It's that time of year, again. The Austin City Limits Festival line-up was unveiled early this morning via the fest's official website. There isn't any question: This year's docket will have people gabbing--whether it's vitriolic hate or nostalgic, warm-fuzzies.
Sure, for many, bashing on the chosen collection has become as popular as the festival itself--and for good reason, in certain cases.
As for the grouping that will make up this year's ninth edition of the three-day party in Zilker Park, the words of the great Gaylord Fokker come to mind, "Strong to very strong."
Let's just clear one piece of local business out of the way first: Aside from Norah Jones and Midlake, the ACL concoction will be seriously devoid of any real, Metroplex flavor.
Meanwhile, as usual, the headliners will spark great debate and cause many to suggest that ACL "blows" and/or "sucks." It's true, The Eagles (who one could maybe argue have some local ties worth mentioning) are an insanely uninspired choice as top of the bill headliner, and The Strokes are the latest group to prove to the world that breaking up and getting back together a few years later can be immensely good business for a band that hadn't quite reached festival headliner status prior to their split. But, let's face it, regardless of where one falls on the "to jam or not to jam-band" debate, netting Phish to play a festival that isn't being held by the band itself is a bit of a coup.
As for the rest of the line-up, a mixture of indie faves such as Local Natives, Morning Benders, The xx, Blind Pilot, Henry Clay People, Yeasayer, Girls, Matt & Kim and Mountain Goats are but a few examples of bands that will likely pacify the hipsters, until each of them become too popular--if they haven't already become as such.
For the bros that just want to grip it and rip it, there will be plenty of occasions to do so, as well: Ryan Bingham, Pat Green, Lucero, Switchfoot and wait for it, wait for it....the Verve Pipe, will be leading drunken sing-alongs throughout the mud or dust covered fields.
And while Monsters of Folk will get a lot of attention as the line-up's chief super-group, the appearance of Gayngs will likely garner some pub as the festival draws near. The side project of Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, along with many other indie-licious acts, may prove to be quite the prize for ACL, since the collective hasn't been on any other festival bill in the U.S.
All in all, there's plenty to bitch about and more than plenty to smile about. Let's meet back up when the schedule is announced in a couple of months, so we can shed tears into our PBR's when we find out that The National's set time directly conflicts with that of The Black Keys. Till then, the full lineup is listed after the jump. Check it out.
The Eagles
Muse
Phish
The Strokes
M.I.A.
Flaming Lips
LCD Soundsystem
Spoon
Vampire Weekend
Norah Jones
Band of Horses
Monsters of Folk
Deadmau5
Sonic Youth
Gogol Bordello
The National
Robert Earl Keen
The Black Keys
Broken Bells
Slightly Stoopid
Yeasayer
Pat Green
Rebelution
Beach House
The Sword
Matt and Kim
The XX
Portugal. The Man
The Temper Trap
Edward Sharpe and the
Magnetic Zeroes
Girls
Ryan Bingham & The Dead
Horses
Local Natives
Gaslight Anthem
Lucero
Devandra Barnhart
Blues Traveler
The Soft Pack
Gayngs
Amos Lee
Robert Randolph & The Family
Band
Ozomatli
Richard Thompson
Martin Sexton
Manchester Orchestra
The Almighty Defenders
Miike Snow
Mountain Goats
Bear In Heaven
Mayer Hawthorne
Midlake
Foals
Switchfoot
Cage The Elephant
JJ Grey & Mofro
Kinky
Angus & Julia Stone
The Morning Benders
Hockey
White Rabbits
David Bazan
Asleep at the Wheel
Trombone Shorty & Orleans
Avenue
Nortec Collective
The Very Best
Beats Antique
Blind Pilot
GIVERS
Dawes
Band of Heathens
Charlie Mars
Two Door Cinema Club
Lissie
Sarah Harmer
Constellations
T. Bird and the Breaks
Chief
Frank Turner
Those Darlins
Carolyn Wonderland
Kings Go Forth
The Relatives
The Ettes
Qbeta
Mynamisjohnmichael
Basia Bulat
Balmorhea
Dan Black
The Jane Shermans
The Kicks
Ponderosa
Two Tons of Steel
Caitlin Rose
SPEAK
Run With Bulls
Maxim Ludwig
Gospel Stars
Heavenly Voices
Wesley Bray & The Disciples of Joy
Jones Family Singers
Ashley Cleveland & Kenny
Greenberg
Buddy & The Straight Way
Travelers
Ruby Jane Smith
Verve Pipe
Frances England
Jellydots
Elizabeth Mitchell
Okee Dokee Brothers
Tom Freund
School of Rock
Q Brothers
