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Wow! Coachella unearths 2023 set times & drops another surprise as blink-182 unexpectedly get ready to rock the Empire Polo Club

April 13, 2023 by Josh Herwitt 1 Comment

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival //
Empire Polo Club – Indio, CA
April 14th-16th & April 21st-23rd, 2023 //

When the calendar turns to April, we all know what that means …

Yeah, that’s right — Coachella is just around the corner, and unlike a year ago when Swedish House Mafia and The Weeknd were elevated to headliner status with less than two weeks to go, it looks like there won’t be any last-minute lineup changes in 2023 (and we can thank the absence of a particular rapper for that).

But after casually including Grammy winners Arcade Fire in its 2022 set times for Weekend 1, the three-day music and arts festival has once again stunned us with another surprising addition while unleashing the schedule for the first weekend of its 22nd installment and after 11 p.m. PT on Wednesday no less (at 11:07 p.m. PT to be exact).

See you at Coachella on Friday 6:30pm Sahara Tent @blink182 😎 pic.twitter.com/BTev2wGUUr

— Tom DeLonge (@tomdelonge) April 13, 2023

This time, it’s blink-182 being thrown into the mix despite not being listed on the official lineup poster as Mark Hoppus (bass, vocals), Tom DeLonge (guitar, vocals) and Travis Barker (drums) storm the Sahara Tent on Friday for their first-ever appearance at Coachella. It’s particularly shocking given that the band had to postpone the Latin American leg of its highly anticipated reunion tour because Barker dislocated and tore ligaments in his left ring finger during rehearsals earlier this year. The last proper show that the reunited pop-punk icons played with their original lineup prior to DeLonge’s second exit was in 2014, so we would recommend getting there early — as in, well before their scheduled start of 6:45 p.m. — if you are hoping to catch what should be a memorable performance. Heck, maybe that’s why DeLonge typed 6:30 p.m. in his tweet? Or could it simply be a typo? Either way, it won’t be too long before we know for sure which one it is.

Regardless of what time blink takes the stage, there are always so many tough decisions to make at Coachella, and it doesn’t get any easier when a legendary 90’s act finally gets the chance to rock the Empire Polo Club. There’s also a world-famous DJ making his long-awaited return — seven years, in fact — on Saturday in case you forgot (we imagine Calvin Harris fans certainly haven’t).

Nevertheless, we want to hear it straight for those of you who are headed out to the desert: What’s your biggest conflict this year and who are you most excited for?

WEEKEND 1 SET TIMES

WEEKEND 2 SET TIMES

As you can see above, Coachella has finally confirmed with the release of its set times for Weekend 2 that Frank Ocean’s headlining performance has been canceled and will be replaced with another dose of blink-182 — for at least part of Sunday — as we shared a day ago.

See you Sunday @blink182

Four Tet x Fred again.. x Skrillex will also be joining Sunday evening pic.twitter.com/0OqMq7I1Kz

— Coachella (@coachella) April 21, 2023

But there’s also a TBA act now listed at 10:25 p.m. once blink wrap things up around 10:20 p.m., and we now know it will be Four Tet, Fred again.. and Skrillex following their big night in NYC at Madison Square Garden a couple of months ago already stamping their footprint squarely on this year’s electronic scene less than a quarter of the way into 2023.

MAP

A little more than 24 hours before the gates officially open, this year’s map has arrived and there’s not a whole lot that has changed in a matter of 12 months. There is one alteration that’s worth noting for those keeping tabs, however.

After allowing guests only one way to access the Sonora, Gobi and Mojave Tents last year, the fest has reinstituted a direct — albeit narrow — path from the Sahara Tent to them like there was in 2019. While that might create a bit more foot traffic close to The Do LaB Stage, the walk to those three stages won’t be nearly as far if you’re coming from that side of the polo fields. For many attendees, this route should definitely come in handy (and save you a few steps) at some point from Friday to Sunday.

So whether you’ll be in Indio or watching the YouTube livestream from the comfort of your couch, there’s plenty of good music to witness over the course of three days. If you’re still thinking about going and are looking for tickets, you can hop on the waitlist for Weekend 1 here or purchase them for Weekend 2 (GA and VIP) here along with whatever parking and shuttle passes remain.

Happy Coachella!

Shifting some things around today 🌴 Meet you at Los Fabulosos Cadillacs at 2:10 on Outdoor Theatre – check the Schedule to keep up with the latest. pic.twitter.com/1y6g8Omc6r

— Coachella (@coachella) April 16, 2023

UPDATE (April 16th): The first two days didn’t see any last-minute changes to the schedule, but there was one announced on Sunday. Los Fabulosos Cadillacs have been moved from the Coachella Stage to the Outdoor Theatre and will begin at 2:10 p.m. instead of 2:30 p.m., leaving Jacqk Glam to slide up 40 minutes and pushing Stick Figure back to 3:20 p.m.

