It wasn’t even 8:30 a.m. when we learned that Coachella had announced its much-anticipated 2011 lineup. And guess what? It’s pretty incredible. Look past the predictable headliners — Kings of Leon, Arcade Fire, Kanye West, The Strokes — and you’ll find a varied list of acts so alluring it might just tempt you to throw down for a three-day pass and plane tickets.
Now, let’s talk some of the more unexpected entries on the schedule.
Death from Above 1979: Um, whoa. These guys broke up almost five years ago, and we wept bitterly for the loss. Welcome back, DFA 1979! (Are they going to do a “Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death from Above” duet with CSS, who are also on the bill?)
Ms. Lauryn Hill: Listen, we’ll call her Dr. Lauryn Hill if it gets her to give us a great performance of her classic material. Playing in front of such a huge crowd is a big risk for someone who’s been in seclusion for the better part of a decade.
The London Suede: Better known in the U.K. as simply Suede, the heavily glam rock-influenced Britpoppers reunited last January and spent 2010 touring Europe. But, unless there are more U.S. tour dates to be announced, this will be the first time they set foot on American soil in years.
OFWGKTA: This is a pretty big deal for a crew of teenager rappers who’ve been shocking the bourgeoisie with lyrics celebrating rape and ultraviolence. Well, Coachella, you asked for it. Now, it’s Odd Future’s festival to wreck — and they may well do it.
Here’s the full lineup:
And here’s how it compares (rather favorably, we think, considering David Bowie is practically a recluse and Elvis is dead) to some fantasy lineups we’ve seen:
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