Home > Austin Music Source > Archives > 2007 > April > 16
Monday, April 16, 2007
Who will headline ACL? Speculation continues…
Aside from the already discussed potential headliners such as White Stripes, Radiohead, Bruce Springsteen, Foo Fighters and Bob Dylan, let’s look at some dark horses candidates, acts that could at least play ACL if not headline the whole fest:
Nine Inch Nails
For: New album “Year Zero” requires promotion, currently touring Europe, proven hitmaker who can’tb really headline his own stadium tour has the requisite draw for ACL.
Against: Maybe a bit heavy for the likes of ACL, could scare off stray Asleep at the Wheel fans, tiny Trent Reznor hard to see from far away..
Arctic Monkeys
For: Hyped to the hills buzz UK band critics keep swearing is the Next Big Thing comes complete with new album, May tour not coming to Texas
Against: Big enough to headline ACL? Maybe that stage that Franz Ferdinand rocked the year they were important.
Tori Amos:
For: New album, fanbase that would follow her to the gates of Hell, resonates with 30-somethings and up-and-coming mopey teens.
Against: On-going market relevance an open question in do-or-die industry climate.
Rush:
For: New album, coming to Texas but not Austin, see also Tori’s fanbase.
Against: 90-minute headlining set time unable to contain Neil Pert’s solos.
Patti Smith
For: New album, aged vet with tons of cred perfect for ACL demo, punches the festival’s not-often-punched “punk” card.
Against: Neither new album nor career all that hot.
Wilco
For: New album, Attal adores them, possibly the most perfect demographic fit of band and festival ever.
Against: Frankly, this one seems a mortal lock.
Elvis Costello
For: Yet another massive rollout of his back catalog due May 1, May US tour not coming to Texas, hasn’t played ACL since ‘04
Against: Been there, seen that. Also, support of multiple back-catalog rebootings should not be encouraged with hard-earned dollars.
Bjork
For: Playing a whole mess of festivals to promote new album, she’ll be in North America in September, never played ACL, Timbaland production on new album (due May 8) could yield greatest team-up since peanut butter and jelly as long as he doesn’t mumble over her songs.
Against: Dare we hope?
ACL tickets on sale Tuesday
Tickets go on sale Tuesday (April 17) for the Austin City Limits Festival. According to the festival’s Web site, the early bird rate will translate to about a buck a band. The lineup has not been released yet. Go to aclfestival.com.
Permalink | |
Cover boy Britt Daniel
“We’ve got some good news and some bad news for you, Britt Daniel.” You have to wonder if the folks at Spin magazine said that to the Spoon singer before they told him they wanted him for the cover of the May issue (hitting newsstands April 24). The bad news? He has to share the cover with Jeff Tweedy, Perry Farrell, RZA, Tom Morello and some guy covered in tattoos nobody older than 17 has ever heard of (Davey Havok of AFI). Spin’s “Festivalpalooza” issue includes a Q & A with Daniel, in which he recalls playing Lollapalooza 1995 at Southpark Meadows on the third stage. Daniel recalls that the festival was held the day Jerry Garcia died, but that he didn’t hear anyone mention it. He must’ve missed Hole’s set because singer Courtney Love, whose father was a crazed Deadhead, said a few things about Captain Trips. Asked what would be his dream lineup of a festival he curated, Daniel listed Prince, Paul McCartney, Robert Smith, the Wipers, Arcade Fire, Ray Davies, Sonic Boom and reunions of Wire, the Smiths, Modern Lovers and the Godfathers.
