Coachella 2013: 10 must-see bands

Wed, Apr 10, 2013 (10 p.m.)

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is back this weekend, and the Weekly is headed to the SoCal desert fest to report on the good, the bad and the sweaty. We're looking forward to headliners like Brit-Pop icons Blur, but with more than 150 artists to choose from over three days, there are plenty of other gems we can't wait to see. Whether you're headed to the festival or tuning in via YouTube, be sure to check out these 10 acts that have us counting down the hours.

Bat For Lashes

I’m (finally) learning to accept that I’ll never see Kate Bush in concert, thanks in part to the continued growth of Natasha Khan’s own ethereally voiced art-pop project. Saturday, 5:10 p.m., Mojave Tent. -- Spencer Patterson
Grinderman

Nick Cave and guitarist Warren Ellis bring out “women want them, men want to be them” side of The Bad Seeds in the band’s electrifying blues-garage side project, who are reuniting solely for Coachella. A last-chance gig not to be missed. Friday, 10:10 p.m., Mojave Tent. -- Andrea Domanick
Youth Lagoon

Trevor Powers has created a fantastical world of swirling layers and hidden treasures on second album Wondrous Bughouse, and I can’t wait to hear how he brings it to life. Friday, 2 p.m., Mojave Tent. -- SP
Jake Bugg

With his Dylan-esque whine and fuzzy folk arrangements, Bugg’s tunes could easily pass as lost gems from the 1960s...until he turns up the reverb and tears into his guitar. This baby-faced phenom is trouble, in the best way possible. Friday, 3:05 p.m., Mojave Tent. -- AD
Janelle Monáe

The woman best known for her vocal contribution to fun.’s "We Are Young” is also a performing force who draws frequent comparisons to James Brown. Yeah, that James Brown. Saturday, 10:45 p.m., Gobi Tent. -- SP
Palma Violets

I recently had a “driveway moment” with 180, the gobsmacking debut from these London lads blending punk audacity, psych-pop soundscapes and britpop emotiveness with a confidence well beyond their years. Friday, 6:25 p.m., Mojave Tent. -- AD
DIIV

Listed on the second-to-lowest line on Coachella’s 150-plus-act bill, these righteously shoegazey Brooklynites serve as a reminder to research even the smallest poster font. Sunday, 2:30 p.m., Mojave Tent. -- SP
Savages

Finally, a band worthy of taking Siouxsie Sioux’s torch -- and the all-women quartet carries it well. Dark, frenetic post-punk rarely sounds so good, even in the bright Coachella sunshine. Saturday, 2:55 p.m., Mojave Tent. -- AD
Dinosaur Jr.

Scheduling conflicts make festivals complicated, but here’s one rule of thumb that’s always served me well: If J Mascis is playing guitar on a stage somewhere, I’m there. Sunday, 5:10 p.m., Outdoor Stage. -- SP
Franz Ferdinand

Remember how last year everyone rolled their eyes when they saw The Hives on the lineup, and then they blew Coachella’s mind with their live show? I’m calling it early: Franz Ferdinand is this year’s Hives. Saturday. Saturday, 10:15 p.m., Mojave Tent. -- AD