We get the Foos (who I like) and Drake who needed Lil Wayne to join his tour?  If you consider that a major festival needs six bands that could be considered headliners, to staff three nights with two major stages, then let's consider the top six bands listed here:

1) Foo Fighters.  Great, I love that they will be here.
2) Drake.  I know that he is a top rap artist right now, but I don't think he should be a top two artist for this festival.
3) The Strokes.  Their first album was huge, in 2001.  Since then, has anyone but Pitchfork even noticed that they are still making music?
4) The Weeknd.  No clue what they do.  Someone on the top line of a major festival should be instantly recognized by all.
5) Disclosure.  I liked their last album, but still think they are niche enough that they should be about line 4.
6) Deadmau5.  I am not this guy's target demographic, but even with some appreciation for EDM, I have not been able to get on board with his entirely generic tunes.

Then you've also got Bassnectar, Alt-J, and Hozier on the second line.  Those guys are fine, but they aren't headliners.

Which, after further thought about this lineup last night, is truly the strength of the line-up, the upper middle of the poster.  Great music - The Decembrists, Gary Clark, Jr., Alabama Shakes, TV on the Radio, Sturgill Simpson, A$AP Rocky, Father John Misty, Run the Jewels, Jose Gonzalez, Shakey Graves, and Moon Taxi - means that while the top tier stuff is not going to draw me in, I've still got a ton of good music that I'll get to go see for those three days.  I would have liked some other major starpower, but I think I'm going to like the lineup anyway.

Time for me to get to work!