As we continue to endure this brutally cold weather, thoughts of spring – and the wonderful slew of music festivals it brings – certainly help lift our frigid spirits. After the jump, we break down the spring’s hottest festivals – whether you’re looking to travel (Snow Ball, SXSW, Ultra, Coachella), stay local (Hard Weekend, Bamboozle), or really go all-out for our wild card selection (SonarSound Tokyo) – you’re bound to find something to combat the winter blues… click through for more.
Yesterday, Thom Yorke took to Radiohead’s official website to announce the name of his latest project, Atoms for Peace, along with a handful of tour dates this April. The band, which was listed as Thom Yorke???? on the Coachella line-up, consists of Flea from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, longtime Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, Joey Waronker and Mauro Refosco, both of whom worked on Yorke’s solo project, The Eraser.
Atoms for Peace will be joined by Flying Lotus for this five-city tour, which will include two dates at Roseland Ballroom in New York City. Thom Yorke will appear on the track “…And the World Laughs With You” on Flying Lotus’ upcoming album, Cosmogramma, which will be released on May 4th through Warp Records.
The tour will kick off at Roseland Ballroom on April 5th and will end at Coachella on April 18. Tickets for the New York shows will be available on Tuesday (March 2) through the W.A.S.T.E. website and on Friday (March 5) through Ticketmaster. See the full list of tour dates after the jump…
As usual, Diplo turned to Twitter to announce an April release for Lazers Never Die, the upcoming Major Lazer EP. “Sound of Siren”, which features M.I.A. and Busy Signal, is the first song off the EP and has already been making its way around the interwebs.
The EP will also feature collaborations with Buraka Som Sistema, Collie Buddz, Lindi Ortega, Kicks Like a Mule, Ms. Banks and Thom Yorke (which brings to mind another Diplo Tweet from a few weeks ago).
Major Lazer will embark on a “Lazers Never Die” tour this spring, which will include stops at Ultra (March 27), Hard NYC (April 3), and Coachella (April 17). Listen to “Sound of Siren” below, and click through for the full track listing.
Major Lazer featuring M.I.A. and Busy Signal – “Sound of Siren” (right click to download via Pitchfork)
After seeing Coachella‘s initial line-up, we might just have to add it to our jam-packed spring schedule. Jay-Z, Muse, and Gorillaz are set to headline the three-day festival, now in its 11th year.
The massive line-up of over 130 artists includes Major Lazer, Vampire Weekend, Flying Lotus, Bassnectar, Pretty Lights, Miike Snow, Matt & Kim, Rusko, Deadmau5, Passion Pit, Phoenix, La Roux, Faith No More, MGMT… we could go on forever.
Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke, who is listed on the flier as “Thom Yorke ????”, is indeed confirmed for Sunday. The question marks next to his name refer to the backing band he had assembled to play in Los Angeles last fall: Flea from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, longtime Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, and session hands Joey Waronker and Mauro Refosco.
This year, Coachella will offer expanded camping options to include cars and RVs, in addition to traditional tent camping. This is also the first year that the festival will allow in-and-out privileges for all attendees.
Coachella will take place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA from Friday, April 16 – Sunday April 18. Tickets will be available starting Friday, January 22 at 10 AM. For those of us strapped for cash, they are offering a layaway payment plan. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Coachella is also teaming up with Valley Music Travel to provide exclusive deals and packages that include travel, local hotel shuttle transportation, and private home rentals with VIP access to the festival.
Check out the full line-up after the jump…
