Preview: Sunday at Coachella

The final installment, for Coachella’s final and most anticipated day. Tickets for Sunday are going for over three hundred dollars each on eBay; there are some great acts playing, but it’s up to you to decide if it’s worth totally emptying your wallet. Be sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2 of our Coachella coverage.

Rage Against the Machine - Maria [mp3]
I probably don’t need to tell you about this one, their “one and only” reunion show. We all know that’s not true. As soon as Coachella is done, RATM will probably have a slew of new tour dates for us and plans to do another album that will probably suck. But there’s still a chance that this will be the only chance to see them and, politically speaking, the moment couldn’t be more ripe. Zach de la Rocha’s gonna have alot to say, that’s for sure. And then maybe he’ll play some of the music that defined our earlier years as music fanatics.

Manu Chao - Mentira [mp3]
Probably the best French Latin folk singer I know of. In fact, probably the only. Regardless, Manu Chao is freakin’ sweet. Some of you may also know him from his apperance and production on Amadou and Mariam’s last album, "Dimance À Bamako". Fluid, cheeky, and French. I’m going to go ahead and call him the Tom Waits of the Basque people. Interpret that as you will.

The Roots - Don’t Feel Right [mp3]
Black Thought and ?uestlove are back with a vengeance. “Game Theory” brought the boys back from obscurity. They’re one of the hip-hop groups well-versed with performing live, especially since they actually play instruments. Plus ?uestlove has a sweet afro. Hell, I’m going just to have a look at it.

Explosions in the Sky - The Birth and Death of Day [mp3]
Post-rock is epic live. That’s about all I have to say, other than EITS’s new album is pretty fucking awesome. Perfect for an out-of-body experience.

Konono No. 1 - Masikulu [mp3]
Likembés run through amplifier’s made of car parts? Trance-like African beats infused with jazz and world influences? A percussion section made of junkyard relics? A group with at least fifteen members? How do you say no?

Lily Allen - Everything’s Just Wonderful [mp3]
Whether you’re going for her music, her cheeky lyrics, or her looks, you’re going for the right reason. Lily’s experienced a surprisingly small amount of backlash for the hype she got last year and I’m willing to bet that seeing her twirl around in one of those amazing airy dresses in the Coachella heat will be about as surreal as it gets.

Lupe Fiasco - The Cool [mp3]
The kid’s new on the block with one of the best hip-hop albums of 2006 already under his belt and its an exciting point in his career to see him. Don’t act like you don’t know all the words to “Kick, Push”. But don’t worry—everyone else will know them too so, even if you’re white, you can rap along if you want.

Grizzly Bear - On A Neck, On A Spit [mp3]
Don’t be fooled by how they sound on their album, apparently Grizzly Bear can be pretty ferocious live. “Yellow House” was one of last year’s musical highlights and these guys are more than worth the trouble of arriving early. I’m not even going to bother making a joke about them mauling your ears with sweet power-psych-folk.

- Dominick Duhamel -

Preview: Saturday at Coachella

For those of you who just want to go to one day of Coachella, Saturday is the day. Just check out some of the great bands that are playing. Also, be sure to check out Part 1 of our three-part Coachella preview.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers - Mellowship Slinky in B Major [mp3]
I saw these guys over the summer and, for old dudes, they still put on a hell of a show. Reasons to go: one, they still play their old stuff live, two, John Frusciante is a ridiculous guitar player, and three, there’s always the off chance that they come out wearing nothing but socks.

The Acrade Fire - Black Mirror [mp3]
Apparently these dudes were a highlight from a Coachella past and I’ve heard some murmurs among people I know claiming they’re “one of the best live bands ever”. I haven’t seem them personally yet but I’m expecting a lot and I don’t think I’ll be let down. Also, some of the stuff off their new album is pretty ballin.

The Decemberists - Odalisque [mp3]
I’m one of the two people I know (out of like a hundred) who don’t like the new album. If you’re one of the ninety-eight, you can look forward to a bunch of lifeless, proggy bullshit or if you’re like me you can look forward to some classic Decemberists songs. And, no matter what camp you’re in, there won’t be more clever stage banter at all of Coachella.

The Good, the Bad & the Queen - History Song [mp3]
Damon Albarn saves the world from more boring Britpop bullshit! Assembles what is possibly the best supergroup ever! Releases dynamite album! Takes Coachella by storm! Teaches all those British youngsters that you don’t have to sound like the Beatles to be good!

