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| Lorde returns to the Main Stage three years after being the highlight of 2014's weekend. |
The thing that really elevates how Coachella is discussed is YouTube's annual livestreaming of the first weekend (of 2) of said event on the official Coachella YouTube page. The many separate stages all have cameras and only three channels are broadcast (with some slight delays unless you are psyched for Little Dragon, whom perform on Friday and their set will air on Saturday), thus leaving a few great acts offline and disappointing fans at home. Ultimately, there are hundreds of performers, nearly 100 on the live feeds, some at the same time and a whole lot of tough decisions to make (unless you're like me and constantly flipping from channel to channel). Unfortunately, I could not make it to California this year (but who needs THOSE crowds?) and luckily for those that have the time or the intrigue, I'm here to sort through the mess and point out the acts you all should choose to check out this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Friday
Acts that will not be livestreamed but deserve some attention
Stormzy - Grime is finally crossing over to the US thanks to Drake's ridiculous popularity and recent co-signing of Skepta. Stormzy is the #2 name in grime behind Skepta and despite his lackluster album from earlier this year, the man still has bars and can get more than enough rowdy people on acid in a mosh pit.
Raury - The alternative hip-hop artist received plenty of promotion after his 2014 song "God's Whisper" attracted listeners of all genres and then released his debut album in 2015 that nobody besides me loved. The potential is certainly still there for the multi-talented 20-year old and there are more than enough "Whisper"-like songs yet to come from him.
The Avalanches - Considering it took them 16 years to release a second album, it is surprising that the hip-hop production duo won't be a part of the home-viewing experience.
Travis Scott - Rodeo may be one of the more critically underrated albums of the last four years and with a special guest or two, the Houstonian rapper should draw a wild crowd for the ragers out there that only use The xx and Radiohead for sleep.
Denzel Curry - One of XXL's 2016 freshman class, this 22-year old rapper seems to be headed for his prime and a rise in prominence starting with this weekend's set.
Livestreamed Acts that I will tune in for
The Lemon Twigs - A group of Queen wannabes that are operatic in tone and seem like they'd be a joy to see live if their set is as theatrical as the music,
Tennis - Adored their 2014 album Ritual In Repeat and they are finally getting critical attention with their newest album.
Preservation Hall Jazz Band - Every good day at Coachella begins with either jazz or reggae and I loved how they helped close out Arcade Fire's 2014 set.
SOHN - The English ambient music creator grabbed my interest with his early-year release while everyone else was recovering from the holiday season.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Psychedelic as fuck. Go ahead and laugh at the name because it is fantastic. The music will not leave you disappointed although, it may cause some confusion and a sudden desire for junk food.
Sampha - One of the better pure vocal acts showcased this weekend has a bopper of a song in last year's "Blood On Me" and can be quite eclectic on a song-to-song basis if he desires.
Bonobo - Friday is a bit lighter on EDM artists than I'm used to so, Bonobo should cover my desires for a light show and well-produced beats that escalate to no end.
Mac DeMarco - This weird dude became huge in the indie scene around 2014 and has such an odd stage presence to match some really great music with lo-fi production.
Broods - The pop duo from New Zealand blew me away with their debut album in 2014 and their 2016 follow-up was not bad either. Lorde fans will be pleased with this band.
Francis & The Lights - If Bon Iver started out as an electronic band instead of gradually integrating electronics into their folkiness, this is what Bon Iver would sound like.
Glass Animals - Coming off of having my #11 song of 2016, there's no way I'd completely ignore these guys.
Banks - Spacy chill vibes are welcome any night and with the sun already set, Banks will be a perfect transition into the twilight with songs like "Waiting Game", "Gemini Feed" and her excellent new single, "Crowded Places".
Mac Miller - Categorizing white rappers is a weird thing that we've been doing for a long time now (much like white wide receivers in the NFL) and it's never been something I'm a huge fan of but, this white rapper might be at the top of the white rapper game right now. (No seriously, Eminem's been washed for 10+ years)
Father John Misty - His album just came out last week and is a huge hit among critics with album of the year whispers surrounding it. He's gone from lyrically-gifted folk artist to an Elton John-inspired philosopher singing about virtual reality sex with Taylor Swift. He puts on a killer live set by the way.
Phantogram - One of those rare bands that went in a poppier direction with their latest record and it was actually fantastic as the influence of Big Boi paid off with their most consistent album to date. A personal favorite of mine.
