Coachella lineup looks power- (and pop-) packed

The reunion of Zack de la Rocha and his bandmates after a seven-year hitaus might be all the Rage, but pop fans will be just as excited by the news that Crowded House is re-forming and will play the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. Front man Neil Finn and bassist Nick Seymour are beginning the search for a drummer to replace Paul Hester, who committed suicide two years ago. Crowded House has not performed since its farewell show in November, 1996.

In a story running in the Times on Monday, my colleague Geoff Boucher reports that Rage Against the Machine will join the likes of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bjork, the Arcade Fire, Interpol, Willie Nelson, the Roots, Sonic Youth, the Arctic Monkeys, Air and Tiesto at this installment of Coachella. Who will play which day has yet to be determined. Tickets for the three-day festival (April 27-29) go on sale Saturday.

As usual, Los Angeles will be well-represented -- with Satellite Party (the new project from Perry Farrell) and artists such as Silversun Pickups, Busdriver and Ozomatli lined up to play, according to a variety of sources. The contingent of English bands is also characteristically strong.

Most anticipated?  Maybe Damon Albarn's new band, the Good the Bad and the Queen, which features bassist Paul Simonon (the Clash), guitarist Simon Tong (the Verve) and drummer Tony Allen (Fela Kuti).

Pulp front man Jarvis Cocker will be at Coachella too, touring behind a strong solo release. Up-and-comers the Kooks and the Cribs are on the bill, as are soft-rockers the Feeling and -- in the Whatever Happened To Dept. -- Travis.

More names as we learn them. Nothing on the official Coachella website or on the fest's MySpace yet.

Comments

[Amateurchemist]

Rage is big news. That explains the lack of touring behind the new Audioslave cd. I am still hoping for Smashing Pumpkins and Hum.