Predicting ACL 2019: Major Tours

Normally, I like to do a post that looks at all of the other festival lineups of the year (like this one from 2018), but Rob Mitchum has apparently stopped making the spreadsheet that I used to get all of that information in one place.  Which is super lame.  And after looking online for 30 seconds, I couldn't find a comparable listing of all festival lineups mashed together for my convenience, so I'm super not going to do that post this year if it means looking at posters myself.  That would take at least 8 minutes.

So, instead, I'll look at those artists who are supposed to have big tours this year, to see what their schedule looks like and if ACL can fit into those spots.  I'm using a few lists online of "anticipated" or whatever tours, so if you don't see your favorite in here, blame Google.

• Madonna.  Dammit.  Zero dates announced, even though at least two websites say that she is planning a 2019 tour.  I'd like this one though!  No.
• The Chemical Brothers.  Some U.S. dates announced right now, but then they go across to Europe and Japan and whatnot during the summer.  Their schedule shows a very large gap though, from August 24 to November 21, so they could certainly fit ACL into that space.  But I don't even know if they are that cool anymore?  I love their stuff back in the day, but do the EDM kiddies even know who this is?  Have to go with no.
• The Cure.  Pretty sure I already looked at them, but was hoping that their touring calendar had changed.  Nope.  Their tour never comes to America, and ends in August, so I don't see any reason to expect this one.  No.
• Hootie & the Blowfish.  Nah.  Playing the Austin 360 Amphitheater on June 13, so they shouldn't be scheduled to come to ACL as well.
• Phish.  Playing multiple nights of Bonnaroo (which is still SOOO WEIRD, even though I'd actually like to see them play), and their tour ends on Sept. 1 without any appearances in Texas.  So they have the time and space to make it happen.  I mean, I guess I could see this one happening - they certainly have a devoted following who would buy tickets to see them.  Hmmm.  I'll go with a maybe for now, which I think needs to be a weak no.
• Queen with Adam Lambert.  Already looked at this one once, and concluded with a weak ass maybe.  They come through Dallas and Houston in late July, but nothing in Austin or San Antonio.  Their tour ends August 23.  I mean, that gives them the time and space to do it, and I think it would be very popular.  I'll move them up to a weak yes.
• Maggie Rogers.  Nope - playing ACL Live on October 19 and October 20 - no way she'd be stacking two shows right after ACL if she was playing two weekends right before then.
• Mumford & Sons.  I mean, I don't really want them back either, but it could happen, right?  Their tour is mostly in Europe, but ends on September 15 with a show at something called Kaaboo in San Diego, so they would be in a good place to jump over to Austin for the first two weekends of October and headline ACL again.  Despite that, my gut says they wouldn't be named to the Fest so soon after last playing it, so medium no.
• Black Keys.  Nope.  Playing the Erwin Center November 13 - doesn't seem like they'd double up Austin (or be allowed to by C3).  I'd really like to see them again though, wish they were at ACL instead.
• Vampire Weekend.  Double nope.  Playing two sold out nights in Mid-August at ACL Live.  Again, no way C3 is going to let them 
• Muse.  Just played in Austin for the IndyCar race at the Austin 360, in March, so would they come right back?  I don't see that as an automatic no, like I would for a summer show.  Nah, now I see that they are in Mexico City the night before weekend one, then in Rio for the Sunday of Weekend One, then playing Chile for the Sunday of Weekend Two.  I suppose they could fit in a show or two in Austin during those times, but not very likely when they just played here and will be in South America.  No.
• Carrie Underwood.  I couldn't name a Carrie Underwood song if you paid me.  She's playing San Antonio on May 6, Houston on Sept. 21, Dallas on Sept. 24, and then has the ACL weekend dates booked with shows on the east coast.  No.
• I have already addressed a bunch of others who can't come because of their tours, like Elton John, Ariana Grande, Twenty One Pilots, The Chainsmokers, and The 1975.    And then we already had some of the people named to the hot tours list, like NoName and Travis Scott and and Shawn Mendes and Greta Van Fleet and Paul McCartney.  So all of those are a no.
• Maren Morris.  Playing New Braunfels in April, after shows in Houston and Dallas, but her tour will be playing shows on Friday and Saturday of both weekends, meaning that she could only be in Austin on Sunday.  Actually not a bad prediction - she'll be in Bossier City on Saturday night of first weekend, so she could be in Austin pretty easily the next day for a mid-afternoon show.  Still, just because she could do it, I don't think she'll pack in shows quite that full.  No.
• Raconteurs.  Just announced a big tour a few days ago to pimp a new album.  The start overseas, then come to the States, and have a fat gap in their tour from September 13 to October 12.  The October 12 and 13 shows are in Oklahoma, so they could pretty easily play Austin on Friday night of Weekend Two and then book it up to Okieland.  Feels good, and I'd love it.  let's go with yes.

All of that, and all I get is a weak yes for Queen, a weak no for Phish, and a yes for Raconteurs?  Huh.  So much for the big tours of the year as a source for ACL fodder.  I think I have two more of these predictions to do, one for Lollapalooza and then one looking at Shazam numbers to see what people are requesting from that service (which may also be a bust of a post, but I've been interested in that as a source of information, so I'll give it a shot).