The xx - Speaking of bands 3+ albums in with their strongest work coming in the past year... The xx are twice as chill as Banks and the production is better. Will Jamie xx break off and play some solo stuff mid-set? Tune in to find out.
DJ Shadow - Any chance at a Run The Jewels cameo is a good chance.
Little Dragon (STREAMING ON SATURDAY) - Another unique band with their electronic indie pop, the Swedish band will be worth the day-long wait as they may be performing a lot of new material.
Empire Of The Sun - Lady Gaga's only competition for costume design of the weekend. A very unique set will surround this easily digestible alt-pop band.
Radiohead (Headline Act) - If you're reading this and are unaware of the headliners, I weep for you. Please start with their 2000 album, Kid A.
Capital Cities - I was not high on this band until I saw them start a party among thousands with their awesomely fun 2014 show. They should also have some new songs.
D.R.A.M. - Capping off the first night of Coachella with "Broccoli" is too fucking perfect.
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| Radiohead is sure to have a long set with 25 years of material to work with. |
Saturday
Bishop Briggs - An alternative artist that is mostly riding the hype of a year-old song ("River") recently featured on a Cold War Kids song and should be dropping her debut album any minute now.
Mitski - The female rocker that I semi-regrettably omitted from any of my top music lists of 2016 is a star in the making.
Thundercat - Funky jazz musician with crazy style and crazier features (he was huge on Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly and has a song featuring your dad's favorites, Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald), Thundercat's new album is one hell of an enjoyable experience if you just want to dip your toes into the genre.
Majid Jordan - Another duo with a famous friend (Drake), Majid Jordan should have been huge in America last year with how obsessed we are with the chillpop genre currently and "Hold On, We're Going Home" on their list of achievements.
Nav - An up-and-comer in the world of hip-hop. I am nòt the biggest fan of Nav but, this set might feature Future or The Weeknd and that would be pretty cool.
Livestreamed Acts that I will tune in for
Shura - For an artist born in the 90's, it is incredible how every song on her debut album sounds like a hit song from the 1980's.
Arkells - Despite their latest release, this Canadian rock band still have enough good past music to make a pleasant transition from one channel's stage to another.
Banks & Steelz - Paul Banks of Interpol fame and RZA of Wu-Tang Clan collaborated on album last year that was in heavy rotation among ESPN shows last year whenever they cut to commercials. For as strange as the duo looks on paper, just imagine how odd they'll look together on stage.
Local Natives - An indie rock band that I consistently confuse with another alternative band, Private Island. I can't wait until that moment on Sunday when I inevitably click over to their channel, thinking they do the song "Drugs" when that is 100% false.
Car Seat Headrest - Will Toledo dropped the #1 album of 2016, there's no way I would miss this set. I expect the live performance of Teens of Denial to not be a perfect product like the album but, that shouldn't matter.
The Head and The Heart - A nice little folk band that have had a song featured on every major network television show seemingly, TH&TH are a perfect band for that downtime when there are no other artists of interest playing. Being the elevator music of Coachella is not a bad role at all.
Bastille - Their second album was far superior to their boring debut and they have a nice collection of real hits now.
Two Door Cinema Club - A band that has aged poorly, TDCC still have a strong catalogue of music and strong singles and I still have faith in a rebound on their next project.
Roisin Murphy - I absolutely adore this eccentric electropop artist as there is no one quite like her. Her performances are known for including floating severed doll hands and her outfits are fucking intense. Murphy could win the weekend depending on just how weird she wants to make this.
Mura Masa - The young producer already has a banger featuring A$AP Rocky and songs featuring Shura and Charli XCX. I am extremely interested in his new material and upcoming album.
DREAMCAR - A supergroup featuring members of AFI and No Doubt. Gwen Stefani is not involved (obviously) but, Tony Kanaal is elite in his own right.
Future - mumblemumblemumblegarglegargle molly and Percocets. He's overrated but, imagine the guest stars.
Röyksopp - One of the more innovative production duos around, their live shows are supposed to be very cool. It's either them or 45 minutes of Future.
Schoolboy Q - The Blankface LP was a success and combining that album with his other work and some potential TDE guest cameos will draw a very large, raucous nighttime crowd.
