... From the Festival Files

The festival rumor mill is abuzz this morning, and Coachella is receiving some much-deserved gossip. More info on those rumors after today’s history lesson.


The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival held its first event in October 1999, just three months after Woodstock ’99’s violent failure. While Woodstock’s vendors charged the absurd price of $4 for bottled water, Coachella’s promoters handed out free bottles of water to every attendee. The gesture was more in tune with the original Woodstock, and Coachella quickly established itself as one of the heirs to Woodstock ’69’s throne. The festival has grown each year, bringing thousands of music fans to the California deserts for a weekend of music, good will, and hellish sunburns.

Coachella also has a history of reuniting bands. In 2001, the festival’s organizers were running out of time to produce a major headlining band. They turned to Perry Farrell, who reunited Jane’s Addiction to play the Coachella event. This was the catalyst for a number of Coachella reunions, including the Pixies, Iggy Pop & The Stooges, and Gang of Four. 2007 continues the trend, with both Rage Against the Machine and Crowded House climbing aboard the reunion train.

The Coachella website hasn’t confirmed 2007’s reunions, nor has it posted any information about lineups or ticket sales. Such prized information has a habit of getting leaked, though, and the following bands will very likely be playing this year’s festival: Air, Jack’s Mannequin, Rage Against the Machine, Crowded House, Arcade Fire, Sonic Youth, Fountains of Wayne, Willie Nelson, the Roots, Of Montreal, the Decemberists, Rufus Wainwright, Kings of Leon, the New Pornographers, Ghostface Killah, and many other “non-confirmed” acts.

Stay tuned for more info, or visit Coachella’s slow-running website and bombard it with even more traffic. Those poor guys – they’re probably receiving more hits right now than Google.