Frank Ocean is not scheduled to appear on the Coachella livestream. The current schedule is in the description → https://t.co/oweGcgaTZs

— YouTube (@YouTube) April 17, 2023

But the most disappointing news on Day 3 was for those watching all of the action at home. Despite listing both acts on the schedule earlier in the day, Coachella has pulled the livestream for Björk and Frank Ocean this evening. 2023 will mark Björk’s third appearance at the Empire Polo Club and first since 2007, while Ocean is expected to close out the festival as Sunday’s headliner after postponing what has been considered to be a highly anticipated performance — his first in six years — and was originally announced when the 2020 lineup dropped. Despite there being no official word about Björk, YouTube did confirm the change for Ocean. With that in mind, we will have to make do with Noname, Big Wild, Weyes Blood, 2manydjs, Kali Uchis, Jai Wolf, DRAMA and Sudan Archives, among others, providing the entertainment. Stream on, Couchchellans!

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: $UICIDEBOY$, 070 Shake, 1999.ODDS, 21 Savage, 2ManyDJs, 9th Wonder, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Adam Beyer, AG Club, Airrica, Alex G, Ali Sethi, Angèle, Ashnikko, ¿Téo?, Bad Bunny, Bakar, Becky G, BENEE, Big Wild, Bjork, BLACKPINK, Blink-182, Blondie, Bonnaroo, Bonnaroo 2023, Boris Brejcha, Boston Calling, Boston Calling 2023, boygenius, BRATTY, Burna Boy, Calvin Harris, CamelPhat, Cannons, Carlita, Cassian, Charli XCX, Chloé Caillet, Chris Lake, Chris Stussy, Christine and the Queens, Chromeo, Coachella, Coachella 2023, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Music and Arts Festival 2023, Colyn, Conexión Divina, DannyLux, Dennis Cruz + PAWSA, Despacio, Destroy Boys, Diddy, Diljit Dosanjh, Dinner Party, DJ Tennis + Carlita DJ Tennis, Doechii, Dombresky, DOMi, DOMi & JD Beck, Dominic Fike, Don Toliver, Donavan's Yard, DPR IAN, DPR LIVE + DPR IAN DPR LIVE, DRAMA, EarthGang, El Michels Affair, Eladio Carrión, Elderbrook, Elyanna, Eric Prydz, Eric Prydz Presents HOLO, Ethel Cain, Fisher, Fisher + Chris Lake, FKJ, Flo Milli, Four Tet, Fousheé, Francis Mercier, Frank Ocean, Fred again.., Future, Gabriels, GloRilla, Gordo, Gorillaz, Guns N' Roses, Hiatus Kaiyote, HOLO, Horsegirl, Hot Since 82, IDK, Idris Elba, Jackson Wang, Jai Paul, Jai Wolf, Jamie Jones, Jan Blomqvist, JD Beck, John Digweed, John Legend, Joy Crookes, Julien Baker, Juliet Mendoza, Jupiter & Okwess, Kali Uchis, Kamasi Washington, Kanye West, Kaytranada, Keinemusik, Kenny Beats, Knocked Loose, Kyle Watson, Labrinth, Latto, Lava La Rue, LCD Soundsystem, Lewis OfMan, Los Bitchos, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, LP Giobbi, Lucy Dacus, Maceo Plex, Magdalena Bay, Malaa, Marc Rebillet, Mareux, Mathame, Metro Boomin, Minus the Light, MK, Mochakk, Momma, Monolink, MUNA, Mura Masa, NIA ARCHIVES, Noname, Nora En Pure, Oliver Koletzki, Overmono, Paris Texas, Phoebe Bridgers, Pi'erre Bourne, Porter Robinson, Pusha T, Rae Sremmurd, Rebelution, Remi Wolf, Robert Glasper, Romy, Rosalía, Saba, Sasha, Sasha & John Digweed, Sasha Alex Sloan, Scowl, SG Lewis, Shenseea, Skrillex, Sleaford Mods, Snail Mail, Sofi Tukker, Sonic Temple, Sonic Temple 2023, Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival, Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival 2023, Soul Glo, Stick Figure, Sudan Archives, Sunset Rollercoaster, Swedish House Mafia, Tale of Us, Terrace Martin, Testpilot, The Blaze, The Breeders, The Chemical Brothers, The Comet Is Coming, The Garden, The Kid LAROI, The Linda Lindas, The Murder Capital, The Weeknd, Tobe Nwigwe, TSHA, TV Girl, Two Friends, UMI, Uncle Waffles, Underworld, Vintage Culture, Wet Leg, Weyes Blood, WhoMadeWho, Whyte Fang, Willow, Yaeji, Ye, Yung Lean, Yungblud, Yves Tumor and Its Band

Goldenvoice shares 2023 Coachella sideshows

February 22, 2023 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

Love is in the air as it always is during the month of February, and even if you didn’t have someone special to spend Valentine’s Day with — no big deal! — this year, there’s still plenty of live music in California to gush over less than two months from now. Well, that’s because Goldenvoice has once again revealed Coachella’s annual sideshows throughout the greater Los Angeles area.