Bon Iver - Rumor has it that their latest album is best experienced live and I do not know how that's possible since I gave 22, A Million an A+ grade last year. It was also my #6 album of 2016. I'm really beginning to question whether Justin Vernon can do no wrong or if I'm just slightly overrating the greatest musician in Wisconsin history.
Martin Garrix - Remember that song that sounded like a sped-up ping pong match? Yeah, I want to see thousands of people defecate themselves when that beat drops.
DJ Snake - Remember "Turn Down For What?" Yeah, I want to see thousands of people defecate themselves when that beat drops.
Gucci Maine - The Gucci Maine comeback from prison is something I never knew I needed but, the east Atlanta Santa is back and happier/slimmer than ever before. You bet he'll have the best guest list of the weekend.
Lady Gaga (Headliner) - If you're reading this and are unaware of the headliners, I weep for you. Please start with this year's Super Bowl halftime performance.
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| Replacing the pregnant Beyonce is the never dull Lady Gaga. |
Sunday
Hinds - Fun new all-female garage rock band that's perfect for a mid-afternoon.
Lee Fields & The Expressions - My most disappointed response to a band being left off of the livestream was not seeing these guys on the YouTube schedule. Their latest album is fantastic and they seem like they'd be an awesome day 3 (when everyone's energy is drained and they just want to hear quality music) performer.
Lil Uzi Vert - He has the #16 song on Billboard's Hot 100 and a bunch of hype surrounding anything he releases in the hip-hop community.
HONNE - This electro-soul duo had one of the more overlooked good albums of 2016 and are very comparable to Majid Jordan.
Real Estate - Critically acclaimed indie band has a solid new album and have the experience to put on a high quality show.
Livestreamed Acts that I will tune in for
Preoccupations - Formerly known as Viet Cong, this Canadian punk band is one of the biggest bands in their genre right now
Ezra Furman - Another very fun performer with upbeat songs that would be a blast to see live.
Whitney - Day 3 is always the best day to fill up on some more relaxed performances as a way of saving energy for the closing headliner. Whitney had one of the best debut albums of the past year and will be absolute bliss as the weekend winds down.
Toots & The Maytals - Classic reggae gets it's annual representation in the form of the creators behind "Funky Kingston".
Goldlink - I much prefer all of the Goldlink features I've heard to the rapper's new album. The potential for greatness is here and a live performance might be his best setting.
NAO - This unique soulful vocalist will surprise with the many twists and turns her voice takes in the span of one song.
Grouplove - They have yet to release a bad album (there are 3) and they were a delightful watch the last time they visited Indio.
Kaytranada - Had the best debut album of 2016 and are certain to be an absolute blast compared to the other DJs playing this weekend.
Jack Garratt - This experimental pop artist has a wide variety of instruments and vocal tricks that he likes to pull out on stage. His name should be much bigger than it is in America.
Future Islands - Never a dull moment when Sam Herring gyrates about stage while growl-singing alt-pop as if he were summoning a demon to dance.
Kiiara - Another on-the-rise electropop singer that is known mostly for one song, "Gold".
Porter Robinson & Madeon - Separately, they would be fun shows to see and dance to. Together, I expect some minds to be blown.
DJ Khaled - Will he just Snapchat the whole show, yell "Miami!!!" despite being nowhere near Florida and bring out a boatload of his famous friends? Of course he will.
Hans Zimmer - A music conductor for many of the biggest films ever, I have zero clue what a Hans Zimmer Coachella set could possibly look like and am thrilled by the possibility of a Daft Punk cameo.
Tove Lo - One of the better pop stars we have right now, this woman sounds great live and has a tremendous confidence on stage that is topped by very few.
Lorde - Any new material would be awesome, considering we've only heard two songs off of her upcoming album. Either way, she absolutely won Coachella 2014.
Galantis - An EDM set that I'm very curious about as I have yet to dive into Galantis but, I have enjoyed the few tracks that I have listened to.
Kehlani - Kehlani is receiving a ton of praise for her debut album but, she secretly sounds better live and will be a pleasant energy saver prior to Justice/Kendrick.
Justice - The closest thing Coachella will have to a full-on disco set. An absolute must-see.
New Order - Festival veterans, it's impossible for them to have a bad set at this point in their careers.
Kendrick Lamar (Headliner) - If you're reading this and are unaware of the headliners, I weep for you. Please start with his album, Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City.
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| With a new album dropping Friday, Kendrick is about to own Coachella weekend. |
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