Lollapalooza Chile 2011

The Chicago-based Lollapalooza festival will again bring its South American edition to O’Higgins Park in Santiago, Chile on March 31-April 1 2012 and, for the first time, to the Jockey Club in Sao Paulo, Brazil on April 7-8 2012.  The lineups were announced yesterday and include world renowned acts like the Foo Fighters, Arctic Monkeys, MGMT, Skrillex, TV on the Radio, and Foster the People, as well as local artists.  For the full lineups for both festivals, see the links below.

Santiago, Chile Lineup – March 31 – April 1 2012

Sao Paulo, Brazil Lineup – April 7 – April 8 2012

As sun stretched into Saturday’s morning sky, I was bouncing around my room and impatiently trying to nudge my boyfriend out of his peaceful slumber. This day had been circled on my calendar for about a month now and after weeks of built up anticipation, it had finally arrived. It was time to go to the Ball, the Governors Ball. This was not the social gathering you would want to attend in a floor length gown or tuxedo. Instead, you’d want to trade the evening-wear for a tank top, make up for sunscreen, and champagne for water.  The Governors Ball was New York City’s newest addition to its summer festival line up, and I was ecstatic to be a part of it.

First and foremost, my main concern was arriving to the pier early enough to avoid the assumed monolithic ferry lines. It was only logical that the Governors Ball would take place on Governors Island and thought of tens of thousands of festival attendees being forced to rely on boats for the sole option of transportation sounded chaotic. However, much to my surprise, not only was this process organized, but well executed. The longest wait I heard of was twenty minutes, and the ride over was quite stunning. New York City looked tranquil, resting between New Jersey and Brooklyn.

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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…

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This week, Jay-Z released the artwork and track listing for his eleventh solo album, The Blueprint 3. Kanye West produced most tracks on the album, which features collaborations with Pharell (on the N.E.R.D.-produced track “So Ambitious”), Kid Cudi, Drake, and Alicia Keys. The buzzworthy contribution by MGMT comes in the form of “Venus vs. Mars”, which they produced.

The Blueprint 3 will be released on September 11, 2009 by Atlantic Records. View the full track list after the jump, and click here to see photos by Oliver Correa from Jay-Z’s recent headlining performance at All Points West.

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On Wednesday night, MGMT (along with opening acts Kuroma and Suckers) played a homecoming concert at The Bandshell in Prospect Park. When I first saw them on October 30 at Webster Hall, I got the impression that they were timid rock stars, not yet comfortable with their impending stardom (although it might have been because their faces were obscured by gigantic mariachi hats). Eight months later, the band blossomed, particularly frontman Andrew VanWyngarden (above, right). His newfound dynamism had him moving around the stage, interacting with his band mates, and even talking to the audience.

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