Blonde Redhead - Misery Is A Butterfly [mp3]
I hadn’t heard any of Blonde Redhead’s music until I saw them last fall at the L.A. Weekly Detour Festival and not only do they put on a great live show, but they sound pretty great on record as well. The trio has a strange, vague allure about them and, mixed with the nearly-hallucinogenic Coachella heat, I’m willing to bet something pretty fantastic is going to take place. Be there.

The Black Keys - Strange Desire [mp3]
Can anyone say best garage band blues-rock duo ever? Plus, the last time I saw Dan Auerbach, he had a beard. The man’s pretty convincing when he has a beard, let me tell you.

Peter Bjorn & John - Let’s Call It Off [mp3]
Sweden takes over America! Broadcasts sweet melodies and superb songwriting skills across Indio Polo Fields in the middle of nowhere! Connives Dominick into writing a second newspaper-headline-style summary in one post! Damn!

Ghostface Killah - R.A.G.U. (Feat. Raekwon) [mp3]
If you haven’t been listening to Ghostface, you’re wrong. I have my fingers crossed that Amy Winehouse (who sings on one of the songs on “More Fish” and is performing at Coachella on Friday) will come onstage with him. Wouldn’t that be something? Wouldn’t it?

Andrew Bird - Heretics [mp3]
Other than the Jesus and Mary Chain, Andrew Bird is probably the artist I’m most excited about seeing. I’m not sure why he’s one of the tiny names on the second to last line of Saturday. His new album is ace and was apparently an attempt to harness the energy of his live shows—if that’s the case, it’s gonna be some good shit. And a legitimate reason to get there early.

- Dominick Duhamel -

Preview: Friday at Coachella

For those of you who (a) have your Coachella tickets and need guidance as to who to see and who to get amped about or (b) don’t have your Coachella tickets and need to decide whether or not spending several hundred dollars more on eBay is worth it, we’re doing previews of each day of Coachella. Parts two and three will be posted on Wednesday and Friday, respectively.

The Jesus and Mary Chain - Something’s Wrong [mp3]
Those of you who think that the Rage Against the Machine reunion will be the most exciting event at Coachella are sadly mistaken—The Jesus and Mary Chain have been broken up longer and were better when they were together than Zach de la Rocha and company. The band’s 1985 debut album, “Psychocandy”, is, like, totally awsome.

Interpol - Obstacle 1 [mp3]
I don’t really like to quote Pitchfork, but calling Interpol “a seminal artifact from cool’s last days” was spot on. They’ve put out two nearly-flawless, badass albums (I’m disregarding the EPs, which are mostly just a waste of time) and have a new one coming out—so we can assume they’ll play the new stuff live, right? And we can assume the new stuff is awesome, right? Right.

Sonic Youth - Hey Joni [mp3]
There is no other band (that comes readily to mind, at least) that has stayed together as long as Sonic Youth that still makes music worth listening to. Thurston and Kim are the classiest people ever and, if you haven’t seen them before, its time to show your appreciation for an innovative band that, despite its relentless output, may not be around too much longer.

Rufus Wainwright - One Man Guy [mp3]
His albums may be a bit uniform, but Wainwright’s a stage veteran and puts on a great show. He’s one of the few mellower acts this year at Coachella, and will be a nice interlude between some of the louder, more intense bands.

Gogol Bordello - I Would Never Wanna Be Young Again [mp3]
Ukranian gypsy punk from that guy who was in “Everything is Illuminated”? Sign me up! People’s opinions about this band may be mixed but I’m willing to bet their live show is insane, kinda like a “Fiddler on the Roof” punk opera meets hallucinogenic drugs. Or something along those lines.

Busdriver - Unemployed Black Astronaut [mp3]
Busdriver sounds like the black son of Doseone and Aesop Rock genetically engineered to be the best rapper ever until he gets caught up in the downward spiral of a cocaine addiction and comes out the other side eight years later slightly less talented but wiser and more honest for it. Or if John Frusciante painted his skin black, read too much T.S. Eliot, and in his youth hung out in the ghetto taking acid instead of following around the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Either way, it’s pretty damn good stuff.

- Dominick Duhamel -