The three-day, two-weekend music festival will welcome Bad Bunny, BLACKPINK and Frank Ocean as headliners for its 22nd edition this April, and the concert promoter has lined up a good amount of gigs in a span of less than two weeks. Most of the venues hosting will be the same as in years past, but Sound Nightclub will feature the most — a total of seven — this time with The Roxy Theatre, The Novo and the Fox Theater Pomona right behind that count at five each.

While the festivities across SoCal will officially kick off with a surprise when a TBA act takes the stage in Pomona on April 12th, the following acts will also perform inside LA County:

The Breeders (with The Linda Lindas), Momma, Pi’erre Bourne (with AG Club), Remi Wolf (with Lava La Rue), Kyle Watson, Dennis Cruz and Chris Stussy, Bakar, Benee, FKJ, Cannons, Destroy Boys (with Soul Glo and The Murder Capital), Gabriels, Hiatus Kaiyote (with a DJ set by El Michels Affair), Vintage Culture + Colyn, Angèle, Blondie (with The Linda Lindas), Christine and the Queens (with Lewis OfMan), Ethel Cain, Monolink (DJ set), Mura Masa, Overmono, Willow and Yves Tumor, 2ManyDJs (DJ set), Big Wild + Elderbrook, Bratty + Los Bitchos (with Conexión Divina), Donovan’s Yard and Uncle Waffles, Mathame + Cassian, MUNA, Yaeji (with LP Giobbi), John Digweed and Nora En Pure. See the full list of sideshows in the poster above.

Goldenvoice Presents April 2023 🕺 get down desert-style all month long with intimate performances by artists on this year’s Coachella lineup. learn more & enter to win a pair of Coachella passes & tickets to EVERY Goldenvoice Presents April show: https://t.co/qI1Jxhm8Y4 🌵 pic.twitter.com/Hsv4pryPjM

— goldenvoice (@goldenvoice) February 22, 2023

Once again, there will be no special showcase at the Palm Springs Air Museum like there was back in 2017, though this year will see the Greek Theatre get in on the action for the first time when the historic LA amphitheater welcomes Blondie with The Linda Lindas also on the bill. It’s also worth noting that the famed desert music venue Pappy & Harriet’s will not be in the equation for a change after playing a key role previously.

For more than a decade now, Goldenvoice CEO Paul Tollett and his sidekicks have been cashing in off of Coachella more and more with the inclusion of these sideshows. A peak of 62 came in 2017 after 52 were in announced in 2018, and since then the number has dropped considerably with 32 slated for this year, 44 in 2022 and 34 in 2019. It’s safe to say that there’s always an eclectic assortment of both talent and genres, and 2023 will follow suit as the El Rey Theatre welcomes an evening of punk rock courtesy of Destroy Boys that boasts support from Soul Glo and The Murder Capital followed two nights later by Latin-flavored acts Bratty and Los Bitchos.

Other sideshows that deserved to be mentioned include FKJ at the Fox Theater Pomona, Cannons at The Roxy, Hiatus Kaiyote with El Michels Affair (DJ set) at The Novo, 2ManyDJs (DJ set) at The Fonda Theatre and the legendary John Digweed at Sound Nightclub. Meanwhile, the Santa Barbara Bowl will have a couple of top-notch dates of their own not pictured above that includes The Chemical Brothers with Overmono (DJ set) on April 16th and FKJ on April 19th.

Tickets for the sideshows go on sale here this Friday, February 24th at Noon PT over the next three weeks, and fans can also win a pair of Weekend 2 passes to Coachella plus two Golden tickets that grant access to every “Goldenvoice Presents April” show this year. Wishing you all the best of luck!

UPDATE (March 31): Goldenvoice has unveiled who the TBA act will be for Wednesday, April 12th at the Fox Pomona Theater, and it’s none other than boygenius. The indie-rock supergroup comprised of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus will give fans a taste of their new debut LP The Record, which was released today, before heading to the Empire Polo Club for their Saturday sets at Coachella. Tickets to the show can be purchased here, but you will want to grab them fast before they’re all gone!

