Originally I sat down to critique this year's Coachella line-up, perhaps the weakest since 2008's Jack Johnson-Portishead-Roger Waters headliners, but when it comes to music... for every Beatles fan you have a Creed fan, for every person who appreciates Radiohead, you have someone buying a Linkin Park cd. As 2010's line-up was announced, I just hoped to hear the names of a few of my favorites, and though i'd rather see the Strokes opposed to Julian Casablancas solo, or Blur instead of Gorillaz, Radiohead instead of Thom York, there are some jewels to look forward to in the desert... I mean, isnt that why we go? to see a few of our favorites, and discover new bands we've never heard before. Passion Pit and Phoenix put out the best albums of 2009, can't wait to see them live. Jay-Z, MGMT should be siiick... and well, there's Devo.
What jumps out from the Coachella poster is the number of Latin acts this year. Calle 13, Aterciopelados, Babasonicos and Zoe, the best band to come out of Mexico in the last 15 years will all be making their first apperance in the festival, and its about time a bit more attention is directed at the Latin majority in California... Taking the baton from successful sets from Kinky, Cafe Tacuba, and Los Amigos Invisibles in years past, shows that Coachella goers are embracing Latin acts.
I look forward to 3 days in April in Indio, and my goal this year isn't to need a Hangover recovery nap on the grass under the shaded tent... but then again, there are traditions.
