Two huge reunions mark the 17th edition of Coachella, the country’s most popular music festival, to be held a few hours from Las Vegas at the Empire Polo Club near Palm Springs on April 15-17 and April 22-24.
Though several media outlets began reporting both of them last week, it’s now official: Post-punk/dance act LCD Soundsystem, which called it a day in 2010, and some traditional formation of LA hard-rock icons Guns N' Roses that will include singer Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan, will reform and headline the two weekends on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
Joining them as Sunday’s schedule-topper is Calvin Harris, Coachella’s first DJ headliner. The Scottish hit machine and Omnia/Wet Republic resident played the main stage in 2014 to a reportedly record-breaking audience, making it an inevitability that a DJ act would assume the largest font on the lineup poster. For the first time in years, neither a radio-friendly modern rock band nor a hip-hop act will headline the festival.
Tickets for the two weekends go on sale Wednesday, January 6 at 11 a.m. through coachella.com. Prices range from $399 for a general admission pass to $899 for a VIP wristband.
Highlighting the upper-level undercard are indie king Sufjan Stevens, whose Carrie & Lowell was one of the most acclaimed records of last year; electronic music veterans Underworld, playing their third Coachella and set to release a new studio album in March; rapper Ice Cube, whose set will undoubtedly stoke rumors of a partial N.W.A. reunion; popular nu-school dance acts Disclosure and Flume; and Australian pop songstress Sia.
And what’s sure to be of note for locals sitting on the fence, North Las Vegas native and 2015 breakout Shamir landed his first Coachella booking, slated to play after he helps christen the Las Vegas Arena with The Killers and Wayne Newton on April 6.
Other notable inclusions: Diplo and Skrillex project Jack Ü, which will also stir guest-performer chatter given that Justin Bieber sings on their “Where Are Ü Now” hit; reunited shoegaze group Lush; breakthrough tenor saxophonist Kamasi Washington; genre-swerving dance duo Bob Moses; year-end list favorites Courtney Barnett, Beach House, Grimes and Chvrches; and indie riffers Savages, Health and Deafheaven.
For Las Vegans who will sit this one out or get shut out during the ticket onsale—during which the festival regularly sells out within the first hour—the lineup unveiling means its performers can finally reveal their spring tours, which opens the possibility of a mid-April concert flood in the Valley. Maybe Guns N’ Roses at Las Vegas Arena (as Billboard recently reported)? Or LCD Soundsystem at the Chelsea? How about Kamasi Washington’s return to the Smith Center? Let the Coachella overlap wave begin.