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: 2ManyDJs, AG Club, Angèle, Bakar, BENEE, Big Wild, Big Wild + Elderbrook, Blondie, boygenius, BRATTY, BRATTY + Los Bitchos, Cannons, Cassian, Chris Stussy, Christine and the Queens, Coachella, Coachella 2023, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Music and Arts Festival 2023, Coachella sideshows, Colyn, Conexión Divina, Dennis Cruz, Dennis Cruz + Chris Stussy, Destroy Boys, Donavan's Yard, El Michels Affair, El Rey, El Rey Theatre, Elderbrook, Ethel Cain, FKJ, Fox Theater Pomona, Gabriels, Greek Theatre, Hiatus Kaiyote, John Digweed, Julien Baker, Kyle Watson, Lava La Rue, Lewis OfMan, Los Bitchos, LP Giobbi, Lucy Dacus, Mathame, Mathame + Cassian, Momma, Monolink, MUNA, Mura Masa, Nora En Pure, Overmono, Pappy & Harriet's, Phoebe Bridgers, Pi'erre Bourne, Remi Wolf, Santa Barbara Bowl, Soul Glo, Sound Nightclub, The Breeders, The Chemical Brothers, The Fonda Theatre, The Glass House, The Linda Lindas, The Murder Capital, The Novo, The Novo DTLA, The Roxy, The Roxy Theatre, Uncle Waffles, Vintage Culture, Willow, Yaeji, Yves Tumor

Coachella comes clean with 2023 lineup as Bad Bunny, BLACKPINK & Frank Ocean land headlining slots in the desert

January 10, 2023 by Josh Herwitt 4 Comments

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival //
Empire Polo Club – Indio, CA
April 14th-16th & April 21st-23rd, 2023 //

It’s that day again when Coachella finally lets the cat out of the bag each year.

Many had speculated the famed California music festival would offer up its big secret this week as it often does once we ring in a new year, and Goldenvoice did just that for its latest installment on the same day Bonnaroo, Boston Calling and Sonic Temple all revealed their own lineups as well.

But after last year saw late lineup changes with Ye (fka Kanye West) — unsurprisingly — backing out as the headliner for Sunday and being replaced by Swedish House Mafia and The Weeknd, it appears that Goldenvoice CEO Paul Tollett is prepared should the same sort of scenario happen again at the Empire Polo Club this April.

Headlining will be Bad Bunny, BLACKPINK and Frank Ocean, and while two of those artists check the box that we referred to in 2022 when it comes to the fest featuring more international acts, this year’s Day 3 headliner — whose set was originally announced for the 2020 edition but was pushed back to 2023 as the COVID-19 pandemic sent Coachella on a three-year hiatus — is also one who has been known to cancel his performances.

Ugh was stuck in drafts 🫠

Register now for access to passes at https://t.co/qujCsdlTip. Presale begins Friday, 1/13 at 11am PT. Very limited Weekend 1 passes remain. For your best chance at passes, look to Weekend 2. pic.twitter.com/5zMQ4dJZHq

— Coachella (@coachella) January 10, 2023

If Ocean does this time, Tollett and company will have Calvin Harris waiting in the wings and ready to step onto the main stage after 10 p.m. much like SHM did in 2022 (with some help from The Weeknd). He could even elevate sub-headliners Gorillaz, ROSALÍA and/or Björk to the No. 1 spot since two of them have headlined Coachella before. Either way, the man who has been organizing the three-day event — which expanded to two weekends in 2012 — for more than 20 years now certainly has his share of options after locking down Harry Styles and Billie Eilish to lead the charge a year ago.

We should note that it’s not clear yet which day Harris will perform if all goes according to plan, but the five-time Grammy-nominated DJ/record producer has headlined once before in 2016 and was included as a sub-headliner in 2020 before it was ultimately canceled. We will provide updates about his status below whenever we have more information.

Given those contingencies, the roster for Coachella’s 22nd year has a lot to consider below the top line for all three days and there are plenty of names that stick out among the undercard. And though those receiving high placement on the poster like Burna Boy, Eric Prydz, Kali Uchis, The Chemical Brothers, Porter Robinson, boygenius, Porter Robinson, Kaytranada, $uicideboy$, Fisher + Chris Lake, Blondie, the Kid LAROI, A Boogie, Becky G, Charli XCX, Dominic Fike, Metro Boomin, Labrinth, Jai Paul and Underworld are worth considering, there are others farther down that deserve being mentioned here such as FKJ, SOFI TUKKER, Jai Wolf, Wet Leg, Chromeo, 2ManyDJs, SG Lewis, TESTPILOT, Mura Masa, Weyes Blood, Marc Rebillet, Alex G and Hiatus Kaiyote.

Tickets for Weekend 1 are almost sold out, though you can always jump on the wait list here after three-day GA and VIP passes go on sale here during a presale this Friday, January 13th at 11 a.m. PT.

