ACL 2016 Lineup Predictions: Still Too Early But Here are More Thoughts

If you want to go back through all of my ACL predictions for 2016, go to the ACL 2016 Tab up above for the collected links.

Its time for a little more prognostication on the ACL Lineup for 2016.  I have some crazy stuff coming after I spend a few more hours cranking on a crazy-pants spreadsheet of festival data, but for now, I have a few more predictions and an ACL-junior lineup to consider.

To refresh your memory, here are the categories I talked about in my Way To Early Predictions post:

• Gut Intuition.
• LiveNation Bands.
• Groups who are doing the festival circuit this year (i.e. Outkast in 2014).
• The bands who are playing Lollapalooza.
• Buzz bands or those with new music out.
• Bands that C3 books/manages for their other venues.

After that initial post, I have a few more that fall into those last two categories:

• The Struts - Playing the Parish on April 20 and a bunch of buzz for those dudes.  Their EP is pretty kick ass too, so this would be a fun get.  Their only other Texas tour date for Texas hits Corpus Christi (of all places?!?) but then the tour peters out on July 22, so they've got the space in their calendar to make this happen.  The album comes out March 4.  This one makes sense to me.
• Jack Garratt - big debut album just came out and the Brits are in love with the dude.  Not sure he does it for me yet, but I'm still giving it a chance.  Playing a few other festivals and his tour is over in July as well, meaning he's got space for Lolla and ACL Fest.
• Lissie.  Playing Emo's in Austin on April 8 and her tour is over in late July.  Perfect to keep her big year going with some festival dates in Austin.
• Wolfmother.  I'm testing out the new album now, and its pretty solid so far.  Their tour takes them through Dallas, Houston, and El Paso, but no central Texas dates, and ends in May, leaving them time to play Lolla and ACL.
• Cage the Elephant.  New album is great, buzzy with a big Rolling Stone article.  Touring with Silversun Pickups (who I think are coming) and Foals (who are another band I should think is coming), including a date at Edgefest in Dallas and Hangout Fest.  Last date on their calendar is July 10 at Telluride Music Festival, so they've got time for ACL and Lolla.  Count it.
• Foals.  Just won an NME award at an Austin ceremony, hot band with a good new album on the shelves.  Playing Emo's on April 29.  Playing Shaky Knees, Hangout Festival, but have a perfect gap in their concert schedule to play Lolla at the end of July and ACL at beginning of October.  Count it.

I thought of another category of guesses, although I think this one is going to be really hard. Every year, we get a Nostalgia Pick (or three):

• 2013: Cure, Depeche Mode - this was the year the headliners went retro.
• 2014: Outkast (being that they had no new music for years), The Replacements, Jimmy Cliff
• 2015: Billy Idol, Brand New, (and I'd say The Strokes, since they have no new music, but not sure they match).

Thoughts about this year's Old School Acts making the comeback trail (most of this is just my wishful thinking):

• Obviously, LCD Soundsystem will match up with this category if they end up coming.  No new music and they have purportedly "retired."
• Guns n' Roses.  They are doing the big comeback for Coachella (and their "tour" doesn't make it past those dates), but I don't see it happening.  Hell, I kind of doubt they'll actually get their shit together to play Coachella.
• R.E.M.  I have zero information or knowledge about this, but they're one of my favorite bands of all time and I'd sell a kid to see them join back up and jam ACL.  This article looks suspiciously like clickbait, and this interview sure seems definitive that they are done.  But a guy can hope, right!?
• ZZ Top.  Wouldn't that be perfect?  They are touring their ass off still, so I know they aren't dead and gone, but I can't believe they don't play this festival.  Many moons ago, when they were all about the Eliminator roadster and the long beards and the video babes, these guys were way cheesy, but they are actually some really bad ass classic blues rock.  Go jam Tres Hombres if you want a taste.  Good Texan boys who would fit in just right at the show.
• Tool.  Their website looks like it was last updated in 1998, but if I am reading it correctly they are on a tour now that will take them to San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas, but no Austin.  The lead singer's other band, Puscifer, is starting a tour right after that, which goes through June 16 and never brings them back to Texas.  No clue about this one, but I'd enjoy this show.
• Jane's Addiction.  Playing the Shaky Knees Festival in May and then some European festivals this summer, but the last of those is on June 19 in France.  Would leave time for them to make Lolla and ACL.  Since it is the 25th Anniversary of Lollapalooza, would make total sense for dear old dad Perry Farrell to be on the top of their bill.  They also played Fun Fun Fun last year in Austin, but I think this one feels right.

