Picking last, my strategy was dictated by how the draft began. I honestly didn’t think Daft Punk would fall to me. However, as I began my draft, I saw my picks generally falling into three categories: rock, dance, and Pitchfork dream indie. I worried less about pleasing everyone and more about pleasing, well, myself. After all, I go to a lot of shows and festivals, so with each pick I tried to think of “who would I want to see.” I didn’t worry about conflicts as much as I tried to pick bands that made sense together, and that I could put on two stages over three days with no low points. I mean, honestly, who wouldn’t want to go to this festival?
Friday
Though I took Daft Punk first, the idea later came that Daft Punk didn’t need to be a headliner. Sure, they could be. But, The White Stripes appealed to me more because of their recent breakup announcement and the fact that they haven’t played in a few years. However, as far as set times go, Daft Punk would be closing out the mainstage after The White Stripes, kind of like how Coachella did with The Chemical Brothers this year. Something huge and fun to get the weekend going.
But, that is only two acts. Where the first day will set the bar is in consistency. The mainstage will be full of dependable festival rock bands throughout the afternoon and evening: Wilco, The National, My Morning Jacket, Blackstar for a slight curveball. But, if you aren’t digging the giant anthem, the second stage is going to be filled with harder-edge rock acts, headlined by Queens Of The Stone Age, which, is probably the perfect act to play opposite Daft Punk. I’m pretty sure everyone can be pleased by one of those acts.
Leading into Queens would be a couple of bands with hardcore influences, Modest Mouse and Wolf Parade. Hell, maybe they’ll jam, as Isaac Brock produced the first Wolf Parade album, Apologies To The Queen Mary. And in the day, there will be a blend of great hardcore (Liturgy, Fucked Up, OFF!) and hardcore-influenced indie (The Hold Steady, Titus Andronicus, No Age). If you have seen any of these bands live, you can testify to both the energy they will bring and the quality of their musicianship.
Saturday
So yeah, we rocked on Friday. Saturday we are going for something totally different. This is the time at Phil Fest when we dance. But, like all the days of the festival, I tried not to keep it one note. So, obviously the big one, closing out the mainstage, Prince. Yeah, Prince. Three hours, all the hits, fireworks, everything you can think of. It is going to be like a Super Bowl halftime show. In fact, he might recreate the Super Bowl Halftime show as part of his set.
Leading into Prince? Justin Timberlake, back from his stint in Hollywood for a huge stage show where he debuts some new tracks that he is working on. Hell, maybe even some collaborations take place, because you know there will be some earlier in the day. With Eminem, Dr. Dre, and Snoop Dogg, they will each be billed on their own, in succession, but you know they will be jamming together throughout three epic hours.
The day on the main stage will feature more pop friendly acts like Robyn (who also will have Snoop come out and play with her) and Lykke Li, as well as up and comers How To Dress Well and The Weeknd. But, I know this kind of mainstream-ish mainstage may not appeal to everyone, the second stage will show a different side of music. This stage will not be a typical set where the biggest band goes on last, rather, it will be curated to flow smoothly. Deerhunter will open the day, followed by another carefully planned of Metric, Feist, and Broken Social Scene. Yeah, it will be an ultimate BSS super-show.
After that bit of awesomeness, Animal Collective will signify a change of pace, during the day where they don’t have the pressure to necessarily be entertainers. And as the evening comes, we will get some of the best in experimental electronic music with Four Tet, Gang Gang Dance, Burial, The Knife and, closing out the stage, Justice. Playing opposite Prince will be tough, but if anyone could do it, Justice could.
Sunday
By far the most chill of days, but also maybe the most stacked. The Smiths’ reunion show to closeout the festival would be the highlight of many people’s lives and the rest of the day would be curated to suit that. Blur, Portishead and Sigur Ros would lead into that, as well as Jeff Mangum playing an acoustic mainstage set by himself. It would be… fuck, it would be huge.
As that mainstage lineup pretty much speaks for itself, how do you surround it. For the mainstage day, we will throw in some more legends of indie with Pulp, Pavement, and Belle and Sebastian. Sure, these bands could practically be headliners in their own right, but having this stacked mainstage is the kind of event that a Smiths reunion deserves, and if money was no object, I doubt anyone would have a problem playing fifth or sixth fiddle to one of the most influential groups of all time.
So, who gets the misfortune of playing against The Smiths? Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Explosions In The Sky, and Low will all be reserved for the second stage, where they will balance each other with atmospheric music for people to sit in the grass and relax after a long-ass weekend. The day will feature the longest stretch of lesser-known acts, all placed on a bill with legends that would no-doubt scare them shitless. But, seeing sets from EMA, Braids, The Head And The Heart, or Austra, where they would be overwhelmed, would be a different sort of pleasure, where you could see a small band truly break-out.
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So, if you could only attend one of these stocked festivals, which would you choose? Let us know by shouting us out on Twitter or by leaving us a comment below.
Graphics courtesy of Kate Glassmeyer.