UPDATE (April 19th): So much for not having any last-minute changes this year. But considering how capricious Ocean remains as a performer and what transpired during his Weekend 1 headlining set, it should not come as a complete shock that the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter has pulled the plug on his Weekend 2 performance only a few days before it’s scheduled to happen. What might be more surprising to learn, however, is that Ocean sustained two fractures and a sprain in his left leg while at the Empire Polo Club last week and still decided to perform (sort of). blink-182, the reunited pop-punk icons who were tapped as this year’s surprise addition when set times for Weekend 1 dropped (much like Arcade Fire were in 2022), will reportedly take over the headliner slot on Sunday after rocking the Sahara Tent last Friday to mark the band’s first show with its original lineup since 2014. If you thought last year was bad after Ye’s cancellation with less than two weeks to go, we think it’s fair to say Ocean just one-upped him but feel free to chime in with your thoughts in the comments section below.

See you Sunday @blink182

Four Tet x Fred again.. x Skrillex will also be joining Sunday evening pic.twitter.com/0OqMq7I1Kz

— Coachella (@coachella) April 21, 2023

UPDATE (April 20th): Coachella has confirmed with the release of its set times for Weekend 2 that Frank Ocean’s headlining performance has been canceled and will be replaced with another dose of blink-182 — for at least part of Sunday. But there’s also a TBA act now listed at 10:25 p.m. once blink wrap things up around 10:20 p.m., which will be Four Tet, Fred again.. and Skrillex following the trio’s big night in NYC at Madison Square Garden a couple of months ago when they performed a five-hour B2B marathon.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: $UICIDEBOY$, 070 Shake, 1999.ODDS, 2ManyDJs, 9th Wonder, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Adam Beyer, AG Club, Airrica, Alex G, Ali Sethi, Angèle, Ashnikko, ¿Téo?, Bad Bunny, Bakar, Becky G, BENEE, Big Wild, Bjork, BLACKPINK, Blondie, Bonnaroo, Bonnaroo 2023, Boris Brejcha, Boston Calling, Boston Calling 2023, boygenius, BRATTY, Burna Boy, Calvin Harris, CamelPhat, Cannons, Carlita, Cassian, Charli XCX, Chloé Caillet, Chris Lake, Chris Stussy, Christine and the Queens, Chromeo, Coachella, Coachella 2023, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Music and Arts Festival 2023, Colyn, Conexión Divina, DannyLux, Dennis Cruz + PAWSA, Despacio, Destroy Boys, Diljit Dosanjh, Dinner Party, DJ Tennis + Carlita DJ Tennis, Doechii, Dombresky, DOMi, DOMi & JD Beck, Dominic Fike, Donavan's Yard, DPR IAN, DPR LIVE + DPR IAN DPR LIVE, DRAMA, EarthGang, El Michels Affair, Eladio Carrión, Elderbrook, Elyanna, Eric Prydz, Eric Prydz Presents HOLO, Ethel Cain, Fisher, Fisher + Chris Lake, FKJ, Flo Milli, Fousheé, Francis Mercier, Frank Ocean, Gabriels, GloRilla, Gordo, Gorillaz, Guns N' Roses, Hiatus Kaiyote, HOLO, Horsegirl, Hot Since 82, IDK, Idris Elba, Jackson Wang, Jai Paul, Jai Wolf, Jamie Jones, Jan Blomqvist, JD Beck, John Digweed, Joy Crookes, Julien Baker, Juliet Mendoza, Jupiter & Okwess, Kali Uchis, Kamasi Washington, Kanye West, Kaytranada, Keinemusik, Kenny Beats, Knocked Loose, Kyle Watson, Labrinth, Latto, Lava La Rue, LCD Soundsystem, Lewis OfMan, Los Bitchos, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, LP Giobbi, Lucy Dacus, Maceo Plex, Magdalena Bay, Malaa, Marc Rebillet, Mareux, Mathame, Metro Boomin, Minus the Light, MK, Mochakk, Momma, Monolink, MUNA, Mura Masa, NIA ARCHIVES, Noname, Nora En Pure, Oliver Koletzki, Overmono, Paris Texas, Phoebe Bridgers, Pi'erre Bourne, Porter Robinson, Pusha T, Rae Sremmurd, Rebelution, Remi Wolf, Robert Glasper, Romy, Rosalía, Saba, Sasha, Sasha & John Digweed, Sasha Alex Sloan, Scowl, SG Lewis, Shenseea, Sleaford Mods, Snail Mail, Sofi Tukker, Sonic Temple, Sonic Temple 2023, Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival, Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival 2023, Soul Glo, Stick Figure, Sudan Archives, Sunset Rollercoaster, Tale of Us, Terrace Martin, Testpilot, The Blaze, The Breeders, The Chemical Brothers, The Comet Is Coming, The Garden, The Kid LAROI, The Linda Lindas, The Murder Capital, Tobe Nwigwe, TSHA, TV Girl, Two Friends, UMI, Uncle Waffles, Underworld, Vintage Culture, Wet Leg, Weyes Blood, WhoMadeWho, Whyte Fang, Willow, Yaeji, Ye, Yung Lean, Yungblud, Yves Tumor

CRSSD unveils Phase 2 of Fall 2018 lineup

August 9, 2018 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

CRSSD Festival //
Waterfront Park – San Diego
September 29th-30th, 2018 //

Less than two months after releasing the first phase of its Fall 2018 roster, CRSSD has added even more artists to the bill now.