Finally, there is a new addition to the Austin City Limits family, and while it is a little bit weird to see ACL (Auckland City Limits, get it?) in someplace other than Austin, Texas, the C3 folks have fired up a little brother festival in Auckland, New Zealand for one day in March.
ACL's Auckland Lineup:  (my comments behind, bold ones that I think are likely)

• Kendrick Lamar 
• makes good sense, need a big name rapper, he hasn't been in a year, coming off rap Grammy domination.
• The National
• I guess, but I keep hearing the lead singer's side project on the radio, El Vy.  But El Vy has no gigs listed on their site, so maybe not.  The National have a tour that ends before ACL, so maybe so?
• Fat Freddys Drop 
• Never heard of this in my life.  They are a NZ-based reggae-ish band, so I doubt they'd cross over to Austin, but who knows?!?  They are doing a world tour this summer, so I guess they could be included.
• Modest Mouse
• Would be fun, but they were just here last year and are playing Austin in July with Brand New.  Doubtful.
• Shapeshifter
• Another New Zealand-based band, doing EDM stuff.  I'd guess they don't come here, and their website only links to two shows, both in NZ.
• Action Bronson
• Sure.  His last tour date is July 10, so he's got time to do Lolla and ACL.
• The Naked and Famous
• Doubt it, with no new music out and since they are from NZ.  Pretty sure they played here before but I'm failing at the Internet today.
• Broods
• New Zealand band and no new music, so I doubt it.
• Ladyhawke
• New Zealand band and no new music, so I doubt it.
• Cold War Kids
• Yes.  Playing Brazil Lollapalooza and this Auckland CL, as well as Coachella and Shaky Knees.  They have a gap in their calendar for Lolla and ACL.  Book this one.
• Jarryd James
• Australian R&B guy, fresh single, and he's a Live Nation guy.  Playing Bonnaroo as well, so I'm going with a yes here.
• Grace Potter
• Yes.  New album out last year, played a well regarded set here in Austin recently, also playing JazzFest and Bonnaroo, and then has Lolla and ACL sized gaps in her schedule. Book it.
• Shakey Graves
• Doubt it since he just played ACL Fest.
• The Phoenix Foundation
• Another New Zealand band, so I doubt it.
• Highly Suspect
• Yes, fresh off a Grammy nomination and a new album in 2015, I bet they'll make the festival rounds this year.  Also playing The Parish in May.  Tour ends in May, so they've got time for ACL.
• Lord Huron
• Doubt it since he played last year.
• St. Paul & the Broken Bones
• No brand new music, but they fit right into the wheelhouse of tunes that should come to ACL.  Alabama new soul/rock sound and lots of charisma.  I think yes.
• Houndmouth
• Doubt it, played last year.
• Che Fu & the Kratez
• No music available on Spotify, but is apparently "New Zealand's leading exponent of soul/hip hop climbing to the top on DLT's 'Chains'."  No clue what that means.  Doubt it.
• Kamasi Washington
• Crazy good jazz saxophone player, played on Kendrick Lamar's new album, so sure, why not?  Maybe he'll come with Kendrick to play in his set, and then go do his own thing in the Tito's Tent.
• Tami Neilson
• New Zealand version of Amy Winehouse.  Doubt it, but who knows.  She has a song called "Texas," so maybe so!  But only tour dates are in NZ.  Going with no.
• Gang of Youths
• Aussie indie.  Album in 2015, no tour, doubt it.
• Maala
• At first I thought these last three were one band name - Maala Kinetic Racing. Sounds like a badass Japanese video game.  New Zealand artist, so I doubt it.
• Kinetic
• Another New Zealander, so I doubt it.  Also, very bad music.  So there's that.
• Racing
• Doesn't even come up on Spotify.  Going to go with a no here.

I'll get back to work on my big spreadsheet sometime soon, and when Lolla is announced I'll have more fodder to tweak my predictions, but this is good fun.