austin city limits lineup update - john
So far- the leaks about this year’s lineup have been less than exciting (Los Lonely Boys, Buckwheat Zydeco... blah) whereas the heresy and rumors of Radiohead, Pearl Jam, Bob Dylan and even Prince - are far more exciting. There are a few pearls like the Flaming Lips but if this year is to be as good as the years past they need LOTS more “buzz-worthy” acts on board. I have faith that when the full lineup is out I will be in shock and awe of how awesome it is. The recent leak is promising….Today it has been revealed that the indie music ante has just been upped with the announcement of 5 more artists to ACL FEST 2006:
1.Nada Surf - I have seen them twice before and it’s always a pleasure. I find myself strangely satisfied that this act has stuck it out thru one-hit-wonderdom and gone on to make killer records under the MTV radar, or rather – after the MTV radar ignored them….
happy kid: 
2.Marah - this brother led indie band makes amazingly good old school rock albums. A band like this, where the lyrics are so important and admirable, will fit right in to the ACL fest
No mp3- but instead a free definition! : Marah is the Hebrew word for bitter
3.Calexico - this makes good sense being that Iron and Wine have already been confirmed and the two released an album last year that was critically well received. This is one of the acts that have been announced that I am not super thrilled about because they have played the festival before. They fit the ACL fest aseptic perfectly but I do have some restraint on acts that are doing repeats… the Shins- I’m talking to you.
Ballad of Cable Hogue:
4.Kings of Leon – I know Eddie Vedder is down with these guys so that’s good enough in my book. Read about it here. Sure wish Pearl Jam would play the fest…
5.Phoenix - I missed these guys two years ago at SXSW and still regret it. The fantastic album Alphabetical is 18 months old now and it still is the jam- more so now that summer is in full swing. The new album “It’s Never Been Like That” is out May 15th.
I am on pins and needles for more updates. The full lineup is announced May 18th (including mystery headliners)
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