UK ambient/post-dubstep two-piece Mount Kimbie, California-based electronic producer Big Wild, Chicago DJ/production duo Louis the Child and 23-year-old singer-songwriter Kiiara all lead the two-day music festival’s Phase 2 lineup, while The Hacker, LEFTWING & KODY, Mija, Oliver, Will Clarke and Dateless are also among its new additions this September.

CRSSD’s eighth edition will be headlined by British DJ/record producer Duke Dumont, who we saw close out last year’s inaugural Skyline festival (read our review here), and Canada’s Bob Moses, with Marian Hill, Sofi Tukker, Flight Facilities, Hayden James, PNAU, Autograf, Elderbrook, shallou, Claptone and more scheduled to perform in San Diego.

See the poster above for the entire Fall 2018 lineup. The bi-annual, 21-and-over event has GA tickets available here for $145 before they increase to $155.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: AC Slater B2B Jack Beats, Anti-Up, Autograf, Big Wild, Bob Moses, Claptone, CRSSD, CRSSD 2018, CRSSD Festival, CRSSD Festival 2018, Cut Snake B2B Ardalan, Darius (Live), Dateless, Detlef, Duke Dumont, Dusky, Elderbrook, Flight Facilities, FNGRS CRSSD, Hayden James, John Digweed, Kiiara, Leftwing & Kody, Louis the Child, Marian Hill, Mija, Mount Kimbie, NAATIONS, Nina Kraviz, Oliver, PNAU, shallou, Sofi Tukker, The Hacker, Thomas Jack, Waterfront Park, White Cliffs, WILL CLARKE

CRSSD enlists Duke Dumont, Bob Moses to headline Fall 2018 lineup with Marian Hill, Sofi Tukker & more

June 28, 2018 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

CRSSD Festival //
Waterfront Park – San Diego
September 29th-30th, 2018 //

Since its official debut in 2015, CRSSD has found a home at San Diego’s scenic Waterfront Park and become a mainstay across Southern California’s ever-expanding live music landscape.

California-based event promoter FNGRS CRSSD has organized seven editions of the bi-annual music festival in that time, partnering with Goldenvoice early on, and has already announced its eighth installment almost four months after Empire of the Sun and Gorgon City topped the fest’s Spring 2018 lineup.

Headlining this time around will be British DJ/producer Duke Dumont, who we saw close out last year’s inaugural Skyline festival (read our review here), and Canadian electronic duo Bob Moses. This won’t be either’s first time performing at CRSSD, with one previously serving as a headliner (Duke Dumont) and the other as an undercard act (Bob Moses).

UPDATE (August 9th): Organizers have unveiled Phase 2 of the Fall 2018 lineup, with Mount Kimbie, Big Wild, Louis the Child, Kiiara and more joining the party this September.

Though CRSSD’s rosters have often leaned in the electronic direction and continue to as evidenced by this latest one, there was a time when it strayed off course and gave rock a chance, booking The Flaming Lips and TV on the Radio surprisingly enough.

Meanwhile, the two-day festival’s Fall 2018 bill also boasts Marian Hill, Sofi Tukker, Flight Facilities, Hayden James, PNAU, Autograf, Elderbrook, shallou, Claptone, Dusky, Anti-Up, Thomas Jack, AC Slater B2B Jack Beats, Darius (Live), Detlef, Cut Snake B2B Ardalan, Nina Kraviz, John Digweed and more.

See the poster above for the rest of the lineup. Advanced tickets for the 21-and-over event will be available here starting Tuesday, July 3rd at Noon PT.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: AC Slater B2B Jack Beats, Anti-Up, Autograf, Bob Moses, Claptone, CRSSD, CRSSD 2018, CRSSD Festival, CRSSD Festival 2018, Cut Snake B2B Ardalan, Darius (Live), Detlef, Duke Dumont, Dusky, Elderbrook, Flight Facilities, FNGRS CRSSD, Hayden James, John Digweed, Marian Hill, NAATIONS, Nina Kraviz, PNAU, shallou, Sofi Tukker, The Flaming Lips, Thomas Jack, TV on the Radio, Waterfront Park, White Cliffs

Is Lightning in a Bottle shedding its ‘boutique’ label to go mainstream?

May 29, 2015 by Josh Herwitt 5 Comments

By Josh Herwitt //

Lightning in a Bottle //
San Antonio Recreation Area – Bradley, CA
May 21st-25th, 2015 //

It has been more than 15 years since Jesse and Josh Flemming set out to throw a wild birthday bash for themselves in the Santa Ynez Mountains just north of Santa Barbara, Calif. The twin brothers, who had left their Pennsylvania roots behind for Los Angeles in the late 90’s in hopes of pursuing careers in the entertainment industry, enlisted the help of their younger brother Dede, who had his own aspirations of working in Hollywood, making the cross-country move to Southern California a few years after them.

But what started as a private party of 150 people would eventually become better known as Lightning in a Bottle (LIB), the famed boutique festival that the Flemming brothers have curated for more than a decade with the help of their LA-based event production company The Do LaB. Tabbed as the “Greenest Festival in America” each of the last five years, LIB has continued to foster a community that values sustainability first and foremost, but also social cohesion, personal health and creative expression. Consequently, the Flemming brothers have created one of the most unique experiences on the entire U.S. festival circuit, with music, art, yoga and workshops all serving as essential elements in forming LIB’s identity. Whether all of that can be sustained while the festival maintains its “boutique” label though, remains to be seen.

LIB sold out for the first time in its 15-year history with as many as 20,000 festivalgoers attending.

For the first time ever, LIB sold out in its 15-year history this month, with last weekend’s attendance peaking at 20,000 after hovering around 15,000 in previous years. Some of that surge can likely be attributed to the musical talent that LIB now shares with Coachella. SBTRKT, ODESZA, Tycho and Panda Bear, for instance, all performed in Indio this year while Flume, RL Grime and AlunaGeorge made appearances on the polo fields last April. But the festival has arguably welcomed no bigger up-and-coming artist than Flume, the 23-year-old Australian producer and DJ who won numerous awards in his home country back in 2013. Since then, he has been all the rage in today’s electronic dance music scene, with tickets to his three sold-out shows in LA last August reselling on both Craigslist and StubHub for upwards of $100.

So, it was no surprise that the largest crowd over the entire weekend congregated a little after midnight on Sunday to see Harley Streten take the stage as the festival’s top headliner and drop one wonky trap beat after another. With the crowd spilling over outside of the main stage’s premises, it was a quick reminder of what the Gobi Tent looked like during Flume’s set at Coachella just a year earlier. And by the following day, much of the camp grounds had already emptied out — a clear sign that those who made the trek to Bradley, Calif., had seen all that they needed to see, even if that meant simply watching Streten command the crowd with mainly a laptop. It’s at least in part why if The Do LaB continues to book headliners of Streten’s stature, LIB can likely kiss that “boutique” label goodbye — unless financial gain is of no interest or concern.

Australian DJ/producer Flume packed the main stage at LIB for his Saturday night headlining set.

Yet, that’s not the only indication that LIB could soon be headed for the big time. The real icing on the cake didn’t come until Sunday night, when English synthpop/trip-hop duo AlunaGeorge, midway through their main-stage set, busted out a cover of “White Noise”, the Disclosure mega-hit on 2013’s Settle that they collaborated with brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence on. And as I watched those all around me mouth every word that vocalist Aluna Francis belted out, it was hard not to foresee the moment becoming somewhat of a trend at LIB. Because when I attended the festival for the first time in 2011, there was little chance of hearing a Top 40 song on the main stage. LIB, for better or worse, has certainly come a long way since then.

The musical offerings aren’t the only noticeable change at LIB when you take a closer look, however. While the festival has always catered to health-conscious individuals, offering a variety of vegetarian, raw, organic and non-GMO options, it’s only started to offer dishes featuring meat, whether it be chicken, beef or pork (bacon was served … yes, bacon!), in the last two years — even though the chicken supply ran dry by Day 3 this year. That small, yet significant transformation could simply be the product of a growing fan base, one that continues to swell as EDM heavyweights like John Digweed, Thomas Jack and Bakermat become more and more a part of the festival’s musical palette. And with more people comes more trash (something LIB has kept to a minimum more than any other festival in America to date), less space (something that has always been relatively easy to come by at LIB) and a harder time of finding your friends (something that was never an issue at LIB in the past but became much more of one this year).

The purists may already be claiming that LIB has sold out and there’s no turning back. But at this juncture, the “transformational” festival — as some like to call it — is still toeing a fine line between the underground and mainstream. It’s where it goes from here that will ultimately decide its fate.

Lightning in a Bottle - William Close and the Earth Harp Collective

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Festival Reviews, Festivals Tagged With: Active Child, AlunaGeorge, Animal Liberation Orchestra, Bakermat, Coachella, Coachella 2015, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Flume, Goldroom, GRIZ, Jason Bentley, John Digweed, Les Sins, LIB, Lightning in a Bottle, Little People, Odesza, Panda Bear, Poliça, Random Rab, RL Grime, Sbtrkt, SOHN, The Do LaB, Thomas Jack, Tycho, William Close and the Earth Harp Collective, Zion I

Is the Lightning in a Bottle lineup becoming a mini version of Coachella’s?

April 21, 2015 by Josh Herwitt 1 Comment

Photo courtesy of Daniel Zetterstrom // Written by Josh Herwitt //

Lightning in a Bottle //
San Antonio Recreation Area – Bradley, CA
May 21st-25th, 2015 //

For those who made the trek to Indio, this week officially signals the return to reality after witnessing some of the best live music you’ll likely see all year.

Coachella withdrawals, after all, don’t take long to set in, and the thought of having to wait 12 more months to experience what you just went through in three days is probably really bumming you out right now.

But fear not, because while it may not have the same name recognition that Coachella has come to garner, Lightning in a Bottle has slowly but surely started to share more and more of the same artists that have recently graced the polo fields.

Take this year’s LIB lineup, for example. SBTRKT, ODESZA, Tycho and Panda Bear all played at Coachella the past two weekends while newly anointed headliner Flume, RL Grime and AlunaGeorge made appearances last April. Other acts like John Digweed and Poliça have also performed at Coachella not that long ago, making this year’s LIB lineup one of the most appealing in its decade-long history.

With its own stage at Coachella for some time now, the artists collective and event creations company known as The Do LaB has continued to expand its reach, and as a result, LIB has grown more and more popular each year. Though the musical overlap might be just one reason for the boutique festival’s growing attendance, there are a number of LIB acts this year that could very well be printed on Coachella’s lineup next year, much like what Chet Faker, Gramatik, What So Not, Cashmere Cat and Ryan Hemsworth experienced from 2014 to 2015.

Active Child: Electronic music artist Pat Grossi will follow up his critically acclaimed 2011 debut You Are All I See in June with the release of his second full-length album Mercy. But before that, he’ll kick off his North America tour consisting of mostly seated shows with his first appearance at LIB this May, and it’s only natural to think that a stop at Coachella is on the horizon.

GRiZ: Grant Kwiecinski has become a household name in electronic music circles over the past three years after supporting electronic heavyweights like Bassnectar, Pretty Lights, Gramatik and Big Gigantic on tour. The Detroit native has kept his foot on the accelerator, having already released his fourth studio album Say It Loud in only a little more than four years on the scene, and will be back at LIB after hitting the festival for the first time two years ago.

Goldroom: Josh Legg’s project performed on the main stage at LIB in 2013, and he’s got the live band back together for another go-around this year. The LA-based act gave off a sexy vibe at CRSSD Festival in San Diego last month, and it could be ready to take on Coachella once a full-length album comes out.

Les Sins: Chaz Bundick is best known for his work as Toro y Moi, but his electronic-leaning side project Les Sins has kept him rather busy going back and forth between the two. After playing Coachella this year with Toro, Bundick could be back in 2016 with the way Les Sins has taken off over the past few months.

Little People: London downtempo electronic artist Laurent Clerc has been releasing music since 2006, starting with his debut album Mickey Mouse Operation. Now based in the States and more specifically Portland, Ore., Clerc dropped his Csay Csay EP in March and recently spent some time on the road supporting Seattle duo ODESZA, which makes a lot of sense after you listen to his track “Enola”.

Random Rab: Having played the festival the past four years, the San Francisco producer is a LIB veteran, and he’ll be making his fifth straight appearance this spring. While his last album came in 2011, Random Rab has continued to perfect his live sets after touring with such LIB favorites as Bassnectar, Shpongle and Beats Antique.

Thomas Jack: EDM rising star Thomas Jack hit it big in 2013 with his single “Final Speech”, and his stock only continued to grow with remixes of Adrian Lux and Of Monsters and Men. With the way the 20-year-old DJ and producer from Australia is igniting dance floors, it’s probably not long before he’s hitting the polo fields in Indio after taking another crack at the LIB audience this year.

Snakehips: Oliver Lee and James Carter quickly climbed the dance charts last year with their sample-heavy PBR&B grooves as they exhibited on popular remixes of Wild Belle and The Weeknd. The UK production duo continues to sell out venues, and it will be no surprise if it’s listed on the 2016 Coachella lineup.

SOHN: English musician, songwriter and producer Christopher Taylor unleashed his first full-length album (read our review here) a little more than a year ago, and he’s been known to collaborate with high-profile artists like Lana Del Rey and BANKS. While it was relatively surprising to not see SOHN on the Coachella lineup this year, it’s a safe bet that he’ll find his way to Indio pretty soon.

Zion I: Oakland hip-hop group Zion I haven’t performed at Coachella in surprisingly more than a decade, and this year will mark their first time ever at LIB. Rapper Baba Zumbi and producer Amp Live earned praise for their ninth and latest album Shadowboxing back in 2012, but the duo is long overdue for a return to the desert.