This year felt like a real slog on this project, just because my stupid job has actually intruded into my listening time and required that I do things other than write 1,000 words on the lyrical prowess of Kendrick Lamar versus the Ninja guy from Die Antwoord. But, despite the fact that I didn't get to devote as much time as I normally do, I'm glad to have made it through the pack - I found a few good new artists that I like and am now sufficiently psyched about the festival. A few observations here, and in the next few days I'll start working up my day by day reviews and planning posts.
But before I get to all of that, general comments about the lineup now that I've done it all. People keep asking me what I think about the lineup in general. I think that the top line headliners are amazing. I am full on excited to see Radiohead, Mumford, and Kendrick, and would have liked the chance to go see LCD Soundsystem (mainly to dislike listen, but I'm willing to be won over), and even the Chainsmokers or Flume just to see the hype machine in full force. That top line is measurably better than last year's top line.
But where this year's lineup fails versus last year is in the meat of the lineup, right below the top billed folks, and above the people you've never heard of. I'm talking about the big artists that wouldn't sell out a stadium, but would still sell out a medium sized venue. Last year, that section of the poster had amazing stuff like Alabama Shakes, Tame Impala, Sturgill Simpson, The Decemberists, Gary Clark, Jr., and TV on the Radio. These were folks with huge, current radio hits and highly acclaimed recent records, who made it so that each and every day of the festival had some top notch shows even if you weren't into Drake and Deadmau5. I'd have bought tickets to go see those guys play on their own, without the Festival.
In my opinion, this year has lesser folks on those lines - Two Door Cinema Club, Young the Giant, Local Natives, Die Antwoord. I love Chris Stapleton and Schoolboy Q, and I think the new Cage the Elephant album is great and puts them in the right conversation with those folks from last year, but the lack of good medium sized bands leaves you with holes like Friday evening where the 5 o'clock slot is all bad stuff (St. Lucia, Cold War Kids, and Tory Lanez) and the 6 o'clock slot isn't much better (Die Antwoord, Corinne Bailey Rae, Julien Baker, and Flying Lotus). I can find someone to go watch there (Julien Baker, for sure), but I just remember last year being full-on excited about some of those second tier bands.
Also, while I've found a few cool bands that I hadn't heard before - Two Door Cinema Club is a good example - I haven't found anything on these listens like Royal Blood last year, a new band that I think should conquer the world and become the greatest band of all time.
That griping being said, there is a TON of cool music to be seen in a week and a half. I'm super excited about some of the stuff I'm going to go jam, and I'm also excited that, for the first time ever, the wife is going to join me for a day of the Fest. It is going to be great.
I'll be working on my daily schedules next, and some thoughts about the new bands I really like that I've discovered here. Stay tuned.
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