Real Estate / photo by David Greenwald

Coachella 2012 will run on two weekends in a row, an expansion that feels like it could backfire: will Radiohead’s second headlining set feel as meaningful for those who’ve already watched the videos on YouTube and Pitchfork.tv? Will the bands, festival paychecks in hand, snooze through their second performance? Or will the divided dates return Coachella to the chill glory of its pre-Hills invasion early years? (More importantly: will someone give me press passes to cover all six days? Do I have enough sunscreen? Will Destroyer’s set get anyone pregnant?)

I’ve got questions. Answers will have to wait. In the mean time, the festival announced a pretty serious lineup last night. Find the full list on Coachella’s Facebook page and the bands I’m most excited about below:

Friday: Pulp, Refused, Mazzy Star, Frank Ocean, James
Saturday, what a day: Radiohead, Jeff Mangum, Andrew Bird, Feist, St. Vincent, SBTRKT, Flying Lotus, Buzzcocks, Destroyer, Laura Marling, Gary Clark Jr.
Sunday: Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg (!), At the Drive-In, Justice, Beirut, the Hives (still a band!), Wild Flag, Real Estate, the Gaslamp Killer, First Aid Kit, Wild Beasts.

Notes: There are lot of great bands buried at the bottom of Sunday’s list. I’m surprised Wild Beasts likely aren’t positioned for a sunset 6 p.m. slot — their music is dark and romantic and totally compelling in a way that 2 p.m. heatstroke won’t help. Then again, Deerhunter were stuck with the same billing in 2010. My must-see here is At the Drive-In, the late ’90s/early ’00s emo titans who fractured into the painfully inferior Sparta and the Mars Volta. If they can recapture the magic, it’ll be the most visceral show of any 2012 weekend. It’s great to see a Jeff Mangum California date, finally, though billing him a line below Bon Iver feels unforgivable. Day 2 in general looks spectacular: my only concerns are that groups such as Destroyer and St. Vincent and Laura Marling will wind up 1) off of main stages and 2) all playing at the same time. If I can see Dan, Annie, Laura, Andrew, Jeff and Thom in the same day, while simultaneously playing Portlandia on my iPad, I’ll pee myself. For eight hours straight.

Stream: Coachella 2012 Rawkblog Picks (Spotify)

Will you go this year? Any bands you’re excited about?

My photos from the third and final (phew!) day of Coachella 2011, featuring Kanye West, the Strokes (pictured), the National, Duran Duran, Best Coast, CSS, HEALTH and MEN are on Brand X. As are my shots from Day 1 and Day 2.

I also wrote about:
* Kanye, the Strokes, The National, Duran Duran, Best Coast and drugs
* HEALTH, CSS and MEN
* Jenny and Johnny, the Radio Dept., Here We Go Magic and free ice cream
* Lauryn Hill, Cut Copy, Sleigh Bells and Robyn
* Moving Units and Native American headdresses.

The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas photo by David Greenwald

All things considered, Coachella 2011 was pretty great; I am also tired enough to realize maybe I’m not cut out for desert music festivals any more, at least ones I get to before 5 p.m. I broke my camera on Saturday and borrowed one on Sunday (thanks, Natalie!), so photo editing/transferring is still a work-in-progress — look for pictures and recaps and interviews and all that good stuff over on Brand X over the next couple days. What’d you guys think?

Cut Copy / photo by David Greenwald

My photos of Ms. Lauryn Hill, Odd Future, Cee Lo Green, Cut Copy, Robyn and more from Friday are over on Brand X.

The Radio Dept. / photo by David Greenwald

Once again, I’m Coachella-bound this year. Here’s my tentative schedule/band advice — see you in the desert. I’ll be covering (with a photo pass!) for Brand X, so keep an eye out. Read the rest of this entry »

Cut Copy, THE RADIO DEPT., Kanye West, THE RADIO DEPT., Broken Social Scene, The National, THE RADIO DEPT., Lauryn Hill, Animal Collective, Arcade Fire, the Strokes — this looks epic. And much stronger on a per-day basis than last year’s edition. Full lineup on Coachella.com.

(Photo: One of last year’s concertgoers. By David Greenwald)

All photos/videos by David Greenwald

More photos/videos of Coachella 2010′s non-musical side after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

Pavement / all photos by David Greenwald

Like a busted bar forced to start carding, the media (and Rawkblog) outcry over Coachella’s delinquent ticket-taking seemed to have made an impact on Sunday. My ticket was scanned, finally, my bag was checked, and I hear would-be attendees with fake wristbands had them sliced off at the gate and were sent packing. To which I say: great! After two days of claustrophobic crowds, the polo fields finally felt expansive, the tents more welcoming. Also great: the lack of crackdown on public drug use, which left the entire five-stage venue smelling like Lil Wayne on a rough night. I’m glad Goldenvoice set its priorities straight, if a little late. My priority, of course, was seeing Pavement’s reunion — and did they ever deliver. My notes and